Wendell Moore's Ski Blog

A SST Skier Profile: Arnie Chestnut

2012-02-25T11:49:00.001-08:00

Who is this masked man? In case you don't recognize Arnie Chestnut, this is what he looked like after skiing 35 cm of powder for a couple of hours yesterday! I have no doubt there will be a few more expressions like this on peoples faces after today as well.

Arnie is our bionic man. Many of you may not recognize him anymore because the apparatus he used to wear on the outside of his ski pants to help him take the pressure off his knees when he skis is now worn completely beneath his ski pants and over his knee braces so, from the outside, he looks like any other skier.

However, below the surface the gear helps him to manage the regular pressures to the knees and gives him the freedom to ski. Last season, he suffered a set back when his sciatica became aggravated to the point of severe distraction, but, in typical Arne form, he has ploughed his way back with determination and passion and is now out there at least as much as you or me enjoying the sport he loves so much.

The name of the apparatus and the website, just in case there is another old fellow or gal out there who thinks they might benefit from it, is: Ski Mojo, http://www.skiallday.co.uk/sm/

By the way, Arnie wasn't at the Demo Tent for himself, he was selflessly helping his lovely wife Sally choose and demo skis; really, here's a picture of him and her to prove it!

Skis for 2012

2012-02-18T14:22:00.000-08:00

Many of the major ski manufacturers had their new wares for 2012 out on the slopes this week for the people in the ski industry to get their first look at them. I received an invitation from Can Ski to attend and had quite a day of it. You will have your chance to demo them at the Annual Ski & Snowboard Festival in April. In the meantime, here is a short report on what I found out there that might be of interest to the senior skier who skis Whistler/Blackcomb in particular.

I got to the Timing Flats on Whistler at 0845 on Thursday February 16th and started my testing right away. The conditions were semi overcast and snowing lightly on top of 2 cm of new schnee. It was just a pleasure for the first three rips from the top of the Dave Murray in fresh uncut. It got progressively cut up and compacted as the day went on and we even had a bit of sun popping through in the afternoon.

Before I give you the breakdown on the skis I skied on, I must mention that I was focused on skis that were suited for off piste but, can do an admirable job on the front side groomers as well. My benchmarks are the Rossi S3 & S7 in the big skis for off piste which are 50/50 rocker/camber and the Rossi Experience 88 and 98's in the "All Mountain" categories which are 25/75. The ski test cards asked for opinions and scores from 1 = poor to 4 = very good on: 1. Stability & Speed 2. Ease of Turn Initiation 3. Edge Hold/Grip and 4. Overall.

The Benchmarks: 1. S & S 2. E of TI 3. EH/G 4. Overall
Rossi Experience 88mm @ 172 cm 4 3 3 3 +
Rossi Experience 98mm @ 180cm 4 3 3 3 +
Rossi S3 98mm @ 178 cm 3 3 3 3
Rossi S7 110mm @ 178 cm 4 4 3 4 -

Skis Tested:
Salomon Rocker 2 108mm @ 182 cm 4 3 3 3 +
Salomon BBR 89mm @ 178 cm 4 4 3 4 -
K2 Kung Fu Jus 102mm @ 179 cm 3 2 2 3 -
Line Influence 115mm @ 179 cm 3 - 3 3 3 -
Head EOS REV 105mm @ 177 cm 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 -
Head EOS REV 85mm @ 177 cm 3 3 4 3 +
Blizzard Bushwhacker 88mm @ 173 cm 3 3 4 3 +
Blizzard Cochise 108mm @ 177 cm 2 2 3 3 -
Atomic Alibi 98mm @ 180 cm 3 3 3 3
Scott Dozer 98mm @ 175 cm 3 3 3 3
Scott Crusade 92mm @ 179 cm 3 3 3 3

As you can see, there are a lot of 3's. My impression is that there are a lot of really good skis out there in these categories and one's that can elevate your game without a doubt. I also want to take away my personal bias if possible and let you go out and try a few skis that should give the Rossi family a run for their money on any given day.

There is no change in the Rossi's for 2012 other than the graphics. Every manufacturer is sporting a women's version of these models as well including Salomon BBR's in hot red and hot green top sheets. I know some of the ladies just don't like the look of the BBR's so it will be interesting to find out the reaction to the new colours.

The new Head EOS REV series is their serious attempt at getting into the "rocker" game and they have 20/80 rocker to camber to 25/75 but don't offer a rockered tail. The only other one I tested without a rockered tail is the Blizzard Bushwhacker and Salomon BBR.

By afternoon, my test run was starting to bump up in places such as the upper sewer area and all these straight tails worked fine with no real sense of the skis being jetted forward leaving me to clammer out of the back seat.

There were a few surprises led by the reintroduction of the Scott Ski to Canada for next season. They are now doing well enough in Europe to give it a go over here, I guess. Both of those models I tried were rockered tip & tail and sport something called the "Ventura Effect" where they are playing with the skis radius [the sidecut which determines the arc of a turn] by adding a metal stripping along the side wall. The Atomic Alibi has something similar, a titanium strip in theirs.

The Head EOS series also plays with the radius and seem to have made a good ski even better with their dampened "early rise rocker." Call it what you will but the Head DNA is quite evident in these new offerings [which is a good thing.]

Other surprises include the new K2 Kung Fu Jus with conservative graphics [for K2] if you can believe it. I was pleased with the ride and stability yet quickness for such a big ski. The Line Influence might just influence some of you too. Very strong, even agressive feel and, conservative graphics as well!

I still like the Rossi S7's for the off piste but the Salomon BBR and Rocker 2's are both awesome and now that I have got my head around skiing on these big boys, I can even take the flack about how ugly they look, in stride. After all, it's all about how well they ski and will they elevate my game and be a welcome edition to my "package.*" On those counts, a resounding YES!

* The Package refers to skis & bindings matched perfectly to properly fitted and aligned to ski boots.

Senior Ski Team Skis Europe

2012-01-24T13:56:00.000-08:00

As hard as it is to believe, we are already well into week 2 of 2 weeks of skiing in Austria and Italy. Our journey took us from Vancouver over night to Frankfurt and then on a connector over to Munich, Germany. After a night on the town, we were off by bus through Bavaria to Austria; in three hours, we were the Alps,, in the heart of zee Tyrol, St. Anton!

St Anton was a fantastic experience from the first days of beautiful sun and clear skies to the meter of snow that fell over the last couple of days to the great apres ski entertainment to the gastronomic indulgences in the Gries Hof Hotel where we stayed, it was all too good. The skiing terrain in general is challenging with a lot of sustained, steep off piste terrain to make one adjust their "forward lean" in order to stay ahead of the skis.

After the wonderful week in St Anton's however, we were almost snowed in! It took us 4 1/2 hours to travel a distance that should have taken just 20 - 30 minutes. This came about because the pass we needed to take to leave, closed suddenly last Saturday afternoon due to avalanche danger. We were rerouted in the other direction first by train and then back through the Arlberg Tunnel by bus in the direction we should have gone, and, down to a town where we were finally able to transfer to our bus waiting to take us to Italy. Our 3 hour transfer which was supposed to end around 4PM actually terminated at 10:30PM at our destination, Arabba Italy..

In all of that information, I didn't explain how many times we needed to transfer all of our luggage but the estimates were as high as 18 times! The Team pulled together incredibly though and by the time we got off the snow the next day in Italy, we'd forgotten all about the tribulations.

Arabba is a tiny town located in the heart of The Dolomite's, a world heritage site that sort of resembles the Canadian Rockies from Banff to Lake Louise and up the Ice field's Parkway but, on steroids. Houses date back to the middle ages and the rock piles to the days when the region was a warm inland sea that was eventually disturbed by tectonic clashing and the ancient sediments that were on the bottom of the sea, rose to become mountains of wonder and beauty.

Here people live on the mountains as well as in the valley's; so strange, in a wonderful way relative to Whistler and Western Canada. It is likely a prelude to what life may look like 100 or 150 years from now in Whistler where there will likely be people inhabiting the higher reaches of our mountains as well as on the valley floor.

Although St Anton sort of connects with Zurs, Zug, Oberlech and Lech to make a pretty compelling package of downhill terrain, the Dolomiti Super Pass is an amazingly vast network of over 450 lifts of all shapes and description on a web of 1,200 kms of ski trails. You can't count how many restaurants, schnapps bars and villages you pass through and by day after day. As well, it's hard to believe the GPS when it says that you've only gone 30 to 35 km in a good day as it feels like it has been a lot more as you got to go up at least as much as you come down..

Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary

2011-11-20T23:23:00.000-08:00

It was just a few weeks ago now that Manon and I and a rather large number of friends helped Roy and Anne Strickland celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in North Vancouver. The gathering took place on a pleasant Saturday afternoon in the Hollyburn Country Club overlooking the City of Vancouver where friends and family were brought together to reminisce and enjoy the moment.

Roy and Anne are founding members of the Senior Ski Team and, as if that isn't significant enough, they are now the second couple of Founders to celebrate this monumental occasion. David and Rosemary Malaher, beat them to it by about a year or so.

So congratulations to the Stricklands and many more happy ski turns ahead.

Practical Hints for Putting Your Ski Boots on for the First Time for the Year

2011-11-12T10:43:00.000-08:00

Reproduced with permission by Harald Harb

Hello All:

Here is a timely video. Although this might seem a bit simplistic at first, every season we need to go through the process of putting our ski boots back on our feet. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or relatively new to the sport, you know that this rite of passage can be quite a trial. Often it feels like our feet have changed somehow or maybe it's the liner or the shell but it is always a bit of an exercise to say the least. Click on this video and spend 15 minutes with Harald Harb as he goes over the basics of putting the boots back on your feet again.

Show & Tell by Martin Olson

2011-11-04T08:13:00.000-07:00

Here is an article reproduced from the Fall 2011 issue of the Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance magazine "Ski Pro," the magazine for the membership. I have made the effort to put it in the Blog because I think it has a simple message and will help the reader understand some of the "mystical side" to all the skis out there. The article reinforces the premise that the new rockered ski designs are actually safer and more skier friendly than ever before and that is good news for us.

Show & Tell

Some of the most important developments in ski gear this year.

By Martin Olson - CSIA [reproduced with permission by the author and the Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance]

Every January, the ski world gathers in Denver, Colorado, to debut the ski gear of the future at the Ski Industries of America industry snow sports show. New graphics, new products and new concepts are on display to entice ski shops to stock their shelves for the following ski season. Understandably, much of the “new” product is really old product with new paint, but Denver 2011 served up a couple of exciting developments from the now ubiquitous rocker ski shape to Fischer's surprising Vacuum Fit boot technology.

Skis

“Rocker” is no longer a fringe experiment and it holds the possibility of making skiing easier, better and, in some cases, safer. At one time ski flex was the key performance indicator, then ski shape was what the pros cared about--now it is ski profile or “rocker.”

Rocker has gone from boutique ski and backcountry quirkiness to mainstream brands aimed at frontside groomers. Variable camber design might be a better description because the essence of this new technology is playing with the amount of camber. Camber is the ski profile as viewed from the side. The variety of shapes is endless, from rocking chair profiles to “moustache” profiles that combine camber with tip and tail rise. Because these new shapes have low pressure at the tips, they tend to initiate very easily and are not prone to catching, so they are safe and friendly--ideal characteristics for all skis, especially introductory models.

Traditional cambered skis are still the mainstay of many established brands such as Atomic and Head, but no brand will be caught without the new shapes somewhere in its lineup. Salomon has revealed its first carving rocker ski, the X Kart, and, the new Experience collection from Rossignol hints at what is to come. Those lucky enough to test the Experience line last winter were impressed with the ease of turning combined with edge grip performance. The traditional compromise of easy ski/poor performer or demanding ski/high performer is disappearing. You really can have it both ways.

All K2 skis are now described in terms of its rocker component. On-snow testing of K2 models such as Aftershock demonstrated just how good a modern rocker ski can be. Aftershock gives versatility new meaning. Almost all brands have jumped aboard this year, but as the shaped-ski revolution a few decades ago taught us, as rocker technology gains refinement and acceptance, resistance is futile.

Ski Boots

Choosing one significant development in boots was easy. Fischer will offer a boot shell that is completely customized for any foot. A perfectly shaped shell is the Holy Grail of boot-fitting and the key to ultimate fit and function.

At the heart of the Vacuum Fit System is a patented polymer called Vacu-Plast, specifically formulated for ski boots. It is 15 per cent lighter than conventional boot plastic, vibration damping is better, temperature stability is twice as good, and, it can be re-formed numerous times. The basic concept is that the customer dons the heated boot, both of which are then compressed with an air bladder, forcing the plastic to conform to the wearer's natural foot shape. It will also expand where necessary, up to 5mm in foot width, for example. Even forward lean and a small amount of canting will change according to the customer's stance during the 10-minute fitting process. Fischer says this system allows retailers to offer customers a 100 per cent perfect fit, all-in-one process. Only high-end boots feature the Vacuum Fit system for now, but it is certain that more will follow. www.fischersports.com

SKI SHOW NOTES

Something else to watch: David Dodge (not the banker) has begun producing a ski boot made of 100 per cent carbon fibre. According to Dodge, it is lighter, stiffer, temperature stable and a huge step forward in boot technology. www.dodgeboots.com

* Goode has gone to wood cores, after all. Goode pulled off the biggest redesign of any brand as it switched its entire line to wood-core construction, ending a long stretch as the only 100 per cent carbon-fibre ski.

* Salomon has introduced a new ski shape called BBR. It combines a surfboard tip with traditional sidecut. It rides crud nicely and looks odd, but it feels fairly traditional underfoot.

* Ski design is not all about rocker shapes. Delayed entry tips, changing the waist location and progressive sidecuts, as well as more tweaks to binding adjustability and location, could be found on dozens of 2011-12 models.

Why will rocker change skiing?

To say rocker is the new sidecut is no exaggeration. It's literally true. We already know rocker makes powder skiing easier, but most people don't ski in powder. As the new design concept is explored, an enticing possibility is that rocker may be more suited to hard snow. The reason is simple. Looking at the profile of a ski is another way of looking at the sidecut. Imagine tipping the ski on edge. This causes the tip to reach out farther to the side because of the upward bend of the shovel. It is a way of increasing the shape of the ski just when it is needed.

There is another benefit: because rocker allows designers to make a shapely ski that is narrower in the tip (and therefore more torsionally stable), the application to hard snow makes perfect sense. When restrained by FIS rules that limit a slalom ski length and width, rocker provides an irresistible loophole to make a ski that is straight and stiff, short and easy to pivot when flat, but long and with lots of shape when on edge. Our guess at the future is that some World Cup skis will eventually have rocker, if they don't already.

Ski Boots 201

2011-10-29T08:23:00.000-07:00

This week, we saw the first white stuff right down here in the valley, and, with the schnee line getting much lower and chilly days, it makes you think we'll be sliding sooner than later. Nonetheless, the Senior Ski Team Schedule remains the same with the first two sessions scheduled to go in the first two weeks of December as usual. Hopefully, we'll have decent snow cover by then, to mid mountain at least.

This week, I want to update you on ski boots, a topic near and dear to our feet. We have to start with fit because the shoe has to fit, too large or too small and there are immediate issues. We have the greatest concentration of nerve endings in our feet so these extremities are virtual factories of sensation, good and bad. If your fit isn't comfortable, you will need to deal with that first and foremost so see your favorite boot fitter and get the job done right.

Once past the fit itself, you need to address your alignment. We all have some degree of misalignment probably the result of making the transition from 4 legged creatures to walking upright. Over the millenniums, we of course made the transition to being upright but it was far from a perfect event. To this day, the biomechanics of it are a marvel to us as we defy gravity every time we stand upright. When we go into motion while being upright, well, we enter a whole new realm of complication especially when we're strapped onto skis!

Ideally, when your boot attaches to the ski, you should have an instant flat running surface with the ski contacting the snow equally side to side, meaning your stance is neutral. If your alignment is biased to the inside [knock-kneed, KK], you will pressure the inside of the ski more than the outside and viceversa if your alignment is more to the outside [bow-legged, BL] you will have excessive pressure on the outside of the skis. The "power of neutral" is you'll be able to pressure the ski without having to compensate; in other words, without a handicap.

Unfortunately, most people need some alignment intervention or canting but relatively few take the time to make the correction and many others don't even know that they have an issue. Some of the obvious handicaps are skis that don't run straight [wobble on the cat tracks], common to both KK and BL skiers, inability to hold an edge ,KK and inability to release the turn, BL.

Once you have a "fit" and you're comfortable in your boots, you should have your boot fitter check your alignment. Many boot fitters already combine this measurement in the initial fit especially if you are buying a high end boot yet many shops don't even have the capacity to make the adjustments so it is not even an option with them. Both of the boot fitters I endorse, Can Ski Glacier Shop and Sure Foot, have the ability to do the job. If you take a SST Tech Camp in the future, you will go through a complete Structural Movement Screen, SMS which puts you through an alignment check but takes it to the next level where we take you to the slopes with temporary canting as needed and watch you ski and evaluate the accuracy of the intervention before any final solution is proposed.

Alignment actually changes and breaks down over time as well. Your boot "packs in" naturally with use, usually in the direction you are over pressuring first and then the alignment changes yet again. This is why a "tweak" is necessary from time to time as your mileage builds up on your equipment.

So, the obvious question is why should you care? Misalignment is not good for the ankle, knee or hip joints, especially long term. A little attention to this detail may increase your pain free days as you will be using the joints as they were meant to be used and not pinching them needlessly. Even if you have a high tolerance to pain, you might be interested in how much better you can control your skis and, in turn, heighten your enjoyment of one of the greatest feelings in the world, sliding down a snow covered slope with the greatest of ease!

Ted Ligety Talks About his Skiing

2011-10-09T08:53:00.000-07:00

Ted Ligety is arguably one of the more technical skiers on the World cup circuit today. In this illustration, Ted talks his way through a turn sequence or a turn in each direction. The conditions are icy of course but he handles it like a cat.

Some particular observations of mine are how he keeps his legs short [flexed] through the transition then as he moves into the turn he talks about lifting his inside ski up allowing him to fully pressure the stance ski and extend the standing leg. As he reaches the end of the turn, he is trying to extend off of the standing ski and reduce the pressure so that his body can move into the crossover.

As he goes into the crossover, the key is he wants to remain as aligned as possible. He indicates that he is looking a bit too much downhill due to how icy it is. The result is the inside ski diverges too much because of the anticipation. The key is to observe where he achieves full extension and at the same time how he is trying to move his hips in the direction of the turn and not letting them sit back.

In the second sequence, he goes on to say how important it is to have all the weight off of the inside ski as he starts the turn. This allows him to maximize the pressure on the outside [stance] ski. As he says, with the inside ski lifted he creates all the angle [tipping] needed, which, his stance ski mirrors. In the next mili second, he has finished that turn, the stance ski is flattening [releasing the edge] and he is preparing to go into the next crossover.

He points out that he definitely tries to start his turns with his knees. for us mere mortals, we might do well to concentrate on tipping at the ankle and let the knee follow. The result is you tip the new inside ski and the stance ski follows. At this point, we refer to the skier being "upside down to the turn." What a feeling!

October Is Here

2011-10-06T23:05:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone:

As we head into October this week, I want to share with you some of "What You Want" and have "Asked Us To Consider" for this season. When we polled you at the end of last season, we asked you for your opinion on what we might do to make your SST Program even better. The following are some of the ideas that you've asked for and we feel, can and will become part of the new reality.

Technical Training & Analysis

There were a plethora of ways you've asked for this but at the same time you still wanted to keep the emphasis on the skiing and terrain variety. Herein lies the conundrum because when the coach gets into mechanics or detailed individual movement analysis, it takes away from the flow of free skiing and discovery that has become the hallmark of the program. We understand that you feel that there is a place for the technical side but there is a fine line when it comes to the precious 3 hours per week that you and your team have to spend together each week. In reality, we know where your passions lie.

This is why I have introduced the new tech camps, designed to be complimentary to the regular SST Program, which I'm calling the SST Tech Camps. We're going to offer them at 3 different times this winter, December, February and April as a pilot and attempt to gauge their popularity. Personally, I am hoping that we only have enough interest to do one group each time but I am allowing for the fact that there may be more people interested initially so, we will have places for up to 21 people on each camp; or, three teams of seven. Although we feel confident we know what you want, I feel it is imperative to run it in small tight groups initially and listen to your feedback. That's how the regular program came about, 7 intrepid skiers and 1 coach, then it was 49 and so on.

As well, due to the success of our regular program, we have to allow for the fact that the NEW program is being promoted by Whistler/Blackcomb under the "Camps" section on their Web Site and we may find people attracted to our offering from that angle. However, they'll need to pay 10% more than you will as you are entitled to a discount because you are already signed up for the regular SST Program!

Each camp will run for 4 consecutive days and you'll get nothing but personal analysis on hill and off hill. Different than our regular program certainly but, a chance for you to beef up your skiing experience.

On Hill Operations & Logistics

You've asked us:

Have a plan on where to meet when the upper lifts aren't open and the teams can't get to the Rendezvous or Roundhouse.
Encourage coaches to have a lesson plan based on what the team members want to accomplish for the season.
Regularly have the Coaches ask team members for feed back on the way the sessions are going
More discussion with team as to each day's plan, more coaching, less teaching, greater terrain variety

We will be making these excellent suggestions a part of the coaches tickle trunk and I will endeavour to devise a better emergency plan for those days when we can't get up to the alpine meeting places due to weather constraints.

Strengthen the larger SST "Identity":

You've asked us:

to bring back the mid season social evening
Maybe a few more all team get-togethers with a spokesperson from each group sharing their team experience or perhaps doing some team skits/talent show?
Season Closing Speech from Wendell
little pin to wear to identify sst member
Wendell, should have a higher profile as the concept has grown so quickly and is so successful. So some inspirational speeches at the beginning and end of season would be good as well as a more organized farewell - this year we all just sat with our coaches (if they turned up) and had a nice lunch, but did not feel part of a larger organization. I also think that the coaches should all give out some kind of encouraging awards, even if only verbal, as a sign of recognition and positive feedback. Some do and some do not at present.

The mid season social reached its pinnacle as a result of the volunteer spirit of interested parties who helped to put it together. As we grew, the logistics of holding such an occasion became semi untenable. I think that when we passed 160 people, it began to fall apart but the Olympic year didn't help either. However, with the advent of the SST operating now on 4 separate days, even Wednesday is not going to exceed 160 skiers by too many, I think.

I propose that we have people volunteer again to help put the social back on the calendar. I would propose that we call for volunteers from each day and see where it takes us. Interested parties, please respond to me on this!

On the other hand, the team and inter team pot luck dinners have never been better or more frequent. Perhaps this is your preference but I'd like to hear more from you on this and your ideas to make a big mid season party happen again.

We have long been considering some sort of "pin", embossed t-shirt, sportswear and so on but to date, nothing has surfaced. You can rest assured that it is on the radar.

As far as inspirational speeches are concerned, I see myself as a skier and a communicator but as a speech giver? Not so much. However, this season I plan to keep you updated more often by newsletter or email updates like this one, I have started "Your SST Ski Blog" where you can follow some of the behind the scenes stuff related to your program and I have also created a "Twitter" presence although I must admit, I am quite the neophyte at twittering. I believe you can follow me by going to your twitter account and searching for "sstskier."

I do believe we can do more at recognizing and providing positive feedback and will encourage all the coaches to sharpen their wits in this area.

Organized Ski Trips

Again you've asked us to offer ski excursions with personal guided instruction and a trip to the interior of BC, which we've done numerous times in the past was asked for again. This year however, we're going on a very special trip to Austria & Italy for 2 weeks in January so that pretty much preempts the Interior for this year; alas, you can't do it all can you?

Manon and I love going to Chile & Argentina and we will try to get that back on the calendar for next August September and through YES Tours, we will continue to offer you the opportunity to ski in Japan and New Zealand as well.

A Restricted Commercial Page

You wrote:

"I mentioned at Pika’s the possibility of putting a few ads on your webpage. This occurred to me because we have a canal boat in France that we make available on a word of month basis to people who contribute to the expenses. Recently, we put a business card size ad in our yacht club newsletter (which recently started a restricted commercial page) to good effect. It then occurred to me that restaurants, ski shops, clinics and the like who wanted to reach the seniors market (especially if they wanted to give us a discount) might be interested in using it. Just a thought!"
I think that something along these line would have a place on our web site. This hasn't been the first request for such a service so I will look into this further and see where it takes us.

So there you are folks, the NEW you've requested and our numerous responses to those requests. It will lead to an exciting season to say the least. Next week is the Annual Turkey Sale and we'll likely see lots of you up and around Whistler for the ski swap, an excellent chance to sell off those skis you've wanted to trade in, get your seasons pass if you haven't already or even to sign up to the SST Regular or Tech Camps!
Next week, I will be doing an update on ski equipement, already a hot topic on many of your minds. Have a great week.

Cheers Wendell

Eric Rousseau - A Great Cheerleader for the SST

2011-10-02T13:06:00.000-07:00

This week saw the passing of a great friend and person who always believed that the Senior Ski Team would become a success. Eric died on Tuesday of this week from an industrial accident when a tree he was falling veered the wrong way and fell on top of him. Eric was 40 years old.

From 1996 to 2004 and the early days of the SST, I worked for Eric on the Supergroup Program on Blackcomb, a program he developed and nurtured for well over a decade. For anyone who ever had the pleasure of sessioning with Eric, you knew you were always in for something special and depending on the snow conditions of the day, knew that you were going to get the workout of your week in 3-4 runs or less. If you were on the all day sessions, you knew that you would sleep well that night.

In my mind, he was one of the best "pure" skiers, someone who was a treat to watch and emulate and you just knew you'd have fun skiing with him because he always skied for fun. Dynamic, light on his feet and simple yet elegant and powerful are but a few of the words I would use to describe his skiing ability. He never had a bad thing to say and always encouraged you to go out there and have the best day ever. How good was that?

In the early years of the Senior Ski Team, he encouraged me continually, helped me find and convince the best pros that they should get on board and did all the extra behind the scenes bookwork to make it all happen. Even to the end, Eric remained my go to guy in the office and was always there for me [and you.]

Thank you Eric, you'll live on in the hearts of the many skiers who had the privilege to know you, my friend.

Last Update for September

2011-09-30T22:54:00.000-07:00

Hello All

This is the last update for September, can you believe it, October is straight ahead. Many of you have chosen to take advantage of a consultation with Dr, Ryan Oughtred and that is great as it will do wonders for your training this Fall and help motivate you on to higher heights I'm sure. I am applying my Rx as well, and, feeling the accuracy increase in my movements and my confidence elevates with every workout.

This week I have decided that I should give you a sneak peak at one of the sections of the screening and I have chosen "Single Leg Squats." Each part of your Rx is outlined in a pdf document and I have attached mine here for you to view. Don't pay any mind to the Rx dosage as that pertains to me and may not be the same for you; the idea is to see the format "The movement is important because" and "The movement is important to skiing because", then Technique, Dose and Progression.

As I have moved along on the single leg squat for example, it has donned on me the importance of training my muscle memory to do these with 100% accuracy. I can't tell you how many drills I have taught over 40 seasons on flexion/extension or how many f/e's I've done in a day little alone in a life time, and, I can say that it is still a challenge to do these with consistency because there are so many variables due to terrain and snow conditions alone. Why we feel differently and get different results attempting to do the same thing can also be due to our inability to make our muscles make this movement consistant and accurate. To the end, there's nothing like the confines of your own space at home or in the gym to isolate and perfect this. I have a secret weapon here in my home gym as well, the "Skiers Edge Machine."

After each workout, I take the training I just did directly to the machine, a machine which simulates the side to side skiing movements and immediately look for the subtle variations that practice brings to my muscles. Of course, I need the extra I gain from the Skiers Edge Machine as I am a much slower learner than any of you are!

Machine or no machine, you will benefit from specific training so I encourage any of you who are sitting on the fence to ask me by return email for a referral to Ryan, get a consultation and have fun precision preseason training this Fall. He is in Vancouver Tuesday & Wednesday and up here the rest of the time, $100 well spent.

This week, I have done an annual update on Walk - Walk - Walk on the web site; my 5 year summer walking season summation and observations.

Finally, for the 65+ crowd, you will have the scoop on joining the "UBC Vitality Research Project" in next weeks update so stay tuned.

Movement Skis

2011-09-27T17:20:00.000-07:00

Here's the ski Harald Harb likes for off piste skiing; big problem though, no one carries them in Whistler

Movement "Jam" cashes in on skiing’s biggest trends to create a category of its own

BOULDER, COLORADO (April 11, 2011) – Wide at the tips and narrow at the waist, the Movement Jam is poaching the best lines from two of the hottest trends in ski sales.

According to the 2011 SIA Show Daily, big-mountain wide body designs (LINK) and lift-served hardpack skis (LINK) are key drivers of both retail sales and future ski designs -- but it’s the ski manufacturers who are unveiling inspired, technologically exciting skis that have created a “perfect storm.”

At the heart of that storm, Movement’s Jam is approachably affordable and narrow in the waist, while sufficiently broad in the tips and tails to appeal to the fat ski aficionado.

“The Jam is unique in that it’s nimble enough for the tight trees, fat enough for the back bowls, and aggressive enough to take big lines at full speed,” said Jonathan Degenhardt, brand manager for Movement Skis. “No ski is capable of doing everything, but the Jam comes super close.”

Powerful and dynamic, the Jam (MSRP: $779, MAP $639) was designed specifically for aggressive all-mountain performance and high-speed stability. The Jam’s significant sidecut (136-85-117mm) and firm flex deliver more power than a frontcountry carver, more soft-snow enjoyment than a traditional mid-fat, and far more versatility than a fat ski.

Available in lengths of 164, 173 and 182cm, the Movement Jam features pure wood ski core construction, certified sustainable by FSC and PEFC organizations.

The Jam’s core of Okume Poplar and Power Rail Beech composite is molded individually in a double press. The wet process used by Movement consistently results in the most solid, stable and durable skis, which maintain their resilience far longer than other constructions. Before the final finishing step, every ski is checked individually on a precise marble surface to be paired.

The Jam’s base and nose are supported by a VATECH system of vibration-dampening rubber inserted under the binding for better edge grip and a smoother ride. This rubber layer smoothes the ride and dampens vibration typically found in other wide-profile skis.

The Jam also features high molecular weight bases for exceptional speed and performance; extra-thick mounting plates and rubber reinforced edges for extreme durability; exclusive high energy laminates and Dynamic Tri-Axial fibers for customized performance; and unique shock absorption technologies for a smooth and perfect ride, every time.

September 8 - Focus Ahead

2011-09-27T16:42:00.000-07:00

Hello Senior Ski Team Returnees:

This is addressed to all of you who are now back "in the pack" for 2011-12 and, although still 10 weeks away from the season opener, it is always good to focus ahead from time to time. At this point, we have the highest enrollment ever, with more than 195 skiers already signed on for this season. We expect to cater to at least the same numbers as last season [225-230] and likely more. As usual, you can see the schedule by visiting our web site by clicking here to view your particular day.

What else is new?

Along with the regular program this year, that now operates Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, we will be offering a new program called the Senior's Tech Camp, a 4 consecutive day long program. I have designed it specifically, to compliment and not compete with our regular SST Program. The initial offerings are designed to allow the skier to concentrate on ski improvement on green/blue terrain, regardless of your ability; so not to be too challenging but to actually be stimulating and allow you to discover and improve in a safe and controlled environment. The coach will be using the info gathered from the FMS and SAS screens to evaluate and assist your progression. A full description can be found on the SST Web Site, so check it out. We'll offer it 3 times this season and assess it further with the hopes of making it a permanent offering in years to come. The registration will be coming soon and will be found under "Camps" on the W/B web site.

We are also offering for the first time this year, Functional Movement Screening, again described on the SST Web Site but, in a nut shell, spend $100 on an hour with Dr. Ryan Oughtred and you'll find a new way to evaluate how you should train before and during the ski season to keep you safe, balanced and strong. Imagine being able to identify what you need to work on right now in order to be at your skiing best. As far as we know this is the first time such an opportunity has ever existed for skiers other than belonging to racing clubs like WMSC or the elite provincial and national teams.

From January 14 - 29 lucky members and friends of the Senior Ski Team, led by yours truly and Bob Calladine, former National Ski Team Member and guide exceptional, will be off to St Anton, Austria and Arabba, Italy, the heart of the Southern Tyrol to ski for 2 spectacular weeks. There is still limited space on the trip if there any late takers; so go up to the web site or drop me an email for further details.

In any event, if none of the above catches your fancy, remember, put one foot in front of the other; it's contagious and not hard to exercise, just hard to get started.

FUNCTIONAL SKIER ASSESSMENT COMES TO THE SENIOR SKI TEAM

2011-05-01T15:54:00.000-07:00

As the Senior Ski Team has evolved, we have always impressed upon the participants the importance of safety in skiing. Safety might be defined as the avoidance of high risk situations, skiing in control or avoiding other people on the mountain.

But, as the seasons roll by, we also see safety as much or even more about making sure the skier has the tools to identify and pay close attention to their physical strengths and weaknesses and, in turn, develop the skills to avoid self inflicting an injury that could be otherwise, completely avoidable. "Bad habits" or poor skiing styles are often associated with key core weaknesses. Repeating these movements long enough and you become "at risk."

Do you need to be at risk to benefit from this? Of course not. The whole idea is to identify any asymmetry in your body and deal with it. Once mitigated or eliminated, you'll lower your chance of injury, aches and pains and be much more coachable and capable of "really getting it."

The solution we feel, comes in the form of a screen that can identify and educate the skier and the coach of their capacity to move. Let me introduce you to the "Functional Skier Assessment," a requisite component of the new SST Tech Camps coming next season but, as of May 1, 2011 also available to anyone on a one off basis if you live in the Whistler/Vancouver area. If you live elsewhere and are interested in getting a screen, I suggest that you google "FMS" and follow the links to find a certified trainer in your area and set up a screen for yourself.

Typically, the screen will cost you about $100.00 a nominal investment in your skiing future.

Functional Skier Assessment

The Functional Skier Assessment is a physical assessment specific for skiers, developed by Naturopathic Physician and X-National Alpine Ski Team member, Dr. Ryan Oughtred. The assessment targets key weaknesses that are relevant to skiing and offers you simple tools that you can use to improve those weaknesses.

Dr. Oughtred was always interested in understanding why people ski the way they do, and why they have the bad habits that they do. By systematically analyzing over 50 skiers, he was able to show that certain weaknesses or imbalances are associated with poor skiing styles. For example:

Weakness Bad Habit

Lateral oblique weakness Poor Angulation/ Separation

Multiple hip weaknesses Poor Balance

Hip inflexibilities Poor Stance

Moreover, some of the best athletes in the world have strengths that lesser athletes don’t reliably have: they all have strong lower abdominals, they squat well, they jump properly and they have excellent overall strength and fitness.

Understanding and improving your weaknesses could be the missing link in your ski performance.

The Assessment Process

15 minutes

- Posture, Movement, Flexibility and Strength Assessment.

30 minutes

- Explanation of your weaknesses and how they relate to your skiing.

- Overview of a starter plan to improve those weaknesses.

- Demonstration of exercises, complete with email explanations and/ or handouts so that you don’t forget how to do them on your own.

On Hill Exercises

- Performing exercises that isolate your weaknesses is the first step, but that new strength doesn’t help you unless you know how to use it. In order to ‘reprogram’ your ski technique, Dr Oughtred will work hand in hand with your Senior Ski Team coach to build on-snow drills that will allow you to integrate your new strength into your skiing.

The Assessment Result

The main goal of this assessment is to help you ski better, but you should be warned of these potential side effects:

- Better overall fitness

- Lower chance of injury

- Fewer aches and pains

- You may start skiing longer days, which could cut into your après time.

Cost

- $98 + HST

Ski Testing the Solomon BBR April 23, 2011

2011-04-25T16:54:00.000-07:00

It was a spectacular Spring day on Whistler this past Saturday and a great day to test some of the skis for next year. On this day, I would concentrate on the new ski for Salomon code named the BBR [BeBeR] named after the designer, Bertrand [Beber] Krafft. His greatest claim to fame perhaps was the most successful ski in Salomon's history, the EXtreme. He also designed the Pocket Rocket which turned out to be a pretty good early powder ski for them in the day. When Salmon got in to the water sport business a while back, Beber worked on the surf board they produced and you can see a bit of that concept in the tip of these skis.

This ski tries to bridge the gap between the extremes of being an excellent on and off piste ski, not simply a master of one. It comes in 2 dimensions, 147-89-112 and 140-79-102 and available 3 lengths, 168, 178 and 188. The new design doesn't allow the ski to align itself with any current category per se out there, yet it has impressive capabilities in both the on and off piste. Like it is, for most oversized skis, people have trouble getting their mind's eye beyond the "shape" and, this is certainly the reality for this ski so expect to get the attention of the folks in the lift lines on that count. Once you get past the obvious tip shape, referred to as a low rise rocker, you are struck with the relative meagreness of the tail of the ski; called a "semi twin tipped tail" or a "pintail." Combined with the narrow waist, the slender tail allows the ski to turn short radius turns effortlessly and in turn, makes it likeable in the bumps.

So, what is there not to like about the ski? On piste it does an admirable job of turning in under 12 meters but isn't snappy like a regular slalom or all mountain ski as you would expect because of the oversized dimensions. Off piste, it makes predictable if not "fun" turns in any sized radius and is "at home" in the junk or crud. I'd say it is a pretty good trade off for anyone who skis a lot of off piste but still wants a solid carving ski when they are relegated to the groomers. It is on the soft side so I preferred the 8.9 to the 7.9 and liked the 178 length the best. The 188 has top marks for ripping but felt a bit doggy [slow] to turn off piste. The buzz out there is the 8.9 will be preferred by the men and the 7.9 by the women. Solomon has not taken a gender defined approach with this model. This allows a lighter, smaller or more agile individual to gravitate toward the 7.9 and/or the shorter lengths in the 8.9 and the larger or more power oriented skier to gravitate toward the 8.9 and/or the longer lengths in both models.

Go give them a try. After skiing the Rossi S3 for a season and testing the S7, I find it has a lot of the DNA associated with both of these skis built into its personality. Who knows, with these skis, you might be riding the surf next season.

Harb Day's Night 2, April 13, 2011

2011-04-16T14:43:00.000-07:00

Left to right: Mike Blaxland, Robin Anderson, Suzanne Malone, Jacques Roux, Irwin Hamilton, Wendell Moore, missing is Bob Calladine

Here's what Robin had to say about the day: Hi Wendell,

Thanks for having me with your group yesterday. I learned a lot... and have got a lot to learn. Shall be out tomorrow and over the weekend practicing the "tipping" drills and work on "flexing into the turn".

Have a great summer ... (if it ever arrives) ... and I look forward to seeing you next season.

Here's what Irwin had to say:

Wendell, my comment is that the "weighted release " rules!! I have not perfected this method of initiating turns but yesterday and today I was using it on such steep runs as the West Cirque, in SuperShape carving skis, with snow up to mid thighs and the turns were as easy as green groomers. I learned a lot with the 2 groups. Irwin

Heart Attacks And Hot Water February 1,2011

2011-04-12T20:38:00.000-07:00

When you get to the mean average age of the choir that reads this blog, you need to stop and pay attention to these kinds of things every now and then; if not for yourself, then, for others.

Heart Attacks And Hot Water

A very good article which takes two minutes to read.

Heart Attacks And Drinking Warm Water

This is a very good article. Not only about the warm water after your meal, but about .Heart Attacks. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals, not cold water, maybe it is time we adopt theirdrinking habit while eating.

For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by theintestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

Common Symptoms Of Heart Attack...
A serious note about heart attacks - You! should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be theleft arm hurting . Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.

You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nauseaand intense sweating are also common symptoms. 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive.

Mike & Lynn's Annual Visit, January 2011

2011-04-12T20:26:00.000-07:00

As usual Mike & Lynn Burke were in town for their annual trek to Whistler for a week of skiing. We had our usual ski day or two including the annual tune up and, delightful night out; this year to the Alta Bistro, a great new restaurant in Whistler. Here is a pic of Lynn and myself hamming it up.

Ski Area Comparisons Nov.20, 2010

2011-04-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to an interesting web site called mountainvertical.com. Here are the top 3. Go up to their web site to check out the entire list.

This ranking of all North American ski resorts is divided into 3 pages:

» Page 1 - Biggest Ski Mountains - vertical from 1500 to 5000+ ft

» Page 2 - Midsized Ski Mountains - vertical from 700 to 1500 ft

» Page 3 - Ski Hills - vertical less than 700 ft

Revelstoke Ski Resort, British Columbia

Revelstoke vertical drop based on highest and lowest point is 5997 ft

Located in the Rockies in Canada, Revelstoke is the tallest ski area in North America.

5620 ft

3000-3500 acres

Whistler-Blackcomb Ski Resort, British Columbia

Whistler vertical drop based on highest and lowest point is 5678 ft

Whistler is the largest ski resort in North America as well as the most visited. This massive resort covers two adjacent mountains, Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain. TheWhistler Vertical Drop is 4966 ft and the Blackcomb Vertical Drop is 5222 ft.

5234 ft

over 8000 acres

Jackson Hole Ski Resort, Wyoming

Jackson Hole vertical drop based on highest and lowest point is 4105 ft

Located in the Grand Tetons, Jackson Hole has the greatest vertical drop in the US.

4105 ft

2000-2500 acres

A Harb Day's Night April 7, 2011

2011-04-12T15:09:00.000-07:00

It was a blue bird day on Whistler for the first session of coaches discussing the application of PMTS, the Primary Movements Teaching System, as it applies to ski improvement for senior skiers on the Senior Ski Team Program.

Pictured from left to right: Kenneth Pirie, Gary Cadman, Irwin Hamilton, Bill Armatage, Wendell Moore, Rod McNeil, Mike Jean. Missing from the photo is the photographer and seventh coach Peter Shandro.

Here is what Kenneth had to say about the day:

Hi Wendell,

Thursday was a magic experience for me.I am responding now,as I leave for Scotland a week tomorrow, and dont have internet service at home there.

The focus on tipping to engage was not something I had ever focused on before,apart from paying lip service to it...as in Yes,edging as early as possible in the turn is desirable.As the day went on ,I felt that engaging the free ski early gave me better control of turn shape and speed. In short radius turns,I had previously focused on making my pole plant for the next turn,the last thing I did on the previous turn,rather than the first thing on the new turn.I will focus more on early tipping now.

Tipping to release seems to me to be almost the same preparation for the next turn as tipping to engage.?

I liked the emphasis on flexing,and felt that as the afternoon session developed,that I felt more confident on variable snow conditions,using the combination of concentrating on the free ski being on edge and flexing.This allowed more equal weight on both skis to absorb the pressure of the variable snow conditions. i.e. less juddery.

The coiling or strenghtening of the outside arm made sense, for power,as in golf,the coiling and uncoiling of the arms during the swing.

I would definitely use these concepts ,and the others ,in both my own ski-ing and during teaching sessions with my clients.

Thanks again for a great day, Wendell,see you next year.!

yours aye

Kenneth