Hi Ski Racing families,
We have survived the big cold snap and it is looking like we will get some snow this week and then have nice warm temps this weekend!
Any folks that braved the temps and went to the hill this weekend were rewarded with very good groomed runs and literally sparkles and rainbows!
I have been sneaking up for a few runs carving under empty chairs on perfect corduroy. I am so grateful for being involved with ski racing and the biggest win I feel is my appreciation for skiing in all conditions and weather. I love skiing powder as much as anyone, but I really appreciate the firm conditions and everything in between. Race coaches give their athletes this gift of appreciation and the skills that make skiing on all types of snow fun!
As my mentor Mike Janyk says: We don’t teach skiing. Skiing is the personal feeling that we get when we ski. We teach skiing skills that allow us to feel more deeply the sensation of skiing.
This season lets show our appreciation for all of the snow conditions that we get. As long as the lifts can spin-and the temps are above -20…, lets get out there and enjoy skiing!
Photo Day
I have added a photo day to our calendar. January 27th and each group will meet at a certain time for a group photo that will be available on our website.
Shredders:
Unfortunately we have just had our first race cancelled at Red Mountain due to a lack of snow.. I am waiting to hear whether they may be able to reschedule…
This weekend we have GS training under the XXX and the focus will be on edging!
Provincial:
U14:
Our U14 group was at Kimberley for their first race this past weekend. This race was the qualifier for BC Games that selects our Kootenay team to represent at Troll Mt in Quesnel in February. The top 4 boys and top 4 girls will be selected and I will let you know next week if any of our team has qualified!
The race was delayed and the venue was changed due to the cold but the race continued on the little Tbar in the village with parents driving the kids to the top because it was too cold for the lifts to turn!
Grit was the Whitewater team value that got us through this one and made for a successful weekend that will be talked about for many years. The photo down below is a group of our U14 girls showing that they are prepared to throw down in the cold temps with buffs and tape on the exposed skin, and showing that their sense of humour is their secret weapon.
U16:
Our U16 group is finishing their first 4 day race event with some days cancelling and others delayed. This is a challenge that all ski competitors face in an outdoor sport. Our athletes often waited inside all morning with delays to see if they could race in the afternoon with very little notice. This requires the athletes to use their psychological skills to adapt and be mentally prepared for a very intense performance that may or may not happen that day, and then to finally get into the start gate and be able to find the intensity to perform their best.
Our U16 group has been getting regular coaching from a high level sport psychologist that is giving the athletes tools to manage these kinds of big challenges but she is also giving them tools to build confidence for training days and life in general in order to be the best that they can be every day.
Speed Camp:
Our U14 and U16 groups are off to Speed Camp in Kimberley this week!
3 days of training on the incredible Dreadnaught Downhill track.
Stay tuned for an update.
Be a fan of our sport!
It is my favorite part of the World Cup season!
This week was the Wengen Downhill and it was as wild as ever with some amazing performances and some unfortunate crashes. This race starts in the alpine on the Lauberhorn mountain and decends all the way to bottom of the valley. It has a vertical drop of 1028m (3343feet) and the track is 4.27km long (2.65miles) and they finish the course in 2 and a half minutes reaching speeds up to 160km/hr.
Watch:
And my favourite is the Kitzbuhel Downhill that is on Friday:
See you on the slopes!
