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Check Yourself Before You Bury Check Yourself Before You Bury Yourself
- From: ermecatino
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Description:
Avalanches and the mountains don’t care about your Facebook status, how many followers you have on Twitter, or if you used a filter on that photo from the ridge. They couldn’t care less.
And the avalanche problem isn’t new. Last year's melancholy has forced many within the ski community to confront the issue. Last season 34 people passed away in avalanches within the U.S., just two short of the record. Equipment manufacturers and the industry as a whole are pushing the “backcountry market;" an increasing ammount of ski and snowboard video content and a constant fuel for stoke have spawned the GoPro generation of recreation skiers, and the relentless stream of media have created new social factors that we all face today. As a collective of skiers, we have better equipment, it’s as if we are golfers with new clubs that reach the green in one swing, but when we walk to the green we have to confront lions.
An avalanche in November broke off on Sunset Peak in Utah. Photo by Bruce Tremper of the Utah Avalanche Center.
“A lot of avalanches can be prevented with knowledge,” said Bruce Tremper of the Utah Avalanche Center. “We [avalanche centers] don't have a lot of money, and we can’t keep up with an industry that is pushing people into the backcountry.”
In turn, Bruce and others within the snow-science field are working on ways they can prevent avalanche deaths with a shoestring budget.
The UAC and other avalanche organizations advise skiers to make decisions based on evidence, but Tremper said people don’t, and are rolling the dice, learning their lessons the hard way.
“People need to be humble, especially early in their avalanche career,” Tremper said. “Our perceptions are almost always wrong. … I just cringe when I hear ‘I just trust my gut,’ because they don’t know anything. Avalanches are hard to teach, what we’re doing works, but maybe not as well as we would like it to. … What we really need to do is get a virtual reality experience to see and feel things so when you guess wrong, you get hit with baseball bats or something like that. We don’t have a machine like that right now.”
For skiers, getting educated is key, but that isn’t the final step. As Tremper notes getting your Avalanche Level 1 certification is misleading, as the level one course gives you enough information to start learning.
“I call it your learners permit. It is where your education begins not ends,” Tremper said.
This season whether you are an experienced skier or newbie, staying current is integral to your survival in the backcountry.
“What I suggest is after people take a Level 1, every time it snows get out on safe or low consequence terrain and see what is happening — that’s where you really learn,” Tremper said.
Tremper, a professional avalanche forecaster since 1978 and in his 27th season as director of UAC has seen enough mountainsides shatter like a glass.
“People always assume they have better skills than they really do. It takes quite a few years. You really know hardly anything,” Tremper said.
For Tremper, it took about 15 years as a professional before he felt he was skillful at traveling within avalanche terrain.
“I was pretty lucky — luck has a lot to do with it, and we just don’t realize sometimes how close we are,” he said.
Tremper, author of Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain, is one of the most respected avalanche experts within the Utah skiing community.
According to Tremper, this season Utah has started out with a relatively good snowpack — as long it keeps snowing. However, he notes that they missed some close calls.
“The October storm was really faceted on the ground of northern aspects. When we received the November four-foot-storm, we had a lot of activity and there were close calls that could of easily been several deaths. Several people triggered slides, but no one took any serious rides — we were really lucky,” he said.
In addition to the facets, the early season snowpack holds increased risk in avalanche terrain.
“Early season avalanches are more dangerous because a small slide can send you bouncing through stumps and rocks, the incident of trauma is higher,” Tremper said.
There is no denying that equipment upgrades have allowed skiers to get into the backcountry with ease, however, Tremper and other avalanche professionals are noticing an alarming trend.
“People used to be a lot more cautious right after a snowstorm, today people are running to the steepest terrain and jumping right into it, you just can’t do that,” Tremper said.
Shaun Raskin, pro-skier, guide, and avalanche course instructor has noted a similar trend, explaining how media could be influencing people’s personal risk assessment.
“Previously there was no media of other skiers’ endeavors,” Raskin said. “You were stepping into a void.”
This year at the UAC workshop, social media was said to play a role in peoples’ decision-making and plans for the day.
Currently Raskin is seeing her “office” becoming a dangerous place as not everyone is taking the appropriate courses, yet are on avalanche terrain. Just two weeks ago she and her fiancé saw skiers descending upon a group skinning up for turns near the Cardiff backcountry zone, Utah.
For Tremper, “it is total chaos, as no one is practicing any system.”
Tremper is hoping to create better tools for connecting the right terrain (slope steepness) with danger rating.
“We have to have some sort of system to allow us to make better decisions,” he said. “We need better avalanche eye balls, right now everyone is jumping in.”
As the season kicks off across the country, avalanche centers such as the UAC and others across the west and east are holding avalanche courses, free workshops, and lectures, trying their earnest to educate skiers. For skiers and riders knowledge is power. So take a class, see what the mountains have to say, and be safe this winter.
Below is a list of avalanche forecast websites for major mountain communities. Always check the avalanche report before heading out to the backcountry.
Utah Avalanche Center
Bridger Teton Avalanche Center
Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center
Colorado Avalanche Information Center
Mount Washington, NH Avalanche Center
Sierra Avalanche Center
Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center, MT
Stay on top of the snowfall in your area with the TGR Snow Lab - Blog post
- 6 months ago
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News: The North Face Park and News: The North Face Park and Pipe Open Series Announces 2013 Schedule
- From: TetonGravityResearch
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Description:
Athlete Registration Opens Thursday, November 8, 2012, 10 AM MST
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – As the first traces of snow dust North American mountain peaks, freeskiing athletes everywhere are revving up for another exciting winter competition season. Falling in line with the anticipation of a great winter, The North Face announced venues for The North Face Park and Pipe Open Series (PPOS), including Copper Mountain, CO (Dec. 8-9); Whistler Blackcomb, BC (Jan. 14-17); Waterville Valley, NH (Feb. 23) and Northstar California Resort, CA (March 8-10).
“This year’s events are perfectly scheduled to provide prime advancement opportunities for athletes ready to take their freeskiing career to the next level,” said Barb Hamblett PPOS Event Director with Mountain Sports International, Inc. (MSI). “Spectators can expect to see exciting top level competition at all four PPOS stops this season.”
All four PPOS events are part of the Association of Freeskiing Professionals (AFP) competition schedule. The Copper Mountain and Northstar California Resort stops will both be International Ski Federation (FIS) sanctioned NORAM CUP events with athletes earning FIS points. Athlete registration for all four PPOS stops will open Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012 at 10 a.m. MST.
“FIS is excited to be able to integrate The North Face Park and Pipe Open Series events in Copper Mountain, CO and Northstar, CA into the 2012-13 FIS Freestyle NORAM CUP,” said Konrad X Rotermund FIS Freestyle Continental Cup Coordinator-Americas. “These events will provide a great opportunity for athletes to get their needed FIS points to be part of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games qualification process and/or earn the opportunity to be the NORAM CUP Champion. Recognizing schedules are very full in North America, it is great to be able to cooperate with the already established PPOS events to give the athletes multiple avenues to meet their competitive goals in a single event.”
Founded in 2010, The North Face Park and Pipe Open Series (PPOS) features slopestyle and halfpipe skiing competitions with $55,000 in total prize value up for grabs. As one of the only open-format event series, amateurs have the opportunity to compete alongside top pros.
“The North Face is excited to bring yet another season of freeskiing competition opportunities to athletes, both professional and amateur, across North America,” said The North Face Director of Sports Marketing Katie Ramage. “The progression of the sport of freeskiing is important to us, and this competition format is another way for us to support that movement.”
Slopestyle skiing takes place in a venue comprised of man-made features such as rails, boxes and jumps contained on a single slope. Halfpipe skiing takes place in a halfpipe similar to those used for halfpipe snowboarding. Skiers accelerate through the pipe to gain increased height jumping out of the halfpipe while simultaneously executing challenging grabs, spins, flips and other maneuvers. Skiers string together a series of aerials from the halfpipe in a single run. Judging is based on overall impression, including content, difficulty of run, style and use of park or pipe. Both slopestyle and halfpipe skiing will make their Olympic debut in 2014 at the Sochi, Russia Winter Games. The PPOS will work in conjunction with the Association of Freeskiing Professionals (AFP) on competition judging with Steele Spence serving as head judge for the series.
“The North Face Park and Pipe Open Series is very important for North American freeskiing athletes,” said Steele Spence, PPOS series head judge. “The series is a stepping stone for athletes hoping to progress to the top level of competition. The events are very well organized with a full panel of AFP certified judges and courses at world-class resorts.”
2012-13 PPOS Series Schedule
Copper Mountain, Colorado (FIS Event) - December 8-9, 2012
Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia - January 14-17,2013
Waterville Valley, New Hampshire - February 23, 2013
Northstar California Resort, California (FIS Event) - March 8-10, 2013
For athlete or registration information visit www.thenorthfaceppos.com or contact Julia Jimmerson MSI athlete relations manager at jjimmerson@mtsports.com or (801) 349-4616. - Blog post
- 7 months ago
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claytonvila
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Videos: International Go Skate Videos: International Go Skateboarding Day — 5 Skate Clips You Must Watch
- From: tylerjackson
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Description:
In honor of Go Skateboarding Day, here are 4 iconic skate videos and one Jackson Hole local video you have to watch. From the heaviest bowl ripping to the technical street skating, these videos will deliver the amp you need to go skateboarding.
1. Pedro Barros Video is pure GNAR. This guy can skate the the most heaviest transition obstacles and make it look easy while maintaining a charging and flowing style.
2. Chris Haslam's Almost Round 3 Video Part is a classic. This dude is here to entertain. He can shred all terrain with a wacky style and precision board handling.
3. Daewon Song's DVS Skate More video part shows what he is capable of. This is the man that skates faster than every other skater and has no fear of failure or pain.
4. Nike Skateboarding's Team goes to Taiwan with a big crew. Justin Brock, Youness Amrani, and Wieger Van Wageningen all travel to Taiwan and meet up with the European destroyers Marek Zaprazny and Daniel Lebron. They have an amazing trip and grab some great footage.
5. Brewsed and Confused is a skate film by Chris Cressy starring Chris Banks, Alex Bowman, Jesse Robbins, Austin Lobner, William Whitfield, Zac Curran, Sam Litzelman, Greg Clark, Jeff Moran, Blake Paul, Andy Skinner and more. Shot on location in Jackson, WY, Alpine, WY, Salt Lake City, Durham, NH, and a few others spots. Take a peak at what Wyoming and Utah has to offer to the skate scene.
- Blog post
- 11 months ago
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AK Gloat Posts: How To Fight B AK Gloat Posts: How To Fight Back
- From: ryandunfee
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Description:
Even if you’ll never get this view, that doesn’t mean you can’t prevent others from enjoying it.Oh, April. Usually a glorious month stocked with empty late-season pow days, great stability, and awesome corn and park skiing. It’s also the golden time for heli-skiing in Alaska, which is a particularly aggravating fact for the majority of us who have no access to the above-mentioned late season in this awful snow year. With little more than mud left at our home mountains, we’re forced to suffer as videos and photos from our favorite pros and our lucky friends having the time of their lives in Alaska flood our Facebook feeds. But fear not, snow-less masses, there is something you can do to fight back against the two key constituencies that are currently making that chip on your shoulder so infuriatingly large that you can’t even see around it to change lanes on the highway.
The Gloating, Social Media-Abusing Pro
If you’re using the popular social media app Instagram these days, you’re likely following your favorite pros as they capture photo after photo of all the amazing places they get to go to that you don’t. You might have tolerated it in February, when they were chest-deep in Japan while you were at least getting turns, but now that your gear is in the closet and they’re in a helicopter chasing pow, you just can’t take it anymore.Not to worry! Every smirking post glorifying heli-ski life and how sweet it is to ski miles and miles of untracked spines leaves the door open to respond with an equal amount of sarcasm and ridicule.
So when you see this:
“Cody Townsend Going Heli Skiing”
@where ski movies are made
Flying home on a day like yesterday is the best feeling ever.
Respond with this:
“Ryan Dunfee Looking at Dismal NH Surf Forecast”
@heli filming heli filming my epic vacation you will never have
Happy Easter from #AK where we are killing it waaaay harder than your stupid family picnic. Me and the bros and pros are going heli-surfing in a $6 million helicopter made of dark chocolate. Champagne drinking all day in between epicest faceshots and perfect overhead barrels while I shop for yachts online. Everyone else is blowing it!!! Oh yeah, going for a ride in a stealth bomber to blow up your crappy mountain that’s already closed haha!And you can keep pushing it from there:
“Ryan Dunfee Bored Looking for Real-Life Jobs”
@Alaska and outer space. Taking a crap on Richard Branson’s weak spaceship.
F#ck yeah #AK is sick!!! Day five spent outrunning imperial cruisers with a talking bush of fur named #Chewbacca while I played dodgeball with the Lakers girls in the back!! Also skied a first descent on some random planet… 17,000-foot vert of BLOWER pow while you nerds sit at work!! I’m the man and my vacation is way better than your life every day! I rule!!!Make sure to tag your favorite pro in every post, and you’ll be sure to see a precipitous drop-off in their gloaty powder posts as they realize us the rest of us have to carry on with our boring lives while they have fun, and we don’t want to hear about how much better it is to be them.
The Obnoxious and Stoked Bro
Whoops…So your best buddy maxed out all his credit cards and booked a week-long heli trip in Haines, and is now enjoying the trip his entire ski life, as well as the Gaper Spirit Animal’s, has led up to. It’s clear you’re not going to be “winning” a la Charlie Sheen this spring since you’re stuck at work crying over the lack of snow while your buddy sends you picture texts of all the life-changing lines he or she is shredding. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a way better summer than they will. Place all their prized summer toys in the driveway – mountain bike, surfboard, hiking boots, grill – and promptly run them over with your car. When they return from heli-skiing with a shit-eating grin that makes you want to puke, you can find solace in the fact that your summer will be way, way better than theirs. What excuse you use for why you wrecked all your roomie’s gear is up to you.
Get fired up, read some recent AK gloat posts here, here, here, here and here.
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
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NH surf Forecast NH surf Forecast
- From: ryandunfee
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Description:NH surf Forecast
- 1 year ago
- Views: 171
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News: Gus Kenworthy, Roz Groen News: Gus Kenworthy, Roz Groenewoud Win The North Face Park & Pipe Open At Whistler
- From: media-75233
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Description:
Whistler, British Columbia - The first leg of The North Face Park and Pipe Open Series (PPOS) wrapped up today under the mostly clear, cold skies of Whistler Blackcomb, BC. In total, $10,000 in prize money was awarded with Roz Groenewoud of Whistler taking the women's title and Gus Kenworthy of Telluride, Colorado, taking the men's title. The Whistler stop was the last event the 2012 Winter X Games athlete selection committee considered for invites, allowing competitors a final opportunity to earn a spot to ride in the X Games halfpipe competition. Megan Gunning and Kris Atkinson, both from Calgary, Alberta, earned their spots at the X Games.
The North Face PPOS works in conjunction with the Association of Freeskiing Professionals (AFP) on competition judging, and is a gold- -level event. Judging is based on overall impression with categories including creativity, degree of difficulty, combinations, variations, style, and amplitude.
"It's great being here at The North Face Park and Pipe Open. This event really shows the level of talent in Freeskiing right now. The depth of athletes that we saw here today is pretty unbelievable and it really sets things up as we look ahead to Russia in 2014," Head Judge Mike Atkinson.
Roz Groenewoud, the only female competitor to include a right side 900, lead the field after her first run, which scored a hefty 88.2. Just behind with a score of 84.4 was Maddie Bowman of South Lake Tahoe, CA, and rounding out the podium in third was Keltie Hansen of Calgary, AB, with 79.4. With the top three women already qualified for the X Games, fourth place finisher Megan Gunning, also from Calgary, AB, earned the opportunity to compete at the 2012 X Games.
"It wasn't the cleanest run of my ski career but it felt really good to put down my tricks. The Canadian Team has been training here for the last week and we all really wanted to compete, to support Whistler as much as we can. This is the best the pipe has been in a while, and it felt good to put down a full run in preparation of some of the big events coming up," Roz Groenewoud, women's Champion.
Women's champion Roz Groenewoud.Men's Champion Gus Kenworthy suffered some challenges earlier in the day, breaking his binding in the practice round, which caused him to miss the majority of training. Opting not to attempt any double maneuvers, Kenworthy nailed two forward 10's, in both directions and included a switch hit to secure the title with a score of 88.2, ahead of Kris Atkinson of Calgary, AB with 83.2. Atkinson, who fought his way through the qualifying rounds to take the silver in the finals also won the coveted spot at the 2012 Winter X Games Halfpipe event next month in Aspen, CO. Joss Christensen of Park City, UT took third with 82.2, Mike Riddle of Whistler finished fourth with a score of 81.0, and Matt Margetts of Penticton, BC, rounded out the top five with 79.0.
"This is an AFP Gold Level event, so the only other events that rank higher than this throughout the year are X Games, Euro X and Dew Tour. So if an event is up in that same bracket of points, it's super important for me to attend. I'm trying to win the overall again. Plus there's good prize money as well as a good pipe here in Whistler. It's just awesome to keep competing in between these big events," men's Champion Gus Kenworthy.
Men's champion Gus Kenworthy.
"The X Games has always been a dream for me, ever since I was a little kid. I can't believe I'm finally going to be there!" Kris Atkinson.
The North Face Park and Pipe Open Series moves next to Northstar Resort, CA, on February 9- 12, and to Waterville Valley, NH, on March 8- 11, 2012. Athlete registration for Northstar and Waterville Valley is now open at www.thenorthfaceppos.com.
For more information, please visit www.thenorthfaceppos.comRead the official results below.
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
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Wildcat Mountain - Pinkham Not Wildcat Mountain - Pinkham Notch, NH
- From: leighton
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- 2 years ago
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Wildcat Mountain - Pinkham Not Wildcat Mountain - Pinkham Notch, NH
- From: leighton
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- 2 years ago
- Views: 140
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Wildcat Mountain - Pinkham Not Wildcat Mountain - Pinkham Notch, NH
- From: leighton
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- 2 years ago
- Views: 108
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Wildcat Mountain - Pinkham Not Wildcat Mountain - Pinkham Notch, NH
- From: leighton
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- 2 years ago
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News: TNF's Mike Riddle Takes News: TNF's Mike Riddle Takes Gold At FIS World Freestyle Ski Championships, Jen Hudak Gets Silver
- From: media-75233
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Description:
February 5, 2010
Park City, Utah (US Ski Team) – American Jen Hudak (Salt Lake City) ignored a 25 mph crosswind to win silver in halfpipe skiing at the 2011 FIS Freestyle World Championships. Simon Dumont (Dillon, CO), one of the sport's greatest stars, earned bronze.
NBC will air the halfpipe World Championships contest on Sunday, Feb. 6 at 3 p.m. ET.
Conditions for Saturday’s halfpipe competition could hardly have been more challenging. The halfpipe was subject to a fierce crosswind which affected athletes’ airs and radically impacted speeds across the flat bottom and up the steep 22-foot walls.
Hudak, who qualified first, needed a strong second run to upset what would have been a Canadian 1-2-3. With the final run of the women’s competition, Hudak laid down a very big and technical run, which included a smooth 900, to earn World Championship silver. Canadians Rosalind Groenewoud won gold, while Keltie Hansen got bronze.
"I knew the conditions were going to be tough," said Hudak. "But to be honest, I didn't even think of the weather until someone asked me after my run. I had one of the highest amplitudes of the day."
Each of the medalists was keenly aware that this was more than a typical competition. Halfpipe skiing, along with slopestyle, is under consideration by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to be included in the 2014 Winter Olympics hosted by Sochi, Russia. A decision is expected by the IOC sometime over the next couple months.
"There is a ton of attention on our sport right now. The IOC is here looking on," explained Hudak. "We just wanted to come out and put on a good show. Hopefully we will have a shot at 2014 in Sochi [Russia]."
It was also the strong winds that impaired Dumont in his final run, blowing him off course, which kept him from challenging Canada’s Mike Riddle for gold.
"The biggest thing about today was obviously the Olympic push," said Dumont. "If this were any other event, I probably would have pulled out. But our big goal is to end up in the Olympics. Hopefully we proved that we are here, we’re serious and we are going to ski in a hurricane and put on a good show."
Dumont’s bronze medal run began with a huge cork 900 into a right side 900 to a double flip 900 with tail grab to an allyoop 720 and ended with a switch 720.
David Wise (Reno, NV) had a standout second finals run in which he led off with a super technical double cork 1260. Wise ended in fourth after being ousted off the podium when defending World Champion and two-time X Games champ Kevin Rolland wowed the judges with his second run. Joining Dumont and Wise in the finals was Tucker Perkins (North Hampton, NH) in seventh.
U.S. women Devin Logan (West Dover, VT) and Brita Sigourney (Carmel, CA) had solid runs down Park City Mountain Resort’s Eagle Superpipe. The two finished just off the podium in fifth and sixth respectively.
The final event of the 2011 FIS Freestyle World Championships, hosted by Deer Valley Resort in Park City, UT, will be dual moguls. Finals begin at 7:30 MST.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
FIS World Freestyle Ski Championships
Park City Mountain Resort, Park City, UT – Feb. 5, 2011
HalfpipeMen
Gold: Mike Riddle, Canada, 45.60
Silver: Kevin Rolland, France, 45.20
Bronze: Simon Dumont, Dillon, CO, 43.20-
4. David Wise, Reno, NV, 43.00
7. Tucker Perkins, North Hampton, NH, 36.00Women
Gold: Rosalind Groenewoud, Canada, 44.70
Silver: Jennifer Hudak, Salt Lake City, 42.10
Bronze: Keltie Hansen, Canada, 38.80-
5. Devin Logan, West Dover, VT, 35.80
6. Brita Sigourney, Carmel, CA, 35.10 - Blog post
- 2 years ago
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EICSL Race 1/29/11 at Wildcat EICSL Race 1/29/11 at Wildcat Mt. in Pinkham Notch, NH
- From: leighton
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- 2 years ago
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EICSL Race 1/29/11 at Wildcat EICSL Race 1/29/11 at Wildcat Mt. in Pinkham Notch, NH
- From: leighton
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- 2 years ago
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EICSL Race 1/29/11 at Wildcat EICSL Race 1/29/11 at Wildcat Mt. in Pinkham Notch, NH
- From: leighton
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- 2 years ago
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News: Bode Miller Places Secon News: Bode Miller Places Second In Kitzbuehel Downhill
- From: media-75233
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Description:
January 22, 2011
Kitzbuehel, Austria – Didier Cuche is a man among men. The 36 year old Swiss won the most celebrated ski race for the fourth time Saturday (Jan.22) taking the Kitzbuehel downhill by nearly a second, denying America's Bode Miller the one prize he has yet to claim, that of Hahnenkamm champion.
Adrien Theaux was third earning the first Kitzbuehel downhill podium for a french male in 13 years.
Kitzbuehel's Streif course upheld its reputation as a savage course. It had put Austrian Hans Grugger in hospital and an induced coma from a training crash and six men failed to complete the race, including World Cup standings leader Michael Walchhofer and Canadian Manuel Osborne-Paradis. On a circuit where the start list normally runs in the 70's, just 55 even attempted the challenge.
Cuche not only accepted the task, he attacked the length of the bone rattling Streif for his first win of the season, gaining some redemption for finishing second last week in Wengen's Lauberhorn downhill. He knew as soon as he finished he had put down a world class run. The win matches him with Franz Klammer and Karl Schranz with four DH wins at Kitzbuehel and makes him the oldest racer to win a World Cup race. More importantly to this season, it put him in the lead of the DH standings, moving past Walchhofer and Silvan Zurbriggen.
It was bittersweet for Miller. Despite drawing up easily his best skiing of the season in the one race he needs to flesh out a stunning resume' he was no match for Cuche. But then, no one else was either.
Bode Miller"I didn't take as much risk as he did for sure," said Miller. "He (Cuche) has this course pretty well figured out. He's won here a few times and he takes risks in just the right spots."
"The skis were like rockets," Cuche told Patrick Lang. "It could easily have gone wrong."
He said he was honored to be on the same list as Klammer and Schranz, but said he would have to do "lots more to be considered their equal."
Though Miller doesn't focus on wins and statistics, he did admit this race is one he would like to win. "I was happy when I came across the finish line. I thought I had skied a good race. When this course is as difficult as it is this year more risks tends to lead to making more mistakes and more risk of death or serious injury."
Miller gave Cuche all the credit he could. "You just more or less have to take your hat off. You know you skied a great race and the other person just took more risk, executed better and probably had faster skis. ... I was happy with my race."
The result mirrored 2008 when Cuche also won and Miller was second.
The Austrians missed the podium of their marquee race for the second straight year, perhaps a bit tentative after their teammate's threatening crash in training. Mario Scheiber was fourth with Klaus Kroell, Romed Baumann and Georg Streitberger finishing nine-ten-eleven respectively.
Most disappointing, though, was Walchhofer's DNF and a relatively flat and easy portion of the course. "It was a beginner's fault," he said.
World Cup leader Ivica Kostelic, discovering his speed aptitude at Kitzbuehel with Friday's super G win, tied for 11th to put more room between he and standings leader Aksel Lund Svindal who finished 17th.
Beyond Miller the U.S. group had Ted Ligety adding speed to his repertoire in 27th place while Travis Ganong posted 28th.
Erik Guay led the Candians in 16th while Ben Thomsen got his second career scoring result in 26th.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Audi FIS Alpine World Cup
Kitzbuehel, Austria – Jan. 22, 2011
Downhill1. Didier Cuche, Switzerland, 1:57.72
2. Bode Miller, Franconia, NH, 1:58.70
3. Adrien Theaux, France, 1:58.90
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27. Ted Ligety, Park City, UT, 2:01.39
28. Travis Ganong, Squaw Valley, CA, 2:01.51
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36. Steven Nyman, Sundance, UT, 2:02.53 - Blog post
- 2 years ago
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News: Lindsey Vonn Wins World News: Lindsey Vonn Wins World Cup Downhill In Austria
- From: media-75233
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Description:
January 8, 2010
Zauchensee, Austria – Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) nearly skied into the fence Saturday, but reeled it back in to win the women's Audi FIS Alpine World Cup downhill in Zauchensee, her fourth win of the season. Vonn gained 50 points on overall leader Maria Reisch of Germany, who finished fourth.
Universal Sports TV will air the race at 11 a.m. ET with streaming available at www.UniversalSports.com.
In the tiny mountain village nestled above Altenmarkt, just south of Salzburg, Vonn charged out of the gate to beat the women's downhill field by .43, marking her second career World Cup win and fourth podium in Zauchensee.
"I don't know what's gotten into me this year. I seem to be making big mistakes in almost every downhill that I race in and still have a good result," Vonn said. "For me, it's just a matter of keeping my cool. It's just belief and the cool factor – just staying cool even though you make mistakes."
Despite warm temperatures and taking a wide turn on Lechwald or the "Milka Turn" as it's known to U.S. coaches, Vonn proved once again she is the queen of speed making up time at the bottom of the course.
"It definitely got wild. I came into the last section with a lot of speed. I had a good line coming in, but I must have hit some soft snow," explained Vonn. "It cost me a lot of speed. I knew if I could carry my speed on the next left footed turn I could make some time up on the last couple of turns. I guess I did that, but it was tough."
Teammate and fellow Olympic champion Julia Mancuso (Squaw Valley, CA) experienced trouble on the same section as Vonn finishing 16th.
Sweden's Anja Paerson finished behind Vonn in second with Austria's Anna Fenninger in third. Despite gaining 50 points on overall World Cup leader Riesch, Vonn remains 136 points behind heading into Sunday's super G.
"It was a difficult race, but I'm happy to get the win today," Vonn said.
The women will push out of the Zauchensee start house again on Sunday for a super G race.
Here's an interview with Laurenne Ross from before the race:
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Audi FIS Alpine World Cup
Zauchensee, Austria – Jan. 8, 2011
Downhill1. Lindsey Vonn, Vail, CO, 1:46.39
2. Anja Paerson, Sweden, 1:46.82
3. Anna Fenninger, Austria, 1:47.3716. Julia Mancuso, Squaw Valley, CA, 1:48.50-
34. Stacey Cook, Mammoth Mountain, CA, 1:49.87
37. Leanne Smith, Conway, NH, 1:49.91
40. Laurenne Ross, Klamath Falls, OR, 1:50.27
46. Chelsea Marshall, Pittsfield, VT, 1:51.03 - Blog post
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News: Slip Derails Ted Ligety' News: Slip Derails Ted Ligety's Attempt At 4 Consecutive GS Wins
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January 8, 2011
Adelboden, Switzerland – Audi FIS Alpine World Cup giant slalom leader Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) put it all on the line Saturday before going down on his hip and breaking his string of three World Cup GS victories. France's Cyprien Richard and Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal produced a rare tie for the win, while Olympic champion Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) finished 22nd and Ligety 28th.
There was a lot at stake for Ligety as he slid into the start house for the first run of GS on the classic Adelboden course. He came in with a three GS win streak and had a chance to be the first racer in 32 years to clinch four consecutive GS World Cup races in a single season.
Things were looking good after the first run as Ligety posted the fastest time, building a .36 cushion for the second run despite nearly sliding out near the finish. The win was in his reach as 30,000 fans echoed through the legendary alpine valley where the World Cup was born in early 1967.
"Despite that mistake right before the finish, I'm really happy with my run," said Ligety. "I'm psyched about the position I'm in for the second run and the snow is perfect for me. It's warm, nice and slushy, just like spring in Park City."
The light then went out on Ligety. As the afternoon set on Adelboden, so did the light on the race hill with the final 10 racers skiing in extremely flat conditions.
With a spectacular second run in excellent light conditions Richard, who was a second and a half behind Ligety after the first run, took full advantage of the early round two start to move up 20 spots while Svindal jumped from sixth for the win.
Awaiting potential history, the fans cheered with support and excitement as Ligety kicked out of the start. However, today was not his day. Tough light conditions and falling on his hip silenced his GS streak. As a loud sigh echoed from the crowd, Ligety bounced back into the course after letting out a frustrated scream to finish 28th.
"He went out about a third of the way into the second run and then got back up and continued," explained Technical Head Mike Day. "It's a bit of a bummer, but he showed again first run where his GS is right now."
Miller, the only other American to qualify for the second run, was one of just two racers outside of the top 30 to make the second run start list. With an incredibly tight first run, Miller squeezed into the flip with 26th and finished the day in 22nd.
Although disappointed, the U.S. Ski Team has already shifted gears to Sunday's race and begun training slalom immediately after the race finished.
"That's ski racing," said Day. "We'll move on and get ready for slalom tomorrow."
Ligety and Miller will be joined by David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, CO), Will Brandenburg (Spokane, WA) and Nolan Kasper (Warren, VT) in Sunday's slalom. The race is scheduled to start at 4:30 a.m. ET with live streaming available at www.UniversalSports.com.
Here's Bode Miller's first run from Adelboden:
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Audi FIS Alpine World Cup
Adelboden, Switzerland – Jan. 8, 2011
Giant Slalom1. Cyprien Richard, France, 2:25.28
1. Aksel Lund Svindal, Norway, 2:25.28
3. Thomas Fanara, France, 2:25.4822. Bode Miller, Franconia, NH, 2:26.61
28. Ted Ligety, Park City, UT, 2:28.93DNQ for second run: Warner Nickerson (Gilford, NH), Tommy Ford (Bend, OR), Tim Jitloff (Reno, NV)
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News: Vonn Wins, Regains Downh News: Vonn Wins, Regains Downhill Lead In Val d'Isere, France
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December 18, 2010
Val d'Isere, France – Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) captured a stunning victory Saturday to regain the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup downhill standings lead as German Maria Riesch finished 24th. Teammate Julia Mancuso (Squaw Valley, CA) was 8th with five Americans finishing inside the top 30.
"I'm really psyched to have the red bib back. It means a lot," said Vonn, who won the 2009 downhill World Championship on the nearby Solaise slope in Val d'Isere. "I hope that I can keep skiing well and hang onto the bib until the end of the year. Downhill is my favorite event."
Vonn and Mancuso, debuting personally designed Spyder speed suits, kicked out of the start under bluebird skies and with single digit temperatures as the field's covered faces dropped into their tucks for the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup downhill.
Vonn started 20th, making an incredible save after nearly crashing on the turn just below the second jump. She kept her cool, arriving in the finish arena with a time of 1:51.42 - .68 ahead of the field. Switzerland's Nadja Kamer finished in second with teammate Lara Gut in a close third.
"I made a really big mistake on the top part of the course and I honestly thought I would not be able to win the race," explained Vonn. "I had been fast in the middle section of the course on the training runs and I knew if I skied well it might be possible to make up some time. I just tried to stay in my tuck as much as I could, be clean and ski aggressively. Thankfully I was able to make the time up and come away with the win."
Vonn made a similarly athletic recovery during the second downhill of the season in Lake Louise. She credited the save, which ultimately landed her second, to her rigorous off season work ethic and agility training.
Saturday's result marked Vonn's 35th World Cup win, the most of any American, as she regained the downhill standings lead. She also owns World Cup downhill wins from 1995 and '96, placing her in the same category as women's greats Annemarie Moser-Proell of Austria and Marie-Therese Nadig of Switzerland, who also have three World Cup downhill victories in Val d'Isere. In addition to the '09 World Championship, Vonn is also the reigning super combined champion in Val d'Isere.
"I love Val d'Isere, I've always had a good feeling here. It's great to have another victory," added Vonn.
After a few deep breaths in the gate, Mancuso charged the course crossing the line in eighth after Friday's super G was canceled when three feet of snow fell over the French resort. This was her fifth consecutive World Cup top 10.
"They did a good job pushing out all the snow, but it was pretty soft still. I just a lost a little time in the middle but it was another solid downhill finish," said Mancuso. "Skiing's going well, I definitely want to go a little faster but it's a good solid finish."
Americans Leanne Smith (Conway, NH) in 18th, Laurenne Ross (Klamath Falls, OR) in 25th and Alice McKennis in 30th (Glenwood Springs, CO) all followed suit, breaking inside the top 30 to score World Cup downhill points.
"It was very tight, so a small mistake could have been 10 spots in the rankings," said Head Coach Alex Hoedlmoser. "We're pretty happy with it, but we expect a lot out of that group. We're hoping that they were going to be more around the top 10, top 15, but the groups improving. I'm sure we're going to get there."
The women will be back in the start gate Sunday in Val d'Isere for a super combined.The race will stream live on www.UniversalSports.com beginning at 3:45 a.m. ET.
Here's Lindsey's post race interview:
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Audi FIS Alpine World Cup
Val d'Isere, France – Dec. 18, 2010
Downhill1. Lindsey Vonn, Vail, CO, 1:51.42
2. Nadja Kamer, Switzerland, 1:52.10
3. Lara Gut, Switzerland, 1:52.22
4. Elisabeth Goergl, Austria, 1:52.38
5. Ingrid Jacquemod, France, 1:52.618. Julia Mancuso, Squaw Valley, CA, 1:52.99
18. Leanne Smith, Conway, NH, 1:53.44
25. Laurenne Ross, Klamath Falls, OR, 1:53.68
30. Alice McKennis, Glenwood Springs, CO, 1:53.9635. Chelsea Marshall, Pittsfield, VT, 1:54.31
40. Stacey Cook, Mammoth, CA, 1:54.74
47. Megan McJames, Park City, UT, 1:56.10 - Blog post
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News: Ted Ligety Tallys Third News: Ted Ligety Tallys Third Consecutive GS Win, Captures Overall Lead
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December 19, 2010
Alta Badia, Italy – Two-time Audi FIS Alpine World Cup giant slalom champion Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) mastered the icy Alta Badia slope to capture his third consecutive GS victory Sunday and take the first World Cup overall lead of his career. The last time a World Cup male won three consecutive GS races was Austrian great Hermann Maier during the 2001 season.
"This is a dream come true," said Ligety, whose previous wins came in Val d'Isere, France and Beaver Creek, CO. "This is the best GS hill on the World Cup circuit and to win today is super special, especially with three in a row."
Frechman Cyprien Richard finished second, .14 behind Ligety after suffering from an enormously costly mistake midway down. Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) also landed in the GS points for his second time this season with 15th.
Just over an hour after Ligety stepped off the podium, his teammate Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) stepped back up, winning the super combined in Val d'Isere, France to mark the second time this season she and Ligety have won on the same day. Two weeks ago, Ligety thrilled the home crowd in Beaver Creek while Vonn snagged a super G win at Lake Louise, Alberta. Both are now leading the World Cup overall standings.
On Saturday, Vonn was announced as the 2010 Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year, the first time a skier has recieved the honor since the awards inception in 1931.
Sitting in second by .15 to Richard after a clean opening run, Ligety went to full attack in the second run, his skis skipping multiple times over the icy rattling track, yet maintained his balance into the rowdy Italian finish.
"Ted's skiing right now is impressive in all kinds of conditions," said Head Coach Sasha Rearick. "The people who were competitive with him last week really weren't competitive with him today. But what I'm really stoked about with Ted was that he's never been fast on the bottom in Alta Badia and he had perfect execution down there today."
Ligety's previous high marks in Alta Badia were a slalom third in 2007 and a GS fourth in 2008.
"This hill is crazy crazy icy and it's just tough to make it down," said Ligety after the eighth World Cup win of his career. "The second run I was attacking hard and made some small mistakes here and there. I just feel really lucky, Cyprien was I think the best skier today, but he made the mistake and I think I just got the luck. When things get rolling like they have been for me, you get lucky in that sense."
Ligety was quick to credit the victory to the extra hours he spent upping his fitness in the Center of Excellence over the summer and also to the hard work of his new ski company.
"It's tough to say what the secret is," he said. "I think part of it is that my physical conditioning is a lot better this year and the Head skis are working awesome. You can't say enough about the team at Head and how well they've been working."
Rearick couldn't agree more and also crediting his staff and the training Ligety put in last week in nearby Paganella – the U.S. men's European training base.
"The training we had in Paganella leading up to here was fantastic. "I'm also proud of the staff. The group has done an amazing job. Between World Cups and Europa Cups our young guys are coming up," added Rearick, nodding to the Europa Cup slalom podiums earlier in the week from Will Gregorak (Longmont, CO) and Nolan Kasper (Warren, VT).
Ligety and the technical team now return home for the Christmas holiday, while the speed men move to Bormio for the annual post Christmas downhill on Dec. 29.
Here's a training video from before the race:
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Audi FIS Alpine World Cup
Alta Badia, Italy – Dec. 19, 2010
Giant Slalom1. Ted Ligety, Park City, UT, 2:31.99
2. Cyprien Richard, France, 2:32.13
3. Thomas Fanara, France, 2:32.54
4. Didier Cuche, Switzerland, 2:33.15
5. Ondrej Bank, Czech Republic, 2:33.2915. Bode Miller, Franconia, NH, 2:34.85
Did not qualify for a second run: Warner Nickerson (Gilford, NH), Tommy Ford (Bend, OR)
DNF: Tim Jitloff (Reno, NV), Will Gregorak (Longmont, CO), David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, CO)
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