We took the day off today and drove from Alta Badia to Kranjska Gora, through the mountains by way of Lienz, Austria. It was a nice drive and a great way to reflect on the GS race yesterday.
I always feel lucky to be able even to ski down the Gran Risa in Alta Badia. The trail is so steep and twisting, literally falling out of the mountainside into the town below. It may not be the oldest GS on the calendar, but by virtue of its difficulty it is by far the most anticipated. And what makes it even more spectacular is that they prepare the hill perfectly - with just the right amount of water so that the snow is hard and fair for everyone, but so that it also has a little bit of texture into which the edges can bite.
I skied a pretty decent run by my standards, and had moved up to 31st by the second split right before the last flat where you had to carry your speed for about 20 seconds to the finish. They made too large rolls in that flat section this year for some extra terrain, and after going a little wide on the first one, I thought to myself that I had to straighten the next one out if I was going to have a chance at a second run. Well, I straightened it out alright and went right through the panel of the next gate! Argh, only four gates from the finish and my day was finished.
However, the race held a lot of excitement leading into the second run becuause the Italians Simoncelli and Blardone sat in 1st and 2nd place respectively, with Daron Rahlves and 21 year-old Canadian Francois Bourque right on their heels after the morning's heat.
The fans' patriotic fervor paid dividends for the Italians, as they successfully harnessed the intensity to maintain the top-2 spots on the podium, only trading positions after the second run. The North Americans also switched places, with the Canadian earning a very impressive first appearance on the podium in GS.
Erik Schlopy was the only other American in the second run. He finished in 19th place overall, which amazingly enough was his best result on that hill - one he readily admits is not his favorite! As for the rest of the guys, they had their share of problems, with a couple of falls, a hooked arm, and some uninspired skiing as evidence.
I always feel lucky to be able even to ski down the Gran Risa in Alta Badia. The trail is so steep and twisting, literally falling out of the mountainside into the town below. It may not be the oldest GS on the calendar, but by virtue of its difficulty it is by far the most anticipated. And what makes it even more spectacular is that they prepare the hill perfectly - with just the right amount of water so that the snow is hard and fair for everyone, but so that it also has a little bit of texture into which the edges can bite.
I skied a pretty decent run by my standards, and had moved up to 31st by the second split right before the last flat where you had to carry your speed for about 20 seconds to the finish. They made too large rolls in that flat section this year for some extra terrain, and after going a little wide on the first one, I thought to myself that I had to straighten the next one out if I was going to have a chance at a second run. Well, I straightened it out alright and went right through the panel of the next gate! Argh, only four gates from the finish and my day was finished.
However, the race held a lot of excitement leading into the second run becuause the Italians Simoncelli and Blardone sat in 1st and 2nd place respectively, with Daron Rahlves and 21 year-old Canadian Francois Bourque right on their heels after the morning's heat.
The fans' patriotic fervor paid dividends for the Italians, as they successfully harnessed the intensity to maintain the top-2 spots on the podium, only trading positions after the second run. The North Americans also switched places, with the Canadian earning a very impressive first appearance on the podium in GS.
Erik Schlopy was the only other American in the second run. He finished in 19th place overall, which amazingly enough was his best result on that hill - one he readily admits is not his favorite! As for the rest of the guys, they had their share of problems, with a couple of falls, a hooked arm, and some uninspired skiing as evidence.
3 Comments:
I got my eyes on you. The GS was on tv in Hershey today. I tuned in late and only caught the last 4 skiers though. I'll be better prepared next week!
I think you need a link to www.offthepodium.com and then you need to send me some photos to feature see you soon!
I think you deserved more than honorable mention and where was your website. Ski Racing needs to step it up. Good Luck tomorrow!
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