| March 2, 2005
Vol. 6/ No.29 |
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Dear SkiPost,
I have recently acquired a Swix rotobrush from a friend,
and I am looking for some general advice on the proper use
of this tool. It came with two nylon brushes, short and
long bristle. I've heard people say to be careful when rotobrushing
your race skis, what is the concern with this? Before our
local races I usually end up waxing for friends and may
do 3 or 4 pairs, so rotobrushing seems like a real time
and energy saver. Should I be doing a continuous pass from
tip to tail or short back and forth passes? Apply light
or hard pressure? Which brush should I be using when? About
how many passes is recommended? Can you over rotobrush?
Should I follow with hand brushing? It eats up the battery
of my cordless drill pretty fast, so I guess a corded drill
would be better. Should I use high or low rpm? Thank you
for any tips that you can offer.
Thanks!
Roto Brush Program
Use of a Roto Brush is a great way to save time when there
are many skis or boards to prepare. For club team racers
where coaches and parents are preparing the skis for the
entire team, a Roto Brush is almost a necessity. Even many
top level technicians will use Roto Brushes for initial
brushing after scraping, and then usually finish with hand
brushing. Also Roto-corking is often the preferred way to
apply Cera F Powder, Solids and Liquid.
The best drill choice for roto-brushing is one with a
power cord rather than batteries. These drills retain a
more constant speed, have higher revolution per minute capacity,
and variable speed options. RPMs from about 1000 to 2000
are used for brushing.
T16M Horsehair
For initial brushing. The most used and the most efficient
brush. First brush for all waxes. The best all round brush.
100 mm wide.
T17W White Nylon
Finish and polish brush for all waxes. 100 mm wide.
T17B Black stiff Nylon
Special finish brush for cold waxes. 100 mm wide.
T18C Cork
High quality cork for Cera F application of Powder, Solid
and Liquid. 100 mm wide.
T15D Combi
Double brush with horsehair for initial brushing and white
nylon for polishing. 140 mm wide.
T14HN
Handle that fits all driveshafts. With Swix Roto-Brush System
you can have only one handle where you can mount different
length shafts.
T14SS
Standard high quality steel shaft for 100 mm brushes.
T14SL
Double high quality steel shaft where you can mount two
100 mm brushes besides each other for quicker work.
T14SM
High quality shaft for the T15D Combi Double Brush 140 mm.
T12PS
Protection cover 100 mm.
Note:
* Always use safety glasses when roto-brushing.
* Use the Protective Cover (T12PS) to avoid getting wax
particles and powder in the face.
* Don't press too hard, let the brush do the work!
* Brush from tip to tail with the brush rotation throwing
the wax particles towards the tail. Start at the tip and
move back & forth approx. one foot at a time towards
the tail. Use light pressure. 2-3 passes is sufficient.
Finish w/ the T17W White Nylon by doing two complete passes
from tip to tail in approx 5 seconds.
* It is recommended to use separate brushes for the waxes
from the brushes used for Cera F.
It is advised to finish &/or "clean-up" with
a hand brush.
Best Regards, Kevin
Kevin Sweeney
Director of Nordic Race Services
Swix Sport, USA
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Here are a few Birkie Stories. These are interesting
to read, so don't be afraid to keep passing them along!
Your "wave 6" reminded me of my first birkie: I
had been skate skiing for a but two years and I had decided
to do the race on the wednesday before. I drove up to Cable
on friday night bought my bib, ate a slice of pizza at the
bar, and then slept in the back of my car in the parking lot.
It allowed me to sleep longer than most, but I had trouble
finding food for breakfast. It didn't matter though, with
a 12th wave start I collected food at feed stations, crammed
it in my jacket, and then ate while waiting in line to go
up the hills.
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Thanks for the wax tip for the Birkie. I've skiied the Birkie
on and off for 26 years (mostly on the last 15 or so), started
cross country in 1973 right out of high school. Started anywhere
from the 3rd to the 10th Wave, this year wave 8 due to late
registration. Skated 2 Birkies, but find the course too hilly
to enjoy that technique, and I'm a much better classical anyway.
This will be my 9th complete when I hit Hayward. Have had
broken shoes (yes, shoes!), bindings, ski tips, and injury
(crashed into by another) through the years. Got frostbite
1 year, saw 8 inches of snow during the race another. I'm
big (6'7", 260lbs), so I really pick up speed on the
downhills-catch the small skiers 200-300 meters ahead and
scare the crap out of some of them-what fun! Saw the temp
increase 40 degrees during one race-you should have seen us
striders try to keep up with the waxes needed for that. My
goal is to keep skiing until I'm 85, then I figure to make
the 25% club due to attrition. Have a fun race- I know I will!
Big Joz
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Re Bikie experiences It was interesting to read the experiences
of the later wave skiers. In 2003, I skied my second Birkie,
starting in wave 7. Thats ok, I'm an unfit Aussie! The amazing
thing was that I found myself aty the front of that wave after
a couple of K's and was the first home of that group . I was
very pleased, to say the least. Like you say, there are some
amusing moments out there! Certainly the snow got soft-thatyear
we finished short of Hayward. It was hard going at the end-but
it was a bit like the snow over here-wet and not real fast.
Good luck to everybody in this year's race-especially to my
friend Marva from Spooner!
Your Australian Friends
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| Rob Whitney Tells
His Story |
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By: Rob Whitney
The 2006 American Birkebeiner is history, but the stories
have just begun. In this year’s 33rd edition of the
Birkebeiner, my teammate Tim Weston and I decided to start
in wave five. We wanted to know first hand the horror stories
and urban legends from later skiers, such as the skier who
wrapped himself around a tree going off-course on a downhill,
the mashed potato uphills, or the bottlenecking at the bottom
of hills. While we didn’t witness human carnage fit
for folklore, we did enjoy the chance to bump shoulders, share
support, and witness the ultimate love of the sport among
skiers who have it in their blood.
What masses of skiers and gear! I may have nightmares for
months before I ever fully recover. These were skiers with
poles, skiers without poles, skiers with broken poles, and
skiers with lost poles. Volunteers were everywhere –
directing traffic, sorting clothes bags, controlling wave
starts, shuttling skiers, timing recording, and generally
trying to organize the chaos. The people in charge were professionals.
Nice job.
From the middle of the pack, we quickly understood the meaning
of mashed potato dancing. It beautifully summed up the experience,
well, sorta. A lot of skiers said this year the course held
up great compared to years past. The course became increasingly
chewed up, noticeable ridges formed on each up hill from all
the skaters and icy ruts formed on the downhills. It was definitely
a dancing act on the snow.
A highlight for me was the hundreds of skiers with whom we
visited throughout the race. The last thing racers expected
was two guys suddenly skiing up beside them and starting up
conversations. We were even able to make a few skiers crack
smiles on top of their hard exertion and sometimes apparent
pain. We got to know the heart of the field, where they were
from, and why they were there. Madison seemed to be the most
popular city from which skiers hailed, along with places as
far west as Portland to as far east as Maine. We met many
skiers from Sweden, Germany, and Switzerland. The most common
remark was “Oh, we thought you were in wave six!”
Nope, wave five, buddy! (I guess their was some confusion
from a press release.) At least someone was keeping tabs on
us. Our goal was to encourage skiers and have fun, while sharing
our own enthusiasm. And, when we pulled over (in the sun,
of course) for 30 minutes to cheer more of the pack on a long
hill, bibs from wave five passed endlessly. We jumped back
into the ski train again, sill unsure of it’s duration.
Was wave five ever going to end?
A freaky mishap occurred on one downhill, when a racer slipped
on ice and went down hard. Judging by the level of his screaming,
he was in agony and we’re guessing he most likely dislocated
his shoulder. Unfortunate bum turn of events, for sure. Luckily,
a medic was among the racers and stopped to attend to the
injury. Thanks dude. Tim had raced ahead for help, and I cautioned
skiers back up the trail in order to prevent a train wreck
pile-up.
A lady from Wisconsin even asked me about technique as I
skied up a hill with her late in the race. It was a quick
two minute lesson, but she did catch on quickly and by the
end of the exchange and demo, she looked to be skiing better.
I hope she felt better too, maybe more efficient, and with
a bit more energy to finish her marathon.
We also met friends of friends. “Oh, do you know so-and-so
in this city.” Or a racer Tim went to college with.
And then there was the skier who knew me from a ski race ten
years ago. Small world.
After meeting and talking to skiers all day, I did finally
bump into a lady from my own hometown in Anchorage. Though
it took me almost the whole race, I found a fellow Alaskan.
I was beginning to wonder if I was the minority on the trail.
The Birkie in Wisconsin seems to be the equivalent of something
like the Texas high school football championships. An event
to beat all events, both in numbers and in enthusiasm.
Upon hitting Lake Hayward, we were greeted by a group of
rowdy and spirited college students providing a full bar.
Of course, Tim and I stopped for a break, hammed it up, and
continued along. Not even halfway across the lake, we were
greeted by more revelry. We stopped again. (duh!) Was there
even a second thought?
Would Tim or I ski in a later wave in the Birkie again? Absolutely!
In a heartbeat. This was our way of experiencing the Birkie
in a new light, giving back to the ski community, encouraging
skiers, and of course having a great time.
Note: If you are the woman Tim Weston took out early
in the race, please write to us. He wants to buy you flowers
- sorry!
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SWIX Roto Brushes
As you read above, Swix Roto Brushes are a
good investment if you are looking for an efficient way
to wax many skis. Click on the photo to go to the Swix Brushes
page.
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| Events/Clinics/Announcements |
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Rainbow Rendezvous 10km Skate race and
6km Classic race.
Bring the family to this great event and enjoy the fantastic
skiing conditions. This Rainbow Rendezvous weekend also features
a video presentation by
Chad Giese, a member of the Subaru Factory Team, five consecutive
time
Mora Vasaloppet winner (2002-2006) and two consecutive time
City of
Lakes Loppet winner (2003-2004). The presentation will include
a
Vasaloppet slide show highlighting three Vasaloppet races
Chad has
participated in: Mora, USA; Mora, Sweden; and the new Vasaloppet
addition in Changchun, China. There will be an on-snow skiing
demonstration, autograph and photograph session with Chad
following the
race. For more information go to www.rainbowresort.com
and click on
the EVENTS tab.
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Lone Mountain
Ranch
Women's Camps Winter 2005 - 2006
Do you want to improve your downhill control on
all trails? Do you want to progress to the next level in your
skiing? Are you interested in participating in a positive and
supportive learning environment that will boost your confidence?
Are you interested in camaraderie with women who share similar
interests? If so, then join us for our Women's Camp, in the spectacular
setting of Lone Mountain Ranch and Yellowstone National Park.
http://www.lmranch.com/lmr_content/winter/xc/womenscamp.htm
Click above to get more information on the final Women's Clinic
at Lone Mountain Ranch. Join Subaru Factory Team Olympian,
Abigail Larson, for an exciting salutation to winter.
Arrival: March 6th, 2006 Departure: Departure: March 12th,
2006
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Make sure to get rewarded!
Why not let your passion for fun get you free Subaru Factory
Team merchandise? The Subaru Factory Team's enjoy winter-rewards
program is designed to thank you for purchasing our Subaru Factory
Team partner's products.
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For more information on
Subaru's technically advanced all-wheel drive vehicles check
out www.subaru.com
"Think.
Feel. Drive."
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Copyright 2005 SkiPost.com
All rights reserved.
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