| weanswer@skipost.com
Klister vs Hardwax Pockets |
Dear SkiPost,
In abrasive conditions requiring a klister binder under hard wax, do you klister the entire hard wax pocket or keep the whole pocket shorter due to risk of slowing the glide if the hard wax wears off in the longer hardwax pocket?
DS
Dear DS,
You would use a shorter wax pocket. With a Klister binder your wax layer will be thicker than a hard wax only kick job. You need to have a wax zone so that the layer does not rub when the ski is in its glide phase and the kick zone is up. The height of your wax pocket is highest under your toes and then gets lower as it proceeds forward and also rearward. For klister waxing you make your kick zone shorter so not to have the front and rear of the wax/klister rubbing when gliding. You should have your skis tested and marked with a hardwax and a klister pocket. The klister pocket will be shorter than the hardwax pocket. Even better would be to have a hardwax ski and a klister ski. "Klister" or "warm snow" skis from most brands are designed with wax pockets that ride farther off the snow for this exact purpose. If you wax a lot with klister you should get a klister/warm snow ski to complement your hardwax cold ski.
Andy at SkiPost |
_____________________________________________________
|
Family Trip to the Paralympics !
|
|
Matthew Walsh's Story (Matt is 6 years old)
I went to Vancouver. I saw a sledge hockey game and wheelchair curling. And I got a mascot stuffy named Quatchi. He is a sasquatch who was the mascot for the Vancouver Olympics. He is friends with Sumi and Miga. Sumi is the Vancouver Paralympic mascot. Sumi likes to mono-ski. Miga, she likes snowboarding. She is another Olympic Mascot.
After Vancouver we went up to Whistler. I saw sit-ski for alpine skiing and cross country sprints and relay. The only sport in the winter Paralympics that I didn't see was biathlon.
Shannon's story: (Shannon is age 8, Bill Koch league J5 skier) My family and I went to see the cross country sprints at the Paralympics. The sprints are really short races (about 1 kilometer). There were qualifiers, then semifinals, then the finals. It was raining, but not really hard. We found three-year-old triplets who were also from the US and we played with them there. We also saw them later that day at the closing ceremonies. There were no US athletes in the finals. There was one person from Canada in the finals, Brian McKeever, who is legally blind. His guide was his brother Robin who once got behind during the race. They won the gold medal in the Visually Impaired category. After the race, I saw him walking back to the Canadian wax trailer and he showed me his gold medal. I also saw medals from the Russian and Japanese athletes. The medals were very shiny and were wavy rather than flat.
During the races, I went to the Russian wax trailer. Slava, who is a Russian coach, took my mom, brother and me there to give us a present. Slava once gave my dad a funny portrait of himself that is now on the wall inside our front door. This time he gave Matt and me a Russian team mascot stuffy. It is a blue, furry animal with big ears and an orange face. He is wearing a white shirt with the Russian team logo. Russia is hosting the next winter Olympics and Paralympics, which will be in Sochi in 2014. See you in Sochi!! Rob's story (Rob is a 5 time Paralympian, Chairperson of the IPC Nordic Skiing Committee, coach for the Ford Sayre youth program, and a dad.)
It was a warm sunny day in the Callaghan valley. A liberal dose of sunscreen was recommended if you were going to be watching the cross country relays at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. I went to the Paralympics as an official at the Nordic events (biathlon and cross country). The rest of my family (Tracy, Shannon, and Matthew) were up in the stands, nestled between the Russian and Ukrainian cheering sections, which turned out to be a fun place to be. The Russians found at the Paralympics the results that had eluded them in the Olympics - they dominated the overall medal count, and in the relay the men overcame a slow start to capture another gold. The Russian women also won, with the Ukrainian team taking silver in both events. So while I was out at the far end of the course watching the race with a few coaches, my family was back in the stadium in the jubilant atmosphere of sports fans supporting a winning team. "Rus-si-YA!" came the cry from one side, "U-kra-EE-na!" came the reply. Like Norway vs. Sweden, it's a rivalry between nations with intertwined histories.
Taking into account the venue, the crowds, the organization, and the level of competition this was considered by many to be the best Winter Paralympics ever (The winter games have been taking place since 1976). But with all the good memories I brought home perhaps the best were those from a simple family outing. I had brought the kids ski equipment with me to Vancouver with the hopes of taking them out on some of the great recreational trails and perhaps on the venue courses after the event ended. But the forecast for the final day was rain so I realized that after the relay was going to be my best chance for a positive skiing experience. I had a short window between the event and the team captains' meeting for the next day so I quickly scraped skis and shepherded the two kids out through the fence at the end of the stadium onto a part of the trail system that was not being prepared for the next day's sprint races. Shannon was skating and Matt striding, as is their usual preference, but it was not about technique or speed that day. It was about enjoying the sunshine, the spring snow, and scenic surroundings.
We skied only about 2 km of the women's relay course from earlier in the day, part of the final 3k of the 50k race at the Olympics. I snapped a few photos to document the occasion and as we reached the end of the stadium Shannon turned to ask "Can I go to the finish?" The stadium was quiet. "Sure", I said, and she took off down the final straightaway along the now empty stands. Matt seemed frustrated at first that he could not keep up, but skiing alongside me and wearing his Paralympic mascot hat he grinned and announced, "Sumi is going to win the silver medal!"
I'm sure the day will come sooner than I think when both my kids will be able to leave me behind in a ski race. I just hope that long after that day comes, I'll still be remembering this day in the Callaghan Valley. I brought their skis 6000 miles for a 30 minute outing - and it was worth it.
Rob, Matt and Shannon wrote this article for Nensa news.
|
_____________________________________________________
|
|
In recent years, more and more athletes needing prescription performance eyewear have discovered and embraced Rudy Rx Solutions making Rudy Project one of the fastest growing Rx Sport solutions companies in the world. Rudy Project has certainly shaken things up lately offering a wide array of Performance and Casual sunglasses that can easily be Rxed. And starting this year, Rudy offers a wide array of ophthalmic frames for stylish casual wear. Each solution has different benefits to meet the needs for a wide array of athletes and activities. Click hear to examine the Rudy RX solutions and get yoru great SkiPost Discount.
|
_____________________________________________________
|
Bend Oregon On-Snow Camps
June 8-13 & June 18-22 |
_____________________________________________________
|
June 8-13
USSA Club Camp
Nordic skiing on groomed trails at Mt Bachelor.
Designed for USSA Clubs to come with coaches and train on snow!
Clubs directors contact Dan Simoneau at MBSEF 541-388-0002
June 18-22
Citizens ski camp!
Nordic Skiing on the groomed trails at Mt Bachelor.
Daily On-Snow & Dryland Coaching and Training.
Learn from, and ski with, some of the best nordic skiers in North America for a 40 year tradition of late spring skiing.
Staff:Torin Koos-2010, 2006, 2002 Olympic Team "Bend Camp is just about as good as it gets." Lars Flora-2006, 2002 Olympic Team "Training on race trails in June, Incredible!" Kristina Strandberg-Swedish Skier, SuperTour Champion, NCAA Champion "The sun is shining and the skiing is great." Dan Simoneau-1980, 1984, 1988 Olympic Team Tim Gibbons-Former U.S. Olympic Committee sport physiologist Includes: 5 days of trail fees, 5 days of on-snow coaching, 5 days of dryland coaching, T-shirt, Barbecue, and Raft Trip Costs: Ages 8-11, $100, (19th-22nd, Morning skiing only) Ages 12-18, $250 Seniors and Masters: $300 Call Dan Simoneau @ 541-388-0002 for more information.
|
_____________________________________________________
|
CXC Camps
Central Regional Elite Grop (REG) Camp (July 3rd - July 9th)
Birkie Junior Technique Camp (July 26th - July 29th)
Birkie One-Day Junior Technique Camp - NEW! (July 26th)
Birkie Masters Open Camp (July 30th - August 1st)
CXC Woman's Camp (August 13th - August 15th)
CXC Academy
This season Matt Liebsch (the winner of the 2009 American Birkebeiner and Top 30 World Cup finisher) will provide a duplicate of his training log, comments, and notes that corresponds with one week of each training period. This, along with running tips, bike workouts, and narratives by other top-level Elite athletes makes the third installment of CXC Academy better than ever!
As you might imagine, there are many different applications for this type of open-ended coaching tool. Some people who used CXC Academy include: 32 coaches from all different levels, 31 High School skiers, 44 Citizen Racers, 5 members of the US Adaptive Ski Team, 5 Elite Skate Wave Birkie Skiers, 15 Wave 1 Skate Birkie Skiers, 43 Wave 2 Skiers, 24 Wave 3 Skiers, 25 Wave 4 Skiers, 15 Wave 5 Skiers, 12 Wave 6 Skiers, 3 Wave 7 Skiers, 1 Wave 8 Skier, and 3 Wave 9 Skiers. As the numbers indicate, there is something for everyone in CXC Academy, and we will be posting new information throughout the entire 2010/2011 season to help you get the most out of year-round ski training. CXC Academy Info |
_____________________________________________________
|
| Mountain Bike Biathlon
West Yellowstone
|
|
The West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation (WYSEF) invites all mountain bikers and biathetes to register for the Mountain Bike Biathlon held at the Rendezvous Ski Trails on June 26, 2010. Everyone is welcome and no shooting experience is required. A safety clinic, practice session, and loaner equipment is available for novices. Prizes, fresh air, and lots of fun await. More information can be found at
RendezvousSkiTrails.com/biathlon |
_____________________________________________________
|
|
About SkiPost
Cross-Country skiing's community lodge. Where knowledge and stories are shared. The goal of SkiPost is to make the sport of Cross-Country skiing easier and more enjoyable for all who choose to participate. If you have questions on Cross-Country Skiing see www.SkiPost.com or email us at weanswer@skipost.com
Enjoy Winter,
Andrew Gerlach
Director - SkiPost
Justin Easter
Editor - SkiPost |
|
|
