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Levi World Cup
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Thanks to the race fans etc. here, love reading everything from people that have kept up more than myself. Recorded (4am) Levi race and I certainly agree on poor reporting etc. but still fun the watch these great skiers/racers.
WOW, that dude (not naming names) had it in the bag.
I love slalom racing!
Fun to watch. Mens SL will be fun to watch this season.
Dave Riding just has serious speed. Too bad he got thrown in that one section. The course gets pretty beaten up when you're running last, and I think the visibility was tough as well. Andre Myhrer looked very good until the last section. Just a matter of time before Riding gets a win and gets that monkey off his back. Last week I heard the comment made that he could do real well at Levi because of the hill and the light. He still trains indoors quite a bit. Seemed like a stretch to me. Maybe not?
This was a good opportunity for both Swedes, HK and Nuereuther. Good stuff. CN just delivered as the crafty vet he is. Great to see.
This is going to be a VERY tight field, all season long, IMO. There are probably 15 guys who are legitimate podium contenders in every single SL. Maybe more. Not much separates them. I think we'll see great skiing and stacked runs all season long. It's really hard to see differences without slow motion, frame by frame footage. Are some a lot more consistent? Yes. HK for sure, Hirscher will be. Bet Nuereuther will be. But there are SO many, and the differences between them are minimal. I do think that when he is "on", HK is in a different place.
I really hope that his head is clear of all of the conflict with the Norwegian federation. I think it has been really stupid on the part of the team. If Svindal can wear a RedBull helmet, why not HK. I guess it's all based on the team contract with TeleNor. At any rate, it has been an issue, and I hope it's gone away.
In terms of the USA, we have not had a guy on a single WC SL podium in nine seasons. That to me is incredible. Incredibly bad/sad. We're just not in this hunt right now.
So, as I'd posted earlier, what we're rooting for is for Choudunsky to finish in the top 10, and if incredibly, incredibly lucky, break that podium streak. I personally think it's a huge long shot. Top 10's would be great. I'm not thinking he's consistently in that top 15 group.
So our other 5 starters were all fighting to get into the top 30 to get a second run. None did. Some were close. So close. One tenth out for Robby Kelly. Two tenths for Mark Engel. That will be the goal all season long. BTW, most are not kids. But they also ALL can keep progressing and getting better if we work with them. Not piling on. Just saying. We have tended to have odd criteria and dumped out many skiers. We hold onto others. It's perplexing. Heck, Mark was dropped from the USST and brought back on. Four of our starters have been dropped at least once.
The Norwegians had four in the second run. Two, BTW, ex NCAA racers. One of the three Canadian women is ex NCAA. Two of the Canadian men. We had four male ex college racers, today, BTW. The Swiss had four skiers in the second run. The French had four. The Austrians had six. Yeah, we had one.
So, I think we need to be realistic about where we are, and how much of a climb it is as a nation. There is a lot of work to be done, and much patience needed. Some feel the entire system needs a drastic overhaul in terms of how we handle development. The USST coaching ranks are loaded with Americans who were part of the system and know nothing else. They all work hard. Hard to see progression if you never know where you stand in the system year to year, as an athlete. Hard to take the long view.
This will be a fun SL year. Everybody is going to go hammer down, IMO. Pretty much every run. Perhaps we'll see a couple of guys, like Hirscher who will manage their racing a bit differently. His goal is the WC overall, and that takes a lot of podiums. A lot of these guys are just going to be charging so hard, all the time.
Which is fun.
Dave Riding just has serious speed. Too bad he got thrown in that one section. The course gets pretty beaten up when you're running last, and I think the visibility was tough as well. Andre Myhrer looked very good until the last section. Just a matter of time before Riding gets a win and gets that monkey off his back. Last week I heard the comment made that he could do real well at Levi because of the hill and the light. He still trains indoors quite a bit. Seemed like a stretch to me. Maybe not?
This was a good opportunity for both Swedes, HK and Nuereuther. Good stuff. CN just delivered as the crafty vet he is. Great to see.
This is going to be a VERY tight field, all season long, IMO. There are probably 15 guys who are legitimate podium contenders in every single SL. Maybe more. Not much separates them. I think we'll see great skiing and stacked runs all season long. It's really hard to see differences without slow motion, frame by frame footage. Are some a lot more consistent? Yes. HK for sure, Hirscher will be. Bet Nuereuther will be. But there are SO many, and the differences between them are minimal. I do think that when he is "on", HK is in a different place.
I really hope that his head is clear of all of the conflict with the Norwegian federation. I think it has been really stupid on the part of the team. If Svindal can wear a RedBull helmet, why not HK. I guess it's all based on the team contract with TeleNor. At any rate, it has been an issue, and I hope it's gone away.
In terms of the USA, we have not had a guy on a single WC SL podium in nine seasons. That to me is incredible. Incredibly bad/sad. We're just not in this hunt right now.
So, as I'd posted earlier, what we're rooting for is for Choudunsky to finish in the top 10, and if incredibly, incredibly lucky, break that podium streak. I personally think it's a huge long shot. Top 10's would be great. I'm not thinking he's consistently in that top 15 group.
So our other 5 starters were all fighting to get into the top 30 to get a second run. None did. Some were close. So close. One tenth out for Robby Kelly. Two tenths for Mark Engel. That will be the goal all season long. BTW, most are not kids. But they also ALL can keep progressing and getting better if we work with them. Not piling on. Just saying. We have tended to have odd criteria and dumped out many skiers. We hold onto others. It's perplexing. Heck, Mark was dropped from the USST and brought back on. Four of our starters have been dropped at least once.
The Norwegians had four in the second run. Two, BTW, ex NCAA racers. One of the three Canadian women is ex NCAA. Two of the Canadian men. We had four male ex college racers, today, BTW. The Swiss had four skiers in the second run. The French had four. The Austrians had six. Yeah, we had one.
So, I think we need to be realistic about where we are, and how much of a climb it is as a nation. There is a lot of work to be done, and much patience needed. Some feel the entire system needs a drastic overhaul in terms of how we handle development. The USST coaching ranks are loaded with Americans who were part of the system and know nothing else. They all work hard. Hard to see progression if you never know where you stand in the system year to year, as an athlete. Hard to take the long view.
This will be a fun SL year. Everybody is going to go hammer down, IMO. Pretty much every run. Perhaps we'll see a couple of guys, like Hirscher who will manage their racing a bit differently. His goal is the WC overall, and that takes a lot of podiums. A lot of these guys are just going to be charging so hard, all the time.
Which is fun.
I like those two a lot. Dave's technique is really dialed and he keeps it very clean at speed. Looked like the outside ski gave way a little - must've been chewed up at that point.
Ryding is skiing superior to the rest of the SL field and I don't know anyone who has the capability to catch him in SL when he's on his A-game other than maybe an A-game Hirscher (which we didn't see today). He had it in the bag today... could have cruised to first place and still won by a half-second. If he continued his pace down the pitch I bet he would have put a second into Neureuther. The skiing was impressive.
NBC rucking rucks... Just watched Levi, horrible coverage.
It's great to seeing them all ski so great all the same.
It's great to seeing them all ski so great all the same.
Got brave & clicked on YouTube to watch the Russian feed of the 1st run first, then the Olympic Channel coverage of run 2.
Bummer for Riding, he will not sleep well tonight. I was rooting for Felix & his catlike smoothness but it was Riding's race.
Riding displayed about the strongest, most obvious foot pullback I have ever seen. 2nd set had some real turns in it, demanding the racers to remain vigilant top to bottom. It was also cool to see how much more speed the men carried over the rollers/pro bumps. Choudunsky had a really strong first run & again showed signs of the potential, sorry to see him slow in run 2.
Another great race & good to see it so tight going into 2nd run.
Bummer for Riding, he will not sleep well tonight. I was rooting for Felix & his catlike smoothness but it was Riding's race.
Riding displayed about the strongest, most obvious foot pullback I have ever seen. 2nd set had some real turns in it, demanding the racers to remain vigilant top to bottom. It was also cool to see how much more speed the men carried over the rollers/pro bumps. Choudunsky had a really strong first run & again showed signs of the potential, sorry to see him slow in run 2.
Another great race & good to see it so tight going into 2nd run.
Me too!
I'd agree that Dave Ryding is skiing just exceptionally well. I also am reminded that he's had exactly one podium in his career, and zero wins. And he is 31 or 32? In terms of where it counts, finishing and winning, he still has some work to do. Once he does win one, I think he'll be in a different zone. As far as nobody being able to catch him....based on the season opener at Levi, on that surface, I'm more comfortable saying that he's one of a handful to watch in every race. Is he great to watch, and skiing incredibly well....yep. Complete agreement there. A lot of people are watching video of his skiing. I do think he is due for that breakthrough. I also think he's skiing on a great setup for his skiing. Others don't seem to be. i.e., Pintu. That is but one that perplexes me. If others were not doing well on their skis, it might make more sense.
Ryding had a great first run, and he was also pouring it on in the second. No doubt he was skiing the best today, but also no denying that Nuereuther won. Managed things a bit better, IMO.
Word I hear is that HK should be in a pretty good place now that this stuff has cleared out with the Norwegian Team, his fight with them, etc. He had a couple of issues today, but at the age of 23, he has 13 or 14 career WC SL wins to his credit. In 2015-2016 he had six wins, and two seconds. Then last year he had his year long battle. Remember him sitting out Levi. We'll see how he does. I think it also depends on how his dad and Christian Mitter mesh. They had it working well, but the last year has been pretty ugly.
I've been a big fan of Dave Choudunsky since his freshman year at Dartmouth. The USST did not make it easy on him, at all. He's fought his way to where he is, all the way. But, having said that, he skis sections of courses where he has jets, and others where he overturns a bit, isn't quite in the fall line as quickly or as long as others, etc. Not huge things, be enough to add up. I'd be delighted see a podium {or two} from Daver.
Regardless, this should be a fun season. I also think it's going to be a fun GS season as well. The men's field is really deep in tech again. Great skiing to watch.
Ryding had a great first run, and he was also pouring it on in the second. No doubt he was skiing the best today, but also no denying that Nuereuther won. Managed things a bit better, IMO.
Word I hear is that HK should be in a pretty good place now that this stuff has cleared out with the Norwegian Team, his fight with them, etc. He had a couple of issues today, but at the age of 23, he has 13 or 14 career WC SL wins to his credit. In 2015-2016 he had six wins, and two seconds. Then last year he had his year long battle. Remember him sitting out Levi. We'll see how he does. I think it also depends on how his dad and Christian Mitter mesh. They had it working well, but the last year has been pretty ugly.
I've been a big fan of Dave Choudunsky since his freshman year at Dartmouth. The USST did not make it easy on him, at all. He's fought his way to where he is, all the way. But, having said that, he skis sections of courses where he has jets, and others where he overturns a bit, isn't quite in the fall line as quickly or as long as others, etc. Not huge things, be enough to add up. I'd be delighted see a podium {or two} from Daver.
Regardless, this should be a fun season. I also think it's going to be a fun GS season as well. The men's field is really deep in tech again. Great skiing to watch.
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So @Muleski knows his stuff, and he continually mentions the USST system and it not producing. We should have the best of everything:
Money
Training
Coaches
And therefore competitive skiers
The old adage... If you keep doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.... may define insanity
Seems we (the United States) need changes big time from what I’m reading.
Money
Training
Coaches
And therefore competitive skiers
The old adage... If you keep doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.... may define insanity
Seems we (the United States) need changes big time from what I’m reading.
Out of the few runs I've seen (not seen them all yet) Ryding's setup looks the most dialed. He switched over to the Podium boot from the Technique mid-season last year and it seems to be working well for him.
I'm considering getting a pair of Podiums, but getting Fischer to let me have the size/flex combo (24, 150-160 flex) I need will take some work... usually they don't release them to me until mid to late season once all the athletes are mostly done for the year and don't need any more boots.
It would be nice to DC get some good finishes. He deserves it for sure. Great guy that has never gotten the credit he deserves on the USST. I got a chance to play with a set of his 180, yes 180, flex Dobies last year... After seeing what his setup is and seeing him ski, I think there is room for him to improve it on one side. JMO of course.
Ryding did ski his very best today, on his very limit. But if he would have held it back — no chance to keep the speed. He is not superior like a Kristofersen och Hirscher on top of their game. Going to be interesting to see Ryding. He developed to a consistent top 10 last season. But he has one podium and zero wins. Yet.
Personally I think Myhrers (swedish eyes) was closer. He had managed all the ”difficulties” in the set and went out just before the finish line which was just ... unnecessary.
Hargin did a solid performance and had some luck with others not performing. Getting a well deserved podium and season opening three positions better than last year. Three young Swedes in the back of the field. Two went out in 1st and a third too slow for 2nd run.
Personally I think Myhrers (swedish eyes) was closer. He had managed all the ”difficulties” in the set and went out just before the finish line which was just ... unnecessary.
Hargin did a solid performance and had some luck with others not performing. Getting a well deserved podium and season opening three positions better than last year. Three young Swedes in the back of the field. Two went out in 1st and a third too slow for 2nd run.
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Also would’ve liked to have seen Loic Meillard’s runs. He held the lead for awhile in run 2 & ended up placing 6th coming from bib 35. Of course, coverage broke away during his 2nd run & it was never shown. Is he the brother of Melanie?
Spell check does not like euro names
. Ryder keeps coming out Rider.
Spell check does not like euro names
. Ryder keeps coming out Rider.
Yes, her older brother. Two years older, 21. He, too is the real deal.
His breakthrough has already happened, it came during his pre-season training in 2016 and the results that followed that. It's irrelevant that he's only had one podium and he's nearing the end of his racing career - in terms of British skiing he's the best ever by a country mile and has broken several records that likely will remain unbroken for a long time. Last year he finished 8th in the World Cup standings and the only racer that he has not beaten in a WC is Hirscher. I said in the Hirscher fracture thread that Levi would be interesting and it was - unfortunately it was also a bit heartbreaking. Can't wait to follow the rest of his races, and hopefully get to go to a few of them
He's 30 (yob 1986) so still has a few more years but even if he bowed out now he's had a hugely successful career for a Brit and like Chemmy will easily find work in different areas both within and outside the industry. I just hope he has a good Olympics come February. He's a massive inspiration to young dry slope racers in the UK.
OK, So Dave Ryding is 30 until December 5th, when he turns 31. He might have plenty of years left. He might still keep improving.
His skiing did take a giant step forward a year ago. Actually spring, summer and fall on. Everyone agrees. He did have a huge breakthrough.
But, at least to my thinking, there is a separation between his skiing, and his actual results to date. There is no question that he is one of the best SL skiers on tour. Heck, today, perhaps he is the best. There is also the fact that he has one second place podium to his credit. No wins. Hopefully it is no wins yet. I contrasted him with HK. There is no comparison in terms of how we measure success....the clock and consistency. Everybody with whom he is competing at the top, at least his relative age, has a better record.
The fact that he has beaten, in one race or another, everybody on tour speaks to his one podium. This is a VERY tight and skilled field. And he's one who should be right there in every SL. It's too bad that he hit a shelf and hipped out at Levi, as that's a good hill for him and he was flying.
He seems like a good guy, he has worked like a dog, and he has a lot to be proud of. I'm sure he will accomplish more. His is a great story. Your points about his background dry skiing, and his being a huge inspiration for those skiing in UK are spot on. He's not the underdog he once was, but he is easy to root for. And, it would be tremendous to see him medal at the Olympic Games! Hope it happens.
I'm big on results. I'm not ready to jump into the camp that some others are. HK's recent 2016 season of six wins and two seconds, at age 21, sticks out to me. Hirscher's "OK with his skiing" as well.
Hopefully Dave will bring that speed through the finish line with two error free runs and win his first. I am reasonably sure that there is some consensus on the WC that it's just a matter of when. And when he gets that under his belt, that might signal another huge breakthrough.
No question, his skiing is phenomenal. His setup is working perfectly. I agree. He is great fun to watch. He is one to emulate as a skier. I mentioned earlier that many, many coaches are watching and playing his video.
I'm looking forward to his first win, then many more. Not if, when.
His skiing did take a giant step forward a year ago. Actually spring, summer and fall on. Everyone agrees. He did have a huge breakthrough.
But, at least to my thinking, there is a separation between his skiing, and his actual results to date. There is no question that he is one of the best SL skiers on tour. Heck, today, perhaps he is the best. There is also the fact that he has one second place podium to his credit. No wins. Hopefully it is no wins yet. I contrasted him with HK. There is no comparison in terms of how we measure success....the clock and consistency. Everybody with whom he is competing at the top, at least his relative age, has a better record.
The fact that he has beaten, in one race or another, everybody on tour speaks to his one podium. This is a VERY tight and skilled field. And he's one who should be right there in every SL. It's too bad that he hit a shelf and hipped out at Levi, as that's a good hill for him and he was flying.
He seems like a good guy, he has worked like a dog, and he has a lot to be proud of. I'm sure he will accomplish more. His is a great story. Your points about his background dry skiing, and his being a huge inspiration for those skiing in UK are spot on. He's not the underdog he once was, but he is easy to root for. And, it would be tremendous to see him medal at the Olympic Games! Hope it happens.
I'm big on results. I'm not ready to jump into the camp that some others are. HK's recent 2016 season of six wins and two seconds, at age 21, sticks out to me. Hirscher's "OK with his skiing" as well.
Hopefully Dave will bring that speed through the finish line with two error free runs and win his first. I am reasonably sure that there is some consensus on the WC that it's just a matter of when. And when he gets that under his belt, that might signal another huge breakthrough.
No question, his skiing is phenomenal. His setup is working perfectly. I agree. He is great fun to watch. He is one to emulate as a skier. I mentioned earlier that many, many coaches are watching and playing his video.
I'm looking forward to his first win, then many more. Not if, when.
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