Looks like the Swiss team...

Swiss Alpine skiing finds itself troubled waters. Last season’s results were extremely successful, however, this turn around, the Swiss team didn’t come close to their past achievements. The biggest loser so far, being Carlo Janka. Indeed, last World Cup’s aggregate winner is exhausted. This could be the result from the lack of training this summer, as a mysterious virus cut short the preparations. Furthermore, he also missed the traditional pre New Year’s downhill race in Bormio.
The next issue is Silvan Zurbriggen. The Swiss champion is currently giving his coach Martin Rufener some serious headaches. In Lake Louise, he was thrown out of the hotel he was staying in for harassing the cleaning lady. He reportedly walked about his room wearing nothing but his birthday suit. A horrified maid filed a complaint; and out of the luxurious premises was Zurbriggen thrown.
For as long as they could, the Swiss team tried to keep the lid on the “scandal”, and they did for some time. But then Silvan won the race in Val Gardena and tongues unleashed. Not a rosy prospect for Zurbriggen, who is in a serious relationship, especially when one considers the fact that he found himself into similar waters a few years back in Alta Badia. That time, he allegedly exposed his manhood to an old lady, who resorted to denounce him to the local authorities. His line of defence then was that he was just responding to nature’s call.
To cap it all up, there’s Lara Gut. She will undoubtedly drive the Swiss team coach Mauro Pini off the wall. Let us remind ourselves that Pini was in Gut’s team only a while ago, and that their subsequent separation didn’t happen in the friendliest of manners. Lara, on several occasions, criticised in public the work of the Swiss A team. She did not agree with the team’s training methods. That’s not all! In the summer, she opted to join the Swedish team rather than her own. It all went too far that time, and the ski federation decided to ban her from the Semmering events. To miss an event in Alpine skiing represents a severe penalty, as competition seasons are pretty short.
Lara Gut has threatened to compete for another country. Should she do so, then the Swiss team could render her life a real misery. Lawyers have been brought in to resolve the matter so as to satisfy both parties. On top of all this, her own sponsors are now also suing the Swiss champion for conflict of interest.
Regardless, the Swiss have this year accumulated so many problems off the track that it could easily make for a repeat of last year’s results. Heads are simply not cool enough and thoughts are erring in the wrong direction. The season is now in full swing and the other teams are already rubbing their hands in expectation.

Original text by Urban Lavrenčič translated from the Slovene by Christian Ngalikpima.

Marcel Hirscher - 2010 Slalom World Champion in Val d'Isere

I remember how Matjaž Vrhovnik and I traveled to report the World Championship in 2009. In Garmisch - Partenkirchen, we commentated on the slalom races, which came to an end at around the fourteenth hour and thirtieth minutes. We then hastily slurped down a soup in the press room and off we were on our journey. A journey that took us through Austria and Switzerland. Soon enough, it began to snow and although we both love snowflakes, they actually made the task a little harder for our old Toyota. We drove for almost twelve hours. And if my memory serves me well, I was always behind the wheel, for I couldn’t catch a minute’s sleep. I kept a vigilant eye on the slippery road surface, followed other vehicles, at times battling with bands of fog and counting the miles left to our destination, deep in the heart of the Savoy Alps.

I love traveling with Matjaž. Through our cooperation, we have woven a solid friendship, which goes now beyond the usual levels of business and courtesy. Our acquaintance back in 2004 began quite timidly as we were still figuring each other out. Five years later, we were on our way to our third World Cup together and acted like an old married couple. In France we took along on our trip some readymade meals and cans that we heated up in our apartment, saving ourselves a few Euros in the process. Food prices in Val d’Isère are indeed several times higher than those we are used to in our grocery stores.

Our discussions in the car were pretty relaxed, even though we struggled to stick to the ski topic. As it was, we often also switched to regular everyday topics. Hours go by so quickly.As we started off on our journey from Geneva towards the south, the snow abated and I could now press a tad more on the gas. I must say that I’m not afraid to set the speed radar detector, since the registration plate on Slovenian RTV business car were very dirty anyway, as well as snowed and iced up. Although I got flashed once, I never actually received the penalty.

As we arrived in Albertville we knew that much of the road was already behind us. The only thing that was left for us to do was to reach 1850 from where Val d’Isere dominates the surrounding peaks. I was thinking about this road trip the previous Sunday on my way home from work. Earlier that day, the Austrian Marcel Hirscher won his first slalom race in a World Cup. On that same day, I commentated in the national TV’s studios in Ljubljana and then wandered home. Taking a walk after commentating always reinvigorates me. I get to sort my thoughts together, clear my mind, and I actually exercise.

This Championship has not been one that I have reported with pleasure. First we mostly had bad weather, then, the race schedule was constantly altered and the temperatures were extremely low. But what will, above all, remain in my memory is when I first stepped at the foot of the Bellevarde track. I had never seen such high and steep walls at any of the previous championships.

On top of it all, the organisers had put a large amount of water into the snow, a technique used to give the ice plates some semblance of ominous glittering through a blend of scarce sun rays and artificial lights.
It just happened that there is a particular type of terrain apt for all, and not only the favourites. There are skiers, who, because of their special techniques, are more adapted than others to a steeper type of slopes.

Marcel Hirscher was 19 years old then. In the giant slalom, he ended up fourth and only just missed the medals. Two years later, the doubt was cast away. Bellevarde now belongs to him.

Original text by Urban Lavrenčič translated from the Slovene by Christian Ngalikpima.

Members of the Executive Committee of the International Ski Federation decided during the summer congress in Antalya to make Vail the host of the 2015 World Cup. This fancy little Colorado village from the U.S. has twice already entertained this kind of competition . The first such occasion dates back in 1989 while the second one took place a decade later. Skiers previously underwent the speed disciplines in the nearby Beaver Creek back in 1999. Indeed Bernhard Russi has already downed the famous Bird of Preys track. As a matter of fact, this spectacular terrain was first tested with two downhill races a while ago, at the December 1997 World Cup.
While the Italian Kristian Ghedina won the first race, the Austrian Andreas Schifferer imposed himself a day later on a very demanding track. The most extraordinary story that got to me while watching this World Cup was fortuitously also the most interesting. Ever since he retired from racing in March 2006, Schifferer no longer tops the headlines. Although, one could go as far as saying that he has totally disappeared from the public eye!
Until this year in Sölden, the venue where in October, this year’s World Cup season kicked off, the news that Andreas Schifferer had to leave this little cosmopolitan Austrian village prematurely resounded as a huge surprise. The boy had arrived at the weekend, but that seemingly didn’t work out as that same boy stole the snowboard he had used to compete. Obviously he didn’t have his stealing skills well honed, as the stealth bore all the marks of the amateur thief. A shortcoming that landed him straight into the hands of the Austrian constabulary force, which is known to be pretty unforgiving in this type of instances. Even with eight times world cup Champions.
What in the world went through Andy’s head that day? He probably doesn’t have a clue himself. But according to some insiders, his erratic behaviour began showing when he started collaborating with Martin Weber, a man known for practicing esoteric, hypnosis as well as other disputable techniques.
At some point, it got him so confused that he left his wife and kids, and asked his sponsor Atomic to devise a pair of skis for him that would slide on the nose, stating proper energy flow as the reason behind the request. Upon this, Atomic immediately terminated the contract with the now suspicious skier, who resumed his antics at team Rossignol, claiming a use of “negative” colours. As a result, his career suddenly grinded to a halt.
Incidentally, the infamous German newspaper Bild had recently sent a journalist to interview Weber in order to investigate his genuinity, but he quickly gave up fearing for his own mental well being, as he commented to the editor upon his return. Still the real motive for Shifferer’s action is yet to come to light. Why he stole the snowboard remains to this day a mystery, especially when one considers that his financial situation at the time appeared to be in the positive? He could easily have purchased one. Or could it be that the colour was so damn positive that the esoteric/hypnotic state he was in left him with no other choice but to acquire it there and then? Although not on his credit Card…

Original text by Urban Lavrenčič translated from the Slovene by Christian Ngalikpima.

Edi Unterberger (pics by temperbox.at)

For every action, you can expect a reaction. After Head brought in their team the Norwegian Aksel Lund Svindal, it left his serviceman at Atomic, Edi Unterberger, without employer. A true a master in his profession, he saw enormous success with Hermann Maier. He later briefly acted as Walchhofer Michael’s serviceman. As Atomic saw a brighter future with Svindal, the team designated Unterberger as serviceman for last year’s two times winner in the aggregate standings at the Norwegian World Cup. Remember, it was with his help that Svindal brought home the full scope of awards in the Vancouver Olympics. He then went on to join Head. For a hefty sum of money, at that!
Michael Walchhofer begins, this year, his final World Cup Season. In the previous season, the 35-year-old hotelier from Altenmarkt came short of bringing home more than a single win. He must have missed his former serviceman. After leaving Svindal, Walchhofer immediately went on to resume his cooperation with the now team-less Unterberger. Atomic welcomed the move, and as history shows, have hit the bull’s eye.
Walchhofer convincingly won the first downhill race of the season in Lake Louise, effectively ending the Austrian team poor string of performances. Indeed the team hadn’t won the main discipline since March 2009. A winning drought for Austria, the most powerful skiing nation in the world that lasted 630 days!
At the finish, the winner of 16th edition of the skiing World Cup looked at his ski and immediately pointed out in his first interview the fact that they were “unusually” fast. Indeed, Walchhofer enjoyed a clear advantage over his competitors in the flatter part of the Lake Louise racecourse, where good gliding is of the essence, and where the skis must be fast.
He thanked his serviceman, sipped ale and then went on to prepare for the super-G, which was on the program the next day. Brimming with self-confidence, he decided to take fairly aggressive skis to the giant slalom, despite conflicting advice from Unterberger. He finished 18th and later admitted that he will in the future listen more to the “man in the background”.
In a week time, men and women competitors will travel to the United States and Canada. The women were moved from Aspen to Lake Louise, where they will compete at the weekend in both speed events. This will be the first opportunity this season for Lindsey Vonn to prove that she still is the alpine skiing champion. Men were flown from the Canadian province of Alberta over to Denver and from there, forward on to Vail, more specifically on to Beaver Creek, where the Birds of Prey racecourse awaits them. This competition will host three races from Friday to Sunday, with the exciting downhill scheduled for the Friday. Walchhofer will again be present and so will his red and white rockets.

Original text by Urban Laurenčič translated from the Slovene by Christian Ngalikpima.

Last year in Beaver Creek, Jean-Baptiste Grange injured himself. The ruptured anterior cruciate ligament he suffered meant that the Vancouver Olympics were to proceed without its star performer. The Frenchman was 25 at the time, and to have to bid farewell to the Olympic season came as a severe blow to him.

The veil overshadowing the men standings in this year’s alpine skiing world cup has now been lifted. The 45^th edition was officially opened in Sölden a month ago with the women’s giant slalom competition. A thick fog greeted the men on the Rettenbach Glacier, forcing the opening of the new season to be moved to the previous week-end in Levi, Finland.

This time around, little comparison has been made between competitors. Instead, after last year’s Olympics, many have decided to concentrate their efforts on the team’s form, and with the arrival of new coaches, hope to outperform their rivals. The southern hemisphere provides during the summer months the scene for professional skiing. Argentina, Chile and New Zealand are the most common stops for world class skiers.

France is at the moment dominating the rankings. They stand one step ahead of the competition in both technical disciplines. The already established skiers have been joined by some younger athletes. To be noted though, is the return of the recently injured stars, such as Thomas Fanara and Jean-Baptiste Grange. The French man having previously won the 08/09 Slalom Crystal Globe top accolade. A discipline he came close to winning the previous year, but that he had to concede to the Italian Manfred Moelgg due to a mistake in the final race of the season in Bormio.

Injuries in Alpine Skiing highlight the differences that exist between bigger and lesser teams, the same way it does highlight the discrepancies between champions and less performing skiers. The former finding themselves in a really enviable position, as the contrast amplifies at the time of rehabilitation. The bigger teams or athletes, who have earned more, thus have access to treatments that are a far reach from the lesser protagonists who cannot afford the over costly insurances.   This in turn might also lead to a loss of income.

Furthermore, some athletes and teams are totally left to fare for themselves, as trainers and physiotherapists limit themselves to prescribing exercises with absolutely no follow up, leaving In effect, those struggling competitors to bank solely on their determination and willingness to get through the hard times. Too many questions are left unanswered that renders it difficult for the athlete to get back to the team training, where opportunities are very few anyway. Which physiotherapist will they visit? How will they pay for the treatment or how will they train? Which diet will they implement, how much muscle mass will be lost?

This leaves a large number of athletes to forcibly abandon the sport of their dream and find other of objects interest instead.

Grange, on the other hand, did the exact the opposite thanks to the French Skiing Association (FFS), which has to deal with its own financial problems. They realised how the Frenchman aroused, over the past years, the interest of the French people in Alpine Skiing. The FFS consequently gave him all the support that he needed for a speedy recovery. Besides Grange himself, did what he thought was necessary to regain fitness.

First of all, he distanced himself from the media as he did not want his comments to interfere with the team’s work nor create unnecessary agitation before or during the Olympics. He entirely focused his efforts on himself and his speedy recovery. After a successful operation on the cruciate ligament, he visited rehabilitation centres where he was treated by the best experts.

The desired effect was achieved. In June, this year, he started snow training. The feelings of old gradually came back to the French champion. It was as if all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. From one turn to another, Jean Batiste Grange found his way back. After a long break, he was eager to prove himself and to compete once again. The French coaches knew he was fast, but did not want to put additional pressure on him before the season. The first giant slalom ride in Sölden has already shown that his was back at the top. Then came Levi. The slalom race he won back in 2008. The same year he won this discipline. And as if the previous hadn’t existed, he clocked the fastest time. Poetry in motion, straining effortlessly the limits of the possible… Balance and short turns prevailed. In the end, the closest competitor, the Swede Andre Myhrer, grabbed second position, 0.33 sec behind the Frenchman, while the Croat Ivica Kostelič came third, clocking over a second more.

When on skis, Jean Baptiste Grange makes every move look all so simple. And yet they are not! Far from it! This has been vindicated by other athletes struggling to achieve good results. The French skier on the other hand, had no trouble at all. The boss is back! However, one must realise that rare are those who return with a win.

Urban Laurenčič original post translated by Christian Ngalikpima

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It is this time of the year again. The time to book our well earned holidays in the snow for this years skiing season. This time around, the place in question is Zell am See, a hub of activities that has thousands flocking each year onto its pistes and cross country trail. Beginners, proficient as well as professionals have made, throughout the years, of Zell am See Kaprun their place of choice to indulge in snow sports activities, which are aplenty in Zell am (as it is also known by the regulars).

Below are ten indoors as well as outdoors activities, among many others, this great ski destination has to offer:

1. Skiers, snowboarders and free riders will be able to ski until satiated on the 138 km of pistes covering all levels of difficulty. For the mountains and the glaciers surrounding Zell am see provide snow all year round, allowing thus to hit the slopes at any time.

2. If you are not one for the thrills of the down hills, the you will be able to take advantage of the 200 km of x-country trails that can be found in the region.

3. If cross country is still too fast for you, and would like to extract all the pleasures of the incredible pristine nature on offer in Zell am See, then you should take up the Nordic Walking. A sport that will help you to not only keep fit, but that will also have you in awe of the majestic scenery that litter this exceptional alpine region.

4. What about trying the snow under ( or over) a new perspective? Snow kiting offers just that and will have you gliding at speed reaching up to 75km/hr. Not for the faint hearted one might say!

5. This one is special for the whole family, as this activity will enthuse children and adults alike. Tobogganing, will get you to roll back the years to your childhood, while children will discover the pleasure of snow through this fun activity.

Now, you might have taken your family to a nice holiday in the snow, but are not a snow enthusiast yourself! Well, fret not as you will not run short of indoor activities in the ski resort of Zell am.

6. Grab your rackets, not the snow ones, I must make mention, for you will be able to play indoor tennis in the modern tennis halls available on site.

7. This one is more for the ladies, although their companions are more than welcome to join. Hit the gym and pools for some aqua fitness, aerobics, Tae Bo and many more similar activities…

8. Zell am See has managed something quiet exceptional that will get you to blend the pleasure of nature with art, as you will be able to admire some giant sculptures in an area covering 180hectares and that are part of a project started back in the 50’s called »Gallery on the pistes«.

9. After a hard day skiing the pistes of Zell am See Kaprun, time to relax. And that can be done with some massages, aroma therapies, Turkish baths that can all be found in the Optimum Kaprun spa centre. It will keep you fresh and revitalised throughout your stay.

10. And once the day is done and the children are fast asleep, you will be able to indulge in one of the resorts favourite activity, PARTYING. You will be amazed by the night life in this part of Mozart country. The town at night get vibrant, and you will never run out of options to spend a memorable evening in Zell am See.

So there you are! Ten activities that will keep you and your family busy throughout your stay in Zell am See Kaprun. And believe you me, after your stay, you will really give a thought as to whether to make of Zell am your future regular ski holidays destination.

Held on February twelfth through the eighteenth, the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver brought in over 2,600 athletes from all over the world. There were 86 different events featuring seven different sports, including:

• Bobsled
• Skeleton
• Ice Hockey
• Luge
• Figure Skating
• Speed Skating
• Short Track Speed Skating
• Curling

Featuring summer and winter sports, The Olympic Games are a major international event that draws in millions of viewers. They are held every two years, rotating both summer and winter activities. So respectively, winter games are held every four years, as are summer games.

The games are typically sponsored by large selection of wealthy sponsors like Mcdonalds, Visa, Kodak, GE, and so on and so forth. This year, The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE:DOW) has made the decision to become an official Olympic Sponsor. CEO and Chair Andrew Liveris announced on July 16^th, 2010 that the company has become a Worldwide Olympic Partner via The Olympic Partners Program (TOP).

According to a press release by Bob Plishka of Dow, they will be known as the official “Chemistry Company” of the Olympic Movement. Congruently, they’ll be partnering with the IOC or International Olympic Committee and National Olympic Committees around the world all the way through 2020.

The International Olympic Committee is composed of a large number of both national and international sporting organizations and federations, media partners, athletes, judges, officials and any other related institution that agrees to follow the rules of the Olympic Charter. They are response for the following duties:

1. Choosing a hosting city
2. General Planning of the games
3. Updating and approving the program at hand
4. Negotiating Sponsors and distribution of rights

In a statement to the press: “With our long-standing commitment to global sustainability, innovation, scientific excellence and

Addressing world challenges, we believe Dow is perfectly matched to the vision of the Olympic

Movement, which is about peace, progress and the world coming together to celebrate our common humanity,” said Liveris. He goes on to mention that the partnership will only create new opportunities for both organizations and be a great growth catalyst for Dow and some of its newer ventures. President of the IOC, Dr. Jacques Rogge, welcomed Dow with open arms at the same press conference, stating “We are delighted to welcome Dow to the TOP Program…As a Global leader in the chemical industry and an innovator in sustainability, Dow will provide much more than critical financial support to the Olympic Movement. They will also bring industry-leading expertise and innovation to the Games themselves. Dow will be an important partner in making our vision for sustainability and global cooperation a reality.”

Author: David Suntin is a member of the sports blogosphere and speaks to a vast audience regarding major sporting events worldwide.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SKIING

Skiing has been around for a good length of time and it’s set to be around for a lot longer. Providing we have the snow that is! There might be a few things about the history of skiing that you may not know about, so here’s a brief history lesson in skiing as well as short video:

ski videos >>

There’s always going to be conflicting arguments about where the first skis were found and/or discovered. There are two claims to this but they seem to centre around the same time period. The first is from Russia and it’s a very vague date of 6300-5000 BC. The skis were made of hard wood and were found in the northwest of Moscow. The other claim has the oldest skis found in Norway around 5100 BC, give or take 150 years. Either way, whichever one came first, skiing existed long before most people care to think. There were drawings on walls of skis and skiing, which can only lead you to believe that someone was shredding powder even before spoken language was developed.

All early skis that were found in Norway, Finland and Sweden were mostly used on flat ground since ski bindings were loose toe straps that would not keep the skis attached to ski boots during downhill runs. It seems that our modern day skiing and freeskiing was a far cry from skiing at that moment in time.

You can’t forget that whatever man seems to create, it will invariably use it in some form of war. According to records, skis were used during the Battle of Oslo as the Norwegians spied on their Swedish enemies (around 1200 AD). Not only that, but the Norwegian military formed the Ski Company in 1747. It paved the way for skis to be attached to the boots at both the heel and toe thus creating a version of the ski you see today.

Modern day skiing was developed around the 1850s by a Norwegian chap named Sondre Norheim (are you seeing a pattern emerging yet?). He developed the first stiff bindings using wet birch roots tied to his boots, which allowed him more control. With Sondre developing the binding, Mathuas Zdarskey of Austria introduced the technique of pushing one ski at an angle to the fall line so that you can control your speed.

These two guys were the basis of a lot of the skiing techniques and equipment you see today. After seeing the Mathias throw his moves around on the mountains, Hannes Schneider was inspired and developed new stopping techniques from which most skiing techniques are based on! It seems that the old saying of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ really applies to skiing.

In the early 1900s, Skiing became a very popular sport and the first slalom race was held in 1921. Despite this being the first race, there are published descriptions of ski racing from the 16^th century and there are newspaper clippings from the 1850s of similar events. I guess we’ll never really know about the first ever race but I’m thinking that the 16^th century is a damn good place to start.

After the first slalom race in 1921, the popularity grew and grew over three years and culminated in the first ever Winter Olympics to be held in Chamonix except back then it was call The International Winter Sports Week. Skiing dominated the event listings with Nordic Combined Skiing, Cross Country Skiing and Ski Jumping taking up 3 of the 9 events. Not too long after this was, what could well be, the first Big Air competition. It was held in Madison Square Garden, New York in 1930. It would be the basis of many big air comps that we see today such as Freestyle.ch.

Not much has changed since the 30s. Obviously there have been dramatic changes in ski technology and skiing competitions but they all come down to these facts and always will do. Skis have become so scientific that you could bet your life on it and professionals regularly do. From slalom, to downhill, to freestyle, skiers will be using the best technology in skiing each winter to fling themselves down and off mountains and the one person they have to thank? Well, it’s either some Russian or some Norwegian but either way, they have to thank someone. Sports progress so quickly these days it’s easy to forget where it started so take the time to give this a read and hopefully it gives you the historic fix you were after.

If you were more interested in the history of Freeskiing, I’ll let the guys from Salomon tell you how it happened. After all, it’s much easier to watch something these days. Enjoy!

From Strap-Ons to Snowboard Slings, I’ve looked for some of 20-10s cutting edge toys to help you squander that ski holiday money. At any rate, I just wanted to give you some ideas for the slopes to help you with everything from staying warm to staying in step. Here are some things to help you get at it!

iPhone Apps

I might as well give you a sneak preview of next week’s blog article: iPhone Apps. I’ll soon give you a run-through and teach you about some of the niftiest iPhone applications related to skiing, but for now, I’ll tell you that there are all kinds of apps for gear, snow conditions, trail maps, international and US ski resort information and weather updates. It’s like playing God, pointing to what you want to see and instantly knowing. Oh the Power! (Stay Tuned.)

Battery-Heated Ski Socks

Say you’re on ski holiday but you never really get to enjoy those Alps in Tonale, Italy nor do you ride the runs in Tignes, France because you’re always just too cold. If you’re the type that freezes to death on a summer’s eve, it’s time to quit shivering. May I introduce to you the battery-heated ski sock, long enough so you can still fit into your ski boots, and warm enough to keep you skiing merrily till dusk. If you’re still cold you can try Smartwool socks, Insolator winter insoles or Thermastat silk that heats up naturally. Ther-Mic Foot warmers have insoles already built in to a battery operated heater sock. You may never have to enjoy hot cocoa again…

No Such Thing As Handicapped

If you have an amputation above the knee, then do not fret—Your high-adrenaline rush will continue to flow with the XT9 Energy Storing Prosthetic Knee. From Telemarking in Kranjska Gora to Alpining or Cross-country skiing in Les Orres, SymBiotecks make it possible to ice climb, play ice hockey, go ice skating or, yes, snowboard (among many other non-ski related fun). Your next skiing holiday will be just as fun as you remembered it, but this time, you may even be better than ever!

SnowQ Snowboard Sling

Though this doesn’t involve any batteries or windy widgets, the SnowQ Sling allows you to carry your snowboard or skis on your back. This is especially handy, if like me, your ski hotel, hostel or apartment is immeasurably far from the slopes (yes, because I’m poor and cheap). At any rate, no more lugging your skis or board to the slope with arms achey and numb. (So far, I think these are only available online from retailers in the USA.)

Tri-Slider Sled

Some of us just want to stay off our feet while on ski vacation. One way we can do this and have more fun is through the tri-slider sled. This sled allows the rider to comfortably sit over the top of their legs and have control whilst going vroom down hill. The concept is quite easy and nicely ergonomic. There’s even brakes and steering handlebars.

Strap-On Snow-blades

You’ve probably heard of these because they have been around for a few years. Snow-blades are unique in that they are shorter but wider and mainly used for Alpine skiing, though denomination groups for snow-blades may very well use them for all kinds of purposes. They are easy to carry around and great for carving. Usually, these are worn with your alpine ski boots, without poles.

The World Cup Finals are a sure sign that spring has arrived and that Alpine Skiing will retreat from the spotlight for half a year.

The best skiers are gathered in Garmisch Partenkirchen and are taking part in the last competitions of the season, but many are already adding up the scores of this season. The season itself is far from over; there are several National Championships taking place in April and some FIS races as well. Some skiers will take time to test new equipments, as all sponsorship deals end after the Olympics.

The Germans are learning how to organise World Championship races. Garmisch Partenkirchen is hosting major skiing events next year as well as they gained some experience by hosting the Junior World Championship in Alpine Skiing last year and this year it was the world cup finale. After what I’ve experienced, they have their work cut out for them if they wish to get any praise in the future.

The press centre in the arena was certainly too small. In fact, it was actually a combination of a canteen, a space for teams and working space for reporters. Chaos ensued. During the first race of women’s grand slalom there was a power outage and many reporters were left without visual contact and race results.

This is unforgivable; every FIS race must have backup generators to prevent such problems. There were also plenty of logistical problems and it is vital they sort out the parking facilities. All in all, there is plenty of work to be done, and the slopes themselves are not as attractive as they could be.

A lot of buzz is surrounding the Austrian team. Once the strongest Alpine Skiing team in the world just had the worst season in history. First, there is the disaster at the Vancouver Olympics: the Austrian male team did not bring home a single medal. Downhill, the most revered discipline and an Austrian speciality, proved to be a disaster. They did not manage a single win in the entire season, which last happened 18 years ago. Things weren’t that great in the Super G and grand slalom either.

The only successful skier this season was Reinfried Herbst in slalom, and this does not suffice for the Austrians. Tony Geiger’s dismissal is now a fact, and it looks like the team is changing its head of the national team after 11 years. The chairman of the Austrian skiing association Peter Schröcksnadel is announcing radical changes, for example hiring Austrian coaches which had success with training other National teams. We have some interesting changes to look forward to as far as the »coach market« is concerned.

We need to mention someone else as well. In the men’s super G, we saw Liechtenstein’s Marco Büchel on the starting line for the last time. He is one of the most well loved alpine skiers. Everyone from his competition, coaches and reporters adored him. When he made it to the finish line in his shorts, half the female world cup contestants were waiting for him there. The winner of 4 world cup races is finally giving up skiing at 38. Now he’ll be able to spend more time with his wife Tania and his dog Jesper. He will surely stay linked with skiing however; he will be the expert correspondent at a German television channel.

Once you’ve got skiing in your blood, there’s no turning back.