Take a Bow!

That could be a bow, as you accept congratulations for your season's accomplishments, or a big red bow to wrap up the season.  Read on for a belated recap of the end of last season and a look to the future!

Club Championships Results

Complete results are here.  Column F on the spreadsheet has the SL times, column G has the GS times and column H has combined times.  The Club Championships always bring out a different group of competitors and a few results that differ from the rest of the season.  Al Lachance ended a season on the sidelines but achieved his customary results with two age group victories.  Elspeth Gaukrodger had SL and combined wins in her group, Chris Fregren two silvers, Steve Jarvis a SL bronze in one of the few age groups where there were more competitors off the podium than on it, Randy Dalton rebounded from relinquishing the rivalry trophy by winning his SL group (although Trent took the GS and combined) and Dave Jackson proved that not all coaches just stand around shooting video, with smoking runs in both GS and SL.  Other double gold medalists included Jack and Cathy Weingust, Bob Callow, George Hayhurst, Scott McLorie and Leslie Morgan.  The day's events were enlivened by the inclusion of the 16 to 19 year olds on the same course.  (The GDHL ranking committee will remember this for future reference.)  At the end of the day, the fastest overall GS times belonged to Duff Isberg (32.81), Paul Atkinson and Alec Libert in the men's category, and Mackenzie Irwin (34.80), Jackie Atkins and Alex Kappele in the women's category (the latter two being too young to vote against Rob Ford in the upcoming municipal elections).  The SL winner was Alec Libert, by a hundie over Paul Atkinson in 43.95, with Carter Armstrong third in the men's category, while Jackie Atkins led the women in 47.07, followed by Cheryl McConachie and Mackenzie Irwin.  Paul Atkinson and Jackie Atkins were the combined winners overall, while Jeff Sutherland and Tiana Boyman were GS, SL and combined winners in the over 50 category.

GDHL Wrap Up

Saturday evening brought the closing GDHL dinner (splendidly organized by Marlene Jackson and company).  The slideshow full of good info is here.  The big podium placers are depicted below.

Women's overall podium, Leslie Morgan (2nd), Brittany Stainer (1st) and Lisa Warll (3rd)

Men's overall podium, Scott McLorie (3rd), Alec Libert (1st) and Ian Malcolm (2nd)

Women's over 50 podium, Daina Dunlop (2nd), Tiana Boyman (1st) and Margaret Isberg (3rd)

Men's over 50 podium, Trent Winstone (2nd), Jeff Sutherland (1st)  and Craig Shibley (3rd).  Craig was also the third Stooge.

Interesting to note that four of the six overall winners were more or less newcomers to the GDHL this year, although one of them may have been in the GDHL about the time others of them were born.  Other noteworthy accomplishments from the season included the following:

Best husband and wife total score:
 
Doug Macmillan and Lisa Warll – 767
Ted and Leslie Morgan – 666
Byron Darlison and Daina Dunlop – 576
Glenn Kilmer and Tory McKillop – 493
 
Best parent and child total score:
 
Doug and Steve Jarvis – 723
Ian and Sarah Latimer – 699
Chris and Stephanie Clark – 570
Kevin Gust and Bob Callow (in-laws) – 490
 

The Greg Lee awards for most improved skiers were calculated based on the lowest fraction resulting from dividing a skier's final overall finishing place by his or her ranking.  Surprisingly few people scored below their rankings.  Ian Malcolm had a fraction of about 0.05, which is why the awards are only open to those whose rankings are based on previous GDHL results.  The top three are Jamie Coulter (ranked 82, finished 40, 0.488 fraction, last year finished 80), Will Andrew (rank 69, finish 39, 0.565, last year 64) and Brook Dyson (rank 33, finish 20, 0.606, last year 30).  Leslie Morgan was the top female (rank 60, finish 45, 0.75, last year 53), Daina Dunlop was next (rank 93, finish 77, 0.828, last year 88) and Elspeth Gaukrodger was third (rank 100, finish 95, 0.95, last year 95).  One of the winners told me that his improvement had come from gaining confidence that his technical skills justified him skiing more aggressively, while another said that an investment in two pairs of race skis to replace one pair of all mountain skis, plus some tuning equipment had helped.  Leslie Morgan is in some respects an unlikely candidate for most-improved, having already reached great heights in the world of the CSIA, but she's shed the shackles of consistent speed and turn shape, for the thrill of hurtling downhill in Lycra, all to great effect.

You will have noted from the picture above that Lisa Warll's successful season ended prematurely during the last GS on Big John.  Apart from the results recorded above, Lisa unwittingly contributed to one of the Three Stooges awards, when our esteemed chairman was unable to resist the lure of fashion during the chilly delay occasioned while Lisa was being assisted from the scene of her accident. We are pleased to report that Lisa seems well on the way to a full recovery.

JF releases his inner tiger!

Apparently some members of the consortium that owned the winning Calcutta team (which paid them $2925 on their investment of $475 after team buybacks) eschew publicity and were distressed that their winnings were not paid out in unmarked bills, so I will leave it to you to explore the details of the team standings independently.  I will note only that our men's and women's most-improved winners and a mis-ranked newcomer led Landslide to victory.  Special thanks are due to Randy Dalton, who (with his eponymous commercial enterprise) sponsored all of the evening's awards.

Interclub Finals

The future of the interclub league seemed in doubt at Christmas, but great things don't die easily and some last minute heroics laid the groundwork for a successful season.  It culminated with the finals hosted by Devil's Glen. The conflict with the date of Skinanigans (and other seasonal events) left our defending champions a bit short of qualified starters.  Things threatened to turn out badly after five first run DNF's on a bulletproof course left the team three scores or sixty-some points short of the mark, as Alpine had turned out in big numbers.  Happily, everyone came through, finished off by Jesse Shepherd recording the fastest run of the day as last man down the hill (edging out Paul Atkinson), and Craigleith made it three championships in a row.  The margin of victory was 21 points and, as we would have been short at least 21 points without the finishes of each of the four women who started for the team (Anne Mathers, Leslie Morgan, Kate Veer and Kat Zoricic), each can claim to have made the winning difference.  Full results are here.  The men's 55 to 59 age group was the largest of the day and was dominated by Jeff Sutherland, Bebe Zoricic, Chris Fregren and Glenn Blaylock, who finished 1, 2, 4 and 5 respectively. Trent Winstone, Craig Shibley, Paul Woodhouse, Doug Deeks and Greg Cavers were other high scorers.

Other Notable Accomplishments

Apart from Club Championships and Interclub Finals, March brought the annual CSIA Level IV examinations.  These essentially consist of a dozen or so current members of the Level IV club standing at the bottom of the hill watching the aspirants and deciding whether to let them join.  Steve Young has recounted a rather long drive home from the exams in Quebec one year, when he was an examiner and one of his brothers passed but the other didn't (a hurdle subsequently overcome).  In any event, Craigleith had a spectacular showing this year, with our head adult coach, Jacques Reid, our GDHL webmaster, Rob Mathers, and Rob Campbell (not yet part of our adult racing community) all earning their Level IV pins, while Jamie Eriksen joined adult coach Justin Fogarty as having passed the teaching portion of the exams.  Lest it be thought that the Craigleith numbers indicate that the exams are not notable for their rigor, remember that there are normally only about a dozen Level IV pins awarded in Canada each year, so it's a pretty exclusive club.  As the proud father of one of the new members I am, however, conscious of the line about the difference between a ski instructor and a large pizza, and which one can be counted on to feed a family.

In racing outside the Club, Maddy Irwin wrapped up a notable season, winning the overall Nor-Am title (thereby entitling herself to a World Cup start in every discipline next year) and the Canadian national Super G championship race.  Those of you who beat Maddy's time as a forerunner in the GDHL Super G last January can strut accordingly!

Maddy Irwin, Nor-Am Overall and Canadian Super G champion, and GDHL forerunner

Plan Your Off-season On Snow!

You will remember that GDHL sponsor Michel Pratte has great pre-season camps available.  It's not too late to sign up for the Zermatt glacier camp from 20 to 30 September.  I have been to this camp several times, and it may offer the best racing conditions you will get all year.  Unlike the soft summer snow in Whistler, the Zermatt glacier in September offers midwinter natural snow conditions, often with fresh snow overnight, longer courses than we ski at Craigleith and usually bright sunny conditions, rather than January gloom.  The coaching is top-notch, Zermatt is a really cool place to hang out and the other people skiing tend to be World Cup racers or mogul skiers, or members of the Swiss Interski demo team (instructors who apparently do quite nicely on the pay scale).  

Michel also offers three week-long camps at Copper Mountain, Colorado from 25 October through 15 November and two week-long camps at Sun Peaks from 22 November to 6 December.  I haven't been to Copper, but was at Sun Peaks with a big group from Craigleith last year.  It lacks the glamour of Zermatt, but is an excellent training site and a more convenient way to get the same great coaching.  Click through on Michel's logo on this page to reach his website for details.

A Few Words From the Chair

(i.e. the guy wearing Lisa's tiger print jacket in the picture above)

Dear GDHL racers,

I hope you are enjoying a tremendous summer. It took a while but we have finally enjoyed some great summer weather to get out and play. I do not wish to sound any alarms of an early impending winter but wanted to reach out to you on behalf of your GDHL committee to offer a bridge between the close of the past season and what promises to be a sensational upcoming season with some details on activities to potentially build up pre-season speed. I hope that you are keeping fit so that you can enter the new season with confidence about your performance and your safety in the race course.

Looking back on last winter’s GDHL racing season, I have so many fond memories of great training, happy faces, friendly competition, strong friendships and racing prowess. Indeed we had a great season with massive participation from hardened veterans and the welcome addition of young blood alike. Our training sessions were filled to the max but the level of coaching was better than ever, through an increased number of coaches affording us a more intense personal touch as well as through the quality of instruction. The GDHL keeps getting stronger as evidenced by the performance of so many racers who, year after year, are reaping the rewards of their training, but we should also be proud that we always remain a highly inclusive league that welcomes racers of all levels. Personally, I am proud to see we can strike a healthy balance between keeping the Randy Dalton-Trent Winstone rivalry at its sporting best, challenged by the blistering times of our young, fast newcomers and, on the other hand the engaged and competitive participation of racing veterans and hopeful racing novices alike. We are always seeking to make the GDHL experience as positive as it can be for as many of our participants as possible in light of this delicate balance but I feel it is safe to say that Craigleith offers the best in-club masters racing program I know and we should be proud that this adds to the great fabric of our club. The conversations I keep having with people during my travels to race training camps keep proving to me that the GDHL offers a rare experience in quality and breadth of experience that is the envy of many others. We should always aim to maintain and improve upon that.

Speaking of adding to the fabric of the club, we had a tremendous season from the perspective of our contribution to Craigleith. As you know GDHL’ers are connected not only to masters racing but to the kids’ racing programs as well. We not only sacrifice peace and sanity to breed the young new racers of tomorrow (I know… it is a rewarding duty), but we are strong financial sponsors of their activities either directly or through the fundraising efforts at the club. This year the GDHL added to that by contributing an impressive surplus of more than $20,000 to Craigleith’s racing infrastructure, funding the purchase of racing gates, computer and timing equipment, race huts, etc. These contributions not only serve to improve the GDHL experience but benefit racers of all ages and skills across the club’s various programs. The GDHL Committee and the entire GDHL community has a lot to be proud of in this regard. (Please see Craigleith Head Coach, Dave Campbell’s note below). I do want to extend a special and heartfelt word of gratitude to our friends Byron Darlison and James Mathers, whose respective contributions have helped enhance our financial position and solidify our vision of how the GDHL can bring meaningful impact. I also wish to thank the entire Committee for their investments in passion and time to make the GDHL experience what it has become. It doesn’t take that much to organize a racing league but it sure takes a lot to give it the GDHL feel. And to all GDHL racers, thank you for your exemplary sportsmanship and sportswomanship! What a great group of people!

I know that the GDHL Committee will look to the upcoming year with great ambition to offer even more and we certainly look forward to another great season to bring us all back together in great numbers. 

J-F Courville

A letter from Dave Campbell, Head Coach, Craigleith Ski Club:

Hello GDHL Participants, I just wanted to send a quick thank you note to you all regarding a few things. First of all, to the members involved with the new GDHL committee! There were some big shoes to fill with Mark Reidl handing over the reins last season.  Mark was responsible for truly building this league up to where it is today (still staying involved mind you).  JF and Byron along with several others did a fantastic job keeping the momentum of the GDHL moving forward and the addition of the new website and E-newsletters thanks to the Mathers father son tandem was fantastic!

The other large thank you is on behalf of the entire racing program –  the GDHL has generously donated any surplus funds raised from this year towards the Club's Program Development Fund. These Funds will be used for some of our summer projects including a New Start Hut, Finish Hut and a new display board housing on Millennium and the addition of two walls on the Big John Start Hut to help block the wind on those cold winter days while you are waiting for your race run! This will help us come that much closer to completing our Racing Infrastructure upgrades across the Club.

Thanks again and have a great summer!

Dave Campbell 

The GDHL committee has being taking a well-earned break from its hectic in-season schedule, but will be back in action before long.  If you would like to be part of the committee next year (or have suggestions or requests), send us an email.

Diversions

If you go to Zermatt, you might see something like the helicopter that one of Didier Cuche's sponsors provided to drop him off on the glacier for downhill training, so that he wouldn't have to ride the cable cars with the rest of the herd.  Very cool, but I'm pretty sure that when I saw Maddy Irwin on the glacier she had come by cable car.  Life for ski racers who are not crystal globe winners and the biggest sporting heroes in their country is quite different.  If you have sponsorship money, keep it in Canada, but still check out what one US racer is up to as part of his fundraising efforts.

Enjoy the rest of the summer, train safely, and we'll see each other at the Club before you know it!

Cheers,

James Mathers

Take 2

It seems that Wednesday's accelerated edition missed a couple of things, and that there have been some subsequent inconsistent statements.  This is the absolute, final word, gospel truth, unless of course something changes.  So stay alert, 'cause the world needs more lerts.  By the way, there are actually 15 under 30's in the GDHL this year, as I missed some of our late entrants when counting earlier.

Closing Dinner

There may be a few spots still left, but there's a hard cap, so don't delay.  Online or front desk.  Our esteemed chairman has reiterated the call to honour the (only) $10 corkage charge if you BYO wine.  Cheaters will think that Lance Armstrong got off easy.  There is no statute of limitations on being shunned.

There may be recognition for the highest aggregate point total by a matrimonial unit in the GDHL.  I have identified Warll & Macmillan, Dunlop & Darlison, Gaukrodger & McAdam, McKillop & Kilmer, Morgan & Morgan and Mathers & Mathers as eligible.  If others wish to declare themselves, do tell.

Club Championships

Bib pickup is in the South Lodge loft at 8 a.m. The afternoon SL will be on Comet, not Big John, where the morning GS is.  Morning inspection will be 9:10 to 9:40, afternoon will be 12:10 to 12:40.  Jacques Reid will be on hill to help you with inspection, tactics and other analysis.  Awards will be on the Base Lodge deck at about 3 p.m.  Dave Campbell has promised that things will move briskly, and the GDHL will be supplying hot chocolate.

Sunday Training

The last session of the nine week program will indeed be a dual SL.  It will be on Birches.  Gates will be paneled, but Jacques says SL skis will be best.  Pole guards and shin guards aren't required.  Racing will start at 10 a.m.  The adult tech groups are invited to join the gate training groups for the event.  One of the courses will be timed and the eight fastest racers during the informal pairings will be eligible to advance to a knockout competition beginning at 11.  Jacques has promised awards for noon.

Looking Farther Ahead

Next weekend (8 March) brings the NZ Dawn 'til Dusk Ski Challenge.  Looks like the weather will be cooler than last year, so the end of day bobsled run may not be quite as daunting.  The following Saturday at 10 a.m. is the interclub final, which will be GS at Devil's Glen.  Anyone who has been in an interclub race this season is eligible to race.  This event is combined with the Glen's regular big season ending race, so lots of great prizes and other features.  Contact Taylor Simms-Brown if you're interested.

Sponsors

In mentioning three of our sponsors in this week's first edition, I didn't mean to suggest that they are the only sponsors.  The others have been profiled in earlier newsletters, and of course their logos are displayed in all of the newsletters.  Their contributions have given the league a financial cushion and enabled us to fund the capital contributions to Club racing that I mentioned earlier this week.  (The new supply of gates will make its debut this weekend.)

Hopefully this straightens everything out!  See you on the weekend.

James Mathers

Guess Who's (Not) Coming to Dinner

Your news is arriving early this week to bring you a final reminder of Saturday night's closing dinner, awards and dance.   Cocktails at 6, dinner at 7, dancing at 9.  Tickets are available online or through the front desk (ext. 269) for $45 or $30 for GDHL racers under 30 and one under 30 guest.  Remember that you can bring your own wine for a $10 corkage fee.  But don't get caught having to explain to your efficient friends how you missed the party.  Get your tickets by the end of the day Wednesday!  You may be able to squeeze in after that, but no guarantees.  Calcutta winnings will be conveniently credited to your Club account (intermediate members talk to your parents), so nobody will be bugging you to spend your cash winnings at the bar.  It's gonna be excellent!

More About Ted

The New York Times is still in love with Ted Ligety or, as he seems to be an astute businessman, maybe his representatives are busy pitching stories.  (Winning the gold in GS was a pretty astute business move as well!)  Click here for the story accompanying the picture below.

Sochi Express on the Rails

And More About Us

• No Friday training this week, because of Men's Day
• Club championships are Saturday on Big John.  One run of GS in the morning, one run of SL in the afternoon.  GDHL participants are already registered.  Past practice suggests that bibs should be picked up first thing in the morning in the South Lodge, but watch for news from the Club.  Awards will be after the afternoon race, not at dinner.
• The last nine week session(s) of gate training will be Sunday morning only, dual SL.
• Adult technical training at 9:30 Saturday and Sunday.
• GDHL bibs need to be returned to the race office pronto, or you will get a hefty charge on your next Club statement.

No Races, But Still Results

Let me take the occasion of Alec Libert not having won a race last weekend to note our collective success in the world of adult racing at Craigleith.

• 115 skiers racing in the GDHL, up from 108 last year and 95 the year before.
• 13 racers under the age of 30.
• A bit less swag for individual GDHL racers, a lot more contribution to racing at the Club generally, including:
  • donation of a basket of racing opportunities worth almost $1000 to the Athletic Fundraiser
  • special purchase of a supply of gates for use in the adult gate training program
  • special commitment to fund the purchase of computer equipment for use in the finish huts, which will help with a planned live timing project
• Budgeted contributions of $6000 to general racing expenses and $2500 to general administrative expenses at the Club
• Big increases in Snow School programs over last year, including:
  • 50% increase in Christmas camp registrations
  • 100% increase in adult technical program registrations
  • adult gate training programs sold out with a waiting list
  • Friday training registrations increased by almost 50%

A Few Last Thoughts

Thanks also to Carrie for this article about ski racing at a less than elite level, something to which most of us can relate all too easily.   

Not all of our sponsors have chosen to supply me with details to recognize them properly, so I'll do my best ad hoc.  Budget Propane Ontario is a family owned business that prides itself on excellent service and customer satisfaction. It has been in business for over twenty five years in Muskoka, Simcoe County, and the Haliburton regions. Its main hub is in Gravenhurst, and it has satellite propane facilities across the region to serve customers better and faster.  Our benefactor at Budget has asked not to be identified personally, but he has been an enthusiastic and generous supporter of the GDHL in many ways and I invite those of you who know him to express your thanks directly.

Ron Warren is another sponsor with strong family ties to Craigleith.  He is the area representative for Dynastar skis, Lange boots and other great ski lines.  Ron tells me that the 2015 Dynastar race ski line will be available for test drives at the Club on Sunday, 9 March and that it will include a 170 cm, 16 metre radius version of the Masters GS  ski, so women can take full advantage of the performance boost that the men have been getting for the last several years.  

Last but not least, Squire John`s has been a big supporter of GDHL and Craigleith generally for many years.  Founded in 1969 and now operating from its main premises on Highway 26 as well as branches at Craigleith and four other clubs, it offers a great selection of the best ski products (not to mention bikes and barbeques in the summer) backed up by a staff of experienced and helpful people.  

This will likely be the last edition of the newsletter to appear on a weekly basis for the season.  Updates will be circulated as noteworthy events dictate.  Enjoy a great March on snow!

James Mathers

Is That All?

Nooo!  Not yet.  To start with, there's still lots and lots of snow!  And there's still lots of fun to come.

Family Day Sunshine!

What's Ahead

• Friday training is GS, at 9:30 am and 1:00 pm.  Contact Laurel to register.
• Weekend gate training is GS at 9:30 on Saturday and Sunday.
• Technical training is also at 9:30 on Saturday and Sunday.  Meet at the National chair.
• Gateless training with Jacques Reid is at 1:00 on Saturday.  Contact Laurel to register.
• Athletic Fundraiser starts at 6:30 pm Saturday.  Don't wait to get tickets online or at the front desk, and in the meantime bid on the great package donated by GDHL and all the other online auction items.
• AOA Masters Camp is at Osler on 26 and 27 February.  One day of GS and one of SL.  Jacques Reid and Scott Barrett will coach.  Click here to register.

GDHL Wrap Up

Thanks to all of you who returned your bibs at the conclusion of Sunday's race.  There are still quite a few missing however.   Please return them to Kylie in the race office pronto.  We aren't going to spend a lot of time chasing people who don't.  You will just get a bill from the Club.

On a more cheerful note, we have a great evening planned for the final dinner and awards.  Saturday 1 March in the Base Lodge.  Cocktails at 6:00 pm, dinner at 7:00, dancing to the Mickeys at 9:00.  Bring your own wine if you wish ($10 corkage fee).  Get your tickets online or at the front desk (special price for racers under 30 and their significant others).  Do it soon, as sales will likely be closed next Wednesday!

Last Race(s)

The final GDHL race of the season was Sunday SL in the sunshine on Comet.  Results are here.  Alec Libert completed an undefeated season, winning each run by almost two seconds.  Ian Malcolm finished second to consolidate his second place overall and Spencer Jackson overcame a big stumble on his first run to grab third place on his second attempt.  Scott McLorie finished fourth to take the close race for third place overall.  Randy Dalton laid down a season's best 7th place, while Brittany Stainer emphatically confirmed her overall win in the women's rankings with a fine 13th place.  Other highlights included Chris Fregren moving from 36th ranking to 19th place, Glenn Kilmer (29th from 50), Leslie Morgan (33rd from 60), Jamie Coulter (37th from 82), Dave Baran (49th from 78) and Daina Dunlop (56th from 93).

In the team competition, Landslide proved that they are aptly named, winning by many lengths with strong performances across the board.  Millennium had a strong final race, with lower-ranked skiers Paul Henschel, Brian Athey and Shayne Mintz all increasing their point totals by double digits, and Venture shook off two double-DNF disappointments to preserve its third place overall, led by strong final races from Chris Fregren, Randy Dalton and David Arthur.

Meanwhile, at Saturday's final Interclub race at Caledon, a slightly under-strength team was able to compile enough points to maintain its hold on first place for the season.  Jeff Sutherland, Greg Cavers, Taylor Simms-Brown and Paul Atkinson all won their age groups, with Paul taking the overall win as well, while Daina Dunlop, Chris Clark, Chris Fregren, Craig Shibley, Randy Dalton and Trent Winstone were other high scorers.  Results are here.

Looking Back

Here are videos shot by Morgan Rubes's goggle cam on the Super G a few weeks ago.  The first is of the inspection, and the second is Maddie Irwin's view as a forerunner.  Maddie appears to be pretty good at peripheral vision, as her goggles are mainly looking at her pole grips.

And Finally

Here's a link to Tina Maze's winning GS run in Sochi.  Ditto for Ted Ligety.  And what Bode Miller had to say about Ted's win:

“In general, (Ligety) just carries speed from turn to turn better,” said Miller. “Because he’s going deeper, his turn is actually longer … Ted goes so round that his turn is naturally a longer radius. So by the time his turn finishes, it’s time to go into the next turn. … That way, he generates from one turn right into the next one and tips it up. The two things work together. He generates more speed … and because he has so much space, he never pinches or gets in trouble because he’s always way far away from the gate.

“Take nothing away from Ted. I think he’s one of the best GS skiers in history,” added Miller, “but if he had some competitors that skied alternative styles to his — everyone right now is trying to do what he’s doing … If you saw a guy like (Alberto) Tomba at his best or Hermann (Maier) at his best or even (Michael) Von Gruenigen, those guys had their own thing going and they knew exactly how to do it. It would be tough for Ted to compete against somebody who was cutting that much line off him.”

Closer to home, if you're ready for some dryland training, get in touch with Mary Riopelle if you're interested in joining a group seeking a discounted group membership to the gym at The Northwoods Club in Collingwood.

And see you on the snow!

James Mathers

Read Carefully Please!

Lots of information to absorb, including changes to the weekend's schedule.   The final GDHL race (SL) has been moved from Sunday morning on Venture to Sunday afternoon on Comet.  Start is at 1:00, with inspection from about 12:15 to 12:40.  Bibs will be collected at the finish line, failing which you will need to return yours to the race office on pain of the pecuniary penalty to which you agreed as a term of registration.  As a result of the race time change, Sunday's training will be held as usual at 9:30 am, on Big John, rather than being rescheduled to Saturday.  Also on deck for the weekend:

• The Track 3 Friends & Family Ski Day is Friday.  Details are here.

• Friday training is SL on Birches.  Contact Laurel to register.

• Saturday training is SL on Venture at 9:30.  Timing will be set up both Saturday and Sunday.  Remember to check in with the coaches by radio before each run.

• Technical training is at 9:30 on each of Saturday and Sunday.  Meet at the National chair.

• The fourth Interclub race is SL at Caledon on Saturday afternoon.  Contact Taylor if you're interested.  Races at Caledon have often been an opportunity to get your first start on the team.

GDHL Closing Dinner and Other Fun

Plans are quickly coming together for the annual GDHL awards dinner on Saturday, 1 March in the Base Lodge.  (Note that Club championships medals will be presented separately after the races.)  Cocktails are at 6 and dinner is at 7.  New features this year include a dance band for apres-awards festivities and BYO wine arrangements.  You can bring your own wine and pay a corkage fee of $10 per bottle.  This can most elegantly be done when requesting glasses and the use of a cork screw at the bar.  BYOW is a generous accommodation from our caterer, so let's play by the rules!  Anyone found drinking from a broken-necked bottle will be dealt with harshly.  Public humiliation will be the least of it, given our esteemed chairman's avid endorsement of this program.  Ticket sales will begin shortly at the front desk and online.  Tickets are $45 each, or $30 for GDHL racers under 30 and one under 30 guest each.

Remember also to sign up for the Athletic Fundraiser on 22 February, and click here to bid on the GDHL's contribution to the online silent auction, among other things.

If you're worried about keeping in top racing form between the Club championships and the final Interclub race, the Peaks will be holding their traditional Super G on Friday, 7 March.  Details will be available shortly.

And this just in - AOA is presenting a two day masters' camp at Osler on 26 and 27 February.  One day of SL and one of GS, with morning, afternoon and video sessions.  Coaches will be Jacques Reid and Scott Barrett.  Registration will be available on the AOA website beginning on 18 February.  Jacques can provide more details in the interim.

A Quick Diversion

Just to introduce a splash of colour into an otherwise text-heavy narrative, here's someone's take on difficult conditions on the Sochi mogul course.

Results and Standings

Results of Sunday's GS on Big John are here.  Alec Libert again won handily, with Ian Malcolm edging out Scott McLorie by two hundies for second, followed by Doug Macmillan and Trevor Jackson.  JF Courville almost halved his 24th ranking to finish tied with Trent Winstone for 13th, while Brook Dyson jumped from 33rd ranking to 16th.  Rob Cassels joined the Rossi Masters users, at least temporarily, to record a season's best 29th, while Brittany Stainer was the leading lady in 38th, 0.01 ahead of Lisa Warll.  Familiar faces among the climbers included Rob Bruce (42nd from 67th rank), Jamie Coulter (45th from 82) and Brad McMullen (46th from 103), while Tory McKillop, Brad Sproule and Anne Mathers improved on their rankings by 31, 30 and 25 places, respectively.

You will have observed that our new database means that the final results will no longer be a closely guarded secret up to the final dinner, but the upside is the chance to readily analyze who needs to do what to whom going into the final race.  Alec Libert's lead in the individual overall standings remains unassailable with a perfect 464 points from his best four races.  Ian Malcolm is at 457 and would reach 460 with a win Sunday.  Things are very tight behind them, with Scott McLorie and Greg Cavers tied at 453, followed by Doug Macmillan at 452.  Scott is presently counting a 6th, so he could reach 458 with a win.  Greg's max is 457, while Doug could also get to 458.  Special mention in next week's news to anyone who figures out what's needed for a four way tie for second!  

In the women's race, Brittany Stainer has a seemingly comfortable 39 point lead, but Leslie Morgan could improve her score by precisely 39 points with a win, so who knows?  Brittany needs to finish 34th to get the one point needed to assure overall victory.

And finally, who's in the money for the teams?  Landslide, on the strength of over-achievement from Jamie Coulter, Brad McMullen and others, has an apparent lock on first with a lead of almost 300 points.  Millennium has a 29 point cushion in second place and has two racers who have only three finishes, so they can each drop their current 10 point penalties by showing up Sunday.  Conversely, Venture in third has had almost perfect attendance all season and its members will have to lay down some solid runs to defend slim leads over National, which is carrying one 10 point penalty, and Funnel.  Keep your calculators ready!

Ms. Manners

I have written a bit recently about GDHL not taking itself too seriously, but not tolerating abuse of race crew and others.  Time for a bit more.  We have recognized that, on the race course, GDHL hasn't ever had a formal structure of officiating.  Our course setter, Jacques Reid, has now accepted responsibility for making decisions concerning course safety if conditions are difficult and generally acting as the senior race official.  It has also been noted that some racers are not inspecting the course efficiently, by making numerous passes, stopping to socialize on the way down or showing up late.  Sometimes extra slipping is welcome if there is a lot of snow to clear, but more often it is best to clear the course and let the Coyotes do the final preparation.  Absent unusual circumstances, we will close inspection 20 minutes before the race start. Before then, consider joining Shelley Johnston or one of the other coaches on the course for a single thoughtful inspection.

And finally, if all of the wisdom you thought you absorbed during inspection and training doesn't stick with you and you're disappointed with your run or some part of it, remember that we're a family club.  I recall seeing a mother in the finish area struggling to explain some particularly colourful self-reproach to her stripling.  These episodes are best eliminated, and egregious examples may require the miscreant to explain herself to our chairman.

Self-Improvement / Live in Hope

Just as I was despairing of some content for this area, along came three pieces from the New York Times regarding Ted Ligety.  Click here for an article about Ligety as a late bloomer, among other things.   Click here for a neat scroll-through video compilation concerning Ted's technique.  And here are some pictures he's taken of life on the road.

One Last Diversion

A man was stopped by the police around 2 AM and asked where he was going at that time of night.  The man replied, "I'm on my way to a lecture about alcohol abuse and the effects it has on the human body, as well as the dangers of smoking, and staying out late." The officer then asked, "Really? Who is giving that lecture at this time of night?"  The man replied, "That would be my wife."

See you on the hill!

James Mathers

Illustrated Edition

Lots of pictures and video this week, including a new GDHL champ.  But first

What You Need to Know Next

• Friday training is GS at 9:30 AM and i:00 PM.  Contact Laurel to register.
• Gate training is GS at 9:30 AM on each of Saturday and Sunday.  The sessions will include timing, so bring your ChronoSplit watches if you have them as the sessions continue to build towards more race simulation and emphasis on quality rather than quantity of runs.  Remember also to use the radio at the top of the course to check in with coaches.
• Technical training is at 9:30 AM on each of Saturday and Sunday, meet at the National chair
• The next of the new technical free ski / gateless training sessions is on Saturday from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM.  These are freeing skiing sessions with Jacques Reid, using personalized drills with a technical focus aimed at improving your skiing in gates.  Contact Laurel to register.  Participation is limited. 
• The penultimate GDHL race is a GS on Big John and starts at 1:00 PM on Sunday.  Inspection is from approximately 12:15 PM to 12:40 PM. 
• Looking a little bit ahead, the Track 3 Family and Friends Ski Day is on Friday, 14 February.  Click here for details and registration.

• Soon after that comes the Athletics Fundraiser, on Saturday, 22 February.  GDHL is contributing a cool collection of goodies for auction, consisting of registration for GDHL and Saturday 9 week gate training in 2014, a private lesson with Jacques Reid and a race tune from Squires.
• And looking a little farther ahead, the GDHL closing dinner and awards presentation is on Saturday, 1 March (frighteningly soon) and our outstanding team of social co-ordinators is planning another great event.  International themed food stations, new after dinner activities and more - full details soon, save the date in the interim!

A Changing of the Guard

Last Sunday's long(ish) SL led to Alec Libert's fourth bullet in four GDHL starts.  As we count only four races of seven for the overall standings, Alec has amassed an unassailable lead, unseating reigning champ Greg Cavers with a fine display of skill and athleticism.

Alec Libert and Greg Cavers

Results are here.  Here is some video (and audio) of Alec's winning run.  And here is video of Alec training on the bottom part of Landslide.  The training video was shot by another skier alongside Alec,   Jacques likes Alec's "spine angle" of less than 90 degrees to the slope that he achieves by flexing at the waist and rounding his shoulders forward.

As for the rest of us, Greg Cavers was second with a comfortable margin over Doug Macmillan, Scott McLorie and Dave Raymond.  Doug Jarvis recorded his first top 10 of the season, while Ian Latimer continued his tradition of strong SL results, jumping to 12th from his 26 ranking.  Brittany Stainer won the women's division with a GDHL personal best 16th place, followed at a distance by Leslie Morgan and Lisa Warll.  Chris Clark, Glenn McKay, Jamie Coulter, Mack Barford and Will Andrew all had big jumps to finish in 26th through 30th from their rankings of 47, 45, 82, 58 and 69, respectively, while (a bit) further back, Rob Bruce, Brad McMullen and Daina Dunlop were big movers.  Forerunners Norman Struthers and Rowan Darlison comfortably beat their progenitors.  

On a darker note, the committee has noted with concern that this year's endurance SL was about 20 seconds shorter than last year's event, and will be pressing for a longer challenge next year.

And note that our results database is providing overall standings complete with year end adjustments as needed to give people four results.  Team Landslide has a comfortable lead despite presently incurring 20 points in adjustment penalties, while things are tight between Millennium, Venture and Funnel for the rest of the positions in the money.

Fashion News Returns

Shelley Johnston has rolled into town with a big collection of what is ostensibly Belgian World Cup team outfits.  A big advantage of being on a small team is that you can attach a flag to your own fashionable attire and it becomes teamware.  See below for Saturday's innovative Top Gun outfit.

Take That Tome Cruise!

Meanwhile, reigning fashionista Carrie Grinter-Lenauskas doesn't appear to be getting over-excited by the challenger.  As usual, she sports Spyder and scores high on technical merit for identifying the components as the Hottie jacket and Sharp Lime pants. 

Not Just an Outfit, But Careful Picture Composition!

Interclub Round 3

Results of last Saturday's GS at Alpine are here.  While TSB's comeback win at the Peaks apparently left his knee a bit tender and he was on birthday party duty, his recruits notched another dominant victory, winning by 27 points over the Peaks, with Alpine uncharacteristically just three points further back.  As usual, the male baby boomers laid the foundation for victory, with Jeff Sutherland and Bebe Zoricic placing 1, 2 in their age group and Trent Winstone, Craig Shibley, Rob Burnes and Randy Dalton finishing 2 through 5 in theirs.  Meanwhile, newcomer Paul Atkinson had the fastest overall time of the day by half a second. Margaret Isberg, Daina Dunlop and Scott McLorie also won their respective age groups and Paul Woodhouse, Kat Zoricic, Doug Deeks and Greg Cavers were among the high scorers.

Other Notable Events

Erin Latimer, daughter and sister of GDHLers Ian and Sarah, will soon be off to the Sochi Paralympics, although not before making an appearance at the Track 3 event mentioned above.  Read more about Erin's exploits here.

Another Latimer Skiing Slalom!

Some good video of Ted Ligety dominating the St. Moritz World Cup GS and Mikaela Shiffrin being toppled in the Kranjska Gora World Cup SL:

Doug Jarvis is awarded the first Bieber Fever medal by the Friday training coaches, apparently for applying Bieberish crash and burn techniques to ski racing.

Jacques, Doug and Shelley

And finally, Prince Hubertus von Hohenlohe will represent Mexico at the Olympics again, at the age of 55, and will sport a mariachi-inspired race suit.  It seems that he's probably a pretty decent GDHL level skier, with a nice bank balance and a convenient passport.

Another Middle-Aged Man in Lycra!

See you on the weekend,

James Mathers

Super G

The Super G was a great success on many fronts.  More about that below, but first

What You Need to Know Next

• Friday training is SL at 9:30 AM and i:00 PM.  Contact Laurel to register.
• Gate training is SL at 9:30 AM on each of Saturday and Sunday
• Technical training is at 9:30 AM on each of Saturday and Sunday, meet at the National chair
• The first of the new technical free ski / gateless training sessions is on Saturday from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM.  These are freeing skiing sessions with Jacques Reid, using drills with a technical focus aimed at improving your skiing in gates.  The focus will be personalized for participants based on their goals.  Contact Laurel to register.  Participation will be limited to 10 unless there are more registrants then that by the end of the day on Friday, in which case an additional coach will be added.
• The third Interclub race (GS) will be at Alpine on Saturday afternoon.  Contact Taylor Simms-Brown if you are interested.
• The fifth GDHL race is the "endurance" SL and starts at 1:00 PM on Sunday.  Inspection is from approximately 12:15 PM to 12:40 PM.  The plan is to set the course beginning at the top of Millennium, running along the access route then turning downhill on Venture and ending at the finish line back on Millennium.

Super G

It's not often that we have a National Team member as a forerunner, but Madison Irwin was the first skier to take on the new Super G course last Saturday, recording a time of 1 min. 13.88 seconds, with an interval time of 35.83 seconds.  I'm pretty sure that the course got faster as the morning wore on, but when Maddy hits the really big time, some of our racers will be able to boast of having beaten her time in at least one race.  Results are here.  As is often the case for the Super G, the field was a bit smaller than for other races, and the chatter in the start area suggested that some of the fast guys had been held up by bad weather.  Ian Malcolm took full advantage to win with a comfortable margin, recording the time of 1 min. 8.84 seconds and becoming the youngest GDHL winner in recent memory, with Doug Macmillan placing second.  John Banfield confirmed expectations that he would return to his pre-hiatus form with a strong third place, followed by Greg Cavers and Jeff Sutherland.  Morgan Rubes finished sixth, followed by Tom Caswell, who moved up decisively from his 29th ranking.  A quick look at the GDHL database shows that both Morgan and Tom have historically done well in the Super G.  Conversely, Brook Dyson has missed the Super G for the last three years, but made amends by vaulting from his 33rd ranking to finish 10th.  Other top 20 finishers who improved significantly on their rankings included Peter Ardill (12th from ranking 25), Rob Burnes (15th from 34), David Lash (18th from 37) and Patrick Galligan (20th from 48).  Glenn Kilmer (26th from 50), Will Andrew (28th from 69 – again) and Rick Lapas (31st from 59) were also big movers, while Leslie Morgan led the women in 33rd, followed by Brittany Stainer and Lisa Warll in 35th and 36th.  (Jamie Coulter jumped from his 82nd ranking to finish between them in 34th.)  Michael Thompson, Tiana Boyman and Dougie Craig also jumped nicely into the middle class overall.

Other Notable Results

Kevin LaChance, known to many for his assistance with Saturday gate training sessions, cut a fine figure in his race suit on the podium at the Special Olympics event, after winning his age group and finishing second overall with the fastest overall time in the second run.

Meanwhile, in a Super G a bit farther from home, finish times were a bit tighter than we are accustomed to.  At the Hahnenkamm Super G in Kitzbuehel on Sunday, being one second behind the winner left you in 35th place and being another second behind left you in 65th!

More Super G

This year we have interval times to whet your appetite for detail.  They are posted here.  Interval times were taken in the vicinity of the Comet start hut.  I was surprised when Michael Walker told me that they were taken in the same way as at most World Cup races, namely with a manually operated stopwatch connected to the main timing system.  Michael says they're usually pretty accurate, but that occasional unexpected variations in interval times that pop up when you're watching a race on television may be due to the timing operator being distracted.

The Super G also provided some good examples of what the GDHL is, and is not, all about.  First, we don't have gatekeepers so, except when someone contrives to miss the last gate, we rely on racers to disqualify themselves if they miss gates.  The easiest way, of course, is simply not to ski across the finish line if you have missed a gate along the way.  You can also do as one racer did on Saturday when he promptly went to the finish hut to withdraw despite having had the fastest time to that point in the race.  Or, if you're not quite sure at that time, if you contact the GDHL committee, we can make adjustments after the fact as we did on Tuesday of this week when another racer came forward to identify his concerns about having perhaps missed a gate and a committee member was able to identify possible witness, who in fact confirmed those fears.  (If you looked at the results on Monday or Tuesday, check again and you may find that you have moved up a place.)

Second, it was great to get a lot of help with removing nets after the race on Saturday.  (By the way, the yellow nets, and the trailer that carries them around to different races, belong to the Nic Zoricic Foundation and represent their first investment in promoting skiing safety.)  This prompted a note from the Coyotes, which I am happy to pass along below.

“What a great weekend!   Your Coyotes hope you had a great time with your speed event this weekend.   It was great fun to watch all of you (and sometimes hear) a few of you come down that awesome course!

We especially want to thank you for the thoughtfulness of preparing us food and hot chocolate to sustain us through our long day!    I don’t think hot chocolate ever tasted that good!  It really meant a lot.  Hungry Coyotes are not happy Coyotes, and  you certainly helped avoid that!

And we really would not have made it through the day if it weren’t for the many hands that helped us tear down all of the B-Net!  Thank you! Thank you!  On behalf of all of us!

Proudly Coyote,

Jen & Mick Gillard”

Unfortunately, there is one less positive matter to be noted.  The "suitability test" on the home page of our website is intended to indicate that we don't take ourselves too seriously, but we do expect civilized behavior.  We will tolerate occasional fits of poor-performance-induced pique, as long as they aren't directed at someone else.  We will not tolerate misbehavior directed towards others, especially the race crew.  Concerns on the race course may be raised politely, preferably with Jacques Reid, but tantrums are liable to result in a "time out" from future races.

Self-Improvement

Improvement is a goal for everyone.  Please complete the survey here to provide feedback concerning your gate training and other adult racing experience at the Club.

Shelley Johnston has directed me to this short analysis of a Ted Ligety GS turn.  And here is a collection of Ron Lemaster race photography.  The images are both artistic and instructive.  An additional example featuring Ted Ligety appears below.

Finally, an invitation to meet another keen group of racers on Saturday afternoon.

"Please join us this Saturday Feb 1, between 3 and 4 at the Craigleith Coyote Race Crew Hut, beside Squire John's location at CSC.

Help us give support to our AOPRT Paralympic team before they head to SOCHI, Russia, March 7 – 16.  The team, their coach and parents will be present.  Have your photo taken with them.

Please drop in to meet these great athletes, as some of them are expected to 'podium' at the Paralympics!

Hosted by Craigleith Coyotes.  Contact: Linda Housser 705-445-9821"

See you on the weekend!

James Mathers

Things Even Out, and TSB is Back

After last week's second run carnage on a deteriorating course, a hard surface and a well set course allowed many to have faster second runs in Sunday's GS on Vortex.  Meanwhile, Taylor Simms-Brown, in his first race in two seasons, overcame the pressure of being late for baby-sitting duty and the need for a rerun to set the fastest run of the day and lead Craigleith to victory in the second inter-club of the season.  More below, but first,

The view from the start ramp of the Super G.

Starting to glide!

Heading for Bowie - possible gate locations.

Super G Weekend!

The pictures above show some of what you can expect from the Super G on Saturday morning.  It will start at the top of the Funnel chair, run along Cruiser (hopefully not into a head wind, or through new snow), past the top of the Comet chair, down Bowie, then back past the bottom of Porcupine to the finish line on Comet.  It will be hard to get lost with the large amount of B-netting that is being erected. Be sure to arrive early (9ish) for inspection, as the Super G course is often closed down for a longer period than usual before the start, to allow for final preparations.  Remember too that you must have a full helmet with hard ear coverings and that, as there will be several racers on course at a time, it is possible that you will be flagged down if there is a fall ahead of you, in which case you should stop and return to the start line for a rerun.

When the race is over, please stick around to help tear down and roll the nets.  There is a huge amount of work that goes into preparing a course for us to run this very exciting race, and the Coyotes can't do all the work themselves for this one!

The Rest of the Schedule

• Speed camp runs Wednesday and Thursday mornings, including training on the Super G course, and all day Friday with higher speed GS on Vortex.  Contact Laurel to register.
• Saturday adult gate training will be SL at 1 pm.  Sunday's session will be SL at 9:30 am.
• Adult tech sessions are Saturday and Sunday at 9:30.  Meet at the National chair.
• The annual Snow School apres-ski for adults is Saturday at 3:00 in the South Lodge loft - come have a beer and munchies on Cindy.

GDHL Race 3

Results are here.  Unlike last race, 13 of the top 18 finishers had faster second runs on Vortex last Sunday, although the end result, a win for Alec Libert, was a repeat.  The young guns swept the first four places, as Trevor Jackson took 2nd and his hirsute younger brother Spencer placed 3rd in his GDHL debut, followed by Ian Malcolm.  Greg Cavers and Jeff Sutherland led the veterans in 5th and 6th, followed by older newcomer Doug Macmillan, who is quietly establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with.  Craig Shibley lost a fine first run by repeating last year's trick of skiing the wrong side of the last gate, but rebounded with the identical time in his second run, while John Banfield is starting to work himself into the conversation after a slow start to his return from retirement.  Brittany Stainer led the women, finishing 25th overall, while Lisa Warll came out ahead of Leslie Morgan in another close contest, as they finished 36th and 40th, respectively, less than 0.2 seconds apart.  Lisa was tied with Will Andrew, who this week finished only 33 spots ahead of his ranking. Brad McMullen finished 44th, confirming the opening week's assessment that the rankings committee needed more data.  Rob Bruce and Jamie Coulter scored solid improvements on their rankings (based on prior years), while Stephanie Clark edged out her progenitor by a mere hundredth.  Offspring also prevailed in the Darlison / Dunlop family, with daughter Rowan establishing a more decisive margin from her forerunning position, while Austin Gust couldn't quite match his father's fine 12th place time but showed little consideration for his mother / fellow forerunner or his grandfather.  (Have we ever before had three generations participate in the same GDHL race?)

See below for part of the reason it's so hard to get ahead in a GS race these days.  And now you can get the same ski in a Dynastar livery as well!

Market share -  Rossi Masters on the Millennium Chair after Sunday's GS

Kate Ryley

As an aside, Kate Ryley, who was a teammate of Libert, T. Jackson and Ruffolo in their Nancy Greene and Mackenzie league days, is off to a flying start in her NCAA races, having won the first three of the season.  This includes one GS victory with a 3.64 second margin and a personal best 15 FIS points.  Kate entered her final year of NCAA competition having been named an All-American in her first three years.  Dare we hope for a 2015 return to the escarpment and the glories of the GDHL and Druxy's masters racing?

Interclub Race 2

Last Saturday afternoon saw the second race in the remodeled Interclub series, this time featuring a fifth team in the form of a joint Toronto Ski Club / Devil's Glen entry, and the announcement of a fifth race to be held at the Glen on 15 March.  Craigleith's performance wasn't quite as dominant as in recent races, but was sufficient for an 11 point victory over the Peaks on their home hill, with Alpine claiming third.  Jeff Sutherland, Bebe Zoricic and Glen Blaylock finished 1, 2, 3 in the men's 55 to 59 age category, racking up big points as usual, while Trent Winstone, Craig Shibley and Ian Latimer scored well in the 50 to 54 group.  Anne Mathers, Margaret Isberg, Tiana Boyman, Greg Cavers and Patrick Brown (returning from a long absence) all won their categories.  But it was TSB, claiming not to have even tuned his skis while recovering from surgery last season, who surprised and delighted most of the crowd with a first run that gave him almost a half second lead in the overall standings.  Others ate into that margin on their second runs while TSB was attending to the twins, but couldn't spoil the triumphant return. Full results are here.

Self-Improvement / Live in Hope

It may have been a plan destined for failure from the start, but the flags placed on the stubbies in last Saturday morning's GS training course lasted only a couple of runs.  It wasn't the stiff breeze that left them littered all over the course.  The point is that there is a trade off between skiing the absolute minimum distance by pinching the gates and giving your feet some room to create edge angle without putting your upper body in harm's way.  See the picture below of Ted Ligety skiing GS, something at which he's reputed to be pretty good.  See the edge angle.  See the distance his feet are from the gate.  Look up the results.  Coincidence? I don't think so!

And just think how well he could turn on the Dynastar Masters ski!

And here is some pretty sophisticated home video of the first run of the Comet SL shot by Morgan Rubes on his goggle camera.  More of the similar is to be found on his YouTube channel.

Finally, don't forget to get Family Day weekend and Valentine's Day off to a good start with the Track 3 Race Day!  Full details are at the end of this message.

See you at the top of Cruiser!

James Mathers