Alpine Ski Racing

[sinnsyk]

Inspired by the Olympics and really, really missing Alpine Ski Racing, I joined the Rocky Mountain Masters racing program and came out of ski racing 'retirement'. Last time I competed in skiing was 26 years ago... so for my first race it of course had to be downhill. Here are some pictures from this weekends downhill race. This is for the most part an 'old boys' competition, but open to anyone from 18 - 80. Some of the top guys are previous US national ski team. And some have never competed before. Sort of like going to an USPSA area championships.

We have a great local training program and I'm gonna focus on Giant Slalom and Super-G.

Pictures by Emma Hall. Thanks to her I got these great shots. She suffered her way through deep snow and trees to get a good spot to take these pics.

Edited March 22, 2010 by sinnsyk

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: Good for you The sport has changed alot in 26 years The skis are different and so is some of the technic for slalom. I used to race 18 years ago in the Masters in Canada. It is alot of fun and you will find a group you can race with just like USPSA. Keep your hands up higher and more infront of you while in your tuck. Thanks, Eric

[sinnsyk]

yup been told that already, but thanks for the advice. I'm trying to get used to holding my hands up higher and holding a lower tuck. Not there yet. We did 2 training runs and one race on Saturday and two races today. I kept improving so happy about that. Finished in the middle and have lots of training ahead of me. Next season it's all on.

[Corey]

i can barely stand up on skis, let alone turn at high speed. I do have the "snowplow" down pretty well tho!

Good for you getting back into a sport you love, looks like a blast!

[Nik Habicht]

Henning,

no targets? No blasters? :P

Seriously -- have fun with it, and don't break anything important.....

[DarthMuffin]

Henning,

no targets? No blasters? :P

Seriously -- have fun with it, and don't break anything important.....

I see some possibilities here:

"Start position: at top of mountain with skis on. Gun loaded and holstered as per 8.1.1

Stage description: on signal proceed through starting gate. Engage targets from between slalom poles as visible. Snow banks are soft cover."

I think I saw James Bond do that stage once...

[slavex]

nice dude. I used to ski many many years ago. Bad knee ended that. not that I was any good though, just barely beyond a snow plow. Miss it, and might look into it next year if the knee is any better.

Gotta ask though, what's next for your hobbies? Parachuting, drag racing, BASE jumping? I mean you do all the cool stuff already, you're kinda running out of stuff to do.

[trickpony]

Looks like fun! I'd be doing the same if I lived anywhere close to hills large enough to ski on

[GTOSHootr]

The Olympics had me amped up to ski again too. Since I left Vail and moved back east though I just can't get into it like I did there.

You just don't know how good you have it in Co until you leave!

Edited March 23, 2010 by GTOSHootr

[sinnsyk]

Already tried the sky diving thing. Worked on getting my license 20 years ago and got through 19 jumps before the winter blew in. Scary and fun. I'd do it again if someone wants to throw me out of a plane without requiring a jump license. I just don't want to go through the process again. One of the guys I got to know back then had a chute collapse on his 2nd jump. The pilot of the spare came out first, then the pilot of the main. He grabbed both as he realized they would both open at the same time, tangle up and he'd be flat toast. So he kept his head cool, suddenly had one in each hand, cut the main and finally released the spare which he landed with. Another guy we watched did a hook turn too low and broke both his shin bones. He screamed pretty loud. Took them six hours per leg in surgery. I had a blast and miss it. Hope to do it again some day, just got to find a pilot who's a little flexible..

[redwoods]

I bought a GS race suit but have not worn it yet. I did some training with the Masters program in Vail and it helped me a lot. I hear that the training at A-Basin is very good, in case you want to join a training group.

Maybe we can get into the Nastar gates sometime and we will see if I could smoke a GM shooter in a race....other than with guns!

I have been skiing and shooting on the same day a few times. It is a lot of fun to do both on the same day. We will have to meet up on the mtn one day.

Randy

[slavex]

I've wanted to do it for years, the wife went when I was in Ecuador (didn't tell me till I got home either).

lets see, what other extreme sports can we nominate Henning for? Those flying man suits look pretty cool, and you could combine an IPSC stage into it too I think?