I get dissed sometimes for over-using exclamation marks, but I hope that you'll agree it's justified once you've read to the bottom.

This Weekend's Schedule

Decisions regarding hill space etc. are still being considered by the Club at my press time. I will try to send an update Friday, and you should also watch for news in Natalie's email to the membership at large. The thinking today was that conditions will be best for slalom rather than GS.

Friday training with Sandy Nattress (our new adult head coach) will be at 9:30 and 1:30. It will focus on "get in the groove" drills with brushes and stubbies as conditions permit. Email Laurel to register and check in with her when you arrive to get details of where.
Adult Gate Training starts on Saturday at 9:30. Coaches for the program will be Sandy Nattress, Paul Atkinson, Chris Barber, Glenn Blaylock, James Mathers, Cheryl McConachie and Greg Roe in various combinations. Meet at the National chair or look for a sign there directing you to the training hill.
The inaugural session of Fast and Female also starts on Saturday at 9:30 at the National chair. Coaches are Kate Veer and Andrew Peterson. The first session will focus on "gateless training." A few places are still available. Email Laurel to register. This program is Saturday only.
The ever-popular Adult Tech program starts up again on Saturday at 9:30. Meet Allan LaChance at the National chair.
CALCUTTA IS SATURDAY AT 5 PM in the South Lodge.
Sunday Adult Gate Training is at 9:30 at the National chair, or check the sign for hill space. There are a few spaces left on Sundays although Saturday is full. Email Laurel to register.
Adult Tech also meets on Sunday at 9:30 at the National chair. Space is available for Sunday and guess what? Email Laurel to register.

So what about the race says the chorus of careful readers? After much discussion, the GDHL committee and the coaches have agreed that, given everyone's limited preparation time and the less than optimal weather that is anticipated, it would be prudent to defer the start of racing for a week. Better that we think than advancing the finish of anyone's racing season by eight weeks. Watch this space for the full schedule as soon as it's set.

So Why Am I Excited?

Well, we now have 28 racers under the age of 30, 11 of whom are women. The median age of the racers has dropped to about 46. And the class of YOB 1989 that has been prominently represented at the top of the standings recently by Alec Libert, Jesse Shepherd, Phil Ruffolo and Trevor Jackson has had three more members join GDHL. They are Cheryl McConachie, Alex Mathers (who I think would be favoured to win GDHL if it required skiing backwards through the course) and Kate Ryley (who beat all the boys when they were 11 and who is rumoured to be likely to do the same 15 years later).

Back in 2013, when I was working on the GDHL website content, I amused myself by including the following:

Choose whichever of the following applies to you:

I think that having more FIS points is better
I think that having fewer FIS points is better
I used to have less than 100 FIS points
WTF are FIS points?
I used to race with Steve Podborski or Kate Ryley at Craigleith. I was faster, but then ...
I used to race with Steve Podborski or Kate Ryley in Europe
Who are Steve Podborski and Kate Ryley?
I'm Steve Podborski or Kate Ryley

This is the first time anyone has answered yes to the last question. Kate and her sister Megan, who has also joined us, are the first of the distinguished Club members who have raced on the national team to follow that with participating in GDHL Meg has been away from top level racing for several years, but Kate was racing Nor-Am last season and is currently shown as ranked 110 in the world in women's SL on the FIS website. See this NCAA promotional video, which is all about Kate (and a bit about Meg)

So that's why I'm with the Pointer Sisters on this one

See you on the snow, and at the Calcutta!

James Mathers