Super G and Interclub successes at the same time and excitement in combining them. Details below but first, no schedule changes (for a change) but schedules nonetheless:

This Weekend's Schedule

GDHL Long Slalom starts at the top of Millennium, then runs down Venture - Sunday at 1:00, inspection at 12:15
No Interclub until the finals at Craigleith on Saturday the 25th
Friday training is SL morning and afternoon on Birches
Saturday and Sunday Adult Gates will be SL on Millennium
Adult Tech and Fast & Female will be on Buttonhole at 9:30 Saturday and Sunday
Save the date for the GDHL closing dinner on Saturday 4 March - details will follow soon

Results

Saturday saw the first-ever GDHL Super G on Landslide, although in many ways it was the historic Partridge course with a bigger pitch in the middle. Pictured below are four of the five forerunners, Paralympian Erin Latimer, Danielle Kinsie, Carrie Lenauskas (aka Lenoskis) and Glenn Kilmer. The fifth forerunner, Morgan Rubes, was busy concentrating on the task at hand, to good effect it seems, as his time of 47.71 would have placed fifth in the actual race.

The course itself featured some features in the first few gates, which enabled the thrill seekers and the unwary to get some early air. Access to a right foot turn at the top of the pitch was assisted by the natural bank on skier's right, which fed into an icy crossing of the course that drew great attention during inspection but proved to be quite manageable. One return crossing and then it was a question of conserving speed and navigating a final feature to the finish line. Greg Cavers, Scott McLorie, Phil Ruffolo and Alec Libert were the earlyish pace setters, getting a somewhat advanced start before departing to the Interclub race and eventually finishing 5, 6, 4 and 3. In the end, Alec suffered his first GDHL defeat of the year as the more "mollig" (well rounded) rivals Keith Farnand and ultimately Duff Isberg prevailed. Duff apparently didn't break out of the bullet for the entire run, despite recovering from three fractured ribs, a concussion and a separated shoulder (according to his mother) that resulted from his first race finish line crash. Thomas Squires (8th from 25th rank), Stephen Kurtz (10th from 22) and Brad McMullen (14th from 40) were the gainers in the upper echelon. There were 16 finishers with 50 point something times, starting with JF Courville at 50 flat and ending with Alistair Athey who had a pair of 50.99's. Sarah Latimer, Mary Riopelle and Erin Kaufman were the first three women.

Morgan Rubes has again compiled a video record of the event with his goggle cam. See below.

And Lou Montana has kindly provided an almost complete collection of pics of the field on the Landslide pitch. Find them here, and samples below.

As an aside, since we've now completed four races, the GDHL database is calculating standings using the year end adjustments for racers who don't have four scores. They get the average of their other scores, less 10 points, for each missing race. As a result, Duff Isberg, who has a third, two DNS's and a first, has 220 points for his two finishes (110 average) and gets 100 points for each of his two DNS's, giving him a current score of 420. By finishing two of the remaining three races, he'll be able to eliminate the 10 point penalties and maybe pick up some extra points by winning another couple of racesl

A contingent of GDHLers left the Super G early to skate or otherwise get to Alpine for the final regular season Interclub race as Craigleith sought to clinch the cumulative points regular season title. Some serious recruiting in the face of the scheduling conflict saw nine members of the Craigleith roster making their season and in some cases career debut at Interclub. Despite two women being kept in the metropolis by gainful employment, leaving the team one short of a full complement, Craigleith scored a season high 434 points, winning by 36 over the hosts and distancing their closest rivals from the Peaks, who didn't put the same enthusiasm into overcoming their own conflict. Anne Mathers, Rya Prozes and Patti East all won their age groups, while among the men Bebe Zoricic, Chris Shipton, Taylor Simms-Brown and Alec Libert won theirs and Alec claimed the overall victory as well. More significantly, Allan LaChance scored 29 points, Greg Cavers and Doug Deeks followed Chris Shipton's 30 with 29 and 28 in the same age group, Craig Shibley and Dave Raymond scored 26 each, Chris Fregren added 25 and there were enough other bright spots that we didn't count some 23 point scorers. Full results are here and an explanation of the scoring system is here in case you're a bit mystified. Special mention for enthusiasm is due to Phil Ruffolo, who not only skated over to Alpine with others, but made an extra round trip after the first run at Alpine when the skis he'd borrowed weren't performing as he wished and his reliable regulars were back at Craigleith. His efforts were rewarded with a second run improvement of over a second.

Other Events

Don't forget the Craigleith Hoedown on Saturday evening. Last I heard, tickets were still available through the members' section of the Club website.

Then, returning to the subject of Duff's mother, Margaret is again organizing the Track 3 ski day on Friday, 17 February.

Tickets are $100 for members, and a charitable tax receipt of about $75 brings the net cost below $65, less than what most of us pay for a half day of gate training. Here is what your ticket buys you:

· morning gate training

· a 2 run GS on Big John in the afternoon

· great food all day...morning, lunch and apres

· complimentary beer, wine and cider until 4PM (please...no RUI's...racing under the influence!)

· guided snowshoeing, morning and afternoon yoga, and lots more for those who don't share your love of snow

· a fun apres and awards ceremony with cool medals

· the chance to support Track 3, and be inspired by the many current and former Ontario Para team members who will be special guests

Tickets are available at http://www.track3.org/events/familyfriends2016.aspx.

Other Competition

Erik Guay has become the oldest ever world champion, winning the Super G at St. Moritz. Video is below. This is Erik's second world championship, as he won the downhill worlds six years ago. Sadly, I remember that was also the day that our friend and coach Greg (Sumo) Lee suffered his ultimately fatal stroke while enjoying Saturday lunch on a sunny deck at the Club. So I hope that everyone has been well today, and that we'll have another sunny Saturday to remember our friend.

See you on the weekend!

James Mathers