December 30, 2010 Volume 43 Issue 5 skiracing.com

doing on the Alpine World Cup? After a DNF at Val d’Isere, Jon Olsson still aims to pull off the ultimate trick

Ted Ligety, Denver aims to do it again! and more — racing in Find out how in the NCAA Preview , and Tech Talk: The secrets behind snow injection Departments 3 Start House: Can 2011 top 2010 for fans? 4 Letters: Reader feedback on safety measures, Greg Needell and Sport Vision Training.

6 Out of the Gate: Is the parallel slalom fair? Plus, U.S. moguls success; the Courchevel slalom; and jumping returns to the USCSA.

7 Marketplace: Check out SR partners. 16. Ted Tac Toe, Three in a Row 10 Waxroom: Merry Christmas, scary dominates men’s highlights from Val d’Isere, and . BY HANK McKEE Christmas; Kasper’s long cruise; Vonn & Riesch’s awards; and the Racing Twitter awards for 2010. 22. Swiss Hit and Miss

Wind and snow cancel a super G in St. Moritz; Tessa 13 Gallery: Images from World Cup alpine Worley wins the . BY ERIC WILLIAMS racing, ski cross, jumping and cross country.

24. Vive La Vonn! 37 Nordic: A preview of the . After her back-to-back wins here, Val d’Isere is looking like Lindsey Vonn’s kind of town. BY ERIC WILLIAMS 40 Where Are They Now? After a long career in speed , Cindy Nelson is Here 2 Help. 27. Olsson Golden? He’s got money, fame and nearly every trick in the bag. 42 Tech Talk: The truth behind Why Jon Olsson is aiming higher. BY ERIC WILLIAMS injected slopes.

29. Four Wheeling: 44 Backshop: A tuning guide for clubs, part 2. NCAA Preview Denver’s won three straight champs, and could do it 48 Masters: Aging race-fully: a physical guide. again; Power Rankings return. BY BRYCE HUBNER

50 Results: NorAm and junior alpine results

53 Finish Line: The lure of live timing. CONTENTS

COVER PHOTO: MATTIAS FREDERIKSSON; THIS PAGE: ZOOM STARTHOUSE

‘Tis the season to be jolly and the crowd at Park City’s Center of Excellence could athlete. She had become recognized by folks who never had seen snow or knew EDITORIAL SALES/MARKETING EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE not be much happier. Indeed, this past 10 days there were almost too many blackbirds which end of a ski went downhill. We were correct. In naming Lindsey Athlete of the SARAH TUFF NANCY MERRILL SENIOR EDITOR SALES AND MARKETING to fi t into the pie! Year, the confi rmed our belief. Vonn is indeed one for the ages and HANK MCKEE COORDINATOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR AMY DOXEY How about Ted Ligety? Three in a row, the red Christmas bib and all. Certainly, it was becomes the fi rst ski athlete, male or female, in the AP’s history to receive the honor. ERIC WILLIAMS CONTRIBUTORS great to win in front of the hometown fans at Beaver Creek and cool to then take Val Olympic champion Hannah Kearney took top honors in China’s inaugural World Cup CLAIRE ABBE ART EMILY COOK ART DIRECTOR d’Isere’s GS. But Alta Badia is one gnarly gem in the crown of men’s giant slalom. Get mogul event. Morgan Arritola scored a breakthrough in a women’s cross country sprint. PETER Q. GRAVES RAND PAUL BRYCE HUBNER PHOTOGRAPHERS that title, and you’re permanently etched in the minds of all European fans. For this The new season is well underway. BILL MCCOLLOM JONATHAN SELKOWITZ season, that glory belongs to Ligety! Not all the news is happening on the snow. Bill Marolt announced a major change in DAVE PESZEK JULIE SHIPMAN

Ligety’s next big test, perhaps the most arduous GS of them all, is . No Park City when he named Andrew Judelson executive vice president, putting the for- SKI RACING INTERNATIONAL, LLC U.S. skier has found the top step of the podium there since the inaugural race in 1967. mer Time Inc. executive in charge of all revenue activity for USSA. It is a major move CHAIRMAN/CEO GARY BLACK JR. The great tried — only to see his hopes dashed by the greater Ingemar on the part of Marolt. CONTROLLER Stenmark. Ligety should provide the U.S. its best shot. In this issue, veteran editor Hank McKee talks to a number of sources about snow KRISTIN FARRELL Over the years, this author has expounded on the skills and personality of Lindsey injection — the pros and cons. Eric Williams chats with freeskiing legend Jon Olsson SUBSCRIBER SERVICE: For the fastest Vonn and what she is doing for the sport and for skiing in general. Last season, Ski about his quest to compete in the 2014 Olympics as an alpine racer. He also service, visit us online at skiracing.com and click on the subscriber Racing pointed out that Vonn had moved beyond simply being known as an alpine updates you on the women’s alpine circuit while McKee follows the Ligety GS charge. services button, or write: Ski Racing, P. O. Box Freelancer Kelley McMillan talks to the legendary speed ski- 65467, , UT 84165. For back issues Christmastime in Courchevel: and special requests, please call 801-364-4442. er Cindy Nelson while Bryce Hubner’s Power Rankings looks Lindsey Vonn at the bib draw. EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING: P. O. B ox to have the Pioneers four-peat! We will see. Also in this is- 65467, Salt Lake City, UT 84165. Submissions must be accompanied by a self-addressed, sue, John Jacobs, the CEO of Reliable Racing and long time stamped envelope. Ski Racing is not responsible for unsolicited supplier for World Cup necessities (gates, panels, fencing material. among many) sends Ski Racing its fi rst video-accompanied Copyright © 2010 Ski Racing International. All rights reserved. letter. Have a look on page 4. You’ll also fi nd alpine results Ski Racing (ISSN 0037-6213) (USPS 014-521), fi lling several pages of the magazine. a publication of Ski Racing International, LLC, P. O. Box 65467, Salt Lake City, UT 84165, pub- If you haven’t downloaded the Ski Racing app for Android lished monthly in September, October, Novem- ber, December and twice in Jan., Feb., Mar. and and the iPhone, you are missing a good thing. It’s got the April for a total of 12 issues. Annual subscrip- fastest results (short of following Bill McCollom’s fetish of tion $24, Canada remit $47.98 in U.S. funds (includes GST); all other international air mail spending hours in front of the computer screen for live tim- $72.98 in U.S. funds only. Periodicals Postage Paid at Salt Lake City, UT, and additional mail- ing, which you can read about in the Finish Line on page 53). ing offi ces. Canada Post International Publi- cations Mail Agreement #40010538. Return Check out our website as well for more detail and videos. undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Express Messenger International, P.O. Box 25058 London And look for action from and Semmering during the BRC, Ontario, Canada N6C GA8 holidays. It will be right there.

Enjoy the next few days and get ready to ring in 2011. If DIGITIZED BY TEXTERITY, INC., SOUTHBORO, MASS. it’s anything like 2010, ski racing fans are in for a year of good cheers. — G.B. Jr.

GEPA GEPA Ski Racing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 3 LETTERS

Austria’s heads toward a new break-away gate panel at Beaver Creek on Dec. 4.

Safety Check the fi eld up until the actual event on that week. The panels have Enjoyed Hank’s piece on ski racing injuries in the Dec. 16 issue new features never before seen, and most of the course crews of SR. One of the FIS initiatives on ski racing safety not men- at fi rst glance said to me, “these will never stay on — they’ll tioned in the article is the new homologation standards for gate never work” (to which I replied “we’ll see about that”). But by panels on the WC. These new standards require the panels to the end of the GS on Sunday, all of the naysayers approached release (in the case of hooking an arm, or straddling) with me with high-fi ves on how impressively they actually did work! less than ∏ of the force previously specifi ed, while maintaining However, the most revealing test (and the one that made Guen- their ability to stay on the poles under “normal impact” by the ther Hujara most impressed and pleased) was when bib No. 29 EMBED VIDEO skier. Reliable Racing Supply, along with a handful of European in the SG buried his head directly into one of our new panels gate panel producers, had barely six months between the FIS doing around 100 kilometers per hour and plowed right through Congress in Antalya to the opening races in Europe and North as if it wasn’t even attached to the poles. Not even a fl inch. In American to conceptualize, design, test and ultimately manufac- Guenther’s opinion, had these been “old specifi cation panels,” ture gate panels in time for the 2010-11 season. Change is good, the results for No. 29 could have been catastrophic. Mission ac- and for our company we took this as an opportunity to think out complished! of the box with our design. The new Break-A-Way 2012 WC I’ve attached a video [at right] for your edifi cation. gate panels made their debut at the Birds of Prey DH training Best regards, runs, SG and GS events. Although they successfully passed the John Jacobs, President FIS homologation in the laboratory, they had seen limited use in Reliable Racing Supply, Inc.

Send letters to [email protected], or by fax at 847-241-8580. Please include full name and hometown. Letters may be edited for space and clarity.

GEPA SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 4 LETTERS Need Needell? of my day job. To land an airplane well, it, too, is Thank you for not always publishing opinions of the peripheral vision input that provides similar Greg Needell. Greg’s early articles about cours- information — the judgment of how high you are, es in Europe were informative and interesting, your sink rate, perspective, visual cues for speed but too often lately they are conjecture and sec- and subsequent judgment processed to execute ond-guessing of working coaches. As time pass- “fi ne” muscle control inputs to touch down prop- es he gets more removed from what is going on erly. When learning to fl y different type and size with the team besides hearsay. I’m sure Greg is planes, or particularly when one fi rst learns to a nice guy but he seems to like “to stir the pot.” fl y, overcoming a natural urge to look “down and Follow World Cup athletes , Lindsey Vonn and More suited to a forums page. close” while landing causes the pilot to “round more with Ski Racing’s new FREE app. Bob Skinner out” or level too high over the surface, drift, etc. — not good. If you instead casually gaze farther Go Canada out and in front, it allows proper peripheral loca- Available NOW on iTunes for iPhone and Android I’m (always) thoroughly impressed with Ski Rac- tion of the eyes to perceive level-off points at the Market. Coming soon for iPad. ings addition/inclusion of Canadian results, story proper attitude, azimuth and correct speed sense lines, and even disappointments (that could’ve to commence the touchdown, (or for racing, the been left out in the space saving process of edit- course setting). This is counterintuitive and takes ing). It’s so good to see, especially in the article a leap of faith — same as I’ve found with ski rac- Ski Racing’s new app: and results, the writer defer to the Canadian suc- ing. It appears it’s actually the peripheral vision results, standings, calendars, cess before getting to U.S. athlete results. What interpretation, not always the direct-ahead fo- news and videos. a day it was for us hosers, eh!? Five in the fl ip cal that is calibrating your elevation, speed and (unheard of for most teams!) and Cousi keeping sink rate in fl ying/landing (and ski racing). In the pace to a top-fi ve. I can imagine he had mixed ski racing domain, this ability is also mostly sub- feelings/intentions pushing out of the start after liminal and diffi cult to verbally teach and has to seeing three teammates go out in the second. at some point be developed, trusted and then Attack for a personal podium or make it down meshed with whatever degree of talent we were for some team points/success. Funny to think I given. Simple awareness of it is the main step, raced “against” him in Junior Nationals in North- though. At some point one should try to under- ern Ontario in 1996...And the girls running strong stand the concept, but I think you also need to in St. Moritz bodes well for a strong tech season just let it happen for it to work, which is a bit of all around. Keep up the great work, SR. Loving a contradiction. The irony I’ve found is it seems the iPhone app too! if you try to take this concept and make it too ecskiing (via skiracing.com) conscious or too mechanical, the “magic” of the brain’s peripheral interpretation and subsequent How Ski Racing is Like Landing an Airplane proper judgment signal to the motor functions Some thoughts on Dean Tonkin’s interesting re- seem to then become very elusive. marks on vision and ski racing (SVT) in the Nov. Wes McKechnie 25 issue of Ski Racing. As I progress in ski rac- Flight Operations Manager ing, I fi nd many interesting correlations to part Boeing Flying Association, , Wash.

SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 5 Munich OUT OF THE GATE Munich Parallel Slalom Race Stirs Up Controversy among Athletes Should the FIS be awarding points for the Jan. 2 event? BY HANK MCKEE

sy. The fi elds for the event ference. The parallel, she says: “is another facet of the sport. The will be limited to the top 16 overall World Cup is a test of different skills across different types men and 16 women in the of competition and this is just another one of those. Probably, a par- overall ranking. The winners allel slalom is less slalom-specifi c. It’s a sprint, a short event, less will get 100 points added to technical with little change of terrain.” their overall scores, and ev- The idea, Lewis says, is to get these athletes in front of some ery skier making the fi nal spectators who might not otherwise tune in or come out to see selection will get a minimum them. of 15 points. In the immediate Munich area, in a very short time span surround- “I’m defi nitely looking for- ing the even, a wide variety of winter sports are scheduled. “This ward to it,” says three-time is where the heart of winter sports is taking place,” says Lewis. World Cup overall champi- “You will be having basically the whole Olympics being held in that on Lindsey Vonn. “It’s in the region. It will be very high profi le. It is an incredible opportunity for Olympic stadium. I think it’s our sport, no question.” great for the sport. The only More than 4,000 tickets have been sold weeks ahead of the Mu- thing I’m not excited about is nich race and winter conditions in the city are an indicator the event awarding World Cup points can be successfully held. There’s nothing like a parallel slalom to create some contro- for an event we’ve never had before. I, personally, have never run Unless things change dramatically between now and Jan. 2, the versy and the World Cup parallel slalom scheduled to take place in a parallel slalom in my life.” U.S. will have four competitors: Lindsey Vonn, , Bode Munich, , seems destined to fall in line. The last time the World Cup scored a parallel slalom was in 1997. Miller and Ted Ligety. As of Dec. 13, was on the bubble The Jan. 2 race, following in the footsteps of the Moscow event of In 1986, a parallel was held in Vienna, but was scored only for Na- of qualifying and becoming the only Canadian in the race. recent seasons, will be held in a city atmosphere at Munich’s Olym- tions Cup points. With a total purse of 200,000 Swiss francs and full points avail- pic Park. It will be a far step from a scaffold on a city street, how- From the FIS point of view, awarding points is a way to ensure the able, its a pretty tough event to pass up and certainly those invited ever, as the massive park has been a major tourist attraction for top competitors attend. The contention is that, at least in the men’s will be attending. Munich since it was created for the 1972 Summer . case, there’s a four-to-two chance the top skiers will be more heav- “I was just surprised at the way FIS approached it,” said Vonn. It is sure to draw spectators and that is what makes it attractive. ily weighted to downhill specialists than to slalom racers. “The athletes didn’t have a say. It could have been handled better. But while the Moscow race was purely an exhibition, the event on As FIS Secretary General Sarah Lewis points out, a parallel sla- ... Honestly I love the event and the idea... but I’m not excited about Jan. 2 will count for World Cup points and therein lies the controver- lom is so non-slalom-like, it isn’t likely to make that much of a dif- awarding overall points.”

MUENCHEN.DE SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 6 OUT OF THE GATE Schild Wins COURCHEVEL SLALOM BY ERIC WILLIAMS

The World Cup’s fi rst trip to Courchevel, France, was the winning pace. for a men’s giant slalom won by Swede Ingemar Sten- “It’s an amazing feeling to be at the top of the podium mark in 1979. Now, after a 30-year hiatus, it was the today,” said Schild, who was the second-to-last rac- women’s turn in a slalom on Dec. 21. er down the course and temporarily had a 1.98-sec- Head of the welcoming committee was Croatian coach ond advantage before Poutiainen trimmed it some. “I Zoran Sobol, who set a wicked fi rst-run course that saw thought I was ahead at the fi nish line, but when I saw 23 skiers DNF. Among those tossed early were World that it was nearly two seconds, it was amazing.” Cup leaders American Lindsey Vonn and German Ma- The win was made sweeter for Schild as her younger ria Riesch. sister, Bernadette, earned a career-best seventh-place Despite the rude welcome, Vonn called the hill perfect result. and said she enjoyed the atmosphere, as thousands of The result tied Schild and Poutiainen at the top of the fans lined the sides of the run and the fi nish area. World Cup slalom standings with 200 points each. “I love it here, the town is great, the people are awe- Julia Mancuso and Resi Stiegler were the only Ameri- some,” said Vonn, who hooked a tip but maintained the cans to get a second run after Haley Duke and Sarah overall lead as Riesch, who is only three points behind, Schleper didn’t qualify. Mancuso said she was fortu- was also burned by the technical course. “It’s offset nate to get a 21st-place result, and Stiegler continued rhythm, it’s a lot of very, very tight combinations. It’s to fi ght her way back into form after three years of in- combinations into combinations ... a lot of very strange juries in 23rd — her second World Cup scoring result things going on the course today.” since 2007. , the winner of the season-opening sla- “It was like survival fi rst run and I defi nitely got pretty lom in Levi, was tough enough to come out on top after lucky,” said Mancuso. “I wanted to ski solid but I kind of standing second (0.11 back) in the fi rst run. In the sec- needed to be a little faster, then a lot of girls went out ond, run she destroyed the fi eld to beat fi rst-run leader so I made it in there.” by 0.78 seconds in combined time. No Canadian women made the second run as only GEPA ’s fi nished third, 1.98 seconds off Erin Mielzynski fi nished the fi rst run in 32nd.

SR MARKETPLACE To place a Ski Racing display ad or line classifi ed ad, contact Nancy Merrill at 801-364-4442 ext. 103 or e-mail [email protected]

SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 7 OUT OF THE GATE www.dalbellosports.com

North Americans DOMINATE EARLY MOGULS WORLD CUP SEASON BY ERIC WILLIAMS

A dual moguls event was sandwiched between Ruka and Beida Lake in Kearney, coach Scott Rawles Meribel, France, on Dec. 15, and two non-North American victors emerged. and Patrick Deneen celebrate ’s Yulia Galysheva and France’s Guilbaut Colas struck back in Ruka, . CLICK HERE with the wins. Both were fl anked on the podium by Canadians and Ameri- cans as Kearney took second ahead of Justine DuFord-Lapointe in third. Deneen, in second, was joined by Olympic bronze medalist Bryon Wilson in third. The Canadians were helped out in large part by the breakout perfor- mances of Mikael Kingsbury and DuFord-Lapointe, both just 16 years old. After getting his fi rst World Cup starts last January, Kingsbury stepped up to his fi rst podium with a second-place result in Ruka then gave himself an early Christmas present in Beida Lake with a victory. Canadian veteran Pierre-Alexandre Rousseau joined his young team- mate on the Beida Lake podium in third and couldn’t have been hap- pier. “Mikael has everything a mogul skier needs: jumps, speed and the right mindset,” said Rousseau, 31, who has announced he will retire after As the moguls World Cup tour broke for the holidays after its fi rst three Worlds this season. “He proved it today and now I can leave the national competitions of the season, an obvious trend was apparent. North Ameri- team this year with the knowledge that it’s in good shape for years to cans know how to bump. come.” U.S. and Canadian skiers have combined to take 14 of 18 podium spots DuFord-Lapointe, who fi nished fi fth in her fi rst World Cup in Ruka, decid- this season, setting an exciting stage as only four more stops remain be- ed her second Cup contest wasn’t too soon for the podium as she claimed fore the World Championships in February at , . third place in Meribel. American Olympic gold medalist Hannah Kearney and world champion “I’m really stoked, I actually can’t quite believe it right now because it Patrick Deneen drew fi rst blood with season-opening wins in Ruka, Fin- came so fast,” said DuFord-Lapointe, who hails from . “I think I land Dec. 11. did so well because the course looked a lot like what I’m used to in Que- “It is a good omen to have two more people on top,” said U.S. moguls bec, icy and small moguls. So, I just fought really hard and did my best.” coach Scott Rawles after Deneen bagged his fi rst career World Cup win The U.S. is happy to get one of their own back in Sho Kashima, who and Kearney earned her 11th. “We worked hard all summer, and everyone missed most of last season including the Games with a knee was psyched.” injury. The 21-year-old had his career best season in 2009, landing in Canadian Olympic silver medalist Jennifer Heil and teammate Kristi Rich- eighth place in the overall standings. He is looking to bounce back before ards joined Kearney on the podium in second and third in Ruka and again Worlds at home and started with a ninth-place performance in China. a week later in Beida Lake, China, at the inaugural World Cup moguls “He’s doing great” says U.S. moguls coach Garth Hager. “He’s right in the event in the country. mix, back to his old air plan and performing well.” “I qualifi ed fi rst after some shaky training,” said Kearney. “But I am proud The season resumes Jan. 15 in Mont Gabriel, Canada with a dual mo- to be the fi rst victor in China.” guls contest.

HARALD MARBLER/U.S. SKI TEAM SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 8 OUT OF THE GATE

USCSA brings jumping and nordic combined back to (Back) UP IN THE AIR college ski racing BY BRYCE HUBNER The success of the U.S. Ski Team’s nordic combined athletes was among the highlights of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. This winter, college skiing has an opportunity to capitalize on that excite- ment. At its annual meetings in Park City, Utah, this summer, the Col- legiate Ski and Snowboard Association’s (USCSA) Board of Directors unani- mously approved a proposal to bring nordic jumping and nordic combined back to college — making 2011 the fi rst year the events have been sanc- tioned in college skiing since the early 1980s. “We’re obviously very excited about bringing jumping back,” says USCSA president Mark Sullivan. “One of our board members, John Jacobson — the president of Reliable Racing — came to me in 2009 and said he wanted to make a proposal for the organization. He’s typically a quiet board member who never oversteps his bounds, so when he said he wanted USCSA to sanc- tion jumping I was like, ‘Wow, that’s kind of a big proposal, John!’” Sullivan nevertheless gave Jacobson the go ahead to research and package a proposal. To make it compelling and feasible, Jacobson returned 12 months later with a highly detailed plan — one that outlined everything from the num- ber and location of the nation’s available jumping facilities to the average commute time between those facilities and USCSA’s member schools. “As part of his presentation at the Park City meetings this summer,” says Sullivan, “John brought our whole team to the Olympic jumping facilities and arranged for some of the U.S. Ski Teamers to hit the summer jumps and show us what the sport is all about. It was great. Darryl Landstrom, USSA’s repre- sentative to the USCSA, then seconded the motion and the rest of the board unanimously approved it. That’s what got us here.” Sullivan says that the “big focus” for USCSA jumping and nordic combined in 2011 will be its fi rst National Championships event, which will be split between Park City and Sun Valley, , in early March. The jumping components of the Championships will commence at Utah Olympic Park a week before to the rest of the Championships in Sun Valley (March 8-12), where the cross Before sanctioning jumping and nordic combined at its country skiing portion of the nordic combined will also take place. summer meetings in Park City, USCSA Board members In the meantime, jumping and nordic combined programs will be up and run- watched the U.S. Ski Team train on Utah Olympic Park’s summer setup. USCSA National Championships will be ning and looking to grow. For more information on USCSA and its member held at the facility in early March. schools, visit uscsa.com.

UTAH OLYMPIC PARK SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 9 WAXROOM Merry Christmas... It was cold for the Val d’Isere downhill. U.S. racer Chelsea Marshall got creative with her face protection, writing Merry Christmas and drawing a red Rudolph nose on some insulating tape. If Santa ever needs someone to guide his sleigh down a World Cup downhill course, he’s all set.

…and Scary Christmas! Get a load of Schmutzli (left). According to Swiss folklore, this sinister character accompanies jolly old St. Nick on his yearly rounds to administer punishments to naughty children with his twig broom. The duo presented racers with their bibs the night before the St. Moritz super G that was canceled because wind and snow. Bad Schmutzli!

GEPA SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 10 WAXROOM Recalculating Nolan Kasper (pictured here in Val d’Isere) fi gured he had scored a coup when he won a battle of rock-paper- scissors with Warner Nickerson for the shotgun seat in the car from the Munich airport (where the cars had been left) to France for training. Since the loser would have to wait an hour or more for another car, Kasper fi gured he had scored. Except his car’s GPS took driver and passengers on a route nobody recognized, and a misinterpreted command at a tricky intersection caused a back-tracking through Milan (never fun). Even- tually, they turned off the GPS and wound up on what he described in his blog as “Tour-de-France-esque” mountain roads, one of which turned out to be unplowed. Long story short: It took the crew 10 and a half hours to get to Val d’Isere, well after Nickerson’s car was cooled off in the hotel parking lot.

Vonn to be a mom one day: Yay. After winning the downhill in Val d’Isere, Lindsey Vonn was waiting for the press conference to begin and watching the men’s downhill race in Val Gardena live on TV. At that time, Patrik Jaerbyn was in the lead (he ended up seventh, but still — nice job, Patrik!) and Vonn com- mented about how much terrain is in the Val Gardena course and how awesome it was that Jaerbyn was leading. She said she hoped he’d win. When asked if she’d still be racing at age 41, Vonn said: “No way. Are you kidding? I’m gonna have three kids by then.”

Vonn beats horse for AP award: Neigh. While they were going head to head on the course in Val d’Isere, good friends Lindsey Vonn and Maria Riesch were both being honored in their home countries. Vonn became the fi rst skier to be named the Associated Press’s Female Athlete of the year, while Riesch collected the German Sportswoman of the Year Award. But only Vonn had a horse — named Zenyatta — just behind her in the running for her award. “In the back of my mind, I always wondered… Vonn vs. Horse…who would win?” Vonn joked on her Facebook page. I feel pretty good, I feel confi dent, but those sketchy non humans can be so scrappy....I mean I never know what they’re thinking! Well now we know VONN 1 - ZENYATTA 0 whhaaaaaaat....that’s right Zenyatta keep walkin...LOL!”

GEPA SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 11 Swimming Pool of Awesomeness: The Waxroom’s 2010 Twitter Awards WAXROOM The year’s best athlete blurbs (or at least the best ones we could fi nd in between races) in 140 characters or less

More than half of Twitter’s like some deodorant, a rice krispie treat, or perhaps you just need a 6:55 p.m.: “I am a teacher, just taught @jdunkl his liners come out of nearly 200 million users hug? Imagine anything you need and the athlete village has it” his ski boots. Late night utah pow expedition, forgot headlamp, going have signed up in the past Winner: @simihamilton http://twitter.com/simihamilton# hawk eye” 18 months. And the spike Simi Hamilton was equally earnest and inspired by his fi rst Olympic 7:12 p.m.: “Hey @cjgold1 get bent! Hop in the canyon transporter in ski racing-related tweets experience, but he gets the edge over Stephen for having scripted and let’s go!” was likewise plain for even this golden ticket on Feb. 13: “Opening Ceremonies: Imagine diving 9:27 p.m.: “Where am I? Face plant, hawk eyes more like bat eyes. the most casual observer. naked into a swimming pool of awesomeness. And then winning the Still alive but lost @cjgold1 and @jdunkl” Many of our sport’s most lottery. That’s what it was like” 9:29 p.m.: “Think I landed in @SnowbirdSki if you can read me @ prominent athletes are now cjgold1 @jdunkl come pick me up.” regularly employing the Best celebrity encounter tweet: A very important category, one 9:38 p.m.: “Trying to get into the cliff lodge @SnowbirdSki no luck platform to communicate with fans and each other. Here, we bring which featured nominees ranging from tweets about meeting Presi- doors are frozen shut lights out! Storm is setting in. It ... [continued you the year’s best North American ski racing tweets in fi ve very seri- dent and Michelle Obama to ... the Hoff? via tweet extension] was nice knowing you @jdunkl hey @cjgold1 ous categories: Runner up: @kikkanimal http://twitter.com/kikkanimal# GET BENT! is the fi rst-ever American woman to win a World Cup 10:34 p.m.: “Been rescued-good night-happy trails @jdunkl @cj- Best Twitter bio: For household names like Lindsey Vonn, the Twit- cross country race: a class act from start to fi nish. But she was not gold1 may another adventure be in our future” ter bio requires little attention. For everyone else, it’s an art in itself above kindly razzing — by way of a departed cross country run- — it must concisely, accurately identify both the author and the style ning legend — an unsuspecting Canadian World Cup skier after his Best overall twitter feed in 2010: This is like the Best Picture of tweet he or she executes, or it risks alienating potential followers. Movember 17 workout: “OMG, I just saw Prefontaine in the weight Oscar category and we expect it to get more competitive as still more Runner up: @skifastfi sh http://twitter.com/skifastfi sh room. Oh wait, false alarm, just @devonkershaw http://twitter.com/#!/ talented ski racers begin tweeting (and as we pay greater attention U.S. Ski Team speedster ’s bio eschews the winter-take-all devonkershaw rockin’ the moustache!” to them). We admit that the criteria was a little loose, but the general attitude, paying homage to his favorite season with a killer kiteboard- Winner: @simihamilton http://twitter.com/simihamilton# aim was to fi nd a tweet that adeptly marries ski racing news with high ing background pic and the following declaration: “The Ski Racer You’ve heard the stories about Baywatch star David Hasselhof’s entertainment value. Like so many Best Picture winners, the master- That Loves The Summer, Nope Don’t Make Sense To Me Either!” pop-star status in Germany, right? Well, we can’t verify that Germans mind behind this tweet was recognized in other categories, too. Winner: @annagoody http://twitter.com/annagoody# listen to his music, but at least we know it’s true that he fl ies there. Winner: @simihamilton http://twitter.com/simihamilton# Canadian slalom ace Anna Goodman understands brevity is para- More from the prolifi c Hamilton on Nov. 8: “David Hasslehoff on my Some athletes tweet “it’s been very cold lately” while Hamilton writes, mount — her bio says it all in fi ve words, leaving no question about fl ight from Dulles to Munich, sporting a ‘Don’t Hassle the Hoff’ shirt. “First time I’ve seen the whole shape of the sun in 8 days. I feel like where she’s from: “i’m a ski racer eh?” N. Hoff sitting a few rows from me. holys**t” Gallivare is the bahamas of . It might have even broken 0 deg F.” (Nov. 16.) Other tweets exchange inside jokes that followers Best single tweet from Vancouver Games: Everyone on earth Most curious case of a world-class athlete tweeting in the can’t, uh, follow. Hamilton, on the other hand, is prone to elegantly knows who won and what happened in Vancouver, so criteria for this night time: Okay, we confess we created this category just for Mr. and accessibly slighting teammates with nuggets such as, “You’re honor was mostly about making the Olympic experience more vis- Nyman. so beautiful, you could be a part time model. But you’d probably still ceral for those of us who couldn’t know it fi rst hand. Winner: @BelieveinSteven http://twitter.com/BelieveinSteven# have to keep your normal job.” (March 13.) And though Hamilton Runner up: @lizstephen http://twitter.com/lizstephen# Not sure if U.S. Ski Team downhiller Steve Nyman was really on may brush up against the profane from time to time, it typically hap- U.S. Ski Team nordic skier is small in stature but big in a “late-night utah pow” excursion with friends, or if the following is pens at moments in which all ski racers can identify. Take this tweet heart. Earnest and excited, she tweeted the following on Feb. 11 upon some kind of coded buddy-speak. Either way, we thought this stream from Dec. 18 for example: “Dear clouds, Either start dumping or get arriving at her fi rst Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver: “Would you — posted on Nov. 22 — was pretty entertaining. the hell out of . Sincerely, Simeon”

SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 12 GALLERY

Caution, Victory Ahead: Ted Ligety tips out of the start in the Val d’Isere GS.

GEPA Ski Racing.com JANUARY 21, 2010 | 1 GALLERY

Sarah Schleper reacts to the very tough Courchevel slalom on Dec. 21.

USA’s John Teller, Sweden’s Victor Norberg Oehling and Canada’s Stanislas Rey battle for the lead in a World Cup ski cross race at Innichen, Italy. Scott Kneller of Australia would take the men’s event while Fanny Smith of Switzerland would win the women’s.

ILLUSTRATIONGEPA BY RAND PAUL Ski Racing.com JANUARY 21, 2010 | 2 GALLERY

Team (Kristin Stoermer Steira, Marit Bjoergen, and Vikebe Skofterud) celebrates victory in the women’s relay at La Clusaz, France.

A ski jumper soars over Ramsau, , during a World Cup nordic combined event this month.

ILLUSTRATIONGEPA BY RAND PAUL Ski Racing.com JANUARY 21, 2010 | 3 Val d’Isere Val Gardena Alta Badia Ted Tac Toe, Three in a Row Ted Ligety schools GS racers with his second and third wins in the Alps, but European athletes teach lessons in the rest BY HANK MCKEE PHOTOS BY GEPA The pre-Christmas European trip is the stage setter for the heart of the World Cup tour. If they held nothing but giant slaloms, this section of the 2010-2011 season would have been an entire U.S. dream season all rolled up in a neon-topped package named Ted Ligety. Ligety is skiing out of his mind, producing GS wins that make com- petitors wince and backers shout with glee. But in the pre-Christmas stretch there were not only giant slaloms but also a downhill, slalom and super G with the U.S. team doing more wincing than shouting.

Aksel Lund Svindal and Ligety congrat- ulate each other at the fi nish of the Val d’Isere GS.

Ted Ligety gives a clinc on the steep Stade Bellevarde for his second GS win of the season.

SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 16 Val d’Isere Val Gardena Alta Badia

Val d’Isere GS, Dec. 11 dian point scorer in 24th place. Val d’Isere opened the tour leg on the Stade Bel- All of this made Ligety’s win, and margin of vic- levarde, a steep that was used for the men’s tory, all the more amazing. Coach Sasha Rear- races at the 2009 World Championships. It is not ick is generally pretty guarded in what he says, a pleasant ski and produces some of the more but immediately after this race he left no doubt awkward-looking racing of the season. The best how he felt. “That was a clinic out there today,” in the world struggle here, and the opening GS he said. “I’m a little bit dumbfounded.” was no exception. Rearick added, “I’ve been coaching Ted a long “You must make no mistake,” said Austrian Ben- time and I’ve never seen him fi nd this kind of jamin Raich, the World Cup winner in 2006 and confi dence. ... It was just perfect execution — runner-up an astonishing fi ve times. “You had true champion style.” to make every turn exactly. Altogether this race Let’s give the others their due. Norway’s Aksel was extremely diffi cult.” Svindal was brilliant in second place. Ditto Mas- Even Ligety, the winner by more than a second, similiano Blardone of Italy with his fi rst podium said he felt like he “had the e-brake on” as he in nearly a year. Defending overall champ Carlo fought his way down. Janka of Switzerland displayed his love of the Those who fi nished down the ladder felt more steep and icy in fourth, and Raich and younger frustrated. “Anyone who can score points here teammate nudged Ligety the is a survivor,” said Robbie Dixon, the lone Cana- whole way, for fi fth and sixth place, respectively.

Switzerland’s displays his love of the steep Lindsey Vonn, Olympic Champion and Two-time World Cup Overall Winner and icy in France. Get the gear the pros wear at shop.usskiteam.com SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 17 Val d’Isere Val Gardena Alta Badia

But for a major mistake just above the fi nish, tion’s swarming press. “This is my best weapon. Hirscher might well have taken the race. Perhaps ... I took a rounder line because the snow was that fueled his resolve for the next day’s slalom. very bumpy. That was the plan and I followed it up.” Val d’Isere Slalom, Dec. 12 That turned out to be the winning strategy on a With half of the top eight skiers on last season’s fi - day when no one was able to ski error-free. Amaz- nal slalom rankings, the Austrians can throw a lot ingly, in second was Raich, who had skipped a of bodies into the fray. They needed them in the race the previous week in Beaver Creek because Val d’Isere slalom, considered every bit as tough his back was acting up. It was his fi rst podium of as the GS. Three of Austria’s top slalom racers the season, but the 87th of his incredible career. — , and defending The best run of the day, coming in the second slalom champ — all exited on heat, was credited to third-place fi nishing Steve the fi rst run. Twenty other skiers followed suit. Missillier of France. He was 25th after the fi rst French slalom ace Jean-Baptiste Grange (winner run, nearly two seconds off the pace. Maybe it of the fi rst slalom of the season at Levi in Novem- was because it was his 26th birthday, or maybe ber), Olympic gold medal winner he was riding the crest of enthusiasm created by “Hirscher is scary on the of Italy and the always-dangerous Bode Miller all his cheering countrymen, but Missillier’s run left steep,” said Ligety. Yep. failed to complete the fi rst run. Five more guys ex- many a jaded coach frozen in place with his jaw ited in the second run, an unusual happenstance hanging open. Missillier held the lead most of the with World Cup points there for the taking. afternoon by no small margin. Steve Missillier of France provided Winning was Hirscher, a 21-year-old Austrian who While the Austrians had four skiers in the top the best run of the day in the has already built a reputation for being undaunted eight of last season’s slalom list, to fi nd four Ca- Val d’Isere slalom. by the steep and icy courses typically found on the nadians on that ranking you’d have to scan down World Cup circuit. Ligety said, “Hirscher is scary 40 places. One wouldn’t have suspected that from on the steep.” And Hirscher proved it here. the Val d’Isere slalom. Julien Cousineau fi nished “It is a very steep hill with a lot of rolls so you have in fi fth place and Trevor White in 12th. Three other to ski very technically,” Hirscher told his home na- Canadians — Michael Janyk, Brad Spence and

SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 18 Val d’Isere Val Gardena Alta Badia

Benni Raich, Hirscher and Missillier top the slalom podium in France.

Canada’s Erik Guay picked up his 14th World Cup podium by fi nishing third in Michael Walchhofer called his execution of the the super G at Val Gardena. Caislat “perfect” at the Val Gardena super G.

leaving him with, essentially, a nice day of training. G. Snowfall always makes for a diffi cult speed race, and it began Coach Rearick found some solace in the day. Will Brandenburg snowing during the race on the well-shadowed Saslong track. It’s was solid in making it in the top dozen in the fi rst run. Both he and just the kind of thing that adds a touch of anxiety to a racer. This Ligety skied smart. season, Walchhofer is beyond that. “It wasn’t easy at all,” Rearick said. “First course was tough, it When he won the opening downhill of the season at Lake Louise took a lot of the top guys down. Ted and Willie skied tactically last month, ending a much-ballyhooed Austrian DH-win drought, smart. I’m very pleased with their skiing.” it took all the pressure off his team. He’s relaxed and enjoying his Patrick Biggs — were among the fi ve who failed to complete the retirement season. During the Val Gardena super G, he exited the second run. Val Gardena Super G and Downhill, Dec. 17 and 18 Caislat, a critical section of the jump-laden course and thought, “I tried as hard as I could,” said Cousineau after matching his Val Gardena, the fi rst of the “classic” stops on the men’s World “that was really perfect.” career-best result. “I charged as hard as I could, but came out on Cup tour, wasn’t kind to the U.S. squad, either. The Red, White The win matched him with and the wrong side. It’s coming, though; I know it. I’ve been fi ghting my and Blue got four scoring results for the super G and downhill as the only men to win four times at Val Gardena. way back for four years and now I’m where I want to be and where hosted by the Italian site, none of them better than Bode Miller’s In second, for his only career World Cup podium, was German I think I should be. But I want more.” 16th in SG and 17th in DH. got the fi nal scoring po- ; it was his only result better than 20th this sea- White, too, was pleased, saying: “Val d’Isere is such a tough hill. sition in the super G and — a winner on the course son. It’s steep, dark and relentless.” in 2006 — was 18th in DH. In third, picking up his 14th World Cup podium, was Canada’s Ligety was the lone U.S. fi nisher, but he had to hike two gates to Michael Walchhofer, making his fi nal spin around the World Cup Erik Guay. One big error, misjudging a blind turn and aiming for do so and received no points for his dead-last 25th place fi nish, speed circuit at 35, got his second win of the season in the super the outside instead of the inside gate, he said, “might have cost

SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 19 Val d’Isere Val Gardena Alta Badia

Louis-Pierre Helie, one of the “Young Bucks,” celebrates a “huge” day for Canada.

Silvan Zurbriggen en route to a jubilant victory in the Val Gardena downhill. me.” Indeed, he fi nished eight tenths off of skiing as fast as we know he can — and the win and 0.14 out of second place. will.” The Austrians amassed half of the top-10 The downhill saw Zurbriggen upset the fi nishes with Raich again demonstrating he pundits by claiming his fi rst Cup downhill is far from ready to be put out to pasture win on the very course that sidelined him in fourth and fi fth. The with a ravaged left knee back in 2007. Only Swiss got two of the remaining top-10 slots those who watched him ski to fourth at Lake with in sixth and Carlo Louise could have guessed he was ready Janka eighth. The remaining position went to score his fi rst DH podium. to Italian . It is an understatement to say he was ex- Bode Miller got a bit too aggressive on a cited — Zurbriggen was pumping his fi sts, delay gate just above a fl at. Once he re- holding his high and crying out. The race gained speed he skied well, but settled was a remarkably tight one with the top four into 16th. Marco Sullivan showed his fi rst separated by 0.11 of a second. Zurbriggen signs of getting back into form with a 30th and Swiss team leader were place fi nish. “He is looking for speed, which fi rst and third. Austrians Romed Baumann is good to see,” said Rearick, “but he’s not and Klaus Kroell were second and fourth.

SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 20 Val d’Isere Val Gardena Alta Badia

Ligety called himself “lucky” in the Alta Badia GS.

In the Alta Badia GS, had a brief bobble near the end of the second run.

Richard, Ligety and share the Alta Badia GS podium.

Walchhofer missed out on holding the Val Gardena victory record “a dream come true.” vantage. Ligety led by more than half of a second, with Richard but fi nished fi fth. If it were easy, it wouldn’t be worth it. It was defi nitely worth it. left to come. The Canadians, and particularly a subgroup of “The Cowboys” Unlike during his fi rst two GS wins this season, Ligety did not win One brief bobble near the end of the second run was all it took called “The Young Bucks,” made a major impression. The Cow- the fi rst run, but he was about the only one in reach, it seemed, of to give Ligety the win and Richard second. It was the fi rst time boys had Manny Osborne-Paradis in eighth, Robbie Dixon tied for run-winner Cyprien Richard of France. It was fabulous racing by since 2003 there have been two Frenchmen on a World Cup GS tenth and Guay in 12th. But the indication someone on the coach- both men. “It was quite impressive skiing, and fun to watch,” said podium. ing staff had found a better line were the results of the Young Rearick. “Then, in the second run, the French brought it.” “Cyprien was the better skier today,” Ligety said. “I was a little bit Bucks: Louis-Pierre Helie in 13th (from the 58th start) and Benja- When he took to the icy Gran Risa slope for the second run, lucky.” min Thomsen 16th (from the 58th start). Ligety knew the scope of the challenge. For the second time in Perhaps, but the American has proven already this season he “For us to have fi ve Canadians in the top 16, that’s a good day for three races, a blistering second run by a Frenchman had put the is, as he says, stronger than last season, and the switch to Head the team,” said Osborne-Paradis. “To have the Young Bucks score pressure on the top skiers. Thomas Fanara, though in fourth after skis and equipment seems to have been a boost to his confi dence World Cup points, that’s huge.” the fi rst heat, had been nearly a full second out. He left nothing rather than the deterrent of trying to fi gure out new gear. in the tank except, perhaps, a few fumes to take the lead. Aksel And coach Rearick, who sees things most observers wouldn’t no- Alta Badia, Dec. 19 Svindal, who had been third after the fi rst run, was nearly a full tice, pointed out one more thing, another new weapon in Ligety’s Huge it was. But not like the next race was for Ted Ligety. The second slower in the second run drifting back to sixth in the fi nal growing arsenal. Cup tour hopped over the mountain to Alta Badia where they have results. “What I was really stoked about with is that Ted has never been been hosting the nastiest of giant slalom races since 1986. It be- “Fanara laid down some of the best skiing I’ve seen,” said Rear- fast on the bottom at Alta Badia,” said Rearick. “He’s been working came a day that will defi ne who Ligety is in the world of ski racing. ick, “and then Ted put down a great run.” on [generating speed] on the rolls and today he skied fantastic. [It It was the day he won the Alta Badia GS, a feat that was, he said, Good enough, at least, though it ate up some of his fi rst run ad- was] perfect execution down there; another step in his skiing.”

SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 21 St. Moritz Swiss Hit and Miss Wind and snow cancel a super G before grabs her second giant slalom of the season BY ERIC WILLIAMS PHOTOS BY GEPA

St. Moritz may have been the world’s fi rst winter resort, The race was rescheduled for a week later in Val d’Isere, but in mid-December, it was not the most hospitable place. France, where it would be canceled yet again — by heavy First, fog and wind canceled the freeski session planned for snowfall. Dec. 10. And then came the super G on Dec. 11. After an initial hour- Giant Slalom, Dec. 12 long course-hold, the wind let up and the fi rst racer headed Day 2 brought similar weather to St. Moritz, and afternoon down the fi erce Corviglia/Suvretta piste. A mid-course roller gusts forced offi cials to postpone the second run for an before a tight right-hand turn raised some eyebrows when hour. the second racer down, Slovenia’s Marusa Ferk, sailed off Racing resumed with a bang as the fi rst run’s 30th fi nisher, it and took a tough, high-speed crash. After being checked Austrian Marlies Schild, hammered down with the fastest out by coaches and medical staff, she skied down under her run of the day (1:04.05). She stayed the leader through the own power. next 14 racers and salvaged a 12th-place fi nish. Then, two more racers failed to navigate the same tricky With a ripping second run of her own, France’s Tessa Wor- section in the hazy conditions and offi cials put on the brakes ley locked down her second World Cup GS in as many at- on yet again. Following a 20-minute wind hold, the race was tempts (she also won two weeks earlier in the Apsen GS). offi cially canceled. Only six skiers ever made it out of the The 21-year-old was 0.63 seconds off the lead in fi fth after start gate. the fi rst run and then put down the fi fth fastest second-run “It was a combination of weather and safety because the time for her fourth career World Cup victory (all the last two course turned out to be faster than they expected,” said U.S. calendar years). She has never been on a World Cup po- alpine women’s head coach Alex Hoedlmoser, who said the dium any lower then the top step. course set, though technical, was fair. “We knew [it was a Still, Worley remained humble. “It was a good run, I made diffi cult set] from inspection and the people that missed the a lot of mistakes but not as many as my other racer friends,” gate or fell, just didn’t do the right things. We were all fi red she said of her second run. “It was a big battle but it ended up to rip this thing up but unfortunately we couldn’t.” nice for me.”

Tessa Worley grabs her second GS win of the season in St. Moritz.

SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 22 St. Moritz

pinning the second-fastest second-run time. Trouble was afoot later that day as 19-year-old Swiss It was also a good day for Canadian Marie-Michele star Lara Gut took time to chat with Swiss newspaper Gagnon, who was in14th after the fi rst run, then found Sonntagsblick. The paper ran a Q & A in which Gut a new gear and motored to fi fth place — her career made comments Swiss-Ski viewed as critical and un- high in a World Cup race. (Her previous best had been acceptable concerning new head coach Mauro Pini eighth in slalom at Ofterschwang in March 2009.) The (her former personal trainer). Swiss leaders would result marked the fi rst time a Canadian woman had meet with Gut four days later in Val d’Isere to hand cracked the top 10 in a World Cup gate race in a year down a two-race suspension (for GS and slalom (Anna Goodman was ninth in the Are slalom in Dec. scheduled for Dec. 28 and 29 in Semmering, Austria). 2009). Teammate Marie-Pier Prefontaine also made She would be allowed to stay on the start sheets of the points in 24th. the three races in Val d’Isere.

After six racers made their way down the snowy St. Mortiz super G course, offi cials pulled the plug.

Marie-Michele Gagnon rips to a career-high fi fth place in the St. Moritz GS.

Germans and Kath- and I was really happy with it. It was nice rin Hoelzl fi nished the fi rst run 1-2, but then to get a race in that was more like my train- Rebensburg couldn’t fi nd the line and Hoelzl ing.” It was Vonn’s best result in a giant sla- skied out. Veteran racers Tanja Poutiainen lom in close to two years (she was seventh (one hundredth of a second back) of Finland in , 2009) and the fi rst time she had and Tina Maze of Slovenia fi nished second topped chief rival and current overall leader and third, respectively, after tying for third in Maria Riesch (19th in St. Moritz) in a techni- Wind and snow cancel the fi rst run. It was Poutiainen’s 41st career cal event this season. the St. Moritz super G. World Cup podium and her 20th in GS. Maze Julia Mancuso fi nished eighth after stand- collected her 21st World Cup podium; it was ing sixth in the fi rst run. Teammate Sarah her fourth at St Moritz. Schelper just missed her shot at a second American Lindsey Vonn improved in the run, landing 32nd after the fi rst run. Through second run, climbing from 16th in the fi rst fi ve tech races, the U.S. team had never put run to fi nish seventh with the fourth-fastest more than three women into a second run time of the day. “The fi rst run, I felt like I was while the German and Austrian teams were a little bit too relaxed, I skied too conserva- consistently seeing fi ve or six scorers in the Tanja Poutiainen reaches for the fi nish in St. Moritz. She was a hundredth of a tively, too round,” said Vonn, who has never same races. second behind the winner. been on a World Cup GS podium. “The sec- France’s Anemone Marmottan (22nd) had ond run, I wanted to ski more aggressively her best World Cup race ever in fourth after

SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 23 Val d’Isere Vive La Vonn! After her back-to-back wins, Val d’Isere, France, is looking like Lindsey Vonn’s kind of town BY ERIC WILLIAMS

“I love Val d’Isere, I’ve always had a good feeling here,” said a broadly smiling Lindsey Vonn after pulling in a pair of World Cup wins this month. How could she not love Val d’Isere? During her latest visit (Dec. 18- 19), Vonn added her fourth and fi fth World Cup wins to secure the overall points lead for the fi rst time this season. The tiny French ski town was also the site of her 2009 World Championship double gold medal haul. After two downhill training days on the O.K. slope, it was déjà vu all over again as the super G that was canceled a week earlier in St. Moritz be- cause of wind and snow was KO’ed again. Three feet of snow fell the night before the rescheduled super G, and after offi cials announced a three-hour initial hold to clean up the course, they pulled the plug all together.

Lindsey Vonn tucks to her fi rst downhill win of the season in Val d’Isere.

Lindsey Vonn took the overall World Cup lead with two wins in Val d’Isere. ZOOM SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 24 Val d’Isere

Downhill, Dec. 18 and then locked in her patented smooth style to cruise in There was more déjà vu on the fi rst DH training day in with a 0.68-second advantage on the previous leader. Val d’Isere. In the fi rst two World Cup downhills in Lake “The course reports were all that the course was slow- Louise, German Maria Riesch took the lead with Vonn er,” said Vonn. “I came off the top fl at and I was going right behind. Heading into France, Riesch had a 145- quite a bit faster than I had in the previous two training point lead on Vonn in the overall standings after playing runs and I caught a lot of air off a roll that I hadn’t in runner-up to the American at the end of the last two sea- the training runs, and just got pushed wide on the next sons. Then the pair went 1-2 in the fi rst training run. left-footed gate and lost a considerable amount of time. Then came the snow. I didn’t panic, I just tried to keep my speed going and As athletes and coaches went to bed after the super G stay in my tuck as long as I could and make good turns. was canceled on Friday, pulling off the next day’s down- I knew if I skied well on the bottom I could make up the hill looked doubtful. With an all-night effort by the local time. “ course crew, the course was dusted off, groomed top- The next racer up was teammate Julia Mancuso, who to-bottom and ready to go as Saturday dawned sunny, was riding a wave of confi dence after fi nishing third in bitter cold and soft. the Lake Louise super G two weeks earlier. As they had Since temperatures were about the same as the train- all morning, the soft conditions clamed another victim as ing days, ski technicians could only polish up the setups Mancuso got bogged down in the middle of the course they had been running, leaving it to the racers to adapt but persevered to an eighth-place fi nish — her sixth top- to the new soft, groomed surface that blanketed the 10 result of the season. course. Though times were comparable to the second Next up was Riesch who, as expected, put down a con- training day, skiers came down talking about how slow sistent run. Unfortunately for Riesch, it was also slow they felt. enough to earn her a season-low 24th place result. “Ac- In the No. 20 bib and a new purple and pink spider-web- tually I had no mistakes. It was a solid run — not perfect covered suit, Vonn hit the course hard. Putting it all on — but I pretty much was on a good line,” Riesch told the line, she had a few bobbles on the top of the course Fisalpine.com. “I had no problems. I was just slow.” The chink in the armor that opened up with her fi rst non-top- 10 result a week earlier in the St. Moritz GS (19th) wid- ened a bit, though she maintained the overall lead by 52 points. Vonn, who was joined on the podium by Swiss duo Maria Riesch couldn’t mask her Nadja Kamer (0.68 back) in second and Lara Gut (0.80 disappointment in fi nishing 24th back) in third, admitted to thinking Riesch would upset in the Val d’Isere downhill. her again after her early mistakes, but happily snatched back the red downhill overall leader’s bib. “I’m really psyched to have the red bib back,” said Vonn, who has rarely been without the token during the last four years. Swiss Nadja Kamer braves arctic “It means a lot.” temperatures to fi nish second in the Val d’Isere downhill. Gut’s third-place result marked her fi rst return to a po-

GEPA SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 25 Val d’Isere

posted on her Facebook page), Vonn even beat out a 6- to move from 16th in the fi rst run to fi nish fi fth. year-old female racehorse named Zenyatta, who got 32 The U.S. put an impressive four women in the top 30. Mancuso votes to fi nish second to Vonn. battled with a technical upper section of the slalom course to fi nish 15th after standing 12th in the super G. Right behind was Lau- Super Combined, Dec 19. renne Ross in 16th for her career-best result in a World Cup. Her Clouds and warmer temperatures — but no snow — ar- previous high was an 19th in a Lake Louise downhill earlier this rived for the next day’s season-opening super combined. month. Leanne Smith fi nished 26th. Austrian lands on Vonn again took control early with a 0.20-second lead in “Julia skied really well; she over-skied the super G a little bit at her fi rst World Cup podium the morning’s super G leg before a solid afternoon sla- the bottom and in the slalom she was skiing really well and had in almost two years in the Val d’Isere super combined. lom run guaranteed her a second win with a 0.46-second a pretty good mistake in the middle and that’s why she dropped advantage on her nearest competitor. The win, her fourth back,” said Hoedlmoser. “I’m really happy with ’s in a World Cup super combined, propelled Vonn into the performance, she had a good super G portion and in the slalom overall lead by three points over Riesch. Vonn also won she did a really good job.” this event on the same hill last year. “It was really fl at light so it was hard to see where Elisabeth Goergl (l), Lindsey Vonn the snow was good a where it was a little bit bumpy,” (c) and Nicole Hosp top the Val d’Isere super combined podium. dium since winning two silver medals here at the 2009 Worlds; she said Vonn, who was the 18th racer out of the super missed last season with an injured hip. G start. “It was defi nitely worse for later numbers but I just Austrian Elisabeth Goergl vanquished any memories of the left tried to make the best of it and ski the best I could. I defi - knee ligament she partially tore in Lake Louise with a fourth place nitely made mistakes but I think I skied well in the bottom fi nish, 0.96 off the winning pace. part of the course in the super G. In the slalom, I just tried Ingrid Jacquemod’s fi fth-place result was really the only bright to ski well in the bottom fl at section. It worked out, it was a spot for the home team. The only other French racer to score was great day.” young Margot Bailet, with a career-best 17th place fi nish. Aurelie After taking third in the super G portion, Austria’s Nicole Revillet and Marion Rolland fi nished 32nd and 33rd, respectively. Hosp held on to the third podium spot. For Hosp, the last The American speed group had its fourth strong outing in as many overall champion (2007) not named Lindsey Vonn, it was races. Leanne Smith fi nished 18th for her fourth consecutive World her fi rst World Cup podium in nearly two years after she Cup scoring result this season, while Laurenne Ross took 23rd. Al- sat out last season with a back injury. Teammate Elisabeth ice McKennis grabbed the last World Cup points in 30th. Goergl took second place with the fi fth-fastest slalom run “We’re pretty happy with it, but we expect a lot out of that group,” after standing sixth in the super G. Another Austrian, Anna Fen- Canadian Marie-Michele Gagnon followed up her fi fth-place result said U.S. women’s head coach Alex Hoedlmoser. “We were hop- ninger, jumped from 12th in the morning to fourth overall with the in the St. Moritz giant slalom with another second-run sprint. After ing that they were going to be more around the top-10, top-15, but third-fastest slalom run. standing 25th in the super G, the 21-year-old had the second-fast- the group is improving. I’m sure we’re going to get there.” “I’m really happy,” Hosp told Fisalpine.com. “It was very, very fast est slalom run to fi nish 12th. Canada’s Britt Janyk fi nished 13th, to score her fi rst World Cup for me, just a few races then I’m on the podium. Super G was very The French racers had a slightly better day as Margot Bailet tied points of the season. good today, the fi rst race after two years. My slalom wasn’t that her career high, set a day earlier, with another 17th-place result. That night, Vonn was also named the 2010 Associated Press Fe- good, but I’m just happy about the podium.” Marie Marchand-Arvier followed in 20th and teammates Sandrine male Athlete of the year to become the distinguished award’s fi rst Riesch, the Olympic champion in the discipline and the lone Ger- Aubert, Marion Pellissier and Anemone Marmottan fi nished 24, 27, skier recipient in its 79-year history. Much to her delight (as she man woman to make the top 30, also made up time in the slalom 29, respectively.

GEPA; ZOOM SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 26 Olsson Golden? With his fi rst World Cup start at Val d’Isere, freeskiing legend Jon Olsson is offi cially going from the ramps to the gates Will Jon be buckled up and gunning for the Sochi 2014 for Sochi? Stay tuned. Games BY ERIC WILLIAMS

For 19 racers in the giant slalom in Val d’Isere on Dec. 11, their DNF may have felt like a disappointment. But for one other who also DNF’ed, the moment was still a big step forward. That racer was Swedish freeskiing icon Jon Olsson who, three years after making a beer-fueled bet with a friend, earned his fi rst World Cup start at Val d’Isere. And if he didn’t fi nish, well, that was OK. “I came here to have fun and go all out, so I did and seeing that I can almost qualify with bib 53 makes me very very stoked on the future!” wrote Olsson, 27, on his blog after the race. “Now I know that I’m not crazy for thinking I can do this, now I know I can, all I have to do is be patient and work even harder!” Olsson, for anyone who’s been living in a snow-free cave for the last several years, is one of the world’s best freeskiers with dozens of big-air records to his name and multiple X Games medals, along with a slew of sponsorships and his own high-profi le invitational event. But with roots in ski racing, he’s determined to prove that he can go back to bashing gates with the best of them. As a junior racer, Olsson excelled at Sweden’s IFK Mora Alpina Ski Club. “Ski racing was my whole life since I was 2 years old,” said Olsson in an interview with Ski Racing last summer, several months after win- ning a NorAm GS in Panorama, B.C. “That was all I did, and I was pretty determined. It seemed pretty clear that I was going to be in the top of the world in ski racing.” But while training at age 16, Olsson noticed that the program’s snowboarders were getting attention and free products from sponsors. One night, while Olsson was jumping with the boarders, a photographer snapped a shot that was later published in a magazine. The photo earned him an invite to a big-air contest at the begin- ning of the twin-tip era. As the inventor of the “switch seven,” Olsson cruised to the top of the podium of his Jon Olsson takes on the daunt- fi rst freestyle contest and didn’t look back. ing Stade Bellevarde course “That was the start of the freestyle side of things for me,” he said. “It all happened so quickly that I didn’t re- at Val d’Isere in his fi rst career World Cup start. ally have time to make a decision if I was going to ski race or jump. It was more like, I could either pay to ski race or get paid to go to Aspen and ski powder.”

GEPA; MATTIAS FREDERIKSSON SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 27 Olsson Golden? Pay to ski race or get paid to ski powder? At fi rst, it Olsson went on to make a huge name for himself as a slopestyle competitions. Since December 2007, he has was a no-brainer. freeskier, winning contests, starring in fi lms, earning spon- racked up more than 30 FIS races (19 top-10s), 16 NorAm sorships from Red Bull, Head Skis and Lamborghini and races (three top-10s) and a handful of Europa Cup and even creating his own prestigious big air event — the Jon National Championship races. Olsson invitational. “It’s worked well; I don’t think I’ve ever jumped better But he also kept up with the ski racing world as his young- freestyle-wise than I’m doing now,” said Olsson, who now er brother Hans joined the Swedish national team; and as spends 95 percent of his on-snow time training or com- his childhood friend — Norwegian star peting in races. “I had to take a couple things away from — excelled in the sport. “Ever since I chose the direction freestyle to still do well in it. So I just picked the parts that of freestyle,” said Olsson, “I’ve kept up with what Aksel was doing and wondered how I would By winning a NorAm in Panorama, B.C., last have done if I would have kept ski racing.” year, Olsson gained Olsson’s curiosity, helped along with a few more confi dence in his beers, got the better of him one summer night in racing skills. 2007 when he was out with an old friend, Swed- ish racer Jens Byggmark following Byggmark’s career-best season (third in the overall slalom standings). When Olsson mentioned the idea of returning to racing to spend more time with rac- ing friends, the evening took a competitive turn. “He basically laughed at me and told me I was a circus monkey and not an athlete,” recalled Ols- son with a laugh. “I obviously didn’t like that, so a half hour later I bet him $50,000 Swedish krona [about $7,200] I’d make the Olympics in 2014. I woke up the next morning and thought, ‘Maybe that was I liked and I still love doing.” kind of stupid,’ because I hadn’t touched a speed suit in Though racing is now his main focus, the conversion is six or seven years.” not 100 percent just yet. Olsson has also announced that That fall, Olsson paid a visit to a Swedish Ski Team camp he aims to master the triple cork this season. As possibly and was encouraged by his times down the GS course. the most well rounded skier the sport has ever seen, it’s “That made me wonder, ‘Maybe I should do this?’” he said. merely pushing himself to excellence that does it for Ols- “I thought it was super fun and it was cool to do something son. new. I started racing a little bit and it went really well and “I don’t really care how I do result-wise,” said Olsson. the more I did it the more fun I thought it was. A year after “The main thing for me is to understand more of every- the bet I decided I wanted to seriously get into it.” thing and fi gure out how to ski well. If I ski well then every- Olsson has focused almost entirely on ski racing for the thing is going to be fi ne. I want to go ski and feel that I am past three seasons, with the exception of a few big air and happy with what I’m doing.”

MATTIAS FREDERIKSSON SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 28 Four Wheeling

you’re an NCAA skiing fan IF who’s hoping for a massive hierarchy shakeup in 2011, don’t hold your breath. The NCAA landscape has long been one of haves and have-nots, and in skiing that dynamic is further ampli- fi ed by the fact that large universities and small liberal arts colleges com- pete alongside one another. Yeah, sometimes the little guys manage to fi eld upstart contenders, but take the NCAA Championship team podiums Pioneers celebrate three straight titles at Steamboat in March. the past two seasons as case in point: In 2009, Denver, Colorado and New After winning three championships in a row, Mexico fi nished 1-2-3, respectively. Denver could do it again BY BRYCE HUBNER In 2010? Same schools, same order.

BRYCE HUBNER SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 29 Can we pencil in 2011?

The law of averages dictates that Denver turning athletes. is due for a letdown in 2011 — the roster, “At least three of the six alpine skiers have however, says otherwise. been new on each of our last three champi- “On the men’s alpine side, all fi ve of our car- onship teams,” LeRoy says. “That we have all nival regulars return,” says DU alpine coach the men returning this year — including two Andy LeRoy. “I guess the best part about that carnival winners who didn’t race at NCAAs is that all fi ve won carnivals last season.” — means we’re certain to have veteran ex- Leading said pack of talented men is Norwe- perience come March.” gian ace Leif Kristian Haugen, who split his In 2010, the Pioneers graduated only one time between the NCAA and World Cup cir- alpiner, Molly Ryan, and she’s been replaced cuits last year — and who also represented by U.S. Ski Team and World Cup alum Ster- his country at the 2010 Vancouver Games. ling Grant — probably the most sought-after Haugen’s GS win that opened the 2010 recruit in ladies’ NCAA skiing. Lindsay Cone, NCAA Champs at Steamboat Springs put the 2010 RMISA MVP and runner-up in both Pioneers’ wagon on the fast track to victory events at NCAAs, returns to lead the team. for a third-straight crown. The Pioneers’ cross country squad lost “Leif will be with us again this year,” says All-American Harald Lovenskiold and Antje LeRoy. “Again [bouncing between Norway’s Maempel, who won four consecutive NCAA World Cup team] and college. He’s been phe- individual titles in 2009 and 2010. Maempel, nomenal for us — keeping up with his studies fi nishing her degree at DU this year, returns as well as anyone — and spent the entire fall as part-time assistant to share her experi- quarter with us, excepting a weekend in Levi, ence and to train with the team. Denver’s Leif Kristian Haugen took a Finland, where he qualifi ed for a second run Despite the big losses, the recruits aren’t too break from NCAA racing to represent in slalom for the fi rst time in his World Cup shabby. Norway at the Vancouver Games career.” “Unlike the alpine team, we have a lot of new LeRoy says that in his tenure at DU, this is skiers,” says DU nordic coach Dave Stew- the fi rst year he’s had so large a core of re- art. “Two of our fi ve recruits are Norwegians

GEPA; BRYCE HUBNER SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 30 Markus Moe and Trygve Markset, and we expect they’ll race at an even been matched. higher level than Harald Lovenskiold, who was fourth at NCAAs the past two ’s nordic program is coming around too, though, and the EISA bal- seasons.” ance could be shifting. Denver has not been able to win regular season carnivals in recent history, For starters, UVM promoted two-time Olympian Patrick Weaver to head the but its knack for throwing down when it matters most is rather obviously man- nordic team. Weaver then hired two-time Olympian and four-time national ifested each March. Can they be beat at the 2011 Champs in Stowe, Vt.? champion Andrew Johnson as an assistant. A certain underdog, er, under-cat, may have an answer to that. While DU, “I’m super excited to be in this position as head coach,” says Weaver. “My CU and UNM are favorites again, the University of Vermont Catamounts goal is nothing less than to have the best program in the country and this could be fi erce this season. year’s recruits are [going to help us take a step in that direction]. We brought “I love to see the way that other teams in the country are stepping up,” says in Colby transfer Lucy Le Garrec and German skier Anja Gruber, both of Stewart. “We were at races in Breckenridge over Thanksgiving and CU, New whom can challenge Dartmouth’s best women. Our big men’s recruits are Mexico and UVM all look like they’re going to be much improved — picking Scott Patterson — [current Catamount] Caitlin’s brother — and Bjoern Ahl- things up, for sure.” grimm, guys we expect to be All-Americans right away.” Coach LeRoy agrees. “I think UVM [did one of the best jobs recruiting] this Weaver says he understands that the key to an improved UVM team is year,” he says. “They added guys like [former U.S. Ski Teamer] Tim Kelly and picking up slack on the cross country side of the equation. On top of quality a fast Norwegian named Jonothan Nordbotten. They’re going to be good.” recruits, he also says returning skiers Caitlin Patterson, an All-American in Indeed, Vermont — ostensibly primed in recent years to make a splash on 2010, and Caitlin Curran, an NCAA Champs competitor, are looking strong championship week without having done so — has had a stellar off-season. and set to be even faster this year. Add top Canadian racers Travis Dawson and Kate Ryley to Kelley and Nor- “I think we’ve already made some strides toward being as strong as the al- dbotten, and UVM had the best alpine recruiting class in the country, signifi - pine team,” says Weaver. “And I think we’ll help win carnivals this year and UVM’s Bernstein edges cantly strengthening what was already the best alpine program in the east. hopefully a national championship.” UNM’s Kaas for glory at the Dartmouth has had a stranglehold on EISA carnivals for years, and that’s Understandably, Vermont alpine coach Bill Reichelt is also super psyched 2010 Champs. Both will duke largely been the result of an impenetrable nordic force that simply hasn’t about the way things are shaping up. it out again in 2011.

EISA’s dominant force in 2010, Meg Ryley is back for more.

LINCOLN BENEDICT; BRYCE HUBNER SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 31 “Johnny did an incredible job of recruiting over the summer,” says Reichelt of former U.S. Ski Teamer Sterling Grant to the mix in hopes of capturing a assistant Johnny Davidson’s efforts. “We pretty much got all the alpine kids fourth-straight title!” that we [targeted] and we’re in prime position to compete with Dartmouth this Nordic: “We return four of six nordic skiers from last year’s NCAA Champi- year. Obviously, having Olympians like Patrick and Andrew running the nor- onships team, and we have the largest freshmen class in years here at DU,” dic side is a tremendous boost for our program, too, and the kids are totally says coach Stewart. “Sophomores Mari Elden, Andrew Dougherty and Kris- buying into everything they’re doing.” tian Sorlund are back along with junior Kate Dolan. They’re joined by Markus Vermont hosts the 2011 NCAA Championships at Stowe and the Trapp Fam- Moe and Trygve Markset on the men’s side, and Katie Gill and Jessica Jort- ily Lodge March 9-12, and you can bet the Cats are keen on taking charge of berg for the ladies. Several have their sights set on qualifying for the Junior the home turf. Still, it’s about the racers on course at the end of the day, and and U-23 World Championships in January.” Reichelt surely knows it. “Having the horses in the barn,” says Reichelt, “is, fi rst and foremost, the most important thing that we’ve improved over our teams from the past four University of Colorado 2nd in 2010 years. Our early-season results in Nickname: Buffaloes NorAms and [tune-up] races are con- NCAA championships: 16 (1959-60, 1972-79,1982,1991,1995, 1998-99, fi rming what we thought: we’ve got 2006) new skiers with a lot of pace.” Coaches: Richard Rokos, Arman Serebrakian, Bruce Cranmer, Jana Wein- Stay tuned. And in the meantime, berger read on about what coaches from Alpine: “The alpine team is going through a mild transition as Heidi Hillen- last season’s best NCAA programs brand, Drew Roberts, Stefan Hughes and Arman Serebrakian — in a new have to say about their 2011 teams. role as an assistant coach — have left due to graduation or expired eligibil- ity,” says coach Rokos. “An unexpected and big loss was the tragic passing of Spencer Nelson in August. [Nelson died in a hiking accident near Aspen.] University of Denver 1st in Spencer would be just a sophomore after making an NCAA Champs ap- 2010 pearance in his freshmen year. Beside losing an excellent skier, we all feel Nickname: Pioneers sadness over the loss of a dear friend and teammate. The season has been NCAA championships: 21 (1954- dedicated to Spencer’s memory and we all want to honor his name by adopt- 57, 1961-67, 1969-71, 2000-02, ing and fulfi lling his athletic dreams ... New faces are Kirstin Cooper, Fletcher 2005, 2008-10) McDonald, Max Lamb and Andreas Haug.” Coaches: Andy LeRoy, David Stew- Nordic: “Jana Weinberger is back as assistant coach after giving birth to her art, Aaron Haffey, Hennie Kashiwa daughter, Klara, in July,” says coach Cranmer. “I have my whole team back Alpine: “We’ve returned everybody from last year minus Matt Gelso, who will defi nitely be missed after winning from last year’s team with the excep- the classic race at NCAA Championships last year. On the men’s team we Vermont’s Caitlin Curran returns tion of captain Molly Ryan,” says coach LeRoy. “Leading the list of who’s who have the addition of Andreas Hoye — the younger brother of Henrik, who to Cats stronger than ever in 2011. on the alpine side are Lindsay Cone and Leif Haugen. Lindsay followed up skied for CU during the last Championship win in 2006 — and we expect her freshman year’s GS title with a pair of second-place fi nishes at the NCAA him to be a real contributor. We’ve also added Boulder’s Spencer Lacy to Championships in Steamboat. And then there’s Leif: What can a coach say? the men’s team. On the women’s team, we added Joanne Reid and Eliska He’s hands-down the most impressive man on the NCAA circuit, scoring Hajkova last January; both fi nished in the top 10 in both races at NCAAs last World Cup points in his fi rst-four GS starts last year before competing in the year. Alexa Turzian — second in the skate race at the 2010 Champs — Mary Vancouver Olympics and winning the GS title at NCAAs. We’ve also added Rose and Briana Perkins round out a strong women’s side.”

BRYCE HUBNER SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 32 University of New Mexico 3rd in 2010 University of Utah 4th in 2010 Nickname: Lobos Nickname: Utes NCAA championships: 1 (2004) NCAA championships: 10 (1981, 1983-84, 1986-88, 1993, 1996-97, Coaches: Fredrik Landstedt, Tyler Shepherd, Simon Reissmann, Martin 2003) Stocker Coaches: Kevin Sweeney, Jaka Korencan, Abi Holt, Will McDonald Alpine: “We have seven returning skiers and will continue to be one of the Alpine: The alpine Utes are lead by junior All-American Torjus Krogdahl top alpine programs in the country,” says coach Shepherd. “Returning aces and senior Eva Huckova, a fi ve-time All-American and the 2010 NCAA GS are Petter Brenna and Anne Cecilie Brusletto. Petter had a stellar season champ. Additions for 2011 include Ein Sandvik, Jeremy Elliott, Jaime Dupratt both on the collegiate circuit as well as the NorAm circuit. Brusletto had such and Ti Marie Romar. Nordic: NCAA Champs skiers Zoe Roy, Rose Kemp, Sarah McCarthy, Did- rick Smith and All-American Miles Havlick all return for 2011.

Dartmouth College 5th in 2010 Nickname: Big Green NCAA championships: 3 (1958, 1976, 2007) Coaches: Cami Thompson, Peter Dodge, Ruff Patterson, Chip Knight Alpine: “The Dartmouth women’s alpine team is an all-veteran group this year,” says coach Knight. “Our 2010 NCAA Championship team of Courtney Petter Brenna will be Hammond, Kelsey Roddick and Annie Rendall all return for 2011. We’re look- among the contenders for ing to capitalize on our experience and compete at the top of the collegiate an individual alpine crown. ranks.” Men’s coach Peter Dodge says: “After his 2010 NCAA Champion- a good NorAm season that she was awarded a World Cup spot in GS and ships results of second in GS and fi fth in slalom, senior Ace Tarberry has competed for Norway in the GS World Cup in Aspen on Nov. 27. Other re- been asked to ski with the U.S. Ski Team as an invitee and will therefore turning skiers include Chris Acosta, Chriss Salbu, Gary Beresford, Kate Wil- take a year off. NCAA team members Luke McLaughry and Trevor Leafe liams, and Stefanie Demetz. One of our new additions hails from Finland are returning to lead the team. Joining them are regular carnival team skiers — Juho-Pekka Penttinen, who we are very excited about.” Braden Long and Peter Ankeny. The whole team is very young and looking Nordic: “Four-year, seven-time All-American Polina Ermoshina graduated to make its mark. Joining the starting line up will be Evan Diamond, Mathieu this summer and headed home to continue her skiing career,” says coach Bertrand and Jake Perkins.” Landstedt. “However, we’re returning All-American Martin Kaas, fi ve-time Nordic: “The women’s team looks very strong,” says coach Thompson. “We 2010 RMISA event winner and runner-up in 20K skate at NCAAs; Tor-Hakon have returning All-Americans Rosie Brennan and Sophie Caldwell as well Hellebostad, 2008 and 2009 NCAA All-American; and Pierre Niess, 2010 as Ida Sargent — if she doesn’t end up going to World Championships! Add All-American. With the addition of freshman Christian Otto from Germany, it to the mix returning skiers Erika Flowers and Steph Crocker, and fi rst-years will be hard to beat this group. On the women’s side, we return 2010 NCAA Annie Hart, a 2010 World Juniors skier, and Isabel Caldwell, who went in the Champs Skier Linn Klaesson and Ingrid Leask, and we recruited four very 2010 Scando Trip. It shows that we have both star power and depth. On the strong skiers: Sofi e Jonsson, Terese Andersson and Christina Loevald Hell- men’s side, we have returning NCAA team members Nils Koons and Eric berg from Sweden; and Martine Weng from Norway. Overall, this is the stron- Packer, along with 2010 World Junior Team member Sam Tarling and fi rst- gest UNM nordic team that I’ve coached since we won NCAAs in 2004.” years Erik Fagerstrom and David Sinclair.”

BRYCE HUBNER SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 33 University of Vermont 6th in 2010 Nickname: Catamounts NCAA championships: 5 (1980, 1989-90, 1992, 1994) Coaches: Bill Reichelt, Patrick Weaver, Johnny Davidson, Andrew Johnson Alpine: “We’re really excited about our alpine team this year,” says coach Reichelt. “We picked up four major recruits: Jonothan Nordbotten, Travis Dawson, Tim Kelley, and Kate Ryley. Take those four, paired with dominant EISA returning skiers, and we have built a strong, fast team with plenty of depth. We’re working hard and having great results at early-season NorAms. I’m really looking forward to carnival season — it’s going to be a blast.” Utah’s Torjus Krogdahl, ’s Andreas Adde and Vermont’s David Donaldson on Nordic: “Our men’s team looks to be one of the strongest in the east, if not the 2010 NCAA Champs SL podium. the country,” says coach Weaver. “Scott Patterson and Bjoern Ahlgrimm will

provide new fi re power alongside Franz Bernstien, 2010 national champion in the 20K free. Transfer athlete Dylan Grald, and Alex Howe and Fritz Horst all came back to school this the fall fi tter then ever. Our women’s team heads into the 2010-11 season with top skiers and depth, as junior and three-time All-American Caitlin Patterson leads strong team featuring NCAA Champs competitors Lucy Le Garrec and Caitlin Curran.”

University of Alaska Anchorage 7th in 2010 Nickname: Seawolves NCAA championships: None Coaches: Trond Flagstad, Sparky Anderson, Julie-Pierre Leclerc, Mandy Kaempf, Dan McKay, Adam Verrier, Morten Kjerland Alpine: “I’m really pleased to have Julie-Pierre back on staff after a one year hiatus,” says coach Anderson. “Morten Kjerland and Dan McKay are back, too — fantastic to have such a veteran staff. Returning athletes include 2010 NCAA slalom champion Andreas Adde, who leads a talented group of seven guys including Halfdan Falkum-Hansen, Christopher Kollenborg, Cam Brewington, Ryan Wolosyn, and Egil Ismar. Our one newcomer this year is highly regarded Niko Harmanen from Finland, who we worked very hard to get. On paper, Niko’s our best GS skier and will push the rest of the guys. Our women’s team is exactly the same as last year. Leading the pack is four-time All-American Alexandra Parker. Petra Gantnerova is also returning and ca- Kate Ryley, here racing World Juniors in pable of being a dominant force on the tour this season. Kayla Fry and San- 2009, will join big sister Meg at UVM. dra MacDonald are dark-horse skiers to watch. Rounding out the women’s team is Ida Bjerka, who came on very strong at RMISA Championships last

GEPA; BRYCE HUBNER SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 34 women’s alpine team will add new talent with Karen Bell and Emily Danza to [the group of returning athletes] Hannah Victory, Terra Moran and Ali Leigh- ton. We expect to complement our strong nordic performers and take another step up in the national rankings.” Nordic: “The nordic Bobcats are looking to build on the successes of the 2010 season which was the best in school history,” says coach Kastning. “Kaelin Kiesel — a two-time All American in 2010 — is the only nordic skier to graduate. Bernhard Ronning, Tyler Reinking and Ryan Scott will all be look- ing to repeat their All-American performance in 2010, when they went 5-6-7 in the 20K free at NCAAs. Alaska transfer student Michael Schallinger, who won the 20K Utah Invite last season, also joins us. Last year on the women’s side, MSU qualifi ed fi ve girls for the big show and have added to that depth this year. Look for Bernie Nelson, Rachelle Kanady, and Kate Backstrum to give strong back up to Melina Park and Casey Kutz. This team is out to prove that last year’s [nordic team] third-place at NCAAs was no fl uke.”

Alaska’s Halfdan Falkum-Hansen looks University of New Hampshire 9th in 2010 to make a third NCAA appearance. Nickname: Wildcats year and will continue to build.” NCAA championships: None Nordic: “After adding eight skiers to the nordic team, we now have great Coaches: Cory Schwartz, Brian Blank, Stephen Monsulick, Andrew Wag- depth with some very strong and seasoned returners,” says coach Flagstad. ner “All three girls who raced in the 2010 NCAA Championships return — Ger- Alpine: “Last year we lost perennial All-Americans Archambault-Leger, Far- mans Steffi Hiemer and Laura Rombach, and All-American Jaime Bronga. rell, Ford, and Cremeno,” says coach Blank. “But we have a strong group Kelsey Coolidge is our lone senior and two new girls are Norway’s Marit of freshmen led by Canadian Laura Rozinowicz, who won both the Williams Ulsund and Karina Smith, a transfer from Utah. Max Treinen — a 2009 All- and St. Mike’s carnival giant slaloms as a non-college racer last year. Other American and senior — and Sam Lindsey are the only men returning. Six notable freshmen include Jacqui Lebel, JoAnna Coffey and Jenna Kantor. newcomers include three skiers who have World Junior Championships ex- Returning, we have 2010 First-Team All East honoree Paul Atkinson and perience — Erik Bjornsen, Lasse Moelgaard Nielsen, and Martin Kapso. Also NCAA qualifi ers Marie-Elaine Lepine, Catherine Blanchard, and Zach Clay- new are Lukas Ebner from the Black Forest in Germany and two local tal- ton.” ents, Davis Dunlap and Noah Hagen.” Nordic: “Last year we had a great year and look to continue our climb nation- ally,” says coach Schwartz. “We lost some key senior men last year, notably All-American Dylan McGuffi n, Mike Lessard and Erick Anderson. The 2011 Montana State University 8th in 2010 men are led by Erik Lindgren, Steve Bedard, Harrison Harb and Dan Guiney. Nickname: Bobcats With NCAA skiers Tasha Kullas and Anya Bean, we have our nucleus back NCAA championships: None for the women’s team. Looking to go back to the NCAA Championships is Coaches: Dan Brelsford, Grethe Hagensen, Jeremy Henrichon, Andrew transfer Clare Egan, who fi nished second at EISA Championships last year. Kastning, Calisa Kastning Also vying to make NCAAs are Liz Guiney, Danielle Baron, Abby Taylor and Alpine: “The returning men’s alpine team should have a strong core with a strong group of freshman including Anne Miller, Molly Newman, Liz Izzo Michael Mackie, Chris Barber and Geoff Irwin,” says coach Brelsford. “The and Dana Roach.”

UAA SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 35 NCAA Skiing Power Rankings 2011 Preseason Picks

The Power Rankings are back. Here’s a look at our early favorites:

Denver 1 The Pioneers were second in the preseason power rankings last year. Without a regular season victory, they didn’t climb into the No. 1 spot until ... uh ... until they won their third-straight NCAA crown in March (giant foot in Rankings’ mouth). We’ll keep ‘em right here for now.

Middlebury College 10th in 2010 New Mexico Nickname: Panthers 2 Spent a good chunk of time as the No. 1 team in the country last year, only to fade when it mattered most NCAA championships: None — Championships season. Make no mistake, though; podium climbers such as Anne Cecilie Brusletto, Coaches: Stever Bartlett, Andrew Gardner, Abigail Copeland Petter Brenna, Martin Kaas and Tor-Hakon Hellebostad — along with an army of speedy recruits — make Alpine: “We graduated two senior men last year,” says coach the Lobos favorites again. “Overall, this is the strongest UNM nordic team that I’ve coached since we won Bartlett. “But we have built some depth in this year’s class. Our NCAAs in 2004,” says program director Fredrik Landstedt. Beware of the Lobos. four very talented freshmen men are Hig Roberts, Rob Cone, Liam Mulhern and Nick Bailey. On the ladies’ side, we have a promising Vermont freshman from Ontario, Emma Kitchen, who we think will fi nd good 3 This is the team that ends Dartmouth’s long run atop the EISA ranks. It’s also a team — as NCAA Champs pace this year. Strong returning athletes include Nicole Dvorak, host — that’s got a shot at winning it all. The Catamounts dominated alpine action on the EISA circuit last Lindsay Kraft and Tasha Woodworth. Bronwyn Oatley is on the season, and a trio of ripper recruits in Norwegian Jonothan Nordbotten, Canada’s Travis Dawson, and mend from a year off due to injury last season; if she’s back to her U.S. Ski Team alum Tim Kelley make that a trend likely to continue. Oh, and Meg Ryley (winner of six EISA normal self on snow, we’ll see some fast skiing from her. Emily races in 2010) returns with little sister Kate in tow. But the nordic racers will make the biggest difference: Hammel is also returning from injury and could be a diamond in Two, two-time Olympian coaches lead NCAA Champ Franz Bernstein, All-American Caitlin Patterson, NCAA the rough.” Champs skier Caitlin Curran, and top-tier recruits Scott Patterson and Bjoern Ahlgrimm. Nordic: “This year’s team is a hard-working collection of talented people,” says coach Gardner. “While NCAA All-American Patrick Colorado Johnson is taking a break from school to ski for the APU program, 4 The nordies once more look the stronger of the Buffs’ sides, and an possible lack of balance may mean we have a dedicated men’s team of similarly talented skiers working that the Buffs have a hard time keeping up with DU and New Mexico overall. Then again, it’s the mighty, well together. Our men are led by senior Graham Egan and Doug storied University of Colorado. You can never count this program out — and we reckon we’ll see inspired Debold, [who both had exceptional training experiences this sum- skiing throughout a season dedicated to the late Spencer Nelson. mer]. On the women’s side, a healthy Sophie McClelland returns from a year of recovery training in Vail, while sophomore Corinne Alaska Prevot — a winner at last year’s Junior National Championships — 5 The Seawolves made the preseason top-5 list last year. Then they promptly went away and never returned hopes to succeed on the college circuit. Our new recruits include — mostly, key injuries and sickness did ‘em in. This year, boasting strong returners and a few skiers who Stratton skier Austin Cobb, junior standout Ben Lustgarten, and a were part of their 2009 fourth-place team, UAA has a good shot at returning to the upper tier at NCAAs. pair of Emilys — Stitt and Attwood — who come to us from GMVS Other programs that might just as easily be in this spot — or higher — include Dartmouth, Utah and a and Cape Elizabeth, Maine, respectively.” Montana State team primed to improve again this year.

SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 36 NORDICWORLDCUP

Step Aside, LANCE American trio to star in the Tour de Ski, a snowy version of the Tour de France By Tim Reynolds Photos by Pete Vordenberg

Kikkan Randall

Stage races are the future of cross country ski racing. The World cross country skiing. This new format would combine the two diverg- Cup calendar features two “mini-tours” this season — one held al- ing disciplines in the sport — sprinting and distance racing — into ready in November in Kuusamo, Finland, and the other scheduled for one main event. March when Sweden hosts the World Cup Finals. Now in its fi fth edition, the Tour de Ski has already seen enormous While these weekend stage races have quickly gained popularity success. According to the FIS, the event has boosted television rat- among racers and fans alike, it was the grueling, eight-stage Tour de ings, fan interest, and fi lled a void in an otherwise empty period of Ski that sparked this major transition in the sport four years ago. The World Cup competition. In the competitive fold, a victory in the Tour Tour was the brainchild of , a Norwegian ski legend is close to becoming on par with a World Championship victory or a and current chairman of the FIS Cross Country Committee. Mr. Ul- World Cup title. But amidst the clamor over the Tour and its transfor- vang proposed taking the excitement of cycling-style stage racing to mative infl uence on the sport, only one American has even started

SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 37 NORDICWORLDCUP The Tour de Ski

the event and none has completed it. jury or illness, the trio is all-in for the whole very interested in how Kikkan and Kris might Oberhof, Germany Dec. 31 , Italy Jan. 5 This year, that’s going to change. show, and each has potential to compete for do in the opening prologue. Kris in particular Prologue Sprint On Dec. 31, New Year’s Eve, the Tour de Ski stage podiums and high overall rankings, ac- has almost no practice in this type of event Women 2.5K Ladies 1.2K Men 3.75K Men 1.2K kicks off with the prologue in the German win- cording to USST Head Coach Chris Grover. and yet I think it could be quite good for him.” Free technique, individual Free technique, qualifi cation ter sports capital of Oberhof. Three Americans “All three are experienced athletes so we will As for the lack of American representation start and fi nals in the past, Grover conceded there had been scheduling problems, health risks, and the ab- Oberhof, Germany Jan. 1 Cortina-Toblach, Italy Jan. 6 sence of a strong “all-arounder” on the USST Pursuit Distance Women 10K Ladies 15K who might compete for a top overall placing. Men 15K Men 35K But both Randall and Newell (dominant Classical technique, “handi- Free technique, handicap sprinters) have seen marked improvement in cap” start start their distance racing over the past few sea- , Germany Val di Fiemme, Italy sons. Newell fi nished with the leaders in the Jan. 2 Jan. 8 Sprint Distance Gaellivare relay in November and Kikkan has Women 1.2K Women 10K scored World Cup points in three of four dis- Men 1.2K Men 20K tance races so far. “We recognize that the Tour Classical technique, qualifi - Classical technique, mass is becoming more and more the major focus of cation and fi nals start the World Cup racing calendar,” says Grover. Oberstdorf, Germany Jan. 3 Val di Fiemme, Italy Jan. 9 “The interest of the public is now in the Tour de Pursuit Final Climb Ski and the mini-tours.” Women 5 + 5K Women 9K This year’s event features eight stages over Men 10 + 10K Men 9K nine days including the prologue, two sprint Classical/free technique, Free technique, handicap races, four standard distance events and a mass start start brutal fi nal hill climb up the Alpe in Val di Fiemme, Italy. The schedule alternates indi- vidual and mass start races with two handicap pursuits, including the fi nal hill climb, where the overall leader is the fi rst to leave the gate. Kris Freeman In the fi nal stage, it is the fi rst skier to the top of the mountain who claims the Tour title. are scheduled to start: Andy Newell, Kikkan be looking to each of them for strong results Throughout the Tour, most races, including Randall and Kris Freeman. Last year, New- during the Tour de Ski,” says Grover. “We are the sprints, award bonus seconds to even out ell became the fi rst American to participate in not necessarily after the overall Tour fi nish the disparate distances and keep the sprint the event but dropped out after the last sprint placing, but rather a great stage performance specialists in the running for the overall clas- stage, about halfway through the Tour, in order or two. Of course we expect big things from sifi cation. to prepare for Vancouver. This year, barring in- Andy and Kikkan in the sprints, but I am also On the men’s side, last years Tour de Ski was TOUR-DE-SKI.COM

SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 38 NORDICWORLDCUP Top Tour Contenders dominated by Norwegian phenom and a hard the sprint Cup and 11th in the overall World Cup standings. charging Lukas Bauer of the , who skied away “I am defi nitely looking forward to the TDS with confi dence Men: from Northug in the fi nal climb to victory. For the ladies, it was and excitement,” says Randall. “However, having never done Dario Colgna, Switzerland: Tour de Ski champ 2009; Olympic an equally dramatic fi nal with Justyna Kowalcyk of such a grueling event before, I’m not sure where to place my gold medalist in Vancouver and current World Cup leader. overtaking dominant sprinter Petra Majdic on the fi nal meters expectations. With many of my recent distance races solidly in Petter Northug, Norway: Second in 2009 and 2010. He’ll be of the Alpe Cermis as well. the top 30 and my sprinting coming on, I think a top-20 overall looking to claim the only prize he’s yet to win in cross country skiing. While the Americans may not be in the running for the overall fi nish in the Tour would be pretty exciting. I hope to fi nish the Lukas Bauer, Czech Republic: Tour de Ski champ in 2008 and podium, Freeman has high hopes. “If I manage to control my whole thing and barring illness, that will be my goal. I think 2010. Bauer has proven tough to beat in the Tour format. What he diabetes well,” he says, “I think a top-10 fi nish is possible.” all the race formats seem appealing in some way and I look can’t do in sprints; look for him to make up in the mass start races Freeman has struggled with his blood sugar management in forward to the challenge of each individual stage. Of course I and the fi nal climb up Alpe Cermis. big events in the past, most recently in Vancouver, and the always get excited for the sprints, and that fi nal climb day will Lukas Bauer takes on busy race schedule could make his race-day insulin dosages be epic!” the fi nal stage of last even more problematic. Randall, Newell and Freeman will share an apartment and year’s Tour de Ski. “We’ve learned a lot this season about his diabetes manage- prepare for the Tour in Davos over the holidays. They will be ment,” says Grover, “but the Tour will be a big test of just how joined by the Canadian Tour contingent as well. While Randall much we know.” says she’s excited for her fi rst European Christmas, Newell Randall will be coming into the Tour after her strongest start says Davos is a perfect place for both training and fun. “I’ve ever on the World Cup circuit. She’s stood on the sprint po- spent plenty of Christmases in Europe so it’s not a big deal,” dium in Duessledorf and Davos and is currently ranked third in says Newell. “At least this year I’ll have some company.”

Women: GEPA Petra Majdic, Slovenia: Third in 2009 and second in 2010. She may be able to build up a strong-enough lead in the sprints to hold off her chasers on in the fi nal climbing stage. Justyna Kowalcyk, Poland: Tour de Ski champ in 2010. She’s had strong World Cup results already, and with Marit Bjorgen opt- ing out of the Tour to prepare for World Champs at home, the title is Kowalcyk’s to lose. , Sweden: Tour de Ski champ in 2008. She skipped the last two years to prepare for World Champs and the Olympics, but this year she’s back in action. A strong all-arounder, she should dominate in the skate distance races and the fi nal climb. Andy Newell

SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 39 FULL NELSON THROUGH HERE 2 HELP, CINDY NELSON STEERS ATHLETES TOWARD AN ALL-AROUND RECOVERY BY KELLEY MCMILLAN Where Are They Now? Where Are They

A World Cup downhill VAIL — Each time a racer steps into the start house, the threat of injury looms large around every gate. Injury and ski victory in Grindelwald, racing go hand in hand. Take , who crashed off a jump during a training run at Lake Louise on Dec. 2, Switzerland, in 1974, breaking her right leg and ending her season. put Cindy Nelson in But injury isn’t always a bad thing, according to Cindy Nelson, the fi rst American — male or female — to win a the record books. World Cup speed event. She believes that injury can actu- ally provide an opportunity for growth and development. And Nelson would know. During her 14-year career (1971- 1985), which included four World Championship titles and one Olympic medal, she endured nine knee surgeries, four hip surgeries, and two ankle operations. Success came at a price. Nelson splashed onto the racing scene in 1971, earning a spot on the U.S. national team at age 15. Three years later in 1974, she became the fi rst U.S. racer to stand atop a World Cup speed podium when she nabbed the downhill victory at Grindelwald, Switzerland, dethroning Annemarie Moser-Proll and ending the legendary Austrian skier’s 13- Today, Nelson assists athletes through Here 2 Help.

ZOOM; USSA SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 40 race winning streak in the downhill. “It really opened ence with injury. “Right now, I have had 15 surger- the door for Americans that we were speed skiers, not ies,” she says. “So I understand a patient’s needs just technical skiers,” says Nelson. “In and above the pre- and post-surgery, and our staff is very experi- victories, the win was crucial in taking a pioneering step enced and can help patients know what to expect. to breaking down the barrier that ski racing wasn’t just So when they leave Vail, our job is to make sure owned by the Austrians and Swiss, there was the Amer- they have the best experience possible. Vail is a icans, too.” very special center for orthopedic care.” This monumental victory came after a devastating hip But getting back on snow is about more than just injury in 1972, which also occurred, coincidently, at physical wellness. “When you’re winning a race by Grindelwald, dashing Nelson’s hopes for Olympic suc- hundredths of seconds, it’s the power of your mind cess at the Winter Games in Sapporo, . “They that matters,” she says. “Our mind and heart are treated injury much different then,” says Nelson. “I was two of our most powerful resources. They’ve got to

Where Are They Now? Where Are They in a hospital for two weeks, on crutches for four months, be working together.” and there was no such thing as PT.” In December 1973, Nelson met renowned orthopedic surgeon Richard Steadman. “He put me back together and I was better than ever,” says Nelson. “I credit him with my victories and my career. He was the single-most important infl uence on my career,” says Nelson. “And it Marie Therese Nadig, Cindy Nelson and Rosi Mittermayer wasn’t just my skiing, but life. Being around him — he celebrate in Saalbach in 1974; right, Nelson in Bormio. taught me so much. He’s an incredible man with a very work life beyond skiing. Five and a half years ago, Nelson interesting and magnifi cent mind and intellect.” launched Here 2 Help, a care and concierge business special- Nelson was Dr. Steadman’s fi rst elite skier patient, and in her izing in orthopedics that assists patients visiting the Vail Valley 14-year career, he performed nine knee surgeries and two an- for medical care in planning their trip. kle operations on her. “I got hurt, never missed a season and Here 2 Help’s patients range from professional athletes to ev- was stronger than ever when I returned, which is a testament eryday people who love an active lifestyle and want to contin- to his medicine,” says Nelson. ue to pursue their hobbies late into life. Nelson’s work with Dr. Nelson says her injuries were crucial to her overall develop- Steadman continues. “People come from all over the world to ment as a racer. “Injury has been very important for my career,” see Steadman and his team,” she says. “They’re the absolute she says. “Time away can be very benefi cial to an athlete, tak- fi nest specialists in their fi eld. We try to close the gaps in their ing you out of the grind. My time away let me know that this circle of care for patients. In terms of planning, we try to advise was what I wanted to do and gave me a fresh perspective.” patients on what to expect post-op, help them learn about ac- Recovery periods also gave Nelson the opportunity to culti- commodations, and ground transportation. We try to help them vate the intellectual side of being an athlete. “It’s important for with their post-operation care, even if they’re an outpatient.” athletes as they grow to develop their spiritual and emotional So that means Nelson and her business partner, Juli Young, selves,” she says. “When you have those three pieces — the will do everything from advising on the best lodging for a pa- physical, emotional and intellectual — working, then you have tient’s specifi c needs and scheduling appointments to picking a great competitor. If you get all those parts together and bring up groceries and setting up rehab equipment at a patient’s those forth to competition, that’s how you win.” home or hotel. Injury affected not only Nelson’s racing career but also her In her practice, Nelson says she draws on her own experi-

ZOOM; USSA SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 41 TECH TALK Tech Talk The Truth Behind Injection RACERS AND COACHES DEBATE WHETHER ICE IS NICE OR NASTY BY HANK MCKEE

Snow injection is a process that produces ice-hard slopes. The process uses an injection bar, which is made up of small hose nozzles that pump water underneath the surface of the snow where it freezes. A couple of seasons ago, the process was considered a great invention — the sliced bread of World Cup skiing. But when injec- tion goes bad, it can create a surface nearly unskiable, the “pond ice” referred to a year ago by three-time World Cup champion Lindsey Vonn. Vonn has been an outspoken opponent to routine injecting of race hills. “In Cortina it’s the best snow on earth,” she said last season. “They had a perfect track and, in my opinion, they ruined it. There’s no need whatsoever for injection on this hill.” Yet other sites swear by the process. “At Alta Badia they inject that thing every year,” said U.S. men’s coach Sasha Rearick, “and they do a fantastic job of it every time.” So what is the answer? According to Rearick, and most others involved, that all depends. “It depends on what you have to work with,” said Rearick. “What kind of snow, what the temperatures are, where you’re located. We still inject in New Zealand [for summer training purposes]. There are different tools to make the snow good. Injection is one of them.” Lake Louise’s World Cup races last month drew some criticism. “Obviously when you put water on the snow when it’s minus 35 you’re going to get a sheet of ice,” said two-time World Cup champ Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway. “It is the easy way out for the peo- The Birds of Prey course at Beaver Creek: no injection needed. ple preparing the course. It’s not good for the skis because they get burnt. It’s a snow sport, not an ice sport; that’s my opinion.”

TOM KELLY/U.S. SKI TEAM SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 42 TECH TALK Tech Talk

By burnt, Svindal means freezer burn. Except hours. For Colorado it works really well. In other places where you don’t instead of losing a roast in your freezer, it’s the have a lot of snow, that technique doesn’t work [because] when you push it bottoms of a pair of high-tech racing skis. around you push dirt and rocks into it. You just have to have experience.” “I think,” Svindal said, “it is the wrong direc- Experience may be the key to fi nding a solution. “The most important thing tion.” is building the base,” said FIS Secretary General Sarah Lewis. “You might Rearick’s charges were on the same hill and he inject a course two weeks before the race. It is all dependent on the current thought it was reasonable. “When it’s negative conditions. The real issue is that you want to trust the weather forecast. 25 or 30 or 50 — whatever it was — and you The injection is your security. The guys learn all the time.” try to inject, it’s tough because the water goes Some of those lessons have come with a price. At Aspen last season, in- right back up to the top and makes an ice rink,” jection created the now famous “pond ice;” and Switzerland’s Sandra Gini, he said. “If it had been a tech race it would have Italian star and Austrian racer Alexandra Daum all were been fantastic. I thought it was fi ne; it was bumpy, injured on a course that FIS director Atle Skaardal admitted was “too icy.” it was rattly, but it was a fair race and guys did Other times, some feel, the lessons are learned too slowly. Svindal’s com- well from the back. People always want to fi nd ments at Lake Louise — which he said were not complaints — indicated his something to complain about. Personally, I think biggest concern: the lack of reaction. “We have talked about this so much injection is a good tool. Watering is a good tool. in the past and now here, in the fi rst [downhill] race already it is pure ice,” We’ve learned another tool which is to groom it, he said. “It’s too much, in my opinion. Outside your front door if water is water it and groom it again and not tear it up and leaking from your roof the next morning you wake up its just a sheet of ice. that works in some situations great, too.” That’s just how it is.” That last formula was what happened the week- end after Lake Louise at Beaver Creek. It’s a long and diffi cult process. “The way Beaver Creek prepares the hill, they open the hill up, dump lots of water on it and then they groom it, push it around and groom it, Freezer burn for groom it, groom it, and if they have to do it again, Aksel Lund Svindal they do it again, and then, only if that didn’t work, in Lake Louise last Marlies Schild races on the injected then they inject,” explained Rearick. month. “pond ice” of Aspen in 2009. They didn’t have to inject. To a man, the racers raved about the surface conditions at Beaver Creek. The course was hard but not slick. But it is more expensive, and time consuming, than one small group of coaches or offi cials carrying an injection bar down the slope and stopping every couple of inches to shoot water beneath the surface. That takes awhile, no doubt, but it can happen in a handful of hours. The Beaver Creek method can take days, or even weeks. “It’s not easy to do,” said Rearick. “It takes a tremendous amount of effort, and a lot of cat

GEPA SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 43 BACKSHOP Backshop Integrating Ski Tuning into the Athlete Development Model

A GUIDE FOR COACHES, CLUBS AND PARENTS, J6 THROUGH COLLEGE : PART 2 BY DAVE PESZEK In the last issue of Ski Racing, we covered age-specifi c equipment and tuning needs. Now it’s time defi ne an executable program for your club. We’ll start with some equipment and tuning principles that apply across the entire program and all age classes.

Appoint, train, and empower one coach per age class to act as the point person for training, questions, and advise at that age level. This coach should have a great relationship with the local choice retail service center, and should be actively educating parents and athletes in age class specifi c tuning methodology. Establish the importance of equipment and tuning (and their relative im- portance in relation to physical, mental, and tactical skills) as a core edu- cational concept within your club program from J6 level onwards. This cre- ates a building-block approach toward equipment and tuning that will allow everyone to progress. Provide clear, concise, logical steps for tuning that athletes and parents can follow. These steps should be written out, posted in the club’s tuning center, and available online at the club’s website. The step-by-step process should be written separately for each age group. You get bonus points for using modern technology, such as a YouTube video on your club’s website that shows the exact steps for parents to follow in tuning their J4’s skis. Pick a local retail ski-service center that the club works well with, and get everyone on board. Good things can happen when partnerships are forged. Provide the tech staff with copies of everything that you are sharing with parents and athletes (regarding equipment and tuning) so that everyone is working toward the same goal — consistency and happy ski racers. Larger programs should have an equipment/tuning manager. This takes Whether racing NASTAR or on the national an enormous workload off coaching staff and can lead to better building team, athletes should tune their own skis. blocks across the entire program. Straps. Athletes and coaches need them, and they need to use them.

NASTAR SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 44 BACKSHOP Backshop

Coaches should tune their own skis. Set a good example. Ath- J4/3 Athletes shouldn’t be presented with an entire tuning clinic at this letes who see a coach spending 15 minutes a day to care for their This is the age class when ski-tuning methodology is initially pre- time, as attention span, access to equipment and fi ne motor skills equipment will follow the lead. Club administrators should require sented (in very small basic blocks) to athletes. Tuning and main- are not developed enough for them to be successful. Instead, it is that coaches set the example. tenance should be part of the club’s training program. Parents and advised that J4/3 athletes are moved slowly through a progression their shop are handing about 90 percent of tuning at the J4 level, of acquiring and mastering basic skills (just like they are doing in the And now here are some more detailed recommendations for a con- and 50 to 60 percent at the J3 level. physical, mental, and tactical realms). Therefore, the parent or shop sistently focused, age- specifi c program within your club. Take note of the change in athlete responsibility and be sure that is handling the bulk of the tuning work, but turning over the skis for you (the coach and club administrator) are presenting tuning meth- the athletes to handle with supervision. Over time, the athlete’s part J6/5 odology to athletes in small chunks that can be built upon through- in the daily tuning process increases. Make tuning and maintenance part of the club’s program. Parents out these years. Tuning is a complex intellectual and mechanical A step-by-step daily tuning process should be posted in the club- and their shop are handling 100 percent of the tuning at this level. skill, no different than mastering arc-to-arc skiing. Kids at this age house, given to parents, and made available online. The technical Give parents concrete instructions of what to do, and when. This don’t need concepts, theory and complexity. They need to learn a focus for J4/3s needs to be consistent glide and edge grip. Plans level needs how-to and what-to-do, not theory or tech info. few basic tasks and how to refi ne and master them. should emphasize the following points: Your club program will need to present separate tuning clinics to Resist the temptation, parents and coaches, to over-tech at this Here’s an example of a concrete timeline for the J6/5 level: parents and J4/3s. Parental clinics should focus on teaching the level. Expensive wax does not win races at this level, even at JOs. October: Parents should take the skis to shop X. They should ask parents how to keep the skis maintained consistently, and helping Consistent skis all season long will create the best foundation for for base fl attening, fi ne, cold-snow grind; hand-fi nish 1-degree base parents to perform the work themselves. These clinics should be in great on-snow training, and also for easier acquisition and mastery and 2-degree side edge, not too sharp. late October/early November and then reinforced over a Christmas of skiing skills. November (or before fi rst on-snow weekend): Have parents meet camp and again in February. Being fast in training and winning at races occurs because the at the club with their kids’ skis. The coaching staff should instruct Parental tuning clinics should also focus on helping the parents to athlete blends solid technique, tactics, and mental skills together on them on how to wax, scrape, brush, and deburr (using a diamond become a teaching extension of the coach. Give parents a written- consistent, correctly prepared skis while minimizing execution er- stone). Provide the parents with a short and affordable shopping list, out description of what steps the program is teaching the kids (such rors — not because someone put expensive wax on the ski. and remind them that they should follow this sharpening process as how to scrape and how to brush) so that they can have the kids Truly fl at skis (base) from the start to the end of the season. Identi- every other day on snow. take over this step and so that parents can coach them at home. cal and consistent base and edge bevels. On all but the most world- December: Create a mandatory Christmas-week tuning camp for Remind the parents with email tips once every other week. class and fully developed J3s, the base bevel should err on the parents and kids. This should include a short (20-minute) clinic to Athlete tuning clinics (about 15 minutes each) should focus on very looser side to accommodate growth, changes in alignment, and lack review the sharpening process. This will probably be the fi rst ex- small, simple tasks: how to scrape; how to brush; how to drip wax of pure physical strength in handling the arc-to-arc action in higher posure that the kids will have to tuning. They only need to watch on ski and iron; how to strap skis; how to deburr with a diamond speed/pitch and/or tighter line/radius situations. A true 1-degree — the parents should still be performing the maintenance at this stone and a fi le guide. Notice that these move from the easiest task base edge bevel on a truly fl at base is ideal. age class. (suitable for fi rst-year J4s to master) to harder tasks (suitable for For J3s who are lucky enough to have more than one pair of skis February: Coaches should check skis and advise parents of any fi rst-year J3s to tackle). per event, teach them to rotate the skis to keep the skis consistent. necessary shop maintenance. You should fi lm parent and athlete clinics, and link the YouTube J4s should not have more than one pair per event. March: Hold another quick 15-minute parent clinic, showing them video to your club’s website. If coaches and club administrators are Proper initial ski set up (professional grinding, shaping, setting of how to hot-scrape clean using ski wax (to deal with spring dirty snow truly committed to developing a great program, then they should be edge bevels, etc.) is strongly advised. This will make it much easier conditions). happy to know that technology tools for success have never been for parents and athletes to be successful in creating consistent skis easier to use or more accessible. all season long.

SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 45 BACKSHOP Backshop

FIS/NorAm/College athletes who can rely on factory and team service. And the base of David “Pez” Peszek welcomes feedback at [email protected]. Athletes at this level have a much larger fl eet of skis (usually four to skills that they learn as juniors tuning their own skis will allow them This article may be freely used within the ski racing community with six pairs) and also have greater time demands. Coaches and club to communicate most effectively with their service technician to author credit, but may not be modifi ed without the author’s express administrators need to schedule and plan in to training the mainte- achieve superior results, should they progress to an elite level. written consent. nance of skis; otherwise it will fall by the wayside. Athletes still need coaching in tuning methodology, with entry- level conceptualization and tuning philosophy becoming important. Ninety percent of tuning should be handled by athletes at this level, with the rest conducted by professional race service centers. Most athletes will have two pairs of skis per tech discipline, and sometimes two pairs per speed discipline. Encourage athletes to let the wax sit (un-scraped) until the next time that ski is needed — this will create a natural ski rotation by discipline and will ensure that all skis that are not on the snow are covered in wax and ready to travel. Coaches should be available in the tuning room each day after training to supervise and guide athletes in their ski maintenance. When possible, a different coach should be assigned to this duty each day. Coaches need to check skis’ condition frequently, especially sla- lom skis. Most top-level coaches agree that training slalom on less than perfectly sharp skis is detrimental. For time management, coaches should emphasize showing ath- letes how to keep up the tune and maintenance to the highest levels with the least amount of time. The time spent in daily maintenance should be roughly 75 percent of what is spent on a race day. Most athletes spend 500 percent more time on race-day prep — at the expense of their results and consistency. Encourage true sharpness in tuning, coach athletes in how to get it, and demand it be consistently applied for all racing and training sessions. It is not possible to successfully train on dull skis and race on sharp ones. Remind athletes that making the national team will not get them out of tuning — most USST athletes are tuning their own skis, or help- Every club and every level can benefi t from a well-planned tuning program. ing in the workload with a technician. It’s really only A and B level

WALT EVANS/USSA SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 46 BACKSHOP Backshop

Clear & successful outcomes for everyone in the club’s ski tuning model Let’s take a look at the outcomes, by age class, of all the key players involved in your ski club’s ski tuning training program.

Age Class Club Administration Coaches Parents Athletes

J6/5 Guide parents and coaches correctly, Teach parents methodology of basic Keep kids’ skis consistently usable with Watch parents and coaches occasion- keeping things simple, laying a solid ski service for consistency — deburr, emphasis on skill-appropriate edge grip ally to become familiar with process and foundation. sharpen, wax, scrape, brush. and consistency. purpose.

J4 Lay out a season-long progression for Coach parents to refi ne their basic skill Parental tuning skills are becoming Learn basic tuning skills from coaches, everyone, follow through, use technol- base. Separately, introduce athletes to more refi ned. Keep kids’ skis consis- practicing these skills at home with par- ogy to aid access. small chunks of tuning and teach them tently usable with emphasis on skill ap- ents. how to perform those tasks. propriate edge grip and consistency. Introduce some small tuning tasks within the basic process at home for athletes to handle.

J3 Lay out a season-long progression for Handle parent and athlete tuning clinics. It’s a sliding process of handing over Take more responsibility for the tuning everyone, follow through, use technol- Coach those clinics appropriately — tuning responsibilities to athletes during process and practice time management ogy to aid access. Keep a level playing parents are more refi ned now and need this age group. Keep yourself and your to do so. fi eld among parental tuning involvement both methodology and concept. Athletes kids focused on performing the basics — discourage under- and overachiev- need only methodology. Resist desire to correctly and consistently, rather than ers. Develop a strong relationship with make things complicated. Set a slightly expanding into the esoteric (such as local race service center for mutual higher bar for ski preparation compared expensive wax). benefi t of club and shop. to J4 group.

Entry FIS Utilize relationship with local race ser- Hold tuning clinics for athletes. Sched- Help athletes with time management. Become skilled in all the solid basics, vice center to ensure correct prep for ule time after training for maintenance. Provide unding. and focus on maintaining consistency all skis. Hopefully, the gradual progres- Tune with athletes. Check skis frequent- within a reasonable amount of time. sion of tuning within the club will help ly for quality. to prevent some attrition from shocked parents at the suddenly “serious” level of FIS racing.

NorAM/College Work with factories to ensure support Tune with athletes to ensure highest Provide mental, emotional, and fi nancial By this time, athletes should be able to and ski selection. Fundraise to help club level of preparation and consistency. support. maintain their own skis to near perfec- and family handle radical increase in Master more advanced waxing tech- tion. global travel costs. niques to aid athletes in results. Help athletes with fl eet management by help- ing them to manage time & priorities.

HARRY CASTON SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 47 MASTERS Masters

Class 8 Victor Roy demonstrates perfect slalom technique at the 2010 National Championships, but Aging Race-fully a higher stance indicates some loss of mobility. HOW MASTERS SKIERS CAN TACKLE THE SLIPPERY SLOPE BY BILL MCCOLLOM

At the 2000 National Championships at Sugarloaf, Maine, Dick Calvert (then Class 11) still gets the ski on edge, but shows loss of fl exibility and strength with a high stance and lack of angulation. Calvert now dominates With low body position, Tim Hill (Class 4 from PNSA) Class 13 (ages 85 and up). shows good strength and fl exibility in the 2010 Masters National Championship slalom portion of super combined.

Mark Twain noted that the only certainties in life are death and if you miss a regular workout, there will be no negative effects. If athletes in their prime versus equally technically-profi cient mas- taxes. But masters ski racers are acutely aware of another cer- you miss a workout at 50, it will take about three sessions just to ters athletes over age 40 or 50 is the absence of elastic fl exibility tainty: as we age, our physical capabilities will diminish. If mas- get back to where you left off. And it goes up with each decade.” among the older athletes. “Our bodies just don’t bounce the way ters athletes were asked to comment on the physiology of aging, This is partly because of the decline of testosterone production they used to,” says Knowles. “Older athletes have trouble getting most would say, “it stinks.” That might be not be the most precise in men, starting in one’s 30s, which leads to deteriorated muscle into the proper positions, which are necessary for them to remain medical assessment, but thanks to new studies, more specifi c in- mass. “Up to the age of about 40 there’s little decline, but after competitive in their respective sports.” This would hold true for formation is available. Science can now determine when athletic that athletes will experience a rapid decline in muscle mass,” says seamlessly assuming an aggressive angulated position in ski rac- components such as strength, speed, fl exibility, cardiovascular ca- Glass. “It’s like falling off a cliff. And, of course, in the case of skiing, ing or for a wrap-around follow-though in golf. pabilities and agility start to decline — and what aging athletes can those large muscles such as quads and hamstrings are needed to Another important component of athletics that starts to slide down do to stem the tide. be technically profi cient in the sport and to stabilize the knees.” that slippery slope of aging is cardiovascular capability. “It’s not For women, the decline in bone-mineral density becomes the pri- so much that we are losing cardio potential, but it seems to get First, the bad news mary hazard that accompanies the reduction of strength, according harder and harder each year for masters athletes to push their All components of athleticism are negatively affected by age. Hank to Bill Knowles, the head trainer at iSport, a training and rehabilita- anaerobic thresholds,” says Glass. “It takes discipline, but masters Glass, a sports chiropractor at the Gifford Sports Medicine Clinic tion facility at Killington, Vt.; he also travels the world to work with athletes need to keep expanding their comfort zones. It’s impor- in Sharon, Vt., has been a longtime member of the U.S Track and elite athletes. “This is why resistance training is especially impor- tant because an athlete’s ability to function effi ciently is dictated by Field medical staff, a masters athlete, and a professional trainer tant for women over 30,” he says. maximum heart rate.” and coach. “Use it, or lose it,” says Glass. “When you’re under 30, Knowles explains that the most profound difference between Which physical athletic component is most important for maintain-

HEATHER BLACK SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 48 MASTERS Masters ing the highest possible levels of athletic achieve- ment? Pick your poison. Strength is required to withstand the forces of ski racing, but without fl ex- ibility, that strength can’t be applied to technique. But then again there are refl exes, balance, and vi- An inverted DynaDisc provides an unstable sion that all come into play — and all are on the platform for Bill Knowles decline. “All the components are interrelated,” said for a tucking exercise designed to build balance Knowles. “It would be a mistake to isolate any par- and strength. ticular one.” for stiffening joints.” tion (the awareness And now the good news Knowles also recommends using of the position of Masters ski racers should not despair; there’s water workouts to maintain fl exibility. one’s body in space)

much that can be done to stay in the game, and Bill Knowles “It’s easier on the joints and with the can be seen in ev- at a surprisingly high level of performance. Glass demonstrates absence of gravity, you can focus on ery square foot of one-footed stresses that consistency is the key to maintain- half-squats on elasticity,” he says. “Maintaining elas- Knowles’ facility. Dy- ing physical prowess. “Put together a routine and a DynaDisc for ticity is a long-term investment that naDiscs, Swiss balls balance and stick to it,” says Glass. “You don’t have to labor strength will pay dividends throughout one’s and Bongo Boards for hours, but if you start missing workouts, you’ll building. athletic career.” are everywhere, and be paying double the next time around. If you’re Glass recommends stretching be- most of Knowles Bill Knowles performs squats against a consistent and disciplined, you don’t have to give up the activities fore and after exercise, and before going to bed. “The rate of workout routines wall while supported by a Swiss ball for leg strength with reduced stress on knees. that you love.” recovery is 50 percent better if you stretch before sleeping,” he include a balance Knowles is an avid proponent of cross training. “Play still trumps says. “Our bodies shut down into a vegetative state when cells component. Squats on the squishy DynaDiscs, kneeling or stand- gym workouts,” says Knowles. “Tennis, biking, hiking, and squash are easily repaired.” ing on Swiss balls and tossing medicine balls while perched on — all promote coordination, agility, cardio-conditioning, and Expanding the anaerobic envelope should also be a part of all one foot are all part of the routines. strength building. And they’re fun.” masters athletes’ physical routines. “Our maximum heart rate will Masters athletes should take solace in the fact that there is one No one would deny that strength is one of the important elements decline if we’re not consistent in pushing ourselves in training,” area of athleticism where they are improving with age — “athletic to the equation. “Build strength through resistance training,” says says Glass, recalling he was sick for a month and couldn’t do any intelligence.” Glass notes: “The only area where we get better with Glass. “Any form of resistance training is benefi cial — squats us- physical activity. “It took eight months to get back to where I was age is mentally. Our sense of tactics improves and with an in- ing your body weight, weights, hiking, biking — they’re all good. before the illness.” creased understanding of our own physiology, our training can be Knowles adds: “Gates dictate the shape of the turn, and shaping Glass recommends any activities that get the heart rate up to 80 more specifi c.” the turn requires strength. Of course, technique is a factor, but to percent of maximum, such as interval sprints, mountain biking, With the advantage of an expanded awareness of our own bod- get faster, racers must get stronger. Specifi cally, masters athletes high-level squash or tennis. “Without oxygen fueling the muscles, ies, Glass and Knowles encourage masters athletes to train and must maintain strength in the range of motion required for their they will tire more easily,” he says, “affecting endurance and tech- compete intelligently. “Don’t run every day,” says Glass. “”Mix it sport, and this requires fl exibility.” nique and in the case of ski racing, safety.” up. Most of us have injury issues, and we need to make adjust- Maintaining fl exibility is a classic case of use it or lose it. “Elastic Balance requires a certain elasticity of movement. If you can’t bend ments in our workouts. All masters athletes would rather burn out movement doesn’t have to be lost,” says Knowles. “Our joints will and twist into various positions to remain upright, you’ll tip over. than rust out, but on the other hand, we want to keep doing what inevitably stiffen with age, but with a well-directed stretching rou- And like all the components of athleticism, balance can be main- we love for as long as possible. I guess we’re not very good spec- tine, Pilates, and yoga, you can work with musculature to make up tained, if not improved, over time. The emphasis on propriocep- tators.”

BILL MCCOLLOM SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 49 NorAm Results NorAm Downhill 5 COOK Dustin CAN 1:31.41 12 SOVIC Tomaz SLO 1:59.91 Lake Louise, Dec. 8 6 PRIDY Morgan CAN 1:31.54 13 BIESEMEYER Thomas 2:00.09 Juniors Men 7 FRANK Chris USA 1:31.58 14 TARBERRY Ace USA 2:00.20 1 MAPLE Wiley USA 1:28.59 8 PRIDY Conrad CAN 1:31.72 15 JAMPOLSKY Grant USA 2:00.21 2 HALBERT KELBY CAN 1:28.72 9 SWENSSON Joe USA 1:31.97 3 THOMSEN Benjamin CAN 1:29.17 9 WERRY Tyler CAN 1:31.97 NorAm Super G 4 COOK Dustin CAN 1:29.26 11 NELLA Tyler CAN 1:32.02 Panorama, B.C., Dec. 12 5 DANIELS Nick USA 1:29.50 12 NOGES Carl USA 1:32.06 Men 5 FRANK Chris USA 1:29.50 13 THOMSEN Benjamin CAN 1:32.31 1 COCHRAN-SIEGLE Ryan USA 1:18.25 7 SIROKI Tin CRO 1:29.67 14 MOFFAT Keith USA 1:32.36 2 DANIELS Nick 1:18.45 Dustin Cook 8 BIESEMEYER Thomas USA 1:29.68 15 TROW Andy CAN 1:32.54 3 BIESEMEYER Thomas USA 1:18.46 9 HELIE Louis-Pierre CAN 1:29.79 4 COOK Dustin CAN 1:18.66 10 TROW Andy CAN 1:29.85 NorAm Downhill 5 TARBERRY Ace USA 1:18.71 11 PRIDY Conrad CAN 1:29.87 Lake Louise, Dec. 9 5 GRANSTROM Colby USA 1:18.71 12 SNOW Scott USA 1:29.91 Women 7 PHILLIPS Andrew USA 1:18.82 13 PRIDY Morgan CAN 1:29.95 1 FORD Julia USA 1:35.50 8 ZAITSOFF Sasha CAN 1:18.86 14 NELLA Tyler CAN 1:30.14 2 SIMMERLING Georgia CAN 1:35.77 9 SOVIC Tomaz SLO 1:18.88 15 PHILLIPS Andrew USA 1:30.27 3 STEVENS Victoria CAN 1:35.81 10 FINK-DEBRAY Miles USA 1:18.92 4 MCBROOM Kelly CAN 1:35.86 11 COLE Adam USA 1:18.94 NorAm Downhill 5 STAPLES Kiley USA 1:36.27 12 SANDVIK Eian NOR 1:18.97 Lake Louise, Dec. 8 6 FREEMAN Sarah CAN 1:36.99 13 MAPLE Wiley USA 1:19.03 Women 7 MARNO Anna USA 1:37.06 14 SWENNSON Joe USA 1:19.09 1 STAPLES Kiley USA 1:33.38 8 WALES Brooke USA 1:37.35 15 BROWN Philip CAN 1:19.14 2 STEVENS Victoria CAN 1:33.97 9 IRWIN Stephanie CAN 1:37.47 3 FORD Julia USA 1:34:01 10 IRWIN Madison CAN 1:37.85 NorAm Super G 4 MCBROOM Kelly CAN 1:34.08 11 THORBURN Pamela GBR 1:38.00 Panorama, B.C., Dec. 13 5 SIMMERLING Georgia CAN 1:34.56 12 THERER Mariannick CAN 1:38.54 Men 6 IRWIN Stephanie CAN 1:34.74 13 ROTH Julia CAN 1:38.75 1 BIESEMEYER Thomas USA 1:24.38 7 WALES Brooke USA 1:35.15 14 FUCIGNA Abigail USA 1:38.99 2 GRANSTROM Colby USA 1:24.53 Kiley Staples 8 MARNO Anna USA 1:35.62 15 DAVIES Tess CAN 1:39.06 3 COOK Dustin CAN 1:24.55 9 SAMUELS Lauren USA 1:35.84 4 RUBIE Brennan USA 1:24.58 10 GHENT Abby USA 1:36.00 NorAm Super Combined 5 COCHRAN-SIEGLE Ryan USA 1:24.67 11 IRWIN Madison CAN 1:36.04 Panorama, B.C., Dec. 12 6 ZAITSOFF Sasha CAN 1:24.76 12 WILES Jacqueline USA 1:36.20 Men 7 PRIDY Conrad CAN 1:24.89 12 THORBURN Pamela GBR 1:36.20 1 GRANSTROM Colby USA 1:58.15 8 PRIDY Morgan CAN 1:25.07 14 MICHALIK Victoria CAN 1:36.36 2 DANIELS Nick USA 1:58.24 9 TARBERRY Ace USA 1:25.22 15 FUCIGNA Abigail USA 1:36.37 3 PHILLIPS Andrew USA 1:58.69 10 PHILLIPS Andrew USA 1:25.34 4 ZAITSOFF Sasha CAN 1:58.98 11 CHRISTIANSON Charles USA 1:25.36 NorAm Downhill 5 MAPLE Wiley USA 1:59.18 12 SOVIC Tomaz SLO 1:25.40 Lake Louise, Dec. 9 6 BROWN Philip CAN 1:59.21 13 FINK-DEBRAY Miles USA 1:25.41 Men 7 READ Erik CAN 1:59.39 14 MAPLE Wiley USA 1:25.42 1 HALBERT Kelby CAN 1:30.91 7 ANKENY Michael USA 1:59.39 15 LEDUC Mathieu CAN 1:25.43 2 HELIE Louis-Pierre CAN 1:31.16 9 RUBIE Brennan USA 1:59.52 3 BIESEMEYER Thomas USA 1:31.28 10 MARNO Max USA 1:59.74 4 MAPLE Wiley USA 1:31.36 11 SANDVIK Eian NOR 1:59.84

ALPINE CANADA; J.SELKOWITZ/SELKOPHOTO.COM SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 50 Results NorAm Super G 7 STAPLES Kiley USA 1:23.26 NorAm Slalom 7 DAVIES Nicolette 1:24.66 Panorama, B.C., Dec. 13 8 WALES Brooke USA 1:23.31 Panorama, B.C., Dec. 16 8 STELLING Amanda 1:25.05 Women 9 IRWIN Madison CAN 1:23.47 Men 9 FOX Sierra USA 1:26.02 1 MCLEISH Madison CAN 1:27.17 10 STEVENS Victoria CAN 1:23.62 1 NORDBOTTEN Jonathan NOR 1:37.33 10 ANDREINI Isabella USA 1:26.24 2 FORD Julia USA 1:27.38 11 SOROKINA Anna RUS 1:23.65 2 GRANSTROM Colby USA 1:38.02 11 GOWEN Morgan 1:27.02 3 MCBROOM Kelly CAN 1:27.81 12 CASTON Rose USA 1:23.72 3 DANIELS Nick USA 1:39.43 12 JOHNSON Breezy 1:27.23 4 STAPLES Kiley USA 1:28.01 13 FUCIGNA Abigail USA 1:24.06 4 DONALDSON David CAN 1:39.55 13 WRIGHT Isabella 1:28.39 5 BUREEVA Vladislava RUS 1:28.12 14 BUREEVA Vladislava RUS 1:24.10 5 DAWSON Travis CAN 1:40.29 14 JOBE Anna 1:29.01 6 CANFIELD Leah USA 1:28.21 15 IRWIN Stephanie CAN 1:24.28 6 ZAITSOFF Sasha CAN 1:40.50 15 KARZ Jessica 1:29.32 7 WALES Brooke USA 1:28.27 7 STRAND Matthew USA 1:40.93 8 MARNO Anna 1:28.43 NorAm Giant Slalom 8 SEMPLE Ryan CAN 1:41.04 Eric Hays Slalom 9 SHIFFRIN Mikaela USA 1:28.55 Panorama, B.C., Dec. 15 9 BROWN Philip CAN 1:41.24 Park City, Dec. 16 10 ROTH Julia CAN 1:28.73 Men 10 JAMPOLSKY Grant USA 1:41.39 Men 10 GHENT Abby USA 1:28.73 1 COOK Dustin CAN 2:12.18 11 PHILP Trevor CAN 1:41.48 1 OLIVER Coley 1:12.65 12 IRWIN Madison CAN 1:28.97 2 CHRISTIANSON Charles USA 2:12.40 12 LEDUC Mathieu CAN 1:41.97 2 WILSON Ryan 1:13.05 13 ELLIOT Sarah CAN 1:29.08 3 GRANSTROM Colby USA 2:14.48 13 GARAND Dominique CAN 1:42.12 3 VEENIS Scott 1:13.90 14 STEVENS Victoria CAN 1:29.09 4 TARBERRY Ace USA 2:12.63 14 PRIDY Conrad CAN 1:42.64 4 CLEASON James 1:13.96 15 GASMANN-BROTT Rikke NOR 1:29.21 5 BIESEMEYER Thomas USA 2:12.77 15 TARBERRY Ace USA 1:42.78 5 CREMENO Michael 1:14.04 6 SEMPLE Ryan CAN 2:12.83 6 STRAND Derek 1:14.07 NorAm Super Combined 7 NORDBOTTEN Jonathan NOR 2:12.94 NorAm Giant Slalom 7 LENTZ Christoph 1:14.21 Panorama, B.C., Dec. 14 8 BALDWIN TJ GBR 2:13.24 Panorama, B.C., Dec. 16 8 ELLIOT Jeremy 1:14.37 Women 9 DONALDSON David CAN 2:13.32 Women 9 WRIGHT Bronson 1:14.78 1 SHIFFRIN Mikaela USA 2:04.00 10 HAMMER Maximilian USA 2:13.40 1 SHIFFRIN Mikaela USA 2:15.56 10 WRIGHT Cole 1:15.07 2 FORD Julia USA 2:05.55 11 DANIELS Nick USA 2:13.49 2 MARNO Anna USA 2:17.45 11 HAFERMAN Eric 1:15.54 3 KEDRINA Anastasia RUS 2:05.64 12 RUBIE Brennan USA 2:13.55 3 STAPLES Kiley USA 2:17.75 12 FRUTH Loudon 1:15.66 4 IRWIN Madison CAN 2:05.66 13 JAMPOLSKY Grant USA 2:13.59 4 FORD Julia USA 2:18.03 13 DEMSCHAR Daniel 1:16.13 5 STAPLES Kiley USA 2:05.71 14 READ Erik CAN 2:13.61 5 RYLEY Kate CAN 2:18.27 14 MARTIN Max 1:16.38 6 BUREEVA Vladislava RUS 2:05.87 15 RADFORD Michael USA 2:13.67 6 TERWIEL Elli CAN 2:18.35 15 SCHWARZ Sam 1:16.45 7 HARTMAN Katie USA 2:06.02 7 STEVENS Victoria CAN 2:18.43 8 SOROKINA Anna RUS 2:06.21 NorAm Slalom 8 IRWIN Madison CAN 2:18.77 Eric Hays Slalom 9 WALES Brooke USA 2:06.88 Panorama, B.C., Dec. 15 9 SAUNDERS Jennifer CAN 2:20.27 Park City, Dec. 17 10 CANFIELD Leah USA 2:07.28 Women 10 SIMMERLING Georgia CAN 2:20.46 Women 11 HANAOKA Moe JPN 2:07.30 1 TERWIEL Elli CAN 1:41.46 11 CASTON Rose USA 2:20.52 1 HUCKOVA Eva 1:22.64 12 ROTH Julia CAN 2:07.39 2 MCLEISH Madison CAN 1:41.57 12 THERER Mariannick CAN 2:20.61 2 ABBE Claire 1:22.71 13 STEVENS Victoria CAN 2:07.76 3 SHIFFRIN Mikaela USA 1:42.01 13 DAVIES Tess CAN 2:21.26 3 ROBERTS Christine 1:22.92 14 IRWIN Stephanie CAN 2:07.82 4 GASMANN-BROTT Rikke NOR 1:42.24 14 SAMUELS Lauren USA 2:21.46 4 STAPLES Sydney 1:23.28 15 GASMANN-BROTT Rikke NOR 2:07.92 5 STAPLES Kiley USA 1:42.29 15 STRAKOVA Bara CZE 2:21.54 5 KELLEY Jessica 1:24.27 6 SOROKINA Anna RUS 1:42.39 6 FRENCH Bridget 1:24.73 NorAm Super G 7 HANAOKA Moe JPN 1:42.54 Eric Hays Slalom 7 TROXELL Courtney 1:24.81 Panorama, B.C., Dec. 14 8 KEDRINA Anastasia RUS 1:43.12 Park City, Dec. 16 8 BERNHARD Katie 1:25.48 Women 9 RYLEY Kate CAN 1:43.33 Women 9 FRANKENBURG Sophia 1:26.01 1 HARTMAN Katie USA 1:22.63 10 HARTMAN Katie USA 1:43.42 1 ROBERTS Christine 1:19.31 10 ABRAMOVICH Abbie 1:26.77 2 SHIFFRIN Mikaela USA 1:22.69 11 FORD Julia USA 1:43.70 2 FRENCH Bridget 1:20.21 11 GREENE Katy 1:26.89 3 CANFIELD Leah USA 1:22.74 12 IDE Maisie USA 1:43.84 3 KELLEY Jessica 1:21.93 12 KENT K C 1:27.25 4 FORD Julia USA 1:22.75 13 MOLTZAN Paula USA 1:44.30 4 BERNHARD Katie 1:22.26 13 ANDREINI Isabella 1:27.33 5 MCBROOM Kelly CAN 1:22.95 14 IRWIN Stephanie CAN 1:44.49 5 ABRAMOVICH Abbie 1:23.54 14 DAVIES Nicolette 1:27.36 6 KEDRINA Anastasia RUS 1:23.11 15 PARKER Alexandra CAN 1:44.52 6 FRANKENBURG Sophia 1:24.48 15 JOHNSON Breezy 1:27.78

SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 51 Results Eric Hays Slalom 7 CREMENO Michael 2:21.10 Park City, Dec. 17 8 MARTIN Max 2:21.13 Men 9 DUPRATT Samuel 2:21.28 1 KROGDAHL Torjus 1:17.86 10 AUNE Jens 2:21.64 2 PHILLIPS Andrew 1:18.23 11 HAFERMAN Eric 2:23.68 3 CREMENO Michael 1:18.89 12 DOWD Carter 2:23.93 4 STRAND Derek 1:19.26 13 SCHWARZ Sam 2:24.17 5 LENTZ Christoph 1:19.35 14 BENDA Jake 2:24.29 6 WRIGHT Cole 1:20.00 15 ELLIOT Nigel 2:24.42 7 WRIGHT Bronson 1:20.08 8 MARTIN Max 1:20.98 Eric Hays Giant Slalom 9 KLOTZ Richard 1:21.44 Park City, Dec. 19 10 DEMSCHAR Daniel 1:21.94 Women 11 STAPLES Max 1:22.35 1 STAPLES Sydney 2:33.36 12 BENDA Jake 1:23.18 2 KELLEY Jessica 2:33.43 13 SCHWARZ Sam 1:23.21 3 NAATZ Emma 2:33.45 14 SAVARIA KJ 1:23.87 4 HUCKOVA Eva 2:34.26 15 DOWD Carter 1:23.95 5 FRENCH Bridget 2:34.68 6 DUPRATT Jaime 2:34.85 Thomas Eric Hays Giant Slalom 7 ROBERTS Christine 2:35.55 Biesemeyer Park City, Dec. 18 8 KENT K C 2:35.90 Women 9 JOHNSON Breezy 2:36.33 1 KELLEY Jessica 2:23.35 10 FRANKENBURG Sophia 2:36.51 2 DUPRATT Jaime 2:23.59 11 GUETSCHOW Taylor 2:36.52 3 NAATZ Emma 2:24.97 12 GREENE Katy 2:37.04 4 HUCKOVA Eva 2:25.03 13 DAVIES Nicolette 2:37.79 5 ROBERTS Christine 2:25.44 14 POLUKOFF Natalya 2:37.85 6 STAPLES Sydney 2:25.45 15 JAKOB Rachel 2:38.50 7 FRANKENBURG Sophia 2:26.62 8 DAVIES Nicolette 2:26.63 Eric Hays Giant Slalom 9 SMITH Remy 2:26.89 Park City, Dec. 19 10 BERNHARD Katie 2:27.42 Men 11 BELL Karen Nichole 2:27.45 1 OLIVER Coley 2:26.31 12 KENT K C 2:28.11 2 KIRCHER Andrew 2:27.50 13 FRENCH Bridget 2:28.45 3 CREMENO Michael 2:27.56 14 ANDREINI Isabella 2:28.84 4 LENTZ Chistoph 2:28.50 15 BABCOCK Michaela 2:28.85 5 WRIGHT Cole 2:28.57 6 FRUTH Loudon 2:28.63 Eric Hays Giant Slalom 7 MARTIN Max 2:29.50 Park City, Dec. 18 8 ABATE Jerry Todd 2:30.74 Men 9 KLOTZ Richard 2:32.62 1 COLE Adam 2:17.97 10 FELDMAN Joseph 2:33.52 2 OLIVER Coley 2:18.30 11 GIBBS Patrick 2:33.53 Julia Ford 3 KROGDAHL Torjus 2:19.00 12 MERRILL Zachary 2:33.75 4 LENTZ Christoph 2:20.79 12 WEISEL Kipling 2:33.75 Want to fi nd out how to submit results 5 FRUTH Loudon 2:20.85 14 BRASSY Brayden 2:33.77 and photos from your region’s series? 6 WRIGHT Cole 2:21.07 15 SMART Roy 2:33.94 Email [email protected].

J.SELKOWITZ/SELKOPHOTO.COM SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 52 Finish Line

Real Time Results THE PERILS OF LIVE TIMING FOR SKI RACING FANS BY BILL MCCOLLOM Occasionally my wife will mysteriously disappear into her offi ce ing, and I’ve made enormous strides in understanding the many nu- for long periods of time. Out of curiosity, or in some cases, despera- ances of my old-school dumb-phone. I can proudly boast that I’ve tion, such as when we’re late for a movie or a dinner date, I amble now mastered all the features, with the exception of retrieving my into her den and peer over her shoulder. And what do I see on messages, which is only because I can never remember my own the computer screen? Animals. Lots and lots of animals — horses, number. dogs, chinchillas, puppies. It seems that anything with fur will oc- But for the most part I’ve stayed above the digital frenzy. I’ve had cupy her attention for hours. a lesson in Facebook, and fi nd it fascinating, as well as a bit alarm- As for me, I’m quite capable of wasting time with the best of them. ing. Is it creepy to be just a Facebook voyeur? It seems I’m more My wife would be quick to point out a few of my favorite distractions, interested in reading about everyone else’s lives than revealing such as the TV show “24” and my fi xation with the fi nal two minutes anything about my own. I understand the addictive nature of social of any game on TV. I admit these are times that I consider sacred networking, but I can take it or leave it. — no interruptions, no phone calls, and no attempt at conversa- But then I stumbled across live timing on the FIS website. Maybe tion. I consider this to be just a trivial fl aw, however, a minor quirk I shouldn’t reveal this in order to protect some of you with potential of character. But I am fearful that I am about to disappear into the addiction issues, but live timing allows you to watch the times ap- brainless abyss. Any semblance of productivity will soon become pear on the screen for each racer in real time for a ski race happen- a thing of the past. A new insidious distraction has threatened to ing anywhere in the world. There are no images, just numbers. So consume my life — live timing for ski racing. you have to use your imagination to visualize each racer coming To pause for a moment. There are just so many ways to waste time down while you’re staring at a screen showing all the interval times these days. Back in the 1950s and 60s there was only TV to distract and fi nally the fi nish time and rank. us from productive activity. Critics used to preach about all the evils I know. It sounds boring, but trust me, this can lead to problems. of TV. They warned us that this generation of baby boomers would I’ve tried to just quickly check in to see how Lindsey’s doing, but grow up to be brainless numbskulls. Looking at our current political then as long as I’m online why not wait for Julia, and then, Resi. morass, maybe they were right, but the days of “Leave it to Beaver” mos and gadgets specifi cally designed to accelerate the further More than an hour later, I’m still there shouting encouragement for have long been replaced by many more malicious brain drains, and destruction of brain cells. Even some of my peers have burdened a Slovenian racer I’ve never heard of. I’m perfectly aware that a I’m not even counting reality TV. themselves with Blackberries, Blueberries, iPhones, and Droids. complete set of results will be posted later and that I certainly have In the early 90s, an entirely different set of “experts” warned that It appears that seemingly normal intelligent people, when carrying better things to do at 4 a.m. (European start times), but when that computers and email would turn us into monosyllabic zombies. Little such a tool, fall victim to the “digital imperative,” which could be fi rst racer slides into the gate, my computer exerts a gravitational did they know that these were only harbingers of more potent things summarized as, “If an application is available, it must be applied.” In pull over which I have no control. to come, such as social networking. Psychologists again sounded the case of my friends, the symptoms of this affl iction are: check for As for you ski racing parents: Walk away from the computer, if it’s the alarm. They warned us that depravations such as Facebook messages every two minutes, solve every argument with a quick not already too late. Have someone chain you to the barn door at and Twitter would usher in the demise of civilization as we know it. search on Google, and frequently check for the results of whatever 10 a.m. every weekend when your child might be racing. Do not lis- It would be just a matter of time before the complete sentence or sporting event they happen to be watching in real time. ten to the siren’s song, because there’s no turning back and there’s even the complete thought would become only a distant memory. Despite being a bit slow to grasp all this new technology (although no known antidote. Yes, we are all doomed to nincompoop-dom. not for lack of effort), I’ve had my share of successes, as well. For We can talk about support groups soon, but for now I’ve got to run. To further accelerate the decline, we’ve been inundated with giz- example, after a long struggle, I conquered email and word process- I believe the World Cup race is due to start any minute now.

ILLUSTRATION BY RAND PAUL SkiRacing.com DECEMBER 30, 2010 | 53