Audi Fis World Cup Coming To Squaw Valley

[ScotsSkier]

OK, more to come, but just come off the hill. Timed my slip run so I saw the last 10 at the bottom. MS ran it too tight for comfort, but an awesome eruption form the crowd when she got it. The middle section of the hill was getting a little sloppy (alll comparative) which is where the last 10 all started losing some time

And Julia didnt fore-run, Stacey Cook did. As julia said yesterday, if she could forerun, she could race. While not official, it looks like she is finished

 

[Living Proof]

Tuned into the NBCSN streaming, did not know it was available until I read it in this thread. Great to watch live. I don't follow GS racing that much, but, it seemed odd that the very top was much more of a Super G, and, then how much time was lost by so many in the middle sections where the turnshapes seemed to tight a radius for GS. It's amazing how the top 5 separate themselves from the field.

Go get 'em MS tomorrow! You rock!

 

[Alexzn]

Tuned into the NBCSN streaming, did not know it was available until I read it in this thread. Great to watch live. I don't follow GS racing that much, but, it seemed odd that the very top was much more of a Super G, and, then how much time was lost by so many in the middle sections where the turnshapes seemed to tight a radius for GS. It's amazing how the top 5 separate themselves from the field.

Go get 'em MS tomorrow! You rock!

I don't know racing well enough to pretend to read the race, but I do know that hill. The top is quite flat and rather narrow, so it's natural that they took those turns in a tuck to maintain speed (and there was not much side to side room. The middle sections (Dog Legs) are quite steep, perhaps unusually steep, for a GS hill. When it is icy, you can struggle to hold on that terrain even on freshly tuned normal skis. That's probably what they had to do to avoid getting the course turn into a slingshot. Watch how they carried all that speed from the flat into the first tow turns on Dog Leg and immediately got into trouble. Besides the top 5 women, the one who managed that transition really well was Gagnon, who incidentally knows that hill very very well. Shiffrin's training at Squaw definitely contributed to her performance today.

 

[Muleski]

What does she need in slalom to wrap the overall?

It is effectively over. MS has a 278 point lead over Stuhec. Stuhec has two speed starts at Aspen. She COULD win both. 200 points.

Stuhec had not been an awful SL skier, but she has not started a WC SL in a couple of years, and has a world ranking of 200+. Being realistic the chance of her getting s second run and scoring a single point in either of the next two is nil. Meanwhile MS is the prohibitive favorite to win both. Another 200 points.

That leaves the GS in Aspen. Practically home for MS. A win? Good chance,

So Stuhec is not mathematically eliminated even if MS wins tomorrow. MS would have a 378 point lead {assuming none scored by Stuhec}. If Stuhec announces that she will not race the SL, then it IS mathematically done.
That might be a classy move.

I think Vonn will win the DH at Aspen. And I am nowhere near as confident about Stuhec in either race there as I am about MS in both Aspen races.

So......it's over. MS is going to win by a good margin.

I think it would have been a great battle with Lara Gut.

 

[DoryBreaux]

Here is a sequence of Shiffrin in her first run. Its one thing to watch these ladies on TV/streaming, but being right next to them on a course puts their speed in perspective like you wouldn't believe. These girls are FAST!

Shiffrin GS 1st Run SEQ

• DoryBreaux
• Mar 10, 2017
• 1

 

[Tricia]

Here is a sequence of Shiffrin in her first run. Its one thing to watch these ladies on TV/streaming, but being right next to them on a course puts their speed in perspective like you wouldn't believe. These girls are FAST!

Shiffrin GS 1st Run SEQ

• DoryBreaux
• Mar 10, 2017
• 1

This is why we have you there!!!

 

[ScotsSkier]

I don't know racing well enough to pretend to read the race, but I do know that hill. The top is quite flat and rather narrow, so it's natural that they took those turns in a tuck to maintain speed (and there was not much side to side room. The middle sections (Dog Legs) are quite steep, perhaps unusually steep, for a GS hill. When it is icy, you can struggle to hold on that terrain even on freshly tuned normal skis. That's probably what they had to do to avoid getting the course turn into a slingshot. Watch how they carried all that speed from the flat into the first tow turns on Dog Leg and immediately got into trouble. Besides the top 5 women, the one who managed that transition really well was Gagnon, who incidentally knows that hill very very well. Shiffrin's training at Squaw definitely contributed to her performance today.

Exactly Alex! the first 6 -7 gates are really the only flattish part of the course then you come onto the first dogleg which is a REALLY steep pitch and you come steaming onto it after being in a tuck. More than a little intimidating to charge it when you cant even see the gate!. I know quite a few of the girls were more than a little nervous!. Then form there on you are working hard all the way, the middle third+ of the course is all a serious sidehill and it just keeps coming at you. Then when you hit the breakover it is a is a loooonng way way to the finish with a lot of rollers. The first course set was tough, especially on the bottom half, with a LOT of swing. If you watched it you will have seen them throwing the skis sideways a lot, not unlike the men. The second run set, by the italian coach flowed much better and the italina girls made the most of it. Goggia was a second up till you lost her pole and finished just over a second down so might have been very close.

A long hard hill, you could see the fatigue in a lot of the girls as they came down note last pitch, and there was still a couple of tricks there in the second run, they got very light about 6-7 gates up from the finish

 

[Muleski]

Here is a sequence of Shiffrin in her first run. Its one thing to watch these ladies on TV/streaming, but being right next to them on a course puts their speed in perspective like you wouldn't believe. These girls are FAST!]

Funny, at times when I mention some women who have very similar race backgrounds enjoying a particular ski post-retirement and I have people trying to explain that they are on too long a ski or "too much" ski for their size, I really just think "you don't get it." You have no clue how powerful these women are.

Most also have no grip on how difficult the course is for the first out of the gate, and how much it deteriorates. Huge.

Women's WC, NorAm and NCAA racing is just tremendous to watch.

Congrats to all at Squaw for getting that race run with the temps. Great to see. Fun stuff!

And GREAT pic sequence. Thanks!

 

[Muleski]

Exactly Alex! the first 6 -7 gates are really the only flattish part of the course then you come onto the first dogleg which is a REALLY steep pitch and you come steaming onto it after being in a tuck. More than a little intimidating to charge it when you cant even see the gate!. I know quite a few of the girls were more than a little nervous!. Then form there on you are working hard all the way, the middle third+ of the course is all a serious sidehill and it just keeps coming at you. Then when you hit the breakover it is a is a loooonng way way to the finish with a lot of rollers. The first course set was tough, especially on the bottom half, with a LOT of swing. If you watched it you will have seen them throwing the skis sideways a lot, not unlike the men. The second run set, by the italian coach flowed much better and the italina girls made the most of it. Goggia was a second up till you lost her pole and finished just over a second down so might have been very close.

A long hard hill, you could see the fatigue in a lot of the girls as they came down note last pitch, and there was still a couple of tricks there in the second run, they got very light about 6-7 gates up from the finish

Great report, SS!
First run was set by the Swedish coach? Brutal. But fair.
That hill has everything. Seriously challenging for everyone in the field.

 

[Philpug]

View attachment 20722

Who let Forrest out on first year Brahmas???? Charlie Hepburn, you should be ashamed.

 

[ScotsSkier]

Yeah, it's the crew that's doing the play-by-play for the spectators in the finish area. So.... painful. Let Kaylin do all of the announcing - she at least knows what she's looking at and isn't full of hyperbole (or major pronunciation fails).

Damn, that hill is soft and sloppy. Where's the urea crew when you need 'em?

Remember Rudi, there are restrictions on what we can use in the Tahoe Basin. Fertilizer is a no no. Normally just straight salt. I was worried it was going to start peeling but actually on the first run it got down to a pretty good surface. i was in the post salt slip crew and then did another couple of slip runs during the race and it was pretty decent, only saw one hole. Second run was a little softer but we managed to keep it in reasonable shape and I didnt see any holes coming through.

Oh, and trick question, who can identify the father of one of the current womens USST shown at the start (in back view) in one of my pics above...

 

[Eleeski]

@ScotsSkier I'll give credit where it's due. Squaw and Andy Wirth hit one out of the park with this WC! Well organized, smoothly run and a wonderful vibe.

It is cool that American women are doing well this year. I think we are getting more TV coverage of skiing for it. It was cool to have heard of many of these stars (not just MS and LV) so we could root for them with some knowledge. And we have a couple new stars. Federica Brignone with her amazing second run and Sofia Goggia showing so much heart by going for it so well after losing her pole.

Squaw's race kids seemed so energized! As were all the skiers on the mountain enjoying fantastic snow. Wonderful show!

Eric

 

[Philpug]

I am really sorry I am missing this but the coverage is in better hands than I could have done. @DoryBreaux and @ScotsSkier are indeed the best combo that could have covered this event.

 

[Rudi Riet]

Remember Rudi, there are restrictions on what we can use in the Tahoe Basin. Fertilizer is a no no. Normally just straight salt.

Ah, didn't know that. Makes sense given the lake. We use fertilizer in the Mid-Atlantic, but we aren't dealing with the same watershed issues.

Glad it held up well. Challenging stuff, and y'all pulled it off well.

 

[Alexzn]

Oh, and trick question, who can identify the father of one of the current womens USST shown at the start (in back view) in one of my pics above...

Vojko Lapanja? (i'm butchering the spelling I'm sure)...

 

[ScotsSkier]

Winner! well done Alex!

 

[Muleski]

Noticed that Lila L is racing today. Best of luck to her! Good to be healthy and at home.

Also still see Stuhec on the start list, bib 31. She gets to start there based on her results in the other disciplines. Same as MS before she had posted any SG results.

I would have thought that she would be on her way to Aspen. DH training starts there Monday. Watch her score a bunch of SL points and prove a few of us to be totally wrong! Fighting for the overall as long as there is "a chance." Pretty great.

Hope the course holds up well. A bit cooler?
Record cold back East today. A bit "firm".

 

[crgildart]

Watching TV coverage. Managed to avoid spoilers..

 

[Swede]

2nd SL run about to start. Go Emelie!!!

 

[Muleski]

2nd SL run about to start. Go Emelie!!!

Nice run!!!