There is optimism on the horizon! We will soon be able to enjoy our hot chocolates and coffee inside while taking a break from the slopes! Heck, if you are feeling a bit peckish, you can even have your lunch in the Base Lodge. Yes, we have some great weekends of skiing ahead. Even after fitting in three races and getting through nearly half the season, there is a lot to look forward to. This weekend is pretty quiet on the GDHL front, as it is another bye weekend, letting you catch up on your training regimen. For those of you interested in keeping your racing momentum you can always check out Interclub, who race at Devil’s Glen on Saturday.
No races last weekend or this one coming up, gave your GDHL committee time to update some outstanding items Keep reading on for details on:
The Updated Schedule
Fantasy GDHL
This weekend’s Training Update
Schedule Changes
The Updated Schedule, as of today, looks like this:
Saturday, February 5th - Slalom Little John Evening
Sunday, February 6th - GS Big John 1 PM
Saturday, February 12th - Slalom Comet 1 PM
Sunday, February 20th - Dual Slalom Little John 10 AM
The changes that have been made are significant. Most importantly, you are urged to cancel any vacations you have booked to span next weekend, February 5th and 6th! We have our first ever, GDHL Night race on the Saturday, which will no doubt be followed by some social gathering. Sunday, February 6th we will have a GS down Big John, to cap off our second double-header weekend of the season.
We will also have one more traditional Slalom on Saturday, February 12th, before our season Finale race, on Family Day weekend, a Dual Slalom on Little John, on Saturday February 20th. February will be packed with excitement.
We expects crowds like this for our Night Slalom on Feb 5th!
Fantasy GDHL
It took a bit of time to boot up the Fantasy GDHL machine, but it is humming now and pumping out all of our results! The fun thing about this aspect of our race league, is that there are two ways to stay competitive. The first is to enter a team and try to win the overall contest. The second is to try to score as many fantasy points yourself, as possible.
In the former category, the current leaders in standings are:
The Slippery Petes – 494 points
Lashworth2 – 483 Points
Slippery Petes 3 – 470 Points
For those on the outside looking in, do not be dismayed, there is a lot of racing left in the season and climbing into the top three is within reach of all the 45 entrants.
The latter category is even more fun. Remember there are a number of ways to achieve points as a GDHL athlete.
1 point for each race run started, 2 points for each run finished
Podiums are 20 points for 1st, 10 points for 2nd, and 5 points for 3rd. There are four podiums: Men’s Overall, Women’s Overall, Men’s Masters (55+), and Women’s Masters
Lastly, differential between finish position in any race and that racers rank, with the minimum score being 0.
So, in the first race, Steve Kurtz finished in 23rd. His rank is 47th, so he automatically scored 24 fantasy points, along with one race run started and one race run finished, totalling 27 points. As the season progresses these races starts and finishes accumulate, and the rank differential can be the most important stat. the top three fantasy athletes so far this season are:
David Staples – 137 Points
Craig Shibley – 126 Points
Leslie Sims – 125 Points
If you have any of those three on your fantasy team, you are in great shape. This will pick up significantly as the season rolls on and the data compounds. For the entire listings of teams and athletes, click through here.
Training update - Glenn Blaylock ,Head Coach of Adult Racing
Date: Saturday, January 29
Time: 9 to 11:30 am
Hill: Millennium
Discipline: Giant Slalom
Equipment: GS skis, forearm guards
Coaches: Glenn Blaylock, Greg Roe and Jon-Paul Booth
Weekly Coaching Tip (Important videos below)
Review of Previous Coaching Tips:
We reviewed the importance of shin pressure against both boots all the time. To start the turn, flex the outside ankle forward onto the big toe. At the same time (or even before) roll the inside ankle towards the fall line keeping the ski tips level. Ensure the bones of the outside leg are aligned or stacked with no inward tipping of the knee. These actions will apply 100% foot pressure against the outside ski causing the ski to bend and carve.
The Transition Between Turns:
When building speed, as you flex the ankle forward on the new outside ski actively lift your chin and start pressing the new outside arm down the fall line. Lifting the chin brings the body forward and pressing the outside arm down the fall line will apply more foot pressure against the new outside ski. Focus using your back core muscles to press the outside arm down the fall line.
Our objective is to keep our shoulders level so we can efficiently start the new turn. Once you gain speed and the outside ski is carving, gravitational forces will push you up and backwards. Instead, allow the feet and knees to move upward. This is not a pulling up action, just let the gravitational forces move your feet and knees upwards under your body. This is the optimum time to roll the inside ankle towards the fall line causing a like edge angle on the new outside ski. Then apply pressure on the new outside ski, lift your chin and press the new outside arm down the fall line.
Excellent analysis of these actions is demonstrated in the following two videos:
I’m looking forward to another great weekend on the snow.
See you on the slopes,
-Doug