showed up before dawn. I went up the hill and had the moon setting over aspen highlands and the sun coming over the continental divide. (top shot is moon bottom sun)
uThe slip crew composition this morning seemed to be about 30% Aspen ski co instructors (of which there are 1,400 so there are extras to volunteer at this event), 80% ex racers (including some germans and other european ex world cup downhillers) 30% from outside the state of CO with an average age of 60.
Interesting group. I am not an ex racer. I am not close to an ex racer. Instructions were given in racer speak which I was struggling to pick up.
For those of you who have not slipped a world cup downhill course the drill is as follows. The course is divided into two sections, top and bottom with the cut off being Ruthies chair lift. Each section has 4 slipping stations. Basically you start at the top station in your section and slip fast over the racers tracks to the next station. Right after the racer blows past you (and I mean right after) you and your partner jump on the course and slip like your life depends on it to the next station with a suggested 5-10 feet between you and your partner (vertical feet horizontal you should pretty much be on his ass and most of the asses are his and not hers sadly). How fast are you slipping? Maybe 40 mph. How fast is that going sideways on a 37 degree vertical sheet of ice. It's an experience that I can't really describe--maybe kinda like trying to slip corbet's couloir but for a mile and no air allowed. And no snow plow--never ever snow plow.
I had many posters requesting video --but there is no time for video, or pictures or anything. From go till they stop you are on the move or pissing your pants. They are running racers with 1 1/4 minute breaks, which is slip for 45 seconds then pull to side for 45 seconds then repeat 3 more times then hop on chair lift and do it again. I think I only got in about 5 runs during the training though because there are less than 50 skiers, but then there was post race maintenance. Racers are posting times of about 1 1/2 minutes from top of Ruthies to bottom of 1A.
Is it cool to run the world cup race course right behind the pros--you betcha. That is why guys are coming in from all over the world. Is it cool to hear the skiers blast past you and see Vonn's ponytail plastered to the back of her speed suit. Absolutely. When a station chief tells you that the racers are putting down a left footer at the second sawdust gate so make sure you fill it but don't hide it do you really have a clue as to what to do. Nope.
Next up--training day two (if Denzel Washington shows up I am out of here).
PS bode miller was hugging the female slippers much to their approval. Mikaela where is my hug?
No comments:
Post a Comment