A GOOD WEEKEND

A GOOD WEEKEND FOR AMERICAN SKIING

 

Even though I tweeked by back shoveling snow on Friday and couldn’t ski this weekend, there were plenty of others out there recreating and competing and setting a high standard. What follows is a brief overview with some links for those of you who may have not seen the news.

 

ALPINE MEN 

 

ALTA BADIA, ITALY. Ted Ligety skied to a 4^th place finish in the World Cup Giant Slalom. The day before, Dec 20 there were 5 US men in the top 10 at Val Gardena. Reigning World Cup overall champion Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) led the way in second as five U.S. racers finished in the top 10 in an Audi FIS World Cup downhill in Val Gardena, Italy on Saturday. It was the first time five American men had finished in the top-10 at a World Cup.  See http://www.usskiteam.com/ for more details.

 

CROSS COUNTRY MEN

 

In a rainy Dusseldorf Germany Andy Newell and Torin Koos sped to a 4^th place finish in the FIS World Cup Team Sprint. For this race the organizers truck in a whole bunch of snow made outside the city, spread it on the streets and have a ski race with thousands of screaming fans. It was the best finish ever for American men in a World Cup Sprint. http://www.usskiteam.com/ also has more on this story.

 

NORDIC COMBINDED MEN

 

Nordic Combined is an event that isn’t too familiar to many Americans, even experienced nordic skiers. It combines two completely different athletic disciplines, the explosive strength and technique of ski jumping and the endurance event of cross country freestyle. Athletes first compete in jumping. Jump points are translated into seconds per point. The winner of the jump gets to start the cross country first. Other competitors follow starting based on their jump finish. This last weekend in Ramsau, Austria, American Bill Demong won the World Cup event on Saturday and was second on Sunday.  That puts Billy in 3^rd place in the overall World Cup for the first period of the 2008-09 season.  In British Columbia 32 year old Todd Lodwick scored a win and a second to add to his other two wins on the FIS Continental Cup circuit on his comeback from retirement. See http://www.nordiccombined.com/front/news/show/160 for more details.  In the next period of the World Cup the USA will have 5 athletes competing. Demong  and Johnny Spillane (currently ranked 18^th in the world) will be joined by Lodwick and the Camerota twins from Park City, Utah. 

 

SOLDA AMBASSADOR

 

The first race of the Sun Valley area season was completed on Saturday at Galena Lodge north of Ketchum. SOLDA Ambassador Dave Knoop had a good day as he states: “Old Nordic Dave was flying on SOLDA F15 Blue and SOLDA HPO6 on cold new dry snow soft track. 3rd Overall 30 secs behind Jon Engen.”  Thaks for the note Dave.

 

If any of you other folks in the webskis web have news and comments you can send them to me or reply to this post.

 

My back will be on the mend and I plan to ski here in Bend on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week if all plans fall into place.