Thread Starter
TS
-
For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.
September 7th - WC Tickets for Killington on sale
- Thread starter Tricia
- Start date
Those are impressive numbers. A foot of snow over 80 acres made last night.
Weather is not looking so great for snowmaking over the next 15 days. However, no doubt they will blow plenty of snow in time for the racing.
What I have my fingers crossed for is for a nice cold stretch right before and during the races. You can do a lot to harden the surface with chemicals, but good old Mother Nature on your side helps.
It would be really great to have a rock hard typical women's WC surface for both days. They only slight "downer" last year was the GS surface, which was peeling and breaking away. Yeah, it's the time of year, and it can be lousy anywhere they schedule. And, yep, they all "sort of" ski the same surface. But, it broke down a lot.
At the time Lara Gut was skiing the best GS on tour, and had owned Soelden. She went at it with her normal power, energy and touch, and the surface just peeled away underneath her.
Hard surface will be good for everybody.....and in particular for some of the younger American women the back of the field.
Regardless, it will be a great event. Great for U.S. skiing!
Weather is not looking so great for snowmaking over the next 15 days. However, no doubt they will blow plenty of snow in time for the racing.
What I have my fingers crossed for is for a nice cold stretch right before and during the races. You can do a lot to harden the surface with chemicals, but good old Mother Nature on your side helps.
It would be really great to have a rock hard typical women's WC surface for both days. They only slight "downer" last year was the GS surface, which was peeling and breaking away. Yeah, it's the time of year, and it can be lousy anywhere they schedule. And, yep, they all "sort of" ski the same surface. But, it broke down a lot.
At the time Lara Gut was skiing the best GS on tour, and had owned Soelden. She went at it with her normal power, energy and touch, and the surface just peeled away underneath her.
Hard surface will be good for everybody.....and in particular for some of the younger American women the back of the field.
Regardless, it will be a great event. Great for U.S. skiing!
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2017
- Posts
- 483
yes, it was a shame that the surface was not ideal for the GS. But they were pretty lucky to pull it off at all. Without a 72 hour snowmaking window on the weekend of November 10th last year, there would have not been a race. Yes, they made some snow on it today as a test and blow the mice out of the pipes. Even Tucker got in some early season training on it ! Better him than me .
They were lucky to pull it off, and I'm glad that they did. The ONLY reason that they got it on the calendar was the USSA/USST making the pitch that Kilington can make better snow than anybody in North America. So, effectively very little risk. Better than another options. When things unfolded as they did, I had fingers and toes crossed that it would work out OK. I think it worked out better than OK. And luckily so, because if they had to cancel, they would have been pulled from the calendar this year, I bet.
So hopefully, Mother Nature and engineering work together for a rock hard surface.
Last year was a good example of how Euro-centric FIS is, as there were plenty of Euro alpine directors who were not pleased with the surface. FIS, at higher levels was delighted with the crowd, I'm told. Very good for the sport. I was standing with a long time WC coach about 20 yards from where Gut went out. He had it on video, and said "That's not good." Then said right then that he felt the Swiss were going to push to have the race thrown out. Which they tried. Even then, in November, they were counting on her grabbing 100 points there. Losing them might have already put her in a hole. Had to make that DNF go away.
Of course she had plenty of other screwups before she was injured later on. No lock for the overall, at all. Not close. But at the time, tempers were flaring....over the inability of the Americans, to get the surface right. The strongest woman GS skier on tour, and defending WC champ could not ski as she normally does. Yeah, she was very cool. The team....not so much. And of course they try to get others to join in on the bitching.
Which is pretty funny as a lot of races that time of year, have a history of being cancelled as they can't even pass snow control. As in NO snow.
Will be just great if everything works out this year. Great weather. Hard surface. Good racing. Huge crowds. That will be tremendous. Word is that the athletes really loved it.
So hopefully, Mother Nature and engineering work together for a rock hard surface.
Last year was a good example of how Euro-centric FIS is, as there were plenty of Euro alpine directors who were not pleased with the surface. FIS, at higher levels was delighted with the crowd, I'm told. Very good for the sport. I was standing with a long time WC coach about 20 yards from where Gut went out. He had it on video, and said "That's not good." Then said right then that he felt the Swiss were going to push to have the race thrown out. Which they tried. Even then, in November, they were counting on her grabbing 100 points there. Losing them might have already put her in a hole. Had to make that DNF go away.
Of course she had plenty of other screwups before she was injured later on. No lock for the overall, at all. Not close. But at the time, tempers were flaring....over the inability of the Americans, to get the surface right. The strongest woman GS skier on tour, and defending WC champ could not ski as she normally does. Yeah, she was very cool. The team....not so much. And of course they try to get others to join in on the bitching.
Which is pretty funny as a lot of races that time of year, have a history of being cancelled as they can't even pass snow control. As in NO snow.
Will be just great if everything works out this year. Great weather. Hard surface. Good racing. Huge crowds. That will be tremendous. Word is that the athletes really loved it.
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2017
- Posts
- 483
From the grandstand last year, I saw several racers/officials turning around on the chairlift and taking photos of the finish area crowd. It was that impressive. I have been to several Birds of Prey and I think there were more spectators at Killington. I have been to a few Hahnenkamm's and, of course, it did not rival that. But I have to believe it came close to crowds that some European women's WC races get ?? It was an amazing vibe at Killington and FIS and the racers had to be thrilled.....outside of the less than ideal surface. And the lack of training/warm-up trail. I don't there was a stitch of snow on the training trail just a few days before the race, but they girls did some training on it on Friday in addition to their race hill free ski. The training videos looked pretty sketchy ! With BOP getting cancelled last year, thank gosh Killington could pull it off. As Muleski mentioned, the USST/USSA was banking on the fact that Killington could pull it off and they were right. A bit lucky, but they were correct ! Hopefully, mother nature cooperates better this year and I am looking forward to it again. It was such a success that i imagine a lot more will show up this year so I hope they are improving the shuttle buses and spectator traffic around in the finish area.There was some serious bottlenecks last year.
Speaking on early season snow, you all see that Kitzbuhel opened this past weekend on a slope or 2 with last year's snow? Levi did the same thing and started spreading their stockpiled snow yesterday. How does snow even stay under some "space blanket" ? Kitzbuhel I guess wanted to be the first non-glacier ski resort to open in Europe because I can't imagine that snow lasting very long. But maybe people out there will book a winter trip there when they hear in the press that they are open in mid-Oct? Is it expensive to save snow like this ? Killington could stockpile snow better than anyone. But of course you still need cold weather to make additional snow and harden the surface.
Speaking on early season snow, you all see that Kitzbuhel opened this past weekend on a slope or 2 with last year's snow? Levi did the same thing and started spreading their stockpiled snow yesterday. How does snow even stay under some "space blanket" ? Kitzbuhel I guess wanted to be the first non-glacier ski resort to open in Europe because I can't imagine that snow lasting very long. But maybe people out there will book a winter trip there when they hear in the press that they are open in mid-Oct? Is it expensive to save snow like this ? Killington could stockpile snow better than anyone. But of course you still need cold weather to make additional snow and harden the surface.
Wow, that's remarkable, and to me almost inconceivable. First of all, look at "how white" it looks?
Have to do some digging on this one. Really interesting!
Have to do some digging on this one. Really interesting!
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2017
- Posts
- 483
Here is another picture of them starting to spread and prepare the hill. They said the snow is perfect because the water drains of it during the summer. Kitzbühel is not that high of an elevation. Amazing that snow can last under any kind of tarp !!
So........I just asked a friend, who happens to manufacture snow guns, what the story on this is. He knew quite a bit.
All of the snow is evidently man made, and piled up for the purpose. They make it in mid season, as evidently the snow quality stores better. He thinks it gets moved a second time just as soon as the season is over. For whatever reason, the man made holds better.
I guess the pile is covered with big foam insulating pads, about a foot thick. Then the white tarp.
He said that they have been doing this in Scandinavia for some time. Just started a couple of years ago in Kitz. In Scandinavia {I didn't think of asking where}, they used to cover the snow in a thick layer of wood chips, then tarps. He thinks they still do it that way at a couple of places.
I guess very little melts, and its in perfect condition to bulldoze as a base. They can get it down before the weather is optimal for snowmaking. Normally a bit before they start to blow snow.
I had no idea! Thanks, @K2 Rat for posting!
All of the snow is evidently man made, and piled up for the purpose. They make it in mid season, as evidently the snow quality stores better. He thinks it gets moved a second time just as soon as the season is over. For whatever reason, the man made holds better.
I guess the pile is covered with big foam insulating pads, about a foot thick. Then the white tarp.
He said that they have been doing this in Scandinavia for some time. Just started a couple of years ago in Kitz. In Scandinavia {I didn't think of asking where}, they used to cover the snow in a thick layer of wood chips, then tarps. He thinks they still do it that way at a couple of places.
I guess very little melts, and its in perfect condition to bulldoze as a base. They can get it down before the weather is optimal for snowmaking. Normally a bit before they start to blow snow.
I had no idea! Thanks, @K2 Rat for posting!
Last edited:
I remember the Scandinavians doing it for Nordic but I had no idea, Wow!
Maybe they bleach it?
Maybe they bleach it?
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2017
- Posts
- 483
Kitzbühel opened a 2nd trail yesterday using last year's snow. This time on Hahnenkamm mountain on a trail above where the race starts. Just amazing they could save this much snow ! So, 2 lifts and 2 trails open right now on old snow.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2017
- Posts
- 483
I am still fascinated with this storing of snow from the previous year. I hope Killington looks into it. Superstar is not that long and I would think it would be a prime candidate to ensure a race next Nov there. Worked for Levi !
Anyway, plenty of training courses today at Kitzbühel today on last winter's snow.
Anyway, plenty of training courses today at Kitzbühel today on last winter's snow.