I'm really confused by
@Doby Man's post, here, and on another thread about "relatability", "accessability", etc. Perhaps I'm just not that bright, or don't approach so many parts of the sport with an intellectual component.
The thread started with
@Swede, a frequent poster on race subjects just mentioning that he really liked the way a skier skied. Which led to my comment that ALL of the WC women are fun to watch. Let's say that I have watched more than a few, have actaully skied with more than a few, etc. Watching world class women ski GS has ALWAYS been a pleasure, and if there is one gender, and one alpine discipline that any of us could make some general and casual observations about, and perhaps carry into our own skiing, It has always been GS, and it's always been the women. It's not new. Thirty plus years ago, many coaches and instructors recognized that Tamara McKinney was one to watch and maybe even emulate a touch. She still rips, BTW.
As far as all of this talk about body mass, etc., I get confused as to why. ALL of the women on the WC have been either exceptional athletes...let's say top one half of one percent, or incredibly well conditioned, strong, or a mixture of both. They are all strong enough to work the skis which are, BTW, in many cases hand built for them for that purpose. The best have skis built for specific hills. Some are incredibly strong and tall, with great levers. Three of the best are very short. Tessa Worley is tiny.
The guys come in all sizes, too.
I really don't think that there is much at all related to even women's GS that relates to our skiing. Perhaps for the very best 11/10 male skiers who are on steep wide perfectly groomed and manicured hills. Maybe. Or for people who still train as top level masters. Maybe some recently former very high level racers. You can watch, be in awe, but they are not us.
Our daughter was what I call a "pretty high level" racer. NorAM level, NCAA captain, a lot of international races. When she was in it, if we free skied on groomed stuff, I really could not comfortably keep up with speed, the turn shape, the control, etc. No chance. And, "I'm good with my skiing" in the words of Stenmark.
When I have skied with women who are either on the WC, or a season removed, on similar hills......they are just on a different plane. Very gently touch, big edge angles, at about 50mph. Mind blowing. So is that "relatable" to me? Huh?
I'd also suggest that if you ever get a chance to see a real WC race hill, mid season, particularly in Europe, you will be even more impressed. A truly injected surface is like a skating rink tipped on it's side. I have seen experienced skiers, good ones, who are race crew volunteers who have been terrified to side slip them, let alone ski them.
And the top men? Yeah, I guess relatively speaking they are less relatable. In terms of the joy of watching them, it should be a LOT better on the new skis. On race day, it was really ugly on the 35M skis. Watch video of the pitch at Soelden, or the Gran Riss, and other steep hills. It was impossible for those guys to link together, IMO, even three good clean arcs. They were snapping off line, stivoting, and doing anything else possible to charge and hang on. And their injection is more brutal than the women's.
So, yeah, may point was that watching the women is fun. As others have mentioned, some of these teams are SO deep, and they all look great. It looks to me like skiing should.
If you think about when Ligety was first "Mr. GS", he was able to ski his 27M skis arc to arc, with great precision. He actually was making arcs, all the way down, and entering and exiting his turns right where he wanted. Able to have a very quick switch. And yes, he was smart enough and worked hard to get his 35M Heads mastered ahead of the rest of the field on their new skis. But it was ugly, and it really took a physical toll on these guys. It sure as heck was nothing that we should have tried to emulate.
I like watching it. And I know enough to know what's fast. does it relate to us......not so much. If anything its the women, IMO. There is one male GS skier who I really like to watch race, and only when he's in a section of a course were he can actually ski it.......Alexis Pinturault. Free skiing and training in a more open rhythmic course, they are ALL great to watch.
Should be more pleasurable from now on.