SPEED RACERS!

A lot is going on, and we had a fantastic race last weekend. This week we have two guest contributors. First is our Chair, Brook Dyson, and then second is a new writer to our team, Paul Peterson aka @paultheskiracer on instagram. Enjoy the read below!

Note from GDHL Chair Brook Dyson:

Thanks to the Craigleith race staff, Coyotes, and the GDHL committee for putting on an amazing race down National (and lower Big John) on Saturday. If you raced down that exciting track on Saturday, know that you're one of the few in Craigleith history to ever do so. Hopefully there are more races down National to come!

A big thank you to all racers that helped take down netting after the race. The beer sure tastes better after a race and a little sweat.

If you enjoyed Saturday's Super G down National, please pass along your positive feedback to our GM (Jeff.Courtemanche@craigleith.com) and James Mathers (president@craigleith.com). Your feedback helps us work with the club to schedule events like this.

JACKETS

Jackets will be available for pickup and sizing on Saturday morning and afternoon in the base lodge area. Keep an eye out for any GDHL committee members not waiting in a bar lineup.

We will also try and have jackets available on Sunday.

Stay tuned to the GDHL Instagram account for updates.

Schedule Update:

• Friday Night Lights Part 2 Slalom - 6pm - Little John

• Open to all Craigleith members 18+

• Please wear your GDHL bibs. This is a fun race. No GDHL points awarded.

• Après to follow!

For the most up to date schedule, head on over to https://gdhl.org/schedule

• Dual Slalom has been moved to Saturday, February 18th, in the afternoon.

  • Originally scheduled for Sunday the 19th, this is being moved to accommodate the informal members meeting.

  • This is the Saturday of Family Day

• Club Championships are Saturday, March 4th,

• GDHL End of Year Banquet is Saturday, March 4th.

Dave Raymond contemplates his choice to strip down to his downhill suit ahead of his first run.

Super G - From the Eyes of Paully P

Saturdays super G down National was easily the most highly anticipated race of the season. I spotted several celebrities including John Tory (jr), Jeff Courtemanche and at least 5 people with the last name Farrow who were all part of the capacity crowd in attendance.  They were all there to see if Benny Williams could return to glory and knock Magic Mike Welton off the top step of the podium for the first time this year.  Benny looked poised, calm and confident as he laid down an incredible, winning 2nd run that the ladies in the bar will be talking about for weeks.

Gorgeous Gordie Bruce took home the 2nd spot as he too laid down a lightning fast 2nd run, knocking Magic Mike down to 3rd place. 

Meg Ryley took top spot in the ladies race once again and it appears her rumoured policy of “no sex at all during the race season” seems to be paying off nicely for her. 

Katie Farrow who is on the podium every week finished in 2nd place and freshly engaged Madison Staples grabbed the 3rd spot although unfortunately her father David was away at another male modelling shoot and wasn’t there to witness it.  Mother Catherine was there representing the family, ringing the cowbell and downing a fireball shot every time a racer came down who beat her soon to be son-in-law Blair Mcdougall so she was feeling good after the race!  

There are 3 things every Craigleith member wants to know:

1. How did Tambro get the contract for the Project Generations job?

2. How does Al Lachance still ski like a young gazelle after all these years?

3. Does a race suit really make a big difference in GDHL racing??

Well I am hear to answer one of those questions today.  Yes, a race suit makes a big difference and we have hard evidence to prove it.  Shelly “speed demon” Spivak finished her first run in a time of 45.75 (well behind Paul the ski racer for those tracking at home).  For her 2nd run she changed into a race suit (signed and previously worn in 1997 by Kate Veer) and although she skied what felt like the exact same quality run, her time was only 43.72.  Over 2 seconds faster and putting her well ahead of the rest of us stuck in the not so desirable “shoddy group” and easily the top member of the acclaimed Tequila aficionados crew.

The “Shoddy Group” stands proud atop the National Super G course on Saturday

Brayden Irwin showcased a tight race suit (and a mediocre bulge) and he finished 35th overall!  Many spots ahead of his usual placing and he was spotted hanging in the bar at the après with all the cool, fast racers while the rest of us looked on from a distance with jealousy.

David Singh wore a race suit and came 66th overall.  David was about to be named Mayor of the "shoddy group" and now he’s moving up in the racing world after that great result!

More honourable mentions:

Steve Cryer, who started ski racing this year at the age of 50 finished a nice tidy 49th and I think will be a great addition to the Craigleith Interclub squad in the not-so-distant future.

Greg Cavers returned to racing after a big injury that required multiple surgeries (thumb, wrist, penis reduction etc.) and skied in his words “conservatively” to a solid 15th place finish. The caveman can truly do it all.

Eddie “the eagle” Barnicke with a very impressive 36th place, making Libby very proud (and jealous) of her cousin.

Dave Robinson skied with a very smart strategy of skiing just slow enough that GDHL photographer Robert Vitols could get several action shots of Dave coming around the gate, each pic in crystal clear, high definition... Rumours are swirling however about some private coaching tips Dave has received that may catapult him into the top 120 this weekend!

Aaron Maybin, father of future Craigleith legend Myles Maybin showed what a $2000 pair of custom ski boots can do with a nice 27th overall finish

Ray “the missile” Murakami flew back from Bahamas just in time for a fantastic race and kept his win streak alive as he was once again the top Japanese racer in GDHL. 

Stomping Tom Murdison with a 5th overall finish which I believe is his best result ever in his young GDHL career. 

Family Ties:

Lauren Liberty beat her sister Megan (anyone else just find out they aren’t actually twins??)  for the first time this year and I imagine was the talk of the Mintz crew dinner table that night.

Brook Dyson once again took down Pete in the Dyson brother dual

Carrie Grinter looked extremely nervous after placing a mere 6 spots ahead of brother in law Ed, will have to keep an eye on this matchup down the road.

Paul Peterson finished 51 spots behind his wife which sounds bad until you realize that Andrea Mclorie was 75 full spots behind husband Scott and takes the award for biggest gap between couples.

Petey Popalis showed he has more than just a great name and beat brother Brandon quite handily.

I don’t know which of the Bruce boys are brothers or cousins but they can all ski very well.  You’d be more likely to find a soggy Craigger sandwich for under $10 before you’ll find Gordie, Fraser or Robbie Bruce finishing outside the top 30 in any race.  Lets not forget the former King of Scotland D. Robert the Bruce who I don’t believe is related but did make Frances proud with a 45th place finish.

Great job by all racers!

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COACHES CORNER:

From Glenn Blaylock, Head Coach, Adult Race ProgramsCraigleith Adult Racers: Drop in Friday Training

• Date: Friday, February 10th

• Time: 9:30 to 11:30 am / 12:30 to 2:30

• Hill: Birches:

• Discipline: Giant Slalom

• Equipment: GS skis, forearm guards and hard-shell helmet.

• Coaches: Glenn Blaylock and Greg Roe

• Register On-Line by Thursday.

• Thank you for slipping the hill after your last run through the course.

Coaches Tip: Carving

Our Coaching Tips this season have reflected the Norwegian method of skiing which has been adopted by Alpine Canada. We have focused on why World Cup skiers focus on perfecting drills especially the Javelin Drill, the importance of the athletic body stance, edge angle, ankle flexion, the inside leg, The Line, and the high tuck position.

The Coaching Tip this week focuses on how to carve. Ankle flexion is used to start the turn by applying pressure to the big toe of the new outside foot and rolling the new outside ski on edge.  The stacked leg then “stands against” the outside ski resisting the forces pressing against the foot causing the ski to bend, arc and accelerate or carve. There is no pushing action as this will release the energy in the ski and shorten the length of the carving action of the ski.

The upper body needs to be level to prevent leaning away from the outside ski. This action will cause the body to “Separate”. It is critical the Separation occurs with the Thoracic Spine, separating at the upper part of the Sternum. This action will stack the whole body from the head through the core and down the stacked outside leg to the foot standing against the outside ski. The amount of Separation will increase as pressure is applied to the new outside ski until the body is fully standing against the outside ski usually at the apex of the turn. To feel where to separate at the Sternum, place your hands mid way down your rib cage opposite where your heart is located. Lower one elbow then the other and you will feel how the Thoracic spine can tip side to side or “Separate” using skiing jargon. When Separating at the Thoracic spine you will notice the core muscles engage to keep the body stacked over the outside ski.  (Important: Separation does not occur at the hips or waist as this movement breaks the stacking of the body against the outside ski).

Watch how Eric Kristoffersen of the Norwegian Alpine team stacks his body and outside leg and keeps his shoulders level while winning a World Cup Giant Slalom.

We will see you on the hill this weekend!

-Paul, Brook, Doug

Race and Social Schedule Changes

The GDHL Committee is excited to announce some changes to Race and Social Calendars going forward! After the immense success of Friday Night Lights, we are hosting a sequel this weekend!

That is right, this Friday, February 10th we are hosting our second, Friday Night Lights on Little John! This race is welcome to all Craigleith badge holders and will be run just like the last event. This race will not be counted as an official GDHL race, and no points will be awarded, it will just be a lot of fun!

• Lifts open 5 pm

• Race start 5 45.

On Sunday, February 12th, we will have our scheduled GS down Big John at 1 PM

OTHer Changes

For the most up to date schedule, head on over to https://gdhl.org/schedule

Here is what has been added:

• Dual Slalom has been moved to Saturday, February 18th, in the afternoon

  • Originally scheduled for Sunday the 19th, this is being moved to accommodate the informal members meeting

  • This is the Saturday of Family Day

• Club Championships are Saturday, March 4th,

• GDHL End of Year Banquet is Saturday, March 4th

Regular newsletter will arrive on Thursday morning.

SPEED WEEKEND!

The cold weather has arrived and just in time for all of us to dress down to our skin suits! On Saturday afternoon we ski the Podborski Cup Super G course down National, the only GDHL sanctioned event to allow full downhill suits on course. It should be a very fun weekend ahead! Brook will tell you more about what to expect over the next few days, and recap last weekend, all down below. But first, a quick thank you to Rob Vitols (@robertvitols on instagram) who has been taking great pictures of all of us this season. Reach out to find if he got any of you shredding the race courses this year! Sean Webster, pictured below, sure must be happy that there is photographic evidence of the grace and strength he employed while spinning mid air following a caught edge in Saturday’s race.

Another great week of ski racing in the GDHL! This week's GS featured a roller at the start, some cross ruts on the way down, and a nice little bump on the last gate.  

We had some great efforts from the 107 racers that started. Many of you also got to witness your first double ejection courtesy of Robert Prusinski! This didn't phase Robert as he took a mulligan and placed 15th.

Newcomer Erik Sultmanis finished in 12th place, possibly making him the most consistent racer this year with finishes of 14th, 14th, 12th, 12th.

Erik showing his speedy form that has kept his results consistent. Photo Credit Robert Vitols @robertvitols

Tom Murdison skied to a season best 7th place, Brad McMullen also posted a season best 19th, while comeback kid Brent Addison threw down a smoking run to finish 11th.

Jason Turnpenny continued to improve with a 30th place finish this week, while Paul The Ski Racer had a season-best 43rd place finish.

Alan Shaw and Roger Chiu decided that having bib numbers two apart wasn't close enough, so they raced to a tie.

Richard Kennedy and Scott Harding are battling it out this season, finishing with .01 seconds between the two this week.

Katie Farrow finished within a millisecond of her cousin, Kyle .Photo Credit Robert Vitols @robertvitols

The GS on Comet also saw some epic family battles:

• The Farrows (Kyle and Katie) finished .01 seconds apart

• Sisters Lauren Liberty and Meghan Robinson finished within .02 seconds of each other

• Peter and Brook Dyson were .03 seconds apart.

• Brenna Swift and husband Michael Ferrarelli finished .16 seconds apart.

• All three Bruce brothers had season best placings.

• Andrew Ottaway has pulled away from brother Phil.

• Brandon Popalis landed back in Ontario, only to see younger brother Petey show off his GS skills.

Team Musils has taken the lead with some great finishes up and down the lineup, while Porcupine is pulling up the rear due to some absences and injuries.

Results can be found here: https://gdhl.results.mectiming.org/

Andrew Ottaway finished ahead of brother Phil on Saturday. Photo Credit Robert Vitols @robertvitols

JACKETS:

The official GDHL AirTags account can confirm that this year's GDHL Jackets are no longer stuck in the Pearson baggage area. Word is they are on their way to the Collingwood area soon, so stay tuned for updates. If you have emailed GDHL@GDHL.org for a jacket request, rest assured your order has been received. We are still taking orders.

SUPER G This Saturday afternoon

This weekend's race is a Super G down National, which will be a faster course than many of you have seen. This is the same hill that the Podborski Cup will run on the days previous, and the same hill that this year's World Cup Ski Cross race will go down. We hope to get two runs in on Saturday.

Downhill suits are allowed for this race, pole guards are not allowed, helmet cams are not allowed, and hard eared helmets are mandatory.

Because of the speed, there are extra safety rules around this race that need to be followed:

• Inspection is MANDATORY for all racers. From 12:10 to 12:40pm please check in at the top of the race course with your bib number.

• If you see a Yellow Flag waving while you are on the course, there is an obstruction or fallen racer ahead of you. Please try to safely stop. You will be granted a rerun.

• If you see an athlete experience a fall, please do not attempt to enter the race course and approach them. While we totally understand and can relate to your urgency to help, Speed race emergency plan protocols will already have been activated to protect the safety of  athletes, officials, and course workers on course.  

• Only accredited personnel are allowed inside the fences (athletes, course officials, coaches, ski patrol, and course workers)

• Once Inspection is closed, you must leave the course.  

• Course crew controls all movement on the course.  Any non-authorized movement on the course/track will cause the jury to stop all racing

In the event an athlete requires medical assistance the course crew will ensure the course is clear before allowing the Ski Patrol to move to the athlete.  This may require the "Yellow Flagging" of an athlete that is currently on course.  As a spectator, this may seem like the course crew is not aware, however, they are ensuring that no one else gets injured while they are responding.

All GDHL racers are asked to assist with tear down after the race. It takes many hands to remove the safety netting. Please meet at the top of the course just prior to the last racer.  One of the course crew will advise you of where they can use your expertise. 

The GDHL organizers and the Craigleith race crew appreciate your assistance with the course clean up!  Many thanks in advance from all of us.

Après and long bar lineups to follow course clean up. Word is the theme for Saturday's Après is Leather and Fur!

Please send us an email if you have ANY questions around the Super G. This is another first for a lot of you, so please don't hesitate to ask.

SCHEDULE UPDATE

Please be aware that we are working with club management and directors to move the Dual Slalom and Après from it's current date of Sunday February 19th (Family Day Weekend) to another date. This is due to a scheduling conflict with the recently announced Members Informal Meeting. Stay tuned for a new date and time that does not conflict.

The GDHL committee encourages everyone to attend the meeting and find out what is happening at your club. 

AWARDS BANQUET

Mark your calendars for Saturday March 4th for our annual Awards Banquet. Always a highlight of the season!

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 4th and 5th are Club Championships. All GDHL racers will be entered, whether you decide to race or not.

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Coaches Corner:

From Glenn Blaylock, Head Coach, Adult Race Programs

Drop In Friday Training, February 3rd, 9:30 am and 12:30 pm: Hill: Birches, Speed Camp in a fast GS course. Previous racing experience is required. GS skis recommended. Hard Shell helmet mandatory. Register On-Line by Thursday. Thank you for slipping the hill after your last run through the course.

Coaches Tip: Super G

There are three stages to the Super G on National.

The first stage is the flats before the pitch. This is the time to tuck.  A high tuck position is best with your back flat and parallel to the snow. Push your hands forward and up in front of your face so you can just see over your hands. Flex your ankles forward into the front of your boots. Focus on keeping both skis as flat as possible on the snow with minimal edge angle. To change direction roll your ankles with parallel shins and keep your body square over your skis. This position allows the legs, knees and ankles to flex and absorb changes of terrain. The high tuck position is demonstrated by the female U.S. Ski Team racer part way through the following video. Note how her back is flat and mostly parallel to the snow with her hands pushed forward.  This position allows her to easily absorb rolls in the terrain.

The second stage includes the gate above and the gates down the pitch. You want to rise out of your tuck before the gate above the pitch so you can be ready for the first gate on the pitch.  Apply pressure to the new outside ski early in the turn to ensure you are completing the turn as you pass the next gate. Ski a High Line with 100 % pressure on your outside ski. Its very important to look ahead. In a previous Coaches Tip, we discussed how to ski the line. Here’s a link to the video from that Coaches Tip.

The third stage includes the gates below the pitch to the finish. Shin pressure against the front of both boots will be important to keep you forward as there will be a tendency to shift your weight onto your heals when coming off the pitch and onto the flats. You will be skiing fast and you will need to have 100 %pressure on your outside ski when turning. When you feel you can tuck, a high tuck position is best. Look ahead. When you cross the finish line give yourself more time than usual to stop as you will be skiing fast.

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See you on the hill on Saturday Afternoon. It should be a super fun and safe day on the snow, and a first for many of us to race down National.

-Brook (And a bit of Doug)

Night Moves

It is nights like last Friday that make the Craigleith GDHL season so fun! As the GDHL committee we are so lucky have an amazing community of skiers and racers that participate with enthusiasm and energy. Thank you for being a part of the Friday Night Lights fun!

For weeks we have been pining for snow to fall and it seems our snow dances have been answered once again. This dump is surely nothing compared to the big snowfalls of lore, but it should get us all excited for another great weekend of skiing. It will also give those super powerful snow guns a rest, which will be greatly appreciated. Read on below for more about what we have planned this weekend, the schedule going forward, a recap of last Friday Night and, of course, your coaching tips of the week.

LAST CALL:

GTHS Ski for Pets 2023:

↑ Click above to register! ↑

This year our friends at Sutherland Insurance are presenting a new fundraiser at Craigleith which will benefit the Georgian Triangle Humane Society. Get your tickets now before they sell out!

Happening on Thursday, February 2nd, at our Club. Tickets are $150 for visitors and $75 for Craigleith members and promise to deliver fantastic enjoyment all for a great cause! 

This is Proudly sponsored Royal Canin, Aspen & Ivey Interiors, L. Patten & Sons, Thornbury Laser Clinic, Chris Fregren, and Byron Darlison

THIS WEEKEND:

Saturday afternoon at 1 pm we will be racing down Comet for our second GS race of the season. Expect inspection to open at 12 15 and to close at 12 45. The Après Ski, though not mandatory this time around, will be a great spot to congregate afterwards to rehash individual victories and plights from the day.

Bib Draw:

Trivia Time! The first two people to reply to this email, gdhl@gdhl.org, with the correct answer to the question below, will win the 10 and 20 bibs for Saturday’s race:

Q: How did Comet – the ski hill – get it’s name?

SCHEDULE CHANGE:

The next weekend’s race (February 4) is our famed speedy GS, (aka Super G). Over the years it has been skied down many hills, and most recently down The Edge (no relation to U2), over the top of Landslide, finishing at the bottom of the hill near the Track 3 Center. Before this, it was run from the top of the Funnel Chair, down The Cruiser, across the top of the Comet Chair flats to The Bowie, finishing at the bottom of Comet. Before that, it was run down Partridge, and before that was the dark ages, and we have no accurate records.

Next weekend, we are reliving that history! Like Steve Podborski returning to the Hahnenkamm, it will be a show for the ages, watching famed skiers of yesteryear returning to the hallowed grounds of National, our ski hill dedicated to the exceptional athletes of the National Ski and Para-Ski teams.

Also, as always, pop over to https://gdhl.org/schedule for the most up to date details.

SAVE THE DATE: Saturday March 4th, is our GDHL End of Year Banquet. It is an event you cannot miss! More details to come.

NIGHT MOVES:

Last week enough of you clicked on the soundtrack link provided to inspire another audio accompaniment, this time… Night Moves!

Dax Cavers thriving under the lights! Photo Credit Robert Vitols @robertvitols

Under those bright lights, we all enjoyed a fun, fast, and challenging course. There were some stellar performances, as skiers launched out of the start gate, shooting for the moon. And when the night was finished, we had 80 finishers! Eighty finishers is amazing! The full results are here: https://gdhl.results.mectiming.org/  

We are working on getting them embedded to our main site, but in the meantime save that link in your favorites.   

All of the fun could not have been had if it were not for the hard work of volunteers on the hill. A huge thank you goes out to:

• Steve Millgram

• Dave Campbell

• John Atkinson

• Laura, Jamie Schwalm, and Martin in the booth

• Chris Shipton

• Chief Slipping Officer - Mike DeAngelis

Dave Campbell and John Atkinson at the top of the race

Of course, the GDHL committee can do everything to put on race, but it takes you to make it fantastic! Each of you did that! Many heeded the advice provided here, to find clear lenses for their goggles to race under the lights. Those that did not were heard murmuring during après about their lack of vision. And talking about Après, what a time was had after the race! Having the bar full (but not over full) of people you know and congratulating fellow racers on their runs really tied the bow on the evening.

Winners

Kyle Farrow skiing to his 2nd place finish. Photo Credit Robert Vitols @robertvitols

The course was set for speed which made for a very competitive group at the top of the podium for both genders. On the Men’s side Mike Welton won his third race in a row with a time of 20.25, he was followed by Kyle Farrow who nearly broke into the 20 seconds, with a best time of 21.01; and Gordie Bruce made his second appearance on the podium scoring a 21.07. All three of these gentlemen will be in the running for the overall medals come the end of the season.

Katie Farrow en route to her first win of the season! Photo Credit Robert Vitols @robertvitols

Katie Farrow won her first race of the year on the Women’s side, with a time of 22.35. Devon Clarke made her GDHL debut, and secured second place with a time of 23.25. And Meghan Barber made her first appearance on the podium this year, finishing in third with a time of 23.75. There is very little separating the ladies this year and the overall podium race is getting tighter by the week!

Meghan Barber skiing to her 3rd place finish. Photo Credit Robert Vitols @robertvitols

Those Making Night Moves

Brent Addison turned back a clock and laid down two heater laps, finishing with a best time of 22.93, good for 8th overall! While Kate Veer must have used the right wax, because she came 20th overall, 5th among women, skiing to a lightning quick 24.40 first run. Sean Webster seems to have found his skiing legs, as his fast lap in his Levi’s jeans locked him into his season’s best 6th overall, with a time of 22.51.

Brent Addison making his night moves! Photo Credit Robert Vitols @robertvitols

Fantastic Finishes

The heroics were seen from racers on all ends of the spectrum on Friday night, and many onlookers were left stunned when new ski racers cranked up the intensity under the lights. Andrea McLorie chased her husband (Scott) with a fantastic first run time of 31.66, good for 64th. Jason Turnpenny was ready for the challenge too, as he skied himself to the 35th overall spot with a best time of 26.23. While Jake Sheehan made up for a first run mishap, by laying down a 26.90 second run time, good for 38th overall.

Scott and Andrea McLorie setting a high standard for husband/wife racers!

Returning to Form

Ski racing is not all glory! Many of us have had a long road back after a fun offseason, or a few offseasons because of kids, jobs… life. Jonathan Price is making his comeback known! He scored a 25.13 first run making him the 26th fastest on the day. And Roger Chiu, after being on vacation for the first two races returned with a vengeance, with a 29.84 second run time, and he even shook off a first run DNF.

The Rivalries

This year’s rivalries are plentiful, however one sticks out among the rest, as they have a name for their competition, the Tequila Aficionados. This include Shelly Spivak, Meghan Robinson, Lauren Liberty, and Carlin Billington. Well last week Shelly took the crown, beating the rest. One would imagine that she was buying the rounds at après!

How to Stay Humble

At the end of the first run, the GDHL committee invited anyone with a Craigleith badge to give the course a run through. This effort is to invite more people to this great community and to support those who are curious about the racing programs. This went exceptionally well, with about 15 racers taking the opportunity to race, including ex-National Team Member, Phil Brown. Phil’s time was a 20.05, humbling many of us, as he casually crossed the finish line in nearly under 20 seconds. It is always fun to watch the pros do it!

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Coaches Corner:

Drop In Friday Training, January 27, 9:30 am and 12:30 pm: Giant Slalom. Register On-Line by Thursday. Hill: TBD. Check the message board at the bottom of the National Chair. Thank you for slipping the hill after your last run through the course.

Coaches Tip from Glenn Blaylock, Craigleith Head Coach, Adult Race Programs

Coaches Tip: The Line

Where we ski through a racecourse; called “The Line”, is as important as how we ski through a course. Here are three lines to consider.

The “Wide Line” is the direction we strive 90% of the time where most of the work is done above the gate allowing the racer to complete the turn as they pass the gate.  This line applies to all disciplines including Slalom, GC and Downhill.  Refer to the following video for an explanation of why the Wide Line is faster and safer. (Note the “Wide Line” is often referred to as the “High Line”).

Watch Mikaela Shiffrin ski the Wide Line in the following GS race where she won the overall 2021/22 Crystal Globe.  Focus on how she tips her skis on edge well above the gate. This allows her to apply pressure on her new outside ski early in the turn causing the ski to accelerate down the fall line completing the arc as she passes the gate. Her outside leg is stacked with no pinching inward of her knee and her shins are parallel. You are watching the technique of the skier who will soon be the greatest racer of all time.

Another line is the “Aggressive Line” which is more direct to the next gate. This line is faster where there is less off-set between gates on hills not as steep.  While the body will be close to the gate, the skis are still away from the gate so the outside ski can have Edge Angle. Caution – your ability will determine how direct your line can be. Without practise the Aggressive Line will cause you to be late for the next gates. 

A third line is the “Recovery Line” which is often referred to as the “Late Line”.  The “Recovery Line” is a better description as it allows the racer to develop a strategy when training and free skiing for recovering when they find themselves in a non optimal location in a course. Instead of saying “Oh no, I’m late!” and then think of how they will react, the racer will immediately perform their preferred “recovery action” which could include an Ankle Flexion, Pivot Turn or Pole Plant in the direction of the next gate. A race is often won by the racer who recovers the quickest rather than those striving for a perfect clean run.

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Have a safe commute today, and tomorrow! This snow is great for racing, not always the best for driving. See you on the hill on Saturday afternoon!

-Doug

Live from Craigleith: Friday Night Lights

Congratulations to the 90 finishers of last Saturday’s slalom! For many it was a daunting challenge to ski down Comet, on bullet proof snow, through the technical course, this early in the ski season. For those who finished, but were hoping for better results, you get another chance tomorrow (Friday)!

We, the GDHL committee are well aware that our program is filled with A type personalities, who are eager to plan their winters around the race schedules we publish. That is why we are so appreciative of your excitement and anticipation of this week’s Friday Night Lights race. This is the second time we will be running a race like this, and it brings us a lot of pride to do so. There are details and information all below to get you ready for Friday Night Lights, and if you click below, you can listen to the movie’s soundtrack to get you focused and into the zone!

Friday Night Lights Soundtrack

Real picture from last year’s rendition of the GDHL Night Slalom

Once you have read all the details about tomorrow’s race, continue on for an in-depth recap of last Saturday’s Slalom race, and then announcements from our coach, details on our jacket order, and a reminder to sign up for this year’s hot event on the Escarpment, the GTHS Ski for Pets Day at Craigleith.

Clear Eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

This is the catchy motto of the celebrated Dillon Panthers in the Friday Night Lights franchise. It is also very important as you prepare for racing on Friday evening. The lights on Little John are great for night skiing, but if you use high-tint goggles that are better fitted for bluebird days everything on the hill dims. Make sure your eye protection is either clear, or low light classified. You will be glad you did!

How this will all go down:

It is a traditional slalom, last year the winning runs were in the low 20 seconds, while the back of the pack was up in the low 30 seconds. It will not be a leg burner. The course will be set on Little John skier’s left with the finish corral at the same level as Big John finish hut just on the other side of the trees. Spectators are encouraged to cheer on their friends, and teammates can make noise for their brethren.

Non-GDHL’er Participation:

This is a great opportunity for anyone (18+) looking to try racing out or try racing out again! We invite all Craigleith badged skiers to join us at the start gate at the conclusion of the first run. The mandatory equipment are: helmet, 2 ski poles with intact baskets, 2 skis attached to boots which are attached to your feet. That is it. We look forward to having everyone joining us!

Après:

Please read as this is important… heck après is always important! There will not be traditional lodge food service on Friday evening, as it is the Friday night family dinner, which you of course may participate in, but you must buy a ticket to do so. There is bar service which you can take advantage of following successful navigation of Little John, but please do not expect the cafeteria to cater to you as usual.

This is a Mandatory Après event, which means the GDHL committee will be happy to incent you to be around after the race to join in friendly cheer with your fellow racers and fans.

Training:

Above and beyond the training note that is included below from our Head Coach Adult Programs, Glenn Blaylock, there is gate training Thursday night. Yes, night, slalom training, under the lights. Those who take advantage of this can pre-scout the conditions for Friday night.

Onto Last Saturday!

For 90 skiers, Saturday was a success. There were some hectic skiing conditions which regretfully impacted some of veterans of the GDHL, but that did not slow down the pack. By 2:45 on Saturday afternoon the race was wrapped up and we had successfully completed the second race of our young GDHL season.

Dax Cavers shreds a smooth right booter on the last pitch of Comet last Saturday. Photo Credit Robert Vitols @robertvitols

Results:

They are live! Click here for our new results page. https://gdhl.results.mectiming.org/ This will soon be connected to our main site. Everything looks good to us, but if you see an issue, please reach out.

Winners:

In the short season, there already seems to be some trending performances. The women were led by Meg Ryley (32.04) – her second win in a row, with Katie Farrow taking second place (33.84) – her second time placing behind Meg, and Annie Deeks in her inaugural GDHL season placed third (34.41). All three skiers were unable to improve with their second runs, showing that they really put the pedal down out of the gate! The women’s title will again be tightly contested this season!

Meg Ryley, Women’s Winner. Photo Credit Robert Vitols @robertvitols

The men’s side was led by familiar names as well. Mike Welton (29.99) took top spot for the second time, while Ben Williams found himself .32 back (30.31) in second place, Kyle Farrow made his mark on the GDHL season with his first podium of his young career skiing a 31.89. Interestingly, Kyle is the outlier as his second run was an improvement, unlike the other five listed above. Maybe Kyle is finding his edges and charging for those top spots? Time will tell.

Mike Welton, Men’s Winner. Photo Credit Robert Vitols @robertvitols

Rivalries:

• Having 90 finishers in a Slalom race is an all-time record. With so many racers come lots of fantastic highlights. The most impressive is the marital rivalry between Christine and Dan Lacey. Christine got the better of Dan this week by one position, and only 0.40 on the clock. Not only are they competitive 1v1, but they represent different teams too… this is going to heat up!

• In the President’s Cup, Chris Fregren took down his successor, James Mathers, with his time of 40.05, besting the 41.26. James did not finish his second run, some wonder if he had to run off to manage a club matter… and had he finished would he have closed the gap? We get to find out how much parity there really is between these two on Friday!

• Both Brook (37.97) and Peter Dyson (38.81), (AKA the Dyson Boys) laid the beat down on David Henderson (39.48). David has for the past few years had some remarkable results, but he is still finding his stride this season. Again, an opportunity for us to enjoy drama that this competition brings.

Peter Dyson showing off the importance of front release bindings during his first run. Photo Credit Robert Vitols @robertvitols

• The Ottaways are sticking close together, skiing nearly identical results. Andrew (37.06) narrowly beating Phil (37.40) before they both DNF’d second run. Their two teams, Venture and Millennium respectfully, are going to need those points to have a chance at the top prize!

• As far as family rivalries goes, there may be none larger than the Mintz family, which Lauren, Stan, and Dave (Liberty/Robinson), kept their ranking close. Lauren took the win, with her second run time of 52.44, Stan (53.04) and Dave (53.68) did their best to catch her.

• In the most publicised rivalry of them all, Brayden Irwin (42.16) beat Paul Peterson (45.30). This fun, competitive row has spilled into social media, so be sure to find Pauly P the Ski Racer on Instagram.

Some Debuts:

• Alex Carter made his GDHL debut with consistent times across both runs, scoring 45.85 on his first and 45.63 on his second. Nothing scarier than a consistent racer finding their form and chasing you down in the rankings through the season.

• Erik Vitols jumped in gates for the first time in a decade! Skiing to 44.79 and 43.93 he is poised to make waves as the season progresses, especially in the speed events.

• Robbie Bruce, of the Bruce Family race genes that bring us Fraser and Gordie, debuted his skiing ability on Saturday.

• Trevor Currie made an impression! Skiing to a best finish of 38.34 his inaugural GDHL race can only be described as successful!

First Timers:

Of course, there is nothing more exciting than doing something for the first time. Saturday afternoon we had a lot of newcomers to Slalom racing, including: Mario Skopek, Ainsling Lanigan, Lauren Hitchman, Geoff Matthews, David Singh, Richard Kennedy and lots more. Let us know if it is your first-time racing and what you think, we always love hearing from our fellow racers!

Foreeeee Runners:

This past weekend we had the distinct pleasure of having Phil Brown, retired World Cup Ski racer, fore run our course. Watching Phil was a treat, and we hope to continue to have some special people participate in this way. If you are able, be ready to watch the fore runners!

Disqualification and Sportsmanship

It will not surprise you to know that the GDHL races are not stipulated by any sport governing body, which means we do not have gate keepers. This means that you as skiers have the distinct pleasure/responsibility/burden to self-report when you miss gates, or DSQ as it is termed in ski racing. This can cause a lot of confusion in Slalom races as many finish our runs, even when we make a catastrophic error. To self-report, please email gdhl@gdhl.org and we will remove your invalid result from the database. When you self report you get a nice, warm, fuzzy feeling of doing the right thing and maybe a drink ticket to thank you for your honesty and sportsmanship the next time we see you.

Social Media and More

Are you craving more GDHL content? Or are you a millennial that does not use email? We have you covered! Head on over to our GDHL Instagram page to check out the latest. Besides all the awesome pics we post updates to events, and schedule changes as well. Email is our primary way to your brains, but social media is a close and quick second route too. @Craigleith_GDHL

Jackets!

We are getting great traction on our jacket order. Pictured below is the svelte, mini-puff, insulator jacket that will help you establish our status at the Craigleith bar and on the patio. This thing means business AND party, and it will gladly keep you warm as you do both!

Over the last two weeks we have received a lot of emails requesting orders, but we have not gotten back to everyone yet. We will, just give us some time.

GTHA Announcement here: GTHS Ski for Pets 2023:

↑ Click above to register! ↑

This year our friends at Sutherland Insurance are presenting a new fundraiser at Craigleith which will benefit the Georgian Triangle Humane Society. Get your tickets now before they sell out!

Happening on Thursday, February 2nd, at our club. Tickets are $150 for visitors and $75 for Craigleith members and promise to deliver fantastic enjoyment all for a great cause! 

This is Proudly sponsored Royal Canin, Aspen & Ivey Interiors, L. Patten & Sons, Thornbury Laser Clinic, Chris Fregren, and Byron Darlison

Coaches Corner:

From Glenn Blaylock, Craigleith Head Coach, Adult Race Programs

We will be training slalom on Zipper this Friday morning (9:30 am) and afternoon (12:30 pm) to prepare folks for the evening slalom race on Little John.

Coaches Tips from Glenn Blaylock, Craigleith Head Coach, Adult Race Programs

Bending the Ski, Ankle Flexion and The Inside Leg

Bending the Ski

A ski will carve and accelerate when the outside ski bends. This is accomplished by tipping the new outside ski on its edge creating “Edge Angle”. The tip and tail of the ski will touch the snow while the middle of the ski will be off the snow due to the camber of the ski. When pressure is applied to the ski it will bend and carve. The greater the edge angle, the tighter the radius of the turn. Watch this video for an excellent explanation.

Ankle Flexion

Flexing ankles; called “Ankle Flexion” in the ski industry, is important for balance, to start a new turn, feeling and responding to changes of terrain and snow conditions and other aspects of skiing. When standing in the athletic position (reviewed in our previous Coaches Tip) our ankles are flexed forward so you feel light pressure against the front of the boots. To start a new turn, flex forward the ankle on the new outside ski until you feel pressure under the big toe. This action will tip the new outside ski on edge and apply pressure to the front of the ski causing the ski to start carving. When flexing forward it is critical the outside leg remains stacked with no inward movement of the knee. Deb Armstrong, previously with the U.S. Ski Team, focuses on the importance of Ankle Flexion in the following video. (Note: If you cannot feel pressure on the balls of your feet when flexing your ankles forward your boots are too stiff and need to be adjusted).

PS: Ignore the one comment made in the video about pulling the feet backwards. This action is not recommended for skiing as the focus should be on forward and lateral movements.

The Inside Leg

To achieve greater edge angle, roll the inside knee and ankle away from the outside leg allowing your shins to be parallel throughout the turn. Start this movement the same time you start flexing your outside ankle forward onto the big toe. It is very important there is “no pressure” on the inside ski when performing this movement. It is also important the upper body is in the athletic position and not leaning away from your outside ski to ensure you do not fall sideways. A good indicator of where your upper body should be is make sure the zipper of your jacket is vertical with the snow. You can achieve this body position by planting or touching your pole down the fall line with your outside arm.  Remember to keep your inside arm forward as well. The ski tips also need to be level to prevent the body twisting and applying pressure to the tail of the inside ski. To increase Edge Angle even more shorten or flex the inside leg as you roll the inside knee towards the snow.  Deb Armstrong’s following video provides a very good explanation and demonstration of these movements.

Drills to Activate the Inside Leg

The Javelin Drill exaggerates the movement of rolling the ankle to keep the ski tips level and pressing the inside knee away from the outside leg. Refer to the previous Coaches Tip for an explanation and video of how to perform this drill.

An excellent drill to learn how to ski with Parallel Shins is to remove you poles and place your hands on the outside of your knees. As you flex your ankle forward to apply pressure to the new outside ski, press the inside knee outwards against your hand. Your shins will be parallel. Try this drill on an easy to moderate slope at first. Enjoy the following fun video on how to perform this drill. 

This was a long one, but then again, we have a lot to share. It is an exciting season, and gosh it feels good! See you all on Friday and this weekend. As you get ready to ski down Little John Friday night, and you hear the roar of the crowd, the cowbells clanging, the lights shining bright through your clear goggles, remember this from Coach Taylor of Friday Night Lights:

“I said you need to strive to be better than everyone else. I didn’t say you needed to be better than everyone else. But you gotta try. That’s what character is: It’s in the try.”

— Coach Taylor

We are going to have a lot of fun!

- Doug

The Return of Friday Night Lights

Scheduling update:

We have some late breaking news to share with you. Next Friday, January 20th, the GDHL is hosting our night race slalom on Little John! The lift will open at 5 pm for inspection, and the race will begin at 5 45. And new to this year, we are inviting all skiers to join us for the race! All Craigleith members are invited to try out racing with us on this epic race course, under the Friday Night Lights!

This exciting event was a huge success last year, hosting a spectacle for GDHL’ers and fans at the base lodge, and on the hill. During and following the event there is a mandatory Apres Ski at the base lodge, for everyone - non-GDHLers are encouraged to join us. More details will come in next week’s Thursday morning newsletter.

The schedule has been changed, it can be found here: gdhl.org/schedule

There are no other changes to the schedule at this time. We will race on Comet today (January 14th) at 1 pm, and we are back to racing GS on January 28th.

The 2023 Season Is Underway!

Good morning GDHL’ers! We had a great time last weekend at the Calcutta on Saturday night, and with our first race of the season on Sunday afternoon.

This week’s newsletter has been compiled by our dedicated GDHL Chair, Brook Dyson. His recount of the fun and excitement can be found below. Following Brook’s message is an update from Glenn Blaylock, our Craigleith Head Coach, Adult Race Programs, sharing details about this weekend’s training, and how to register for Friday gate training ahead of Saturday afternoon’s Slalom race on Comet. That is, only if you need the gate training.

You will also find the entire team list way at the bottom. For those of us that missed the Calcutta we can take a look for our teammates. What you will not find on the website, or here are the detailed results from this past weekend’s race. We are launching a new results and standings page on our website and still in beta testing. The new page should be out soon, but for now you can check your results from Sunday’s race here:

And you can track live timing for Saturday’s race on the same website (mectiming.ca) here.

Onto Brook’s Recap:

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What a weekend! A great race and a great introductory Calcutta. In our last email we asked you for a snow dance, and it worked! All of that dancing on Saturday night paid off!

Thanks again to our sponsors for helping us put on the Calcutta and other events:

• Budget Propane

• Sutherland Insurance

• Patty Mac Construction

• Dynastar/Lange

• Sidelaunch

• Squire John's

Calcutta 2023:

After a three year-hiatus, the Calcutta returned with a bang! Host Paul Peterson and Auctioneer Rip Riopelle ushered back our time-honoured Craigleith tradition. You could feel the sense of joy that we could once again gather in the South Lodge to enjoy a night with fellow skiers. Of 135 racers, we have 100 racing on 10 teams (listed at bottom). The teams were auctioned off to the highest bidders, with the final pot to be distributed amongst the top three team owners at the end of the season.

Some familiar heavy hitters were seen bidding and were joined this year by some new team owners. All were looking to score big based on their highly researched analysis or gut feeling. Many in the room enjoyed the fast pace and energetic feel of the proceedings. What a rush!

The Retro Ski theme was embraced by many in the Calcutta, with a few racers being rewarded for their outfits. (For those that are new to the club, there are always lots of chances throughout the season to dress up for an après!)

The final details of team prices and owners are being finalized. Stay tuned for updated info in future newsletters. If you bought a team, or bought back as a team member, you will be contacted in the next few days by Chris Knight or a member of your team.

The #10 and #20 bibs for this race were awarded to Dan Lacey and Carrie Grinter-Lenauskas for recognition of costumes at the Calcutta. Dan was sporting the fancy blue downhill suit Saturday night, while Carrie's bib was controversially given to her by another costume winner – Jenn Price. For details on that, check out TMZ.com.

The #10 and #20 bibs for next week go to Greg Cavers and Gordie Bruce, two great Slalom skiers that will definitely take advantage of pristine course conditions! Their outfits at the Calcutta really did earn them those bibs. Look out for next week's GDHL email for a chance to win these bibs for the January 28th race.

Sunday morning saw some groggy faces prior to the start of the race. No doubt they were thankful for the 1pm start!

Sunday GS Race:

Race #1 of the 2023 season (and Race #1 for a lot of ski racing careers) is now in the books. Thanks to the Coyotes for keeping the course in the best shape that they could. Racing on a hill of artificial snow can be tricky at times, but the care given to the conditions on the course was amazing.

Congratulations to all our first-time racers. You have completed your first ski race! Some say it only gets easier from here…

Welcome back to all our veterans! It's great seeing you all back on the race hill.

Prior to the first run, the start area was quieter than usual. A lot of nervous first-time racers in addition to silent veterans trying to remember what to do. However, that same start area was brimming with smiles and laughter before the second run. The rust and nerves had been shaken off!

Some selected highlights from the race:

Mike Welton managed to win our first race, completing a smoking 2nd run to claim the victory. 2nd was Gordie Bruce and 3rd was Ben Williams. With only .15 seconds between the top three, we are in for a good season at the top of the standings.

Meg Ryley took the women's title this week (6th overall), with Katie Farrow (7th overall) coming second by .21 seconds. Madison Staples rounded out the women's top three (23rd overall).

Craig Sievenpiper made a return from his multi-decade hiatus to finish an impressive 20th. Was it the 90s race sweater that did it?

Speaking of hiatuses, Susie Raymond came out of retirement to be the latest member of the Raymond family to start a GDHL race. She's coming for you Dave!

Former President Chris Fregren edged out current President James Mathers by .62 seconds. Keep an eye on this political dogfight.

Jeff Sutherland came dangerously close to sanctions due to his new race suit. When questioned, Jeff replied he was modelling a fashionable new outfit from his daughters' winter line. Hopefully no gate marks on there!

Paul Peterson edged out Brayden Irwin this week by .46 seconds. Rumor has it that Brayden's confidence level is sky-high without any sisters looking over his shoulder this year!

Let's also recognize Chris Knight (16th) for a phenomenal first race of the season. You've set the bar high!

The coveted Family Award is once again up for grabs this year, with a record 15 families racing in the GDHL. Some family rivalries of note this weekend:

Brook Dyson sneaked by brother Peter Dyson, Andrew Ottaway finished ahead of brother Phil, Brent Addison took out brother Alex, Dax Cavers narrowly beat father Greg (but not by much!) and Carlin Billington put brothers Harrison Simms-Brown and Taylor Simms-Brown on notice that she's not yet done her ski racing career!

Kyle Farrow (5th) returned from the tropics to squeeze out Cousin Katie Farrow (7th) by .42 seconds, while Ed Barnicke squeaked by recently un-retired cousin Libby Barnicke.

The extended Mintz family made a four-person debut this weekend, with Meghan Robinson beating out her sister Lauren Liberty, brother-in law Stan Liberty, and most importantly husband Dave Robinson.

Jackets:

If you didn't get to order a jacket and would like to, please email us at gdhl@gdhl.org. Jackets are $80 and are embroidered with the GDHL logo. We will fill orders based on when they are received. More jackets will be ordered if we are able to.

Questions?

Registration for the GDHL is at a record high, with about 135 racers this year. Your committee has been working hard to ensure that all racers get a chance on the course and a beer in their hand. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know at gdhl@gdhl.org

Next Race:

SLALOM - Saturday at 1pm on Comet.

Shin guards, pole guards, face guards are NOT required. Helmets are mandatory.

Adult Race Training is Slalom for Friday all day and Saturday morning. If you would like to participate in training, you will need to register on the club website under Alpine Programs.

See you on Saturday!

-Brook

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Coaches Corner: From Glenn Blaylock, Craigleith Head Coach, Adult Race Programs

Coaches Tip: The Athletic Body Position

Picture a tennis player ready to receive a serve, a football player preparing for a tackle and the stance of a soccer goal keeper about to stop a penalty shot. They all apply the optimum position of the human body to be balanced and strong on their feet.

To achieve the athletic body position when skiing, the feet are shoulder width apart, ankles are flexed forward so both shins pressure the front of the boots, arms forward and a bit to the side, there is a slight tilt forward at the waist so the back is about the same angle as your shins and the chin is level to the ground with eyes forward.  The following video demonstrates why this position works so well in skiing.  

Watch Erik Krisoffersen of the Norwegian Ski Team for a superb demonstration of the athletic body position in the following video. Also watch how Erik’s outside leg is always stacked without the knee tipping inwards. His shins are also parallel throughout the turn which is achieved by rolling his inside knee and ankle away from the outside ski. He will also be applying 100 percent pressure on the outside ski at the apex of the turn.

The Javelin Drill and the Importance of keeping your ski tips level

When watching Erik you will see the tips of his skis are close to level; the tip of the inside ski is not ahead of the tip of the outside ski. Keeping the tips level will allow the body to be stacked over the outside ski throughout the turn. If the inside tip is forward the body will twist and apply pressure to the tail of the outside ski. Alpine Canada has identified the Javelin Drill as one of the most effective drills to help develop the optimum body position with the ski tips level. Watch Deb Armstrong; former U.S.A Ski Team, demonstrate the Javelin Drill in the following video.

Team List - GDHL 2023

Big Weekend Ahead!

As we approach our first weekend in the GDHL schedule, we have a few a announcements and items to cover off. Chair of the GDHL Committee, Brook Dyson, has detailed what you can expect from:

• Calcutta – Starting at 7 pm, in Old South Lodge, Saturday, January 7

• This season’s first race – Sunday, January 8, GS on Big John, 1 PM Start (12:10-12:40 inspection)

As well as announcements From our Coach, Glenn Blaylock on:

• Coaching Tips to get you skiing like Mikaela Shiffrin

• Training today and tomorrow (Jan 6th and 7th)

And the registration link to the hotly anticipated, Georgian Triangle Humane Society Ski for Pets 2023

Calcutta

We're back! Saturday at 7pm in the South Lodge is the kickoff to our GDHL season, the Calcutta! This event is open to all.

Thank you to our sponsors for helping us to put on events like this (and our races) throughout the season:

• Budget Propane

• Sutherland Insurance

• Dynastar/Lange

• Patty Mac Construction

• Squire John's

The theme for the evening is Retro Ski. Feel free to raid that closet for older Apres gear to wear!

Upon entrance, please register and pick up your race bib and start list. You'll need the bib for the entire season. If you would like to participate in the bidding on teams please let us know at registration or find a committee member.

There will be a beer/wine bar and appetizers. Remember to wear your badge!

The main event will be hosted by Rip Riopelle and Paul Peterson. If you haven't yet experienced a Craigleith Calcutta auction, get ready for some fun!

There will be raffles and games for select low bib numbers (for each race), throughout the evening.

Race Number One:

Getting closer to the first race of the season!

Welcome to our new racers. We have alot this year! Some tips and refreshers for rookies and veterans alike:

The first race is a Giant Slalom (GS) on Big John on Sunday January 8th at 1pm. Inspection is from 12:30pm to 12:50pm.

• No Downhill Suits for GS races.

• **Inspection is where you get to SIDESLIP through the course prior to the race. This will help you get a feel of where the turns are, what the terrain is like, and where the finish is. It is highly recommended that you inspect prior to your run.**

• A reminder to all racers (veteran and rookie) that you are NOT to ski any of the gates during inspection. This is not practice. Don't ski it, just look!The race is two runs, and only your best run counts. If you do not want to do a second run, that is OK. Results will be posted at GDHL.org.

• Racers will assemble at the top prior to each run, and the first racer (Bib Number 1) will leave the start gate at 1:00pm. Each racer then goes in numerical bib order.

• If you are late for your run, the race crew will do their best to get you started in order. Please be respectful of your fellow racers that were on time. You will get your run in, but you may need to be patient.

• Remember, the timer starts when your legs pass through "the wand". The timer stops when you cross the finish line at the bottom. You must go around all Red and Blue gates on the course. If you're not sure where to go, watch a few racers on the course and in the start gate before your run (or watch the forerunners).

• The Coyotes are our race crew at Craigleith. You will see them at the start, at the finish, and at various points throughout the race hill. They are there to ensure a safe, fair, and fun event.

Please be kind and respectful to all race course personnel and your fellow racers.  **If you have any complaints, suggestions, or frustrations, see a GDHL committee member. We will help you out.**

After your race, feel free to head by the lodge. There is a 99% chance you will see other racers cooling down with a frosty beverage!

Next week's race is a Slalom on Comet on Saturday January 14th at 1pm.

See you on Saturday and Sunday!

Coaching Tips from Glenn Blaylock, Craigleith Head Coach, Adult Race Programs

Alpine Canada has adopted the Norwegian method of skiing and racing. Refer to the attached presentation made to the Ontario Coaches Conference last fall. The method is also used by Burke College where Mikaela Shiffrin of the U.S. Ski Team learned her racing skills. Mikaela is soon to become the  greatest ski racer of all time with only a few more World Cup wins.  We have had excellent results using the method during the Xmas and New Years camps. Your coaches will be working with this method during the Friday, Saturday and Sunday training sessions. We have room for a few more adults on Saturday morning and several more on Sunday morning. Contact the club if you would like to sign up for training. You can also train on Friday mornings and afternoons by registering the day before.

Michella Shiffrin explains why and how world cup skiers perform drills in the following short video. Click on the picture to go to youtube.

This Weekend’s Training Schedule

Craigleith Adult Racers

We will be training Glalom on Friday, January 6th both morning and afternoon using stubbies. The distance between gates in a Glalom course is about 18 meters  – mid way between GS and Slalom courses. We are unable to set a full GS course as there will be limited safety netting at the club.

Equipment: Slalom skis.

GTHS Ski for Pets 2023:

↑ Click above to register!↑

This year our friends at Sutherland Insurance are presenting a new fundraiser to Craigleith and it will benefit the Georgian Triangle Humane Society. Get your tickets here for the event, happening on Thursday, February 2nd, at our club. Tickets are $150 for visitors and $75 for Craigleith members and the day is promised to deliver fantastic enjoyment all for a great cause!

Happy New Year GDHL’ers!

The last time you heard from the GDHL committee, you were requested to do your snow dances, and they worked! Between communiques, we have had two enormous snowstorms, the latter of which was Generational and deposited enough snow to get all our hopes up that we could get the ski season off and running without interruption. Unfortunately, since the Christmas Eve snowstorm we have endured so much rain there were reports of Noah gathering animals two by two. As we are approach the kick off for the 2023 GDHL season, we ask of you again, please do your snow dance! It worked last time, and let’s hope it works again!

Even though the hills are struggling to stay white, we are just days away from the 2023 GDHL Calcutta! This year we are hosting our annual kick off event of the race season on Saturday Night in the (Old) South Lodge at 7 pm. There are more details about our famous Calcutta below, so make sure you keep reading. Of course, following the Calcutta is our first race of the season, Sunday, January 8th, 1 pm start, GS on Big John. Inspection will be open by 12 15, and remember, no downhill suits! If you are new, or need help, find a Coyote in a blue jacket, and usually without skis on, at the top of the race hill, they will be glad to instruct you.

Also, we have announcements from our Coach, Glenn Blaylock, and renowned Interclub Superstar Jeff Sutherland and Sutherland Insurance. Before all that, a quick thank you to our fantastic sponsors!

• Sutherland Insurance

• Budget Propane

• Squire John’s

• Dynastar & Lange

• PattyMac Custom Builders

The 2023 Calcutta!

For many years, the Craigleith Going Downhill League Calcutta has been a dependable opportunity for us to reconnect with our friends at the Ski Club! Last year, we were disappointed to cancel the Calcutta, but that disappointment has turned to excitement for this year! Afterall, the Calcutta is more than just the kick off to the GDHL season, it is an evening for all of us to reconnect after a hectic Christmas break, and a long off season. The Committee is so glad to have you back, and we have an excellent night planned!

• Details: Saturday, January 7, 2023, 7 PM Start @ Old South Lodge

• Bidding: Bidding is back, so prepare your cheque book, and gather your consortium to buy the team with the best odds of winning the league this 2023 Season.

• Theme: Retro Ski Attire – Do not be embarrassed if the 25-year-old ski racers are wearing outfits that you would gladly still wear on the hill, retro is a subjective term.

• Food And Drink: Lots of passed hors d'oeuvres, beer and wine samples and a cash bar.

• Bib Pick Up: Your bib will be available to you as walk in. Make sure to pick it up and hang onto it as it is your race identifier for the season.

Race Ski Tunning Clinic:

Today, January 3, at 1 30 and 3 30 in the President’s Loft, you are invited to learn the trade of ski tuning. A lot of racers diminish the value of tuned skis for adult racing, but as a skier, you are only as good as your equipment. The best thing about ski tuning for your race is that you are actively improving your race results, while also enjoying a cold one, in the warmth of your basement. There is one small issue with becoming your own ski tuner though, you will have no one to blame when your edges are not sharp enough or when your wax is sticky. See you there!

Georgian Triangle Humane Society – Ski for Pets 2023

This year our friends at Sutherland Insurance are presenting a new fundraiser to Craigleith and it will benefit the Georgian Triangle Humane Society. Get your tickets here for the event, happening on Thursday, February 2nd, at our club. Tickets are $150 for visitors and $75 for Craigleith members and the day is promised to deliver fantastic enjoyment all for a great cause!

Registration:

This is the last call for registering for this race season. Head on over to your Craigleith login, into the Alpine Programs and find the GDHL registration. If you think you have registered, but have not confirmed, take a quick peak at your Craigleith profile. We want to make sure no one is missed.

Schedule:

As we approach the season, make sure to familiarize yourself with our 2023 schedule found on our website, at www.gdhl.org/schedule. Any changes or updates will be posted there and communicated through this newsletter.

We are very excited to host our first race of the season on Sunday afternoon, on Big John at 1 pm. Enjoy the week, keep your snow dances going!

-Doug

Snow Time!

There comes a time, every ski season, when we must all join forces, combine our energy, and do our snow dance. Now is that time!

We are quickly approaching Ski Season and yet the ski hills are not laden with snow, awaiting our carved turns. It is looking a bit grim out there, but maybe, just maybe a nice newsletter from the GDHL will result in positive thoughts about snowfall and wintry weather!

We are now four short weeks from the Calcutta (Saturday, January 7, 2023), and the start of the GDHL races, and only two weeks until Christmas. The next couple weeks will be busy, so it is high time to get your ducks in a row and lock in your GDHL race schedule for the 2023 season. Highlighted below is the detailed 2023 Schedule, as well as a message from our dedicated coach, Glenn Blaylock, and a refresher on race day attire.

Before you go any further though, make sure you register! Registration is still open, and we are excited to have you join us for another exceptional season of ski racing! If you have any questions about the season, please reach out to gdhl@gdhl.org.

Schedule:

The 2023 GDHL Race Schedule has been finalized and looks like this:

• Sunday Jan 8th GS Big John – 1 PM

• Saturday Jan 14th SL Comet – 1 PM

• Saturday Jan 28th GS Comet – 1 PM

• Saturday Feb 4th GS Landslide – 1 PM

• Sunday Feb 12th GS Big John – 1 PM

• Sunday Feb 19th DUAL Little John (Family Day Weekend)

• TBD Night Slalom Little John – 5 PM

The schedule will be posted on the GDHL.org website under the heading SCHEDULE. Also, all times are subject to change, however all changes will be communicated through this email newsletter.

Just like last season, there are some incredibly fun events on our calendar! There is a dual slalom - always a big hit with athletes and spectators alike - and a night Slalom that coincides with a GDHL branded Après Ski at the Base Lodge. The GDHL committee is proud to help you intertwine your social, and sporting calendar, by hosting these events!

The view from the start gate of last year’s dual slalom

Race Attire for 2023

It has been a few seasons since the GDHL made the switch to being a NO Downhill Suit league. The initial decision was met with some tension, as change always is, but we have made great strides since. By enabling racers to jump into the racecourse, without the need to stretch a skin suit over three layers of fleece and wool, we have seen greater racer participation, and higher registration numbers. Most importantly, the competitive edge has not been lost. We will continue to run no downhill suits in the 2023 season, albeit there are always exceptions to this rule, and for this season, here are the opportunities in which you may wear a downhill suit:

Any Slalom race, you may wear a downhill suit exposed on your lower half. This is intended to enable you to wear your slalom shorts and shin guards, while you hit the gates, instead of wearing your nice Sjus ski pants. We have no intention of you ruining your nice ski pants with gate rash.

The Extended GS down Landslide. As this race does encourage some higher (but safe) speeds, the skin suits can be brought out.

Downhill suits are allowed for the Club Championship Races.

During the inaugural No Downhill Suits season, jeans were often used as stylish and speedy race attire

Coaches Corner

Bless Glenn Blaylock, because he has decided his mission is not complete with us. We begged him to return to coaching the adults in 2023, and to our surprise he agreed. Glenn’s expertise and attitude bring a great dimension to the ski hill. You will be happy you listened to him, and your results will show it too! Every so often he gives us some content to mull over and share with you, here is this week’s Coaches Corner:

We were very pleased with the strong survey results from the training programs last season. We have designed the weekend adult race training programs this year to reflect what worked well and add some new features to enhance the learning environment including video. The coaches will work with you to tailor your learning program based on your skill levels. If you are new to racing, you can expect to spend the majority of your time working on technique out of the racecourse. Those developing their skills may divide their time evenly between working on technique and skiing courses. Advanced racers will spend most of their time in courses fine tuning their abilities.

Training will also be available on Fridays both morning and afternoon. You can sign up anytime before noon the day before to give us time to arrange for the appropriate number of coaches. 

Coaching Tip: Review your skiing journal and have a plan for your first turn of the first run of the new season. Start with a drill to help your mind focus on the biomechanics of good skiing. Lifting the tail of the inside ski is a good drill to start as it reinforces the importance of moving from outside ski to outside ski and moving the body forward.

The “US Ski Team: Fundamental Skills Pyramid” is a very good overview of the fundamentals of skiing. When opening the following link, scroll down to the imbedded video for an explanation and demonstration of the pyramid. (Note: The term “down hill leg” is what we refer to as the “Inside leg.}

https://www.mplsalpineski.org/technique--tactics.html

Your coaching staff are keen to help you have your best skiing and racing season ever. See you on the snow soon

-Glenn Blaylock, Head Coach, Adult Race Programs, Craigleith Ski Club

That is all for today. Make sure as you venture out for your Christmas shopping that you add in a skip, hop, and a jump to summon those snow gods… they are just waiting for our snow dance!

See you on the slopes soon!

-Doug

The 2023 Ski Season is Here

Right on cue, the snow has fallen and your GDHL newsletter is here to usher in Ski Season 2023. It feels good to be back!

We have been gone a while. How are you? Did you train this summer, and dream of carving slalom gates through the heat waves of October? Good, us too.

The GDHL season is around the corner, starting on January 8, (schedule details below), but before then we have some housekeeping to look after, all detailed below. This newsletter covers off:

• Registration (it is open), and early bird discount

• Preliminary schedule for the season

• A glimpse at the social events

• Visual inspiration for your upcoming racing season

Keep reading and enjoy the first of the season’s newsletters.

Registration:

Registration for the 2023 GDHL Race season is OPEN! It feels like it has been forever since we enjoyed our end of season banquet in March. Now it is time to rush over to your Craigleith profile and sign yourself up. The Early bird discount has been extended and will run until next Friday, November 25. Here is the full breakdown of costs:

• 18-35

  • $104 before November 25th.

  • $120 after November 25th.

• 35+

  • $225 before November 25th

  • $290 after November 25th

New Racers:

Please invite new racers to join us. We are excited to have a great contingent of skiers that are learning or relearning to race, and we invite everyone, of all ski levels to ski with us. For those that want to try before they buy, we will be attempting to host a “time trial and practice race” early in the season – more on that in future newsletters.

Schedule:

We are far from locking in all details of our 2023 schedule, so details here are subject to change, however this is a pretty good picture of what you can expect.

• Saturday, January 7th: Calcutta

• Sunday, January 8th: First Race of the Season – Expect GS down Big John

• Season will also include:

  • 2 GS races

  • 2 Slalom races

  • A Dual Slalom race

  • An evening race under the lights

  • A Super G race

The races will follow a similar pattern to last year, and the club is very excited to have us using the lighted hill, as well as the Dual Slalom start gate. It is going to be a fantastic year!

Social Calendar:

The social calendar at Craigleith is always busy. Our first GDHL social event will be the Calcutta, on January 7th – this should give you lots of time to recover from New Years Eve. We will also make an event of our night slalom, like we did last year, with lots of ways to enjoy racing, and watching others race. The third social event for GDHLers is the end of year banquet in March.

Before you get sucked down the rabbit hole of content below, here is a little sign off. This season is shaping up to be even better than last. With increased services available to us, and a great trust placed in us by Craigleith Ski Club, we have an opportunity to make the best GDHL season yet. We look forward to having you join us on the hill!

If you would like to get involved, or have any questions for the GDHL Committee, please email us at gdhl@gdhl.org (or reply to this email).

See you all very soon!

-Doug

Visual Inspiration:

Next weekend is the 2022 Lake Louise Downhill. Alpine Canada will no longer be running this race (as of today’s rumours). Take a couple minutes to ride the track like this racer, to feel the rush of running a world cup race!

From one famed downhill track to another, take a look at this fantastic video from Red Bull highlighting the Streif! Hosted in Kitzbühel, this is the iconic race that many of us watched the crazy canucks conquer.

For those of us afraid our leg workouts have not readied us for the upcoming season, take a watch below! This 20 min exercise requires no equipment and it may just help you shave 1 second off your Big John GS time.

C'est Fini

Well, that seals it, the GDHL season is officially over! Last weekend we had our end of season banquet with racers, families and lots of special guests. Now you can look forward to a fun filled week at the Club for March Break.

Last Saturday’s banquet has been eloquently captured below by our dedicated Chairman, Brook Dyson, and before you enjoy his recap there are a couple housekeeping items.

• New GDHL Gear

  • There will be communication to you in the coming weeks with ideas on a GDHL jacket/vest/item, for next year. Watch out for this.

• Sponsors

  • We have the best sponsors in the world. A big Thank You to them! They are named below in Brook’s text.

  • If you would like to become a sponsor, please let us know. We have a lot of great initiatives that we would be happy to involve you in!

• Committee Members

  • Our committee is always looking for people to join our cause. If you are interested in joining us for the 2023 season, please reach out to gdhl@gdhl.org

That is all. This will be the last recap email of our season, which is a bit sad, but mostly happy. We are so proud of our Club, our racers, our race crew, our volunteers and our family members, for enabling this season to happen! Truly, one of the most remarkable GDHL seasons in recent history. Our GDHL committee is ready to build on this great season, to put together an even better one for all of you to enjoy next winter.

Here is the full recap of last Saturday night from Chairman Brook.

What a great night!

The 2022 GDHL Banquet came roaring back from it's COVID-induced hiatus. Thanks to the hard work of our volunteer GDHL committee, we were able to gather and celebrate a race season that included:

• Over 110 racers

• Night Slalom

• Dual Slalom

• Full schedule of 7 races

• Large number of rookies

Thanks to our generous sponsors for the year for allowing us to race, and hold great events like the banquet:

Squire Johns

Patty Mac Construction

Budget Propane

Sutherland Insurance

Dynastar

Lange

Pratte Ski Camps

The evening's Master of Ceremonies was local Craigleith celebrity Paul Peterson (IG: @paultheskiracer). Paul was gracious enough to take time out of his hectic dryland training schedule to lead our racers through a celebration of the season. We were treated to tales of the "$h!t Group", a tribute to Al Lachance, recognition of our rookies, and a celebration of the accomplishments of all of our racers. The night was a look back on our racers, teams, and improved skills.

Prior to the start of dinner, the crowd enjoyed Lost Craft beers at the bar area while telling tales of ski racing glory - some truth and some lies.

After a delicious dinner, the evening moved onto the individual and team awards, and recognition for skiers that had achieved various honours throughout the season.

Due to a slight scoring update from the season-ending Dual Slalom, the winners of the season were announced as Team Manitou with 2611 points.

Team Manitou

• Tony Baldanza

• Gordon Bruce

• Nico Hart

• Greg Kilburn

• Al LaChance

• Noah Levine

• Andrew Ottaway

• Jerry Patten

• Riley Webb

Second place this year, and 4 points behind, is Team Vortex, with 2607 points.

Team Vortex

• John Kendell

• Chris Knight

• Steve MacDonald

• James Mathers

• Meg Peterson

• Harrison Simms Brown

• Taylor Simms Brown

• Andrew Turnbull

• Richard Usher-Jones

Rounding out the top three is Team Cruiser with 2581 points

Team Cruiser

• Graeme Blair

• Greg Cavers

• Peter Dyson

• Brian Holland

• Duff Isberg

• Brad McMullen

• Paul Peterson

• Kate Veer

• Cynthia Waite

Each of these teams received a medal and $34.44 placed onto their club tab. (Bar veterans will recognize this as the cost of one pitcher of beer!)

Our top three skiers in each of the Masters and Open Categories were:

Under 55

• 1.      Meg Peterson

• 2.      Kate Farrow

• 3.      Mackenzie Irwin

• 1.      Ben Williams

• 2.      Taylor Simms Brown

• 3.      Spencer McCool

Masters

• 1.      Leslie Sims

• 2.      Anne Mathers

• 3.      Cynthia Waite

• 1.      Al LaChance

• 2.      Dave Raymond

• 3.      Jeff Sutherland

Our three most improved skiers this year were:

• Phil Ottaway - moved up 29 place

• Craig Shibley - moved up 19 places

• Andrew Athey - moved up 15 places

Those that didn't receive their medals can get them from Brook Dyson. Email him at gdhl@gdhl.org.

This year saw over a dozen families race on the circuit together. The Fastest Family award went to the team of Harrison Simms Brown and Taylor Simms Brown, with the Sutherlands and Dysons rounding out the top three.

Phil and other trophy winners could be found drinking from their hardware at the end of the night!

Throughout the evening, special awards were handed out for excellence in the following categories:

• Largest New Equipment Budget:

  • Riley Keast

• Reluctant Racer That Keeps Coming Back:

  • Brad Sproule

• Most DNFs:

  • Riley Webb

• Skied Your Rank

  • Paul Peterson

  • Leslie Sims

Our Challenge Cup was updated this year to recognize the next generation of grudge match in the GDHL: the rivalry between Steve MacDonald and Paul Peterson. This year it was narrowly won by Paul, although Steve was victorious in the Club Champs!

Each of our racers received a GDHL Yeti Mug. Feel free to use it for coffee/beer/PEDs. If you missed the banquet and did not receive yours, you can pick it up from the front desk.

Next year the GDHL will come back bigger and better than ever! Thank you to the volunteers, the sponsors, and to the club staff that help make this possible.

Next year we plan on bringing you:

• Night Race

• Dual Slalom

• Apres Ski following our Saturday races

• New GDHL gear

• The return of the Calcutta

• Much, much more!

If you know anyone that is interested in participating as a racer or sponsor next year, ask them to email gdhl@gdhl.org or check out our IG @craigleithgdhl to get put on our 2023 Season reminder list.

Keep an eye out for an announcement on GDHL gear for the 2023 season. We will be asking our racers to pre-order their specific size for next year's gear.

Thanks - and see you in 2023!

Your 2022 GDHL Committee

• Brook Dyson

• Douglas Jarvis

• Carrie Lenauskus

• Jamie Coulter

• Richard Usher-Jones

• Chris Knight

• Peter Dyson

• Steve MacDonald

• Mike Deangelis

Cheers to a great season! If you are pining for more writing from Doug Jarvis this off season, take a look at his wine blog here: www.vintagesbiweekly.com. for bi-weekly newsletters straight to your inbox.

-Doug

THE GDHL FINALE

It is officially March which means Spring Skiing, Ski-Nanigans, Après Skis on the patio, and… The END of YEAR GDHL BANQUET!

If you have not bought your tickets, do so now! If you would like more details on the event, which is this Saturday, March 5th, keep reading.

This past weekend was reserved for the Interclub Finals (which Craigleith won, obviously), so there are no GDHL races to report back on. Usually that would make for a boring newsletter, however we still have a lot of unfinished business. Beyond the detailed description of Saturday night’s GDHL End of Year Banquet, you will find more information on the following:

• Club Championships – this Saturday, March 5th Starting at 8 30 am

• Interclub Finale – The Story of Craigleith’s dominance

• Fantasy GDHL – Who won, which skier was the best pick?

• Coach Glenn’s Weekly Skiing Tips

Mackenzie Irwin & Al Lachance of Craigleith’s Interclub team show off last weekend’s hardware

The Banquet

We are ecstatic to be hosting our annual GDHL end of year Banquet! At the start of the year, our main concern was just getting you on the hill, now we get to host you in person, inside, while serving delicious food and drink. The banquet starts at 7 PM this Saturday, March 5th in the Base Lodge. The bar will be serving, but the GDHL happily encourages you to BYOB of wine, for only a $10 corkage fee. There will be a lot of additional libations to enjoy from our sponsors and friends. Tickets are $35/per person, and all are welcome! We are happy to host you and your partner, and friends or potential recruits for future GDHL seasons!

Now there is obvious interest in how the event will be handled, as some of us are still emerging from our COVID shells, and slowly feeling out the social sphere in which we are comfortable. In order to best address some of the questions we have received, here are the FAQs:

• Q: Where is the dinner being held?

• A: The dinner will be hosted in the Base Lodge Great Room, in front of the fireplace. Seating at tables will be far more spread out than previous years that we have hosted in the Georgian Bay Room.

• Q: How many people will be attending?

• A: We have allocated 100 seats for this dinner, we hope and forecast all will sell out.

• Q: How is seating arranged?

• A: Tables will be rush seating, however if you arrive on time there should be no issue to find a way to keep your group together at a table

• Q: What awards will be handed out during the evening?

• A: The evening will feature many awards including the top male and female racers, as well as the top teams for 2022. Knowing the GDHL committee, there will be a couple fun awards to honour skiers of all skill levels.

• Q: If I show up in a full downhill suit will I be provided complimentary drinks?

• A: Yes, there is a high chance that if you show up in your downhill suit, that’s been shoved in your closet all season, someone will ensure your cup is full all evening.

As stated above, the committee will be handing out all awards for our 2022 season which you will not want to miss! We also do not want to miss you. If there is something you need from us to accommodate you, please reach out to GDHL@GDHL.org. We look forward to seeing you there.

Club Championships

This weekend is ALSO Club Championships! Remember the whole busy calendar comment above? Yah, it is a busy month! All GDHL racers are automatically entered, but there are some details for you to know ahead of the races this weekend.

There will be two races, one GS in the morning, and one Slalom in the afternoon. Each are only one run… make it count! Both Races are on Big John, and you are invited to wear for FULL DOWNHILL SUIT.

Saturday’s schedule is:

• 8 am – 8 45 am: Bib Pick Up at Race Office

• 8 40 – 9 10 am: GS Run Inspection

• 9 30: GS Race Start

• 12:10 – 12:40: Slalom Run Inspection

• 1 pm: Slalom Race Start

Following all the races there will be a Tequila and Tacos Après at Base Lodge, which sounds like a perfect way to compound any injuries you suffer during your races. Or maybe give yourself a head injury in the way of a hangover for Sunday morning.

All Club Championship Awards will be handed out on Sunday at Noon on the South Lodge Deck.

You too can win awards, like Taylor Simms Brown and Meg Peterson do, by racing in this weekend’s club championships!

Interclub

Again, and again the Craigleith Interclub team is proving to the Niagara Escarpment, nay, the entire Ski Community of Canada, that our Adult Race program is incomparable! The Craigleith Interclub team won their 10th season in a row last weekend with spectacular performances from all the racers on the team. Captain Taylor Simms Brown had the following to say about his team’s victory and recent dominance:

What a weekend!

We absolutely crushed the competition with Sims, Veer, Mack, Ryley, LaChance, Sutherland, Cavers, McLorie, and Murdison winning 10 of the 11 age categories that the team entered.

Notable VIE's were The Timeless LaChance (29), Fregren's PB (28), The Return of Raymond (27), Caveman (27), Sudsy (27) and Lady Mack (24).

Meg took the overall for the ladies, solidifying her first Interclub Championship (of many we hope) and I was lucky enough to earn a spot to get a pic with her!

Craigleith has won this title a bunch since 1978, but this win marked our 10th straight victory which is insane.

Thanks to Kathy and Jeff for bringing us together over a really nice meal. It was great to get out there with this crew again.

Get your tix to the GDHL Banquet so we can keep this party rolling!

That's a wrap for 2022.

What a weekend indeed!

Craigleith’s Winning Interclub Team 2022

Fantasy GDHL

Thank you to all those who participated in another year of Fantasy GDHL. We had great participation with 45 teams being submitted, amassing a $900 kitty! With the double header weekends, it was a bit difficult to keep everything up to date, however our hamsters have finished spinning the wheels and the monkeys at their typewriters have the final tally for this year’s winners.

Drum Roll Please…

1. 1st Ski Team - Steve MacDonald – 1,166 Pts

2. 2nd The Slippery Petes - Paul Peterson – 1,135 Pts

3. 3rd Super Awesome Team - Riley Keast – 1,062 Pts

There were a lot of great teams that were put together by the participants, but none could keep up with these three. Truly a spectacular performance in picking the RIGHT ski racers this season. Congratulations to Steve, Paul and Riley.

For those of you curious as to who were the highest point getters this year, feast your eyes below!

1. 1st Philip Ottaway – 255 Pts

2. 2nd Leslie Sims – 250 Pts

3. 3rd Andrew Turnbull – 247 Pts

4. 4th Brandon Popalis – 246 Pts

5. 5th Carrie Laurencelle – 243 Pts

Each of these skiers skied consistently, showed up at races, regardless of weather or distractions, and performed well above their ranks. Congratulations to Philip, Leslie, Andrew, Brandon, and Carrie!

Full results for teams and athletes are available here

Another great fantasy GDHL awaits us next year, looking forward to having you all involved.

Glenn’s Coaching Tip!

Coaching Tip: Shortening the inside leg

Shortening or flexing the inside leg will apply more pressure against, and create more edge angle of the outside ski, resulting in more powerful turns. When the inside ankle and knee roll towards the fall line the inside leg also flexes or shortens under the body while the ski stays on the snow. This action allows the outside leg to extend and become more lateral as demonstrated by this video. Its important to press the outside arm down the hill and keep your inside arm in front of you. (LINK)

World cup skiers are working on technical skills in the following video. Watch for the shortening of the inside leg as the outside leg extends. Also watch for constant shin pressure on both boots, the body moving forward rather than upwards and 100 percent pressure against the outside ski. (LINK)

That is all for today. March is a great month to get out and ski, see friends and re introduce yourself to all those things we have forgotten about since Covid started. Enjoy yourself and see you at the Banquet!

-Doug

Banquet is This Saturday, March 5th - Buy Your Tickets!

The Smell of Spring Skiing is in the air! We have entered March, which means we’ve got sunny days ahead, and a jam-packed month of events.

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves though, you need to book our tickets for our End of Year Banquet! The GDHL is hosting our annual finale this weekend, Saturday, March 5th.

Tickets are on sale and can be found on your social calendar in the Craigleith app or website. We will be in the Base Lodge, with seating a bit more spread out than usual. There will be delicious drinks and eats all night long, and there is a $10 corkage if you wish to bring your own wine.

Go on and buy your tickets NOW! You will hear more from us on Thursday Morning!

-Doug

The Winning Team from 2020 at our End of Year Banquet!

A STORYBOOK FINALE

That’s a wrap! The GDHL racing finished with an exciting, and entertaining dual slalom last Sunday, leaving us with only our end of year banquet to cap it all off. Thank you to all our racers, the race staff, our Coach – Glenn Blaylock, Coyotes, volunteers, and Craigleith. There were certainly doubts that our season could come to fruition through yet another Covid winter, but we have succeeded, and we have had a lot of fun along the way.

Even in the coldest of winters, like what we have been experiencing this year, ski racing gives participants something to look forward to every weekend. It keeps us moving forward, and excited about the falling snow. It is our great fortune that we were able to enjoy the winter take advantage of our ski hills and give us all an athletic outlet.

We are not done yet though! There is still one more event to take advantage of the End of Year Banquet! This will be a perfect moment to reconnect, live, indoors, with your fellow racers. More details on the banquet, Saturday, March 5th, below. Also, the full recap of last weekend’s race, an update on the Fantasy GDHL, a look a head to this weekend’s Interclub Race Finals, and one final word about the results on the season.

BANQUET

This year’s banquet will be in the Base Lodge, starting at 7 pm, Saturday, March 5th following the Club Championships. Tickets will be on sale on the online Craigleith portal starting this Saturday. The evening will include great food, drinks (care of Lost Craft), and entertainment.

This is the night we anoint the champions of our season and highlight some other performances as well. Our own, insta-famous Paul the Ski Racer – Peterson will be MC, so be prepared to get roasted for your early season struggles, or your busted zipper on your DH suit in the Super G race.

Also, there is a small rumour, unsubstantiated of course, that there is an attendee gift for the evening.

THE DUAL SLALOM

Last weekend Craigleith fell victim to wicked winds… so wickedly windy that there were sightings of Dorothy and Toto making landfall. But just as Dorothy prevailed in Oz, so too did the GDHL. On Sunday morning when all other lifts at Craigleith closed due to the hefty breeze, the Little John Chair opened up on time, enabling us to run our season finale race, the Dual Slalom!

The course was certainly fast! Starting in the morning the new snow was moved off the track by the racers while they completed their seeding runs. The first two runs were over quickly, positioning all racers in a competitive order for the afternoon’s race. Final results were only based on the afternoon’s runs, which provided plenty of opportunity for racers to improve from their morning’s finish position.

As the afternoon races began, the wind subsided a bit, the sun beat down on the patio and ski hill, and the crowds gathered at the finish corral. For those watching, the enjoyment and excitement of two racers going head-to-head was memorable.

Racers began in descending rank from the mornings seeding runs, building up anticipation as each pair of skiers reduced the times to get down the hill. In the end, there were only two racers that could eclipse the 20-second mark, Benjamin Williams (39.41 Total) and Spencer McCool (39.92) who came first and second respectively. In third came Andrew Athey with a total time of 40.83. Ben Williams, of course has already secured the Men’s title for the season, and this was icing on the cake.

Spencer and Andrew both follow up last week’s podium results from the Comet slalom, with their second consecutive podium performances. For Andrew, he has raced to 32 results in the GDHL, and the last two have been podium finishes, truly remarkable how he has steadied his adult race career to be performing at such a high level. For Spencer, this is his first-year racing GDHL, and he may have been slightly mis-ranked to start the season, but even he may not have understood his own abilities in January. Coming off a bummed knee, and a year of boredom during the pandemic (we can all relate) he has bounced back to ski better than ever. We are all excited to see how Andrew and Spencer continue to perform in the Club Championships and future GDHL seasons!

The women were led by another fearless performance from Megan Peterson, who has now solely locked up the women’s title for the season. Her first GDHL title in her storied athletic career, it is certainly one of her most impressive and important. Her combined time of 41.34 bested the times of Mackenzie Irwin (43.54) and Madison Staples (44.30) who both finish of their seasons with podium performances. This is Mackenzie’s third year in the GDHL, and she has always finished the season on the overall podium. Madison’s inaugural GDHL season includes one race win, this third-place finish with some top five performances. In recent memory, there has not been a more competitive and complete women’s field to GDHL, and it is so fun to watch!

Craigleith Interclub Captain, Taylor Simms Brown enjoying the sunshine on Sunday

INTERCLUB – THIS WEEKEND

For those who are still reeling from the high of watching the best compete head-to-head on Sunday afternoon, there is another great opportunity to cheer on your favorite Craigleith Racers! The InterClub finals are on Big John on Saturday afternoon, and to make it more exciting, it is winner take all.

This of course following a big win by the Craigleith Interclub team at Alpine two weeks ago (with a little help from the GDHL Dyson preferred start, and Milgram's sled) to secure the Hetherington Cup awarded to the top regular season team. It will be down to the wire, and your cheers and cowbells will be needed!

FANTASY

Some cruel person suggested making you wait to hear the final winners of the GDHL Fantasy League, and we support that suggestion! The is no better way to find out if you won the jackpot than by attending the banquet next Saturday. For those who cannot make it, the updated scores will be posted at https://gdhl.org/fantasy-gdhl-1

FINAL RESULTS

The season results are all on the GDHL website but be warned there are still a couple data errors that must be sorted ahead of the banquet. There is still some uncertainty because some unnamed individuals took weeks to report their DSQs in Slalom races.

That is all for now. Another great GDHL race season is behind us. Now to look forward to Club Championships, the Banquet and Spring Skiing!

-Doug

Quick Update for Today’s Races

In an apropos change of scheduling, the Olympic team event, which is dual slalom racing, took place last night. Clearly, our racing today will be far more competitive, and have far bigger viewership!

In regards to our races today, we have three important items to share.

1. This is a paneled slalom course, dress accordingly. If you choose to wear guards of any sort, realize there is danger of getting them caught in the gates. If you choose not to wear guards, realize there is danger of the gates leaving lovely welts.

2. Inspection begins at 9 10 am and closes at 9 50 in the morning.

3. Bib hand-in will be at the bottom of the afternoon race. All those who hand in their bib AND arm band (where applicable) will receive one (1) drink ticket exchangeable at the bar during après ski.

That is all. See you at the top and good luck!

-Doug

For the past few years, the GDHL has been attempting to introduce an inclusive and fun dual slalom race each season. We have had some major success and a few challenges with these events, so we have continued to tweak the event to bring you something better! This weekend we have our last race of the season, cue the drama and to conclude the year we will be hosting a dual slalom!

Those with questions about the dual slalom, please keep reading. Most important, everyone gets to race and this counts for points. It starts at 10 am on Sunday, and runs into the afternoon, all on Little John. It will be a big day!

There is an extensive bit below about looking ahead, and there is also a shallow dive looking back at the top performers this season, as well as a recap of our exciting and quick race last Saturday. The entirety of this newsletter centred around the excitement that we are getting to see firsthand this season.

Last Week

Last weekend we raced Slalom down Comet on Saturday afternoon. Two weeks ago, the theme for the races was runs finishing under 30 seconds. Last week the theme was finishing the entire race in under 30 minutes… or at least it felt that way! With a number of athletes declining a second run, many because they had skied their first run then went and competed in the Interclub race at Alpine, it made for an expeditious day. The conditions were expeditious too… or not. They were slick for sure! A short melt on Friday, then freeze up Saturday morning turned the course into cast iron. Some with well tuned skis had no problem navigating the hardened surface, others had some issues.

One person who had no issues was Katie Farrow, as she won the race in 35.21 seconds. This is Katie’s first win of the year, and her second in her GDHL career – in 2020, Katie won a similar slalom on Comet. Following Katie to the podium was Cheryl McConachie (37.04) and Mackenzie Irwin (37.09). This makes the women’s overall standings very exciting. Megan Peterson has 379 points and Katie Farrow has 378. Do not count out either Cheryl McConachie (352 points) or Mackenzie Irwin (350 Points) as both have opportunities this weekend to make big leaps!

The men’s side was led by Taylor Simms Brown (35.31) who is solidly in second place for the season, behind of course Ben Williams who has already locked up top spot. Spencer McCool had a blistering second run (36.83), securing second place on the day after a DNF in first run. In third, Andrew Athey made his first appearance on the podium in his GDHL career (37.04). Both first and second place in the overall standings are no longer up for grabs, but third place on the season is within reach for a few athletes. Duff Isberg is currently in third with 375 points, and close behind him are Gordie Bruce (371 points), Cam Bellamy (370 points), Spencer McCool (367 points), Greg Cavers (366 points), Andrew Athey (362 points), and a few more stragglers who could easily make the jump with a solid performance this weekend in the final race.

All of this means that there is a lot on the line for this weekend and that is the best kind of race!

DUAL SLALOM This weekend:

On Sunday morning at 10 am, we will start a dual slalom race, like none you have participated in before! The race will be scored, and the results will count towards the GDHL teams, individuals and fantasy teams. Everyone is included and encouraged to participate.

*At the end of the race, we will be collecting bibs and armbands. All of those who submit both their armband and bib at the end of the race, will be provided a small reward!*

The format for the race is two distinct races, one in the morning, one in the afternoon. The race in the morning is a seeding race, for the afternoon’s race. Only those who race in the morning, will be able to race in the afternoon.

In the morning race, each racer will face off in the dual slalom against a racer who is next to them in the start list. This race will be run in GDHL Start list order. Obviously, attendance will determine exactly who you will face, but expect it to be a racer comparable to your level. The two racers will face each other in two runs, one in the blue course one in the red course. Once all skiers have completed their two runs, the finish times will be calculated by summing up each racer’s two runs. This will result in our start list for the afternoon.

The afternoon’s race swill start at 1pm, and the start list will be based on the seeding results from the morning’s race. This race will begin with the slowest racers from the morning. Racers will face one other racer for two runs, one in the blue, one in the red course. The racer you face will be either one finish rank above or below you, based on the mornings results.

If you find this complicated that is ok. The benefit to the complex competition is that everyone gets to participate.

Following the afternoon race, where every skier has two runs (one blue, one red), the finish times are summed up for each racer. Your result will be the sum of the two times you raced, and then be ranked accordingly.

• Now come the big questions like… what happens when/if I DNF?

  • DNFs are scored with their opponent’s time + penalty of 2 seconds

  • If neither racer finishes (double DNF), then the fastest time of the previous two racers, plus penalty of 2 seconds for each racer

• Next questions. How do we start the race?

  • The race will be run on Little John, with the race gates and the Christmas tree that looks like that picture above ^

    • Start will go like this:

      • Starter will say

        • Red course ready

        • Blue course ready

        • Go

  • The Christmas tree light will be set up

  • The barge gates (start gates) will open simultaneously on each course.

  • Time will start when gates drop

• Another question; when will this all end????

  • This newsletter will end shortly…

  • The race should finish between 2 and 3 pm on Sunday afternoon

  • This is a perfect occasion to get a refreshment from the après and walk up the hill to cheer on from the finish corral

• Last question: will we get to see the best racers face off?

  • Heck yes!

  • Following the afternoon race, we will pit the two top skiers from the day mono a mono

• This should be electric!

For those of you who have now read all of this and realized that you retained none of it, do not worry. Just come show up Sunday morning at 10 am on Little John for a full day’s fun and entertainment. Bring your family, your dog, children, grandparents. Everyone is invited!

Friday training from our visionary and coach, Glenn Blaylock:

We will be training GIANT SLALOM on Friday, February 18, both morning and afternoon.

Be sure to sign up by noon Thursday so we can organize coaches.

Also, please remember to slip the hill after your last run through the course.

That is all for now. Sorry if these race instructions are more complex than IKEA instructions, it is all for the betterment of your racing experience. No doubt, you will love it!

Tune in next week for a season recap, a Fantasy GDHL update, and more details on our end of season banquet!

See you on the hill Sunday,

-Doug

SCHEDULE ALERT - RACE SATURDAY NOW @ 12 30

SATUDAY’S SLALOM ON COMET NOW AT 12 30

There is an air of excitement around Craigleith’s interclub team, as it sits only three points out of the top spot this season. With their second to last race this Saturday at Alpine, we will be moving our GDHL race start up to 12 30 to accommodate those racing in both.

To get you excited for the race, go ahead and watch Jack Crawford’s Bronze Medal Performance (LINK)

30 Seconds or Less

There is a special moment reserved for ski racers, which happens only once every four years, and that is the moment your co-workers and friends all realize what you do on the winter weekends. Every four years, they watch the Olympic Alpine events, and finally understand why you complain about random bruises from gates smacking you, and how spend all those Friday afternoons training. It is almost as if we live the alpine skiing social hardship only to be vindicated when the entire world turns to watch our sport. And we love it!

No one needs to know just how our ski races compare to the Olympic courses, and if they ever ask, your answer can be honest and simple; both are very exciting!

While this is being drafted, the Men’s Super Combined is underway, and the ski racing world is still reeling from Mikaela Shiffrin’s tough go at the Women’s Slalom. Many skiers, including Erin Mielzynski and Lindsey Vonn, have said in reassurance to Mikaela, that one race does not make a racer. We all know this as GDHL’ers, and we know the feeling of gut wrenching, angst, and frustration that she felt as she skied out. This sport can be so cruel, and it takes no prisoners. For once, we have seen that the greatest skier of a generation (maybe all time), is human.

At Craigleith, our drama comes in different forms! This past weekend we enjoyed another double-header, starting on Saturday NIGHT, under the lights on Little John, and ending on COMET with a short GS course. Both races were surrounded with excitement and great participation from the GDHL racers. The results are all now posted, so you can take a look at the GDHL page. For more insight on last weekends race performances, keep reading below.

You will also find details on the remaining two races on our schedule (Saturday, February 12 Comet SL; Sunday, February 20 Little John Dual Slalom), Glenn’s Coaching tips, training details for the weekend, and probably a lot more fluff.

This Weekend’s Races

The GDHL committee has always prided itself on delivering consistent, safe, and fun venues for our racers. This past weekend we decided to add a new verb to describe some of the racecourses, exciting! On Saturday we experienced the most exciting race venue many racers have ever skied, under the mood lighting set up on Little John. The slalom course was set within our capabilities – unlike the first run course in the Women’s Olympic Slalom – providing the 55 participants quick, 20-30 second runs. Down below, at the finish coral, spectators gathered with pitchers of beer to cheer on the athletes as they crossed the finish line. Adding to the fun atmosphere of the event was Jamie Schwalm, who was sitting in for Bill Barclay as the finish hut announcer. We all love the great work that Bill does for us, But Jamie had a certain swagger to his approach, ensuring the crowd was educated on each racer as they came down the course.  Of course, he knows the GDHL racers well because he’s coached half of them and drank crispy boys at Après ski events with the other half.

The excitement continued into the results, with Megan Peterson winning the race! Megan’s time of 20.72 seconds might be the fastest winning run in GDHL history. Following Megan on the women’s side of the race, Katie Farrow had a blistering time of 21.52 to take 2nd place, and Cheryl McConachie laid down 21.94 in her second run to claim the bronze in just her first race of the GDHL season.

On the men’s side, Duff Isberg showed that his skill set is not only for speed events. His technical prowess delivered him to the bottom in 20.86 seconds. Gordon Bruce’s first run of 20.88 was the fastest first run of the day, but only kept him in the silver position, and Taylor Simms-Brown rounded out the podium in bronze with a best time of 21.21.

Jeff Sutherland made his first appearance this season, taking 7th spot (time), and Mackenzie Irwin made her season debut (time) claiming 11th overall. Both of these athletes carried over their great Saturday results into productive skiing on Sunday!

On Sunday, a new type of drama was introduced to our ski racing crowd… the race hill was switched! The GDHL committee realized far too late that the schedule change was imminent, and even with our best efforts some (maybe most?) had to be redirected.

Trusting that all those who chose to race, made it, the rest of the day had its own excitement baked into the course. Rarely does the GDHL race GS down comet, making this a special moment. Beyond just a slight change in pitch angle, there was a small roller just off the pitch that threw a few skiers for an unexpected loop. Regardless of the course set, Ben Williams arrived ready to take care of business. In his fourth race this year, he has won the overall GDHL title. Ben’s 24.39 time bested Taylor Simms Brown’s and Gordon Bruce’s times of 24.81, and 24.99 – as side note, both Taylor and Gordon had impressively productive weekends.

The Women were in tight, keeping their ranks competitive (as predicted by this newsletter months ago), with Megan Peterson taking top spot (again) with a time of 26.06, followed closely Katie Farrow (26.11) and Mackenzie Irwin (26.36). You cannot script a better drama than the battle these three athletes are living out in front of our eyes! Also, for those who are curious, we were glad to have Bill Barclay back on the microphone in the finish hut.

One item before moving onto this weekend’s races. The GDHL committee are here to listen to your concerns and questions. If you have feedback regarding the race season, please email us at GDHL@GDHL.org. Or find Brook, Doug, or Pete in and around the races. We are easy to find, and we like to listen. We appreciate the patience you have provided the GDHL committee to enable us to have a successful race season.

Thank you to the Coyotes, volunteers, and athletes for making this weekend an absolute blast!

Draw Items

The GDHL held a bib draw for our big event on Saturday night, however given the fun, and circumstances, realized it would be better to just relay the winners here. Everyone who started a run at the Saturday night slalom was entered to the draw and the winners are listed below, with the item they won. All items will be available for pick up at the race office this Saturday.

• PEDLAR M. Patrick - Leki Poles

• IRWIN MacKenzie - Leki Poles

• LACHANCE Allan - Sweet Protection SL helmet

• MCLORIE Scott - Boot Heaters

• SPROULE Brad - Sweet Protection Goggles

• FARROW KateLynn - Sweet Protection Goggles

• KENDELL John - Sweet Protection Goggles

• JARVIS Douglas - SL Gloves

• LEBLANC SMITH Stephane - SL Gloves

• HOLLAND Brian - Sidas Footbeds

The balance of Schedule

This weekend we race on Saturday, back on comet for Slalom at 1 pm.

Next weekend, which is Family Day weekend, we race on Sunday, February 20th. It is a dual slalom for points, starting at 10 am. It will be a full day affair type activity. We expect spectators to gather, cheer us on and enjoy the racing.

Fantasy Update

This is already an absolute novel, so take a look at the updated fantasy standings here. More commentary to come next week!

Coaches Update

From Coach Glenn:

We will be training SLALOM on Friday, February 11, both morning and afternoon. The GDHL race this weekend is slalom on Saturday afternoon on Comet at 1 pm. Be sure to sign up by noon Thursday so we can organize coaches.

• Date: Saturday, February 12th

• Time: 9:00 to 11:30 am

• Hill: Birches

• Discipline: Slalom

• Equipment: Slalom skis and protective equipment: guards for hands, shins and face

• Coaches: Glenn Blaylock, Greg Roe and Cheryl McConachie

Important: Please slip the hill after your last run on the course. This will help us re-set the course part way through the session and prepare the hill for the youth group training after us.

Weekly Coaching Tip:  The Outside and Inside Arms

Start pressing the new outside arm “DOWN THE HILL” when you start applying pressure on the new outside ski. This action will move your body into a forward position which will apply more pressure on the outside ski and put you in a better position to start your next turn. Its important to keep our new inside arm up in front of you to prevent the body twisting away from the fall line.

A good analysis of how Hirscher effectively “squares his body to the fall line” by planting his pole down the hill as compared to Kristofferson whose arm moves in the direction of the skis is provided by the following video. Be sure to turn up the volume to listen to the narrative. (LINK)

Reminder:  You have plenty of time during the training session to ski runs out of the course to work on technique as the session is 2.5 hours.

See you on the slopes this weekend,

-Doug

We are Back in the Start Gate!

After two weekends of free skiing and training, we have a busy weekend ahead. For the first time ever, the GDHL is hosting a night race on Saturday, that will have lots to offer you and your family. On Sunday we will have a GS on Big John, in the afternoon to give your legs some time to rest up. The final two races of the of season, are February 12 and 20th.  Full details are on the schedule page of GDHL.org.

It is going to be a fun and busy weekend, and there are a lot of details to cover about the Night Race, so keep reading below. Additionally covered below is:

• Night Race Details

• Call for Volunteers

• End of Year Banquet

• Some GDHL Race Etiquette

• Training sessions for this weekend, including how you can take advantage of them!

• Wrap up of the Interclub races to date, contributed by James Mathers

Night Race - This Saturday 6 PM to 8 PM

This Saturday, February 5th, we will be hosting our first night race. It is a traditional slalom down Little John, under the lights. The race will run from 6 pm to 8 pm, with appetizers on the patio and inside. Beyond the excitement of this being a night race, please note the following;

1. The race event is open to all Club members! If you are 18+ years of age and would like to try a run through the gates on race evening, you are welcome to join us. Please email Peter Dyson dysonp@gmail.com no later than Friday at 5 pm so that we can get you on our list of participants.  Bib pick up for non GDHL racers will be coordinated by Peter Dyson.

2. This race is being put on by the GDHL with skeleton race crew staff, and we would love some volunteers. Any old racers, or old race crew, that are free Saturday evening and would like to join in on our fun, please email GDHL@GDHL.org and we will get you into a volunteer role for the evening. The most needed people will be slippers, and course repairers.

The goal of our Saturday race is to turn the GDHL racing into a full family affair, please bring your little ones, along to watch you ski to glory.

End of Year Banquet

The GDHL committee received some great news this week, that we have been given the go-ahead for our annual end-of-year banquet on Saturday March 5th. Obviously, this is within the current provincial health guidelines and there is always potential for change. More details on the banquet will be communicated as we approach March 5th, just make sure you have marked it in your calendar.

Race Etiquette for the GDHL

Yes, we all know that the GDHL is a storied institution with roots to some of the most impressive masters racers on the Niagara Escarpment. And we know that our racing prestige is head and shoulder above adult race programs at other private ski clubs. But our race crew, timing team, and GDHL committee are not all omnipotent. Which means, if you ski out of a racecourse, or straddle a gate, or commit any foul that should rule out, YOU need to report yourself. Please, people, please report your DSQs and DNFs to the GDHL@GDHL.com email, after your race, so that we can keep our finish data clean.

We appreciate the honour you show by reporting these mishaps after the results are posted, but it is a far more efficient process for all, if you self-report immediately following the race. Thank you in advance!

Training Sessions – From Glenn Blaylock

Are you interested in training with Glenn? Great! Saturday training sessions are all booked up, but you can join ad hoc on Friday training. The only requirement is to call to the race office before Thursdays at noon, with your intention to train on that Friday. The race office is very good at making sure the right resources are in the right places. You may be required to fit into the schedule of the coach, by either training in the AM or the PM, all of those details will be provided to you when you call the race office.

Now what will we be training this weekend?

• Date: Saturday, February 5th

• Time: 9:00 to 11:30 am

• Hill: Birches

• Discipline: Slalom

• Equipment: Slalom skis and protective equipment: guards for hands, shins and face

• Coaches: Glenn Blaylock, Greg Roe and Cheryl McConachie

• Hill and Course Maintenance

• Before your first run through the gates be sure to inspect and slip the course.

• During the training session the course will need to be slipped or reset from time to time depending on the conditions.

• After training it is important we remove the gates and slip the hill by 11:30 am. Please slip the hill wide and the ski tracks as young racers will be training after us.

Weekly Coaching Tip

The Start (Important video below and linked here)

Alpine races are often won or lost at the start.  An effective method of starting is outlined below: 

1. Place your boots just behind, but not touching, the start wand.

2. Place your ski pole tips on the hill side of the start wand, about a hand width away from the posts.

3. Stand up tilting the upper body forward at the waist. Allow your whole body to fall forward when the 5 second countdown starts.

4. When your upper body is forward of the start wand push back on your poles. Advanced racers will push back with their legs as well, moving the upper body forward even more, before the boots open the start wand. (It is important to note there is no upward movement of the body).

5. Push your hands forward, raise your chin and skate. Watch for soft snow on the side of the starting area to avoid catching your edges when skating.

For an excellent analysis and demonstration of start technique watch at least the first 5 minutes of this video.

We’re looking forward to another awesome training session. The session is 2.5 hours long providing you lots of time to ski runs out of the course working on technique.

Interclub Update

The latest interclub race involved both triumph and missed opportunity for our intrepid Craigleith representatives. COVID exigencies led to a Friday afternoon start at Devil's Glen. With calm and sunny conditions, it was as nice a minus 18 degree day as one can imagine.

Triumph was evident at the top of the overall leaderboard as Duff Isberg (31.84 seconds), Greg Cavers, Tom Murdison, Scott McLorie, Joey Hill and Chris Shipton swept the top six places, with Jeff Sutherland, Richard Usher-Jones and Allan LaChance joining in to give Craigleith 9 of the top 14 places. Allan, Jeff, Greg and Chris were the highest point scorers on the team, as their results came in the heavily populated baby boomer and just below men's age groups. (We note that Jeff has apparently not fully recovered from his dog walking injury and, for the first time in memory, didn't win his age group. We feel certain this will be rectified soon!)

BUT, interclub is a team sport and a full score sheet requires four women. Kate Veer and Daina Dunlop admirably filled two of those spots, but the Peaks fielded four women and their 17 point margin of victory was supplied by interclub's patriarch, John Hethrington, who scored 21 points as the lone finisher in the men's 85 to 89 age group in a time of 73.23 seconds. The Peaks also swept the men's 80 to 84 age group, scoring a total of 43 points there.

SO, here's an exciting offer for an aspiring female ski racer. Forget all those valuable but time consuming and expensive lessons from Glenn Blaylock and his staff. Just show up to an interclub race and there's a good chance you will at least tie Meg Ryley! Here's how it works. At the previous interclub race, Meg finished 6th overall, beating Scott McLorie and Greg Cavers, among others. But because she was unopposed in her age group, she scored only 21 points. Same as John Hethrington on Friday. We understand that Meg Ryley can't ski interclub on Fridays and leave Megan Peterson to look after MCR Interiors and ski GDHL on weekends, but if you're there the next time this happens, you will very likely get 21 points and make the difference! (We like John Hethrington, but he's been used to losing to Craigleith for the last 10 years, so he'll get over it.)

AND, just when you thought it couldn't get any better, the same offer applies to men if the race is at Caledon! ('Cause we can never get enough guys to go to Caledon.) So, @paultheskiracer, watch for your big chance!!

Next interclub race is Sunday morning at Jozo Weider. Register at https://interclubski.org/signup/ and send an email to captain Taylor Simms-Brown at tsimmsbrown@jascor-intl.com.

A lot to look forward to this weekend. Stay safe as you commute north, and see you Saturday night!

-Doug