All,
It has been a slice! I hope you got your fill of skiing, or are able to supplement your Craigleith experience with some at other venues (more about which later). Those of you who ween't at the Club this past weekend would be amazed at how little snow is left. I think there was more on the hill last May. Hard to think we were skiing the previous weekend.
Results
The last GDHL race seems long ago (GS on Big John last weekend of Feb). James McLeod, Randy Dalton and Peter Rockandel all had top 10 finishes. Most impressive climber was Jerry Patten, ascending to 16th from a 51st ranking. Other big movers included Jeff Craig, Kevin Hillock, Matt Rady, Paul Hentschel, Byron Darlison, Greg Grinter, Gord Stein and Dave Macdonald.
Big moves in the overall season's standings are surprisingly hard to come by if you aren't Tony Rubes. Congrats to Jeff Craig, Rob Burnes, Glen McKay, Kevin Hillock, Jerry Patten, Byron Darlison, Katie Worndl, Greg Grinter and Anne Haldimand-Tait who all moved up at least 10 places against their rankings. Congrats also to Carrie for her overall win in the women's GDHL and to Margaret Isberg and Katie Worndl for being the top two "unadjusted" female finishers.
Those who didn't attend the final GDHL dinner missed a fine event organized by Mark Reidl and company, and also missed an unprecedented PDR (public display of rivalry) event, when Randy dedicated and presented himself with the Randy vs. Trent trophy for supremacy in the overall GDHL results.
I have attached a copy of the Club championships results. Note Trent's response the morning after the PDR, posting a 34.08 to Randy's 35.85. They will be in the same age group next year. Congrats also to Ray Murakami who leapt onto the podium in a hotly contested age group and Paul Woodhouse, who always seems to come up big at the Club champs, whatever the rest of the season has brought.
On the World Cup front, I couldn't find good video of Erin Mielzinsky's historic SL win, but here is some interesting commentary from Kelly Vanderbeek. I recall that Erin was a champion waterskier before giving it up to concentrate on snow. So watch out for more of Jerry P! Remember that Madison Irwin was also in Erin's race. Perhaps a few more World Cup starts will bring her closer to Erin's result. Their NorAm results are quite similar.
Here is some video of Didier Cuche's final World Cup run, thanks to Paul Woodhouse. This proves that at least some part of competitive success is about the equipment!
Tracy Dort-Kyne
The world turns out to be a pretty small place sometimes. It appears that Lori Kirwan, who I credit for much of any fitness that I've achieved, knew Tracy when Tracy was a fitness instructor some years ago. Lori and a group of those who attend her many exercise classes are organizing a "Plank-a-thon," in which they (perhaps including me) will see how long they can hold themselves in an abdominal plank and see how much money they can raise to support Tracy's cause. The Guinness record is now just over an hour and 20 minutes, but was under 20 minutes at the end of 2010. A couple of members of Lori's group have approached or even exceeded the current record in unofficial attempts. The event is next Monday, 3 April. For details and to donate, see here. I also commend to you all of Lori's classes. It's startling what you can achieve if you just show up every day and do what you're told. Achieving a solid level of fitness doesn't take nearly the talent or time as becoming a good skier, and I sometimes wonder how prudent it is to hurl yourself down a frozen race course if you haven't done that.
Looking Ahead (in more ways than one)
I spent March break attending the CSCF's "Performance Level Intro 1" course (formerly called Level 3) and came away with a bunch of interesting ideas. For example, it had never occurred to me that looking two gates ahead can actually contribute energy to create speed, not just make it more likely that you'll send your speed in the right direction. The theory is that by looking at the next red gate when you round a red gate, instead of looking at the coming blue gate, you will create separation between your upper and lower body because your skis are going to the blue gate. This separation, or coiling, creates torque through your core that can then be released to help propel your skis. Another good reason for being strong! The CSCF literature also warns coaches against creating "feedback junkies," who become accustomed to instant analysis after every run and are unable to think for themselves! So we will see whether some of these concepts can receive practical application next season.
Zermatt
Several people have indicated an interest, perhaps even an intention, to attend the Michel Pratte training camp in Zermatt next fall. I have attended in the past, as has Rob Cassels. It involves nine days of training gates on the glacier with excellent coaching, surrounded by World Cup and other high level racers and other skiers. It takes place in the last week of September and first week of October. Snow is dry and cold and I have been lucky enough to have blue skies almost every day. Michel has told me that he will give us a discount (unspecified) if we get a group (unspecified) together and that he will have a freeskiing coach as well, if that would attract participants who don't want to ski gates all the time. Eric Rousseau was there for that purpose the last time I attended and I think Michel has worked with Edith Rosza as well. If you are keen, let me know. See here for more info.
Summer
It seems that thoughts now turn to cycling for many of us. Another opportunity to don garish lycra costumes and have fun going fast! Carrie's thoughts have presumably turned to The Dress (another fashion news opportunity) and The Event (sadly not to be held in the starting gate / chapel at the top of Partridge), all to follow getting the knee fixed in the next few weeks. Carrie has also promised to be back for next season's adult gates program!
Whatever your own pursuits, please be safe. We all take risks, but let's at least try to be comfortable with the ones we choose, and properly prepared for them. Sadly, even then things can go terribly wrong. See here for some thoughtful comments from Kelly Vanderbeek. How good would it have been to have seen Nik in Sochi, and then back racing interclub with Bebe.
How to Start a Fight (Season Finale)
My wife was standing naked, looking in the bedroom mirror. She was not happy with what she saw and said to me, "I feel horrible; I look old, fat and ugly. I really need you to pay me a compliment.'
I replied, "Your eyesight's damn near perfect."
And then the fight started........
Cheers,
JWM