Females in the Fall Line - a Ski Racing article

[Tricia]

SkiRacing has this article, which I thought was interesting and then I thought....
In a sport where we talk about the gender gap, it fascinates me that we talk about Lindsey and Michaela more than just about any other ski racer, well there's Bode too.

From a personal standpoint, I'm fairly close to @epic and @UGASkiDawg , both of whom have daughters who race, and I wonder how far they can go. Will one of these girls be the next big thing?

Females in the Fall Line: The lessons and success of skiing women

 

[SBrown]

Does ski racing have any more or different benefits for women than other athletics in general?

 

[Tricia]

^^^ Good question.

 

[UGASkiDawg]

Does ski racing have any more or different benefits for women than other athletics in general?

Different yes..more? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Ski racing is definitely different than any team sport. There are many other individual sports though but that's the biggest difference. I can't think of any other individual sport that has as many variables that must come together for a racer to perform. Every Venue is different, the conditions can change significantly over the course of the race. Bike racing (especially downhill is probably the closest).

 

[Swede]

One thing that is special is that boys and girls practice and travel together for quite some time in ski racing.

 

[SBrown]

So yes, those are differences in the sports, but what would you say are the different benefits that come out of them?

 

[Tricia]

Different yes..more? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Ski racing is definitely different than any team sport. There are many other individual sports though but that's the biggest difference. I can't think of any other individual sport that has as many variables that must come together for a racer to perform. Every Venue is different, the conditions can change significantly over the course of the race. Bike racing (especially downhill is probably the closest).

That's an interesting dynamic. You're on a race team but you perform individually.

 

[SBrown]

That's an interesting dynamic. You're on a race team but you perform individually.

Most individual sports do (or can) have a team component, yes. Gymnastics, tennis, wrestling, track and field, golf, whatever. Often not once you leave scholastic sports, but there are still opportunities (Davis Cup in tennis, etc.). Individual athletes are always gushing about how great it is to be part of a team in such instances, too -- probably takes some of the edge off.

 

[Swede]

But teams in most sports are gender specific. I think that the mix in alpine racing is good. Healthy for guys to realise that they can get their a** kicked in the gates by a girl.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

I did collegiate sailing in school. I don't know about now, but back in the day, it was the only co-ed Varsity sport (I don't remember there being many female skippers though).

 

[SBrown]

I think it's great to mix the sexes, but girls and boys don't officially race each other, do they?

 

[Swede]

They race and pactice the same course, so it is very comparable.

 

[SBrown]

They race and pactice the same course, so it is very comparable.

Ok I'm not trying to be obtuse, but how is this different from track and field? Swimming?

 

[Johnny V.]

Healthy for guys to realise that they can get their a** kicked in the gates by a girl.

You get over it.......................

 

[Philpug]

Healthy for guys to realise that they can get their a** kicked in the gates by a girl.

And healthy for girls to realize they can kick guys a$$es in the gates.

 

[babanff]

Ok I'm not trying to be obtuse, but how is this different from track and field? Swimming?

It isnt different really. Had I not had the benefit of racing alongside the mens team I may have never discovered the positive effects of Metallica on a 6:30am hangover or learned how to open a beer bottle with a seatbelt.

 

[Philpug]

It isnt different really. Had I not had the benefit of racing alongside the mens team I may have never discovered the positive effects of Metallica on a 6:30am hangover or learned how to open a beer bottle with a seatbelt.

You went to Penn State, you would have learned all of that taking Econ 101.

 

[Swede]

Ok I'm not trying to be obtuse, but how is this different from track and field? Swimming?

Wasn't aware that T&F teams train together. That would be comparable.

 

[Rudi Riet]

I think it's great to mix the sexes, but girls and boys don't officially race each other, do they?

Actually, there is a movement to have the young girls and boys (pre-pubescent) race directly against each other within some USSA divisions. Given the sport of alpine racing has seen some steep membership drop-off at the U14 and U16 levels, anything to simplify the sport and make it more accessible is a good thing. And given that the young kids essentially train as peers anyway (with the girls even with the boys in almost every timed run metric), it makes sense.

 

[James]

Does ski racing have any more or different benefits for women than other athletics in general?

Lindsey can pose in the snow with a bikini?
If she were a tennis player that would be odd to put in Sports Illustrated.