Important Super G Rules

The Super G is Saturday morning.  The course starts at the top of the Funnel chair, runs along Cruiser to the top of the Comet chair, down Bowie to the bottom of pitch, then along the cross-over past the bottom of Porcupine to the finish by the timing hut on Comet.  Last year, only two racers finished in under one minute, ten seconds, the median time was about 1:21 and quite a few racers were over 1:40.  It's a race that most of us look forward to eagerly, but it requires a lot from the Coyotes and the participants.  Please read and heed the following carefully.  I've included some neat video at the end to get you in the mood after you've absorbed the rules.

1. You must have a helmet with full, hard ear covering.  It may not have a camera or camera mount attached.  Your ski poles must have baskets and may not have slalom guards attached.
2. You must inspect the course or you will not be allowed to race. Inspection is from 9:10 to 9:40, but you must start inspection by 9:30. You must check in with the appropriate race official at the start, who will check you off on the list.  Inspection ends promptly and early in order to allow sufficient time for final course preparation before the race starts.
3. The ski patrol must be on site before racing starts.
4. Only authorized people may be inside the netting that has been erected around the race course. This means racers, officials, coaches, ski patrol and Coyotes. It doesn’t include friends, family and other spectators.
5. Movement on the course will be controlled by race officials using radios. If there is any unauthorized movement on the course, racing will be stopped.
6. Racers will be started at regular intervals. This will likely mean every 30 to 45 seconds, but will be adjusted as appropriate.  The spacing will probably be longer at the start, shorter in the middle and then longer for the last few racers to try to avoid waiting for reruns at the end of the race.
7. If a racer falls, the following racer(s) may be flagged down with a big yellow flag. Watch for "yellow zones" where flagging may happen during your inspection.  If you are flagged, stop racing immediately. You will get a rerun.  Even if you aren't flagged, you should stop if you come upon a crash, and you can ask for a rerun.
8. If you are watching the race and see a racer fall, don’t enter the course. The ski patrol and others will assist as soon as race officials have made sure that the course is clear, for the safety of those assisting. Please spread the word on this to spectators.
9. We hope to be able to complete two runs, but time is limited and this race takes longer to run than usual. Therefore, it may have to end without two runs for everyone who wants them. The ability to offer two runs depends on avoiding delays with inspection, being lucky in avoiding delays for crashes etc. and having the course stay in good condition.

This next part is very important too!

All of the nets that have been erected need to be removed. There are lots and lots of them, and the race would not be run without them. Many of them are supplied by the Nik Zoricic Foundation.  We need help from all racers. Friends and family would be most welcome too. Please stay or return after the race to take down and roll up nets. The Coyotes will direct you about what is to be done with them after that.  We will have hot chocolate and finger food in the finish area as a reward for rollers and afternoon training will not begin until everything is cleaned up.  

On a different note, for those who haven’t done this race before, don’t be too spooked. It is normally a huge amount of fun to ski as fast as you can on a wide open, well prepared and controlled course. Just remember to be in race mode as “taking it easy” may lead to you imitating a runaway train. Also, you might want to leave a second coat at the bottom of the course, as coat carrying will be more difficult than usual.

Thanks for your attention and anticipated co-operation. Now for some video.

The first two videos were taken during last year's Super G with Morgan Rubes's goggle cam.  One is of inspection and the other is Maddy Irwin forerunning.  This is an example of what you can expect this year.

Inspecting the Super G course above, and Maddy Irwin forerunning below

Here is Aksel Lund Svindal training downhill.

Finally highlights from Larissa Yurkiw's first career World Cup podium and from Lindsey Vonn's record setting 63rd World Cup victory.

See you at the start!

James Mathers