THE CITIZEN, Prince George - Tuesday, March 1, 1983 - 15 HOPING FOR GOOD WEATHER Ron N e ls o n Canadian skiers head to Aspen race CALGARY (CP) — Canada’s national Heading into the final two races Satur­ race, in 1975, said it was important the “You have to have a proper attitude ski team left Monday for Aspen, Colo., day at Aspen and March 12 at Lake team race before heading for Aspen. going into the day, a positive attitude hoping they won’t have to spend another Louise, Alta., three Canadians have a “We’re used to the speed and that so that is oriented towards getting on the 1 guess you know the scene: a crew of you is settled week sitting around waiting for a chance chance to grab the downhill champion­ there’s not that much you can lose. Buthill. But as they keep delaying it by half under a dripping tree, waiting for the rain to let up. to ski. ship; Ken Read of Calgary, currently it’s been a long layoff since St. Anton an hour, half an hour, and then finally Because you are fishing, the talk naturally turns to The World Cup downhill circuit has seventh with 69 points; defending cham­ (Austria) and the Europeans have had cancel it . by that time you’re totally hunting. That’s pretty inevitable. been plagued by weather problems this pion Steve Podborski of Toronto, eighththeir national championships, so we drained.” season and the Canadians ran into more Someone gets on to pheasant hunting and that with 63 points; and Todd Brooker of don’t want to be that much behind Brooker, the only Canadian to win a of the same last week at the national makes someone else say pheasants are about the P aris, Ont., 12th with 43 points. them." downhill race so far this season (Jan. 22 championship in Ross)and. easiest game bird to hit. “ They’re big, eh, and they Franz Klammer of Austria leads the The Canadian men finished their World a t Kitzbuehel, Austria), said the contin­ Poor weatlier hampered training, de­ fly slow and usually straight away. Fine birds standings with 86 points. Cup European schedule in St. Anton Feb. ual delays are tiring, “particularly for layed time trials and moved the downhill Instead of the intense training they 5. Podborski was fourth, Brooker fifth,me because I’ve been up at all the right though.” championship back two days. It was par­ wanted in Rossland, the Canadians suf­ and Read missed a gate near the top of tim es to be up, only the races have been Everyone agrees about this so you don’t mention ticularly frustrating for team members fered through more of the delays they’ve the course and was disqualified. cancelled.” all the pheasants you’ve missed; something about because they had arrived in Rossland a been experiencing on the World Cup cir­ Podborski, who must win the final two The constant delays create mental how easy they look and how they always surprise week early to do some extra training. cuit. races to have a realistic chance of de­ problems for the skiers and, as Podbors­ you, and sure, how gorgeous they are. You’re forever“ We thought we’d be able to get an ‘‘We have not had one single race go fending his World Cup title, said the har­ ki said, ‘‘you start to think ‘I’m not even neglecting to thumb off the safety and regularly stop edge on the Europeans and give the boys off on schedule this year,” said Ritchie. dest part of the constant waiting for going to think about this until I’m on the your swing, shoot holes in the air behind them. Some­ a little more training going into the last Read, the veteran of the team and the training runs and races this season was hill’ and sometimes you’re not ready for times you just forget to shoot. two World Cup races," said head coach first Canadian male to win a downhill trying to maintain the right attitude. the race.” “ Doves, now there’s a tough shot.” John Ritchie. No one disagrees with this since it is standard magazine lore, but one may say he doesn’t care a hoot about shooting a bird of fat robin size, and hell, hummingbirds would be tough too. This, of course, Rossland might get World Cup race next year brings on the dove man’s inevitable lecture on the need to harvest doves and how tasty they are (but ROSSLAND, B.C. (CP) - The first Mountain to clinch their second straight some things would have to be changed in my colleagues wouldn’t agree with me doesn’t make any converts). World Cup ski events ever held in Cana­ overall World Cup championships. the running of the race, but admitted the but I think it’s not a World Cup down­ “ Pass shooting geese, now that takes some doing da were on Red Mountain in 1968. Now Head coach John Ritchie and two of course is adequate. hill.” — and you get enough bird to bother with.” the area might be in line to hold a World his top skiers, Steve Podborski of Toron­ “It’s not an outrageous course, but it’s Read said he was reluctant to throw “ Yeah, but,” you say, on firm ground now, “geese Cup downhill next season. to and Todd Brooker of Paris, Ont., certainly a lot harder than some races his support behind the Red Mountain bid mostly fly slower than ducks and they’re a damn Although the area was plagued by agreed the Granite Mountain course we've been at.” because he wasn’t impressed with other sight bigger target. People miss them because they weather problems last week, the Granite could be suitable for a World Cup race. Brooker, who finished second Sunday, necessities needed to hold a World Cup take shots at out-of-range birds; geese always look Mountain course — part of the Red ‘‘I think it’s definitely World Cup cali­ said the course would probably have torace — accommodation, accessibility, closer than they are." You clinch your point with the Mountain resort — on which the Cana­ bre,” sajd Ritchie. “It’s about 15 seconds be changed slightly to hold a World Cup good weather and organization. Milo Farm studies that proved 40 yards is about it for dian downhill was run Sunday appears to short of what we like to see but really race. “They would need a couple of dif­ The final World Cup race of this sea­ ferent turns, a couple of longer turns to consistent patterns with standard shotgun shells. have the support of the national team. that would just be, say a 15-second flat son will be held March 12 at Lake The Red M ountain Ski Club has lengthen the course.” Louise. Whistler Mountain outside Van­ “At 40 yards, a goose is much easier than, say, teal in the middle of the course. entered its bid to hold a World Cup ‘‘This course has virtually no flats. While Ritchie, Podborski and Brooker couver and Lake Louise are the only two buzzing by with that dipsy-doodle flight of theirs. Not downhill next year. What they call Indian Flats is flat but favored the Granite Mountain course, areas to hold World Cup downhills in that everyone doesn’t miss some." The Canadian Ski Association is look­ it’s very fast, about 70 to 75 miles an veteran Ken Read, who has won six Canada, but there are problems with “ Yeah, well, you got a point," the goose hunter ing for new downhill sites and is con­ hour. The turns and the pitches are ex­ World Cup downhill races, wasn’t as both. admits, but adds how he loads his own buffered, cop­ sidering this area, which held the slalom tremely quick, they're technical and enthusiatic. Whistler has been plagued with weath­ per-plated loads and gets consistent patterns out and giant slalom events in 1968. Nancy there are some hard sections here.” “The course itself is not a bad course e r problems, while Lake Louise is in a beyond 50 yards. “Hey, you just try getting your Greene of Rossland and Jean Claude Kil­ Podborski, who won his first Canadian but I think it’s the level of a national national park and international races leads right out at that range." ly of France scored key victories on Reddownhill championship Sunday, said championship," Read said. “A couple of cannot be held there every year. A good point. You know you regularly misjudge the required lead (and therefore shoot behind) at even 30 yards and you’ve seen the goose hunter in action, and know that his geese come down well clobbered. Uniforms GAMES SATURDAY You’ve seen his pattern board too. Orioles' owner Another man nods about all this but maintains grouse are even tougher. "And I don’t mean potting shown them on the ground like some people I could men­ Major league camps active tion.” insures season by USFL He glances your way and you know there’s no point NEW YORK (AP) - MIAMI (AP) — Edward Bennett Williams, the By The Associated Press a limited work schedule because of off-season trying to defend this little weakness you have for The United States Foot­ innovative owner of the Baltimore Orioles, will be Major league baseball’s 1983 activity gets its of­ surgery, Steve Boros with the Oakland A’s and fried grouse. ball League, having do­ ready during the 1983 American League baseball ficial start today when all players are due to re­ Doug Rader with the Texas Rangers are this “You get a willow grouse busiing out of the bram­ minated headlines in the season for any capricious weather that might port to their spring training bases in Florida, Ari­ year’s rookie managers.