| January 24 , 2008 Vol. 8/ No. 17 |
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Hi,
I am a beginner level cross country skier. I have the older style Salomon style
bindings (they clip in onto a small bar just ahead of the boot toes).
Why does my right ski frequently want to carve and track inward? Sometime its like I'm making an "S" in the snow when I glide forward.
I tried swapping between the 2 skis but it still occurs and predominately on my
right foot. Its quite frustrating. Its almost like when you see a kid ice skating
inward on his ankles. Equipment or technique? Can this be eliminated with 75mm binding setup. It seems the boots for those are much wider soled and put more surface area over the top of the ski at the toe. Help?
Hello,
We like questions that have to do with older equipment, because in the end we can tell you that innovation has likely fixed the problem. In this case it sounds a lot like the toe bar might be bent a bit. Since the older bindings did not have a 'rail' for the boot to sit over through the length of the boot, there is really no way of the boot motion to be corrected. We have seen a few of the newer bars bend after a bad fall or going over really rocky terrain where an object gets lodged in the groove to bend the bar, but the instances are certainly few.
Often this problem would be fairly visible, since the bar is in plain sight. So if you can't tell any real variance between the two bars it could be the way the older binding was mounted. If the binding is mounted a little off center (this holds VERY true for rollerskis), you could experience your ski trying to take off in a direction that is different from where your foot is headed. The newer binding will not have this trouble in ski mounting, as there are jigs that help the technician get the holes in the right place.
Of course there is the possibility that this trouble has something to do with your position on the ski, foot pronation, etc., but it really is worth considering a demo at some point to see if the same problem exists on a newer setup. If you find that the problem is solved, well, it might just be time to make the investment so you can enjoy your time on skis that much more!
Thank you and good luck.
Dear SkiPost,
What wax did you use at the Seeley Lakes Classic, and what does covering klister actually involve?
Hi,
To begin with, I think we had really good skis for the race. Second, from what I saw, lots of people had really good kick, some had good glide, but very few people had both. For kick, we had a base of VG35
Base Binder (hard wax) with 2 dots of KR30 (blue klister) mixed in and ironed
together and then several layers of VR45 (4-8 depending on the skis). This seemed
to be OK for kick and glide, but the kick could have been better. So, we added 4
dots of KR50 klister in the middle of the kick zone and smoothed it out well. For
the skiers in the long race, this was covered with VR45, for me, I ran out of time
and wasn't able to cover it on my skis. I think the cover was ideal, but my skis
were still really good. Sorry to be so long winded, but here is the method to our
madness.
Base Wax:
We liked a hard wax binder because it felt much faster than a klister binder, but we
needed the klister for durability. So mixing a little klister in with the hard wax
was a perfect solution.
Race Wax:
VR 45 seemed most appropriate for the snow conditions present. But didn't seem
quite "grippy" enough. KR50 is a great klister for this condition. It is called
"Flexi" because it usually doesn't ice-up in these conditions, making it a very
flexible wax; you can almost think of it as a super durable hard wax. We really
liked the kick of the KR50, but it felt slower than the hard wax, so we tried to use
it sparingly. When it was fully smoothed out, it was really hard to tell from
looking if you had klister or straight hardwax on the base.
Now, to answer your other question:
Covering klister with hardwax can be difficult. First, make sure the klister is
very smooth, and cooled; and make sure the hard wax is not too warm. Sometimes, you might try the klister by itself and realize you need a cover. In this case, you
will need to "de-ice" the klister and re-smooth it. The layer of hard wax over the
top shouldn't be very thick. Use light pressure with the kick wax and light
pressure with the cork. It won't look as pretty as normal hard wax.
For this years race, and a lot of times when there is heavily tilled old snow, if
you were on klister covered with hard wax you need the klister for durability but
you are actually kicking with the hard wax.
Thanks,
Kevin Johnson
Factory Team Salomon/Swix Ski Tech
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| Mental Preparation For Ski Racing |
By Chad Giese
It is true that the mind is a powerful tool and it is best to use that tool to your advantage. In sport, often thought of as purely physical, the mind can often mean the difference between winning and losing, or starting and not even signing up. While athletes at the top level of competition spend a lot of time on mental preparation, every competitor at any level can benefit from a sound mental foundation.
As a skier who reached at a high level, I know all too well how the mind can affect performance. It wasn’t until I stopped racing full-time that I realized that I had two distinct mindsets going into races. For simplicities' sake I will call them Mindset Full and Mindset Half Full. I would race some events with the Mindset Full, mentality thinking not if I can win, but how much could win by. While I won a lot of these races, I didn’t always win these races. I noticed with this mentality that I always seemed to have a good race and felt like I skied solidly. I skied positively and looked for seconds and speed from all parts of the course. My Mindset Half Full was a bit different. I went into a race hoping to hang on to the lead group and skied a course wondering if I was skiing with the same tempo, power, and speed as some of the other skiers. Now, as expected, I didn’t win all of these races, but I did win some of these. I came away from these races with a sense of relief to have the race over with, not thinking that I skied the best I could.
The good thing is, I had many more races with the Mindset Full mentality. I am not sure if my results would have been any different had I always skied with the Mindset Full mentality, but maybe they would have been. Maybe if I had skied the Holmenkollen thinking I was going to put time on Odd Bjorn Hjelmeset I would have skied faster, but mental strength can only take you so far before physiology takes over. I try to ground myself in reality while still being confident. It is a tough balance and one that should probably be tipped toward confidence. We are not trying to fool ourselves, just get the most out of our bodies.
As I mentioned earlier, the benefits from a little mental preparation is not reserved for elite athletes. I think skiers of all ability levels can benefit from some sort of mental preparation. Let’s take the skier who is new to endurance sports and is questioning whether it is possible to finish the Mora Vasaloppet. Training has gone well, the work has been done, maybe not all the work, but most of it anyway. Don’t question whether it is possible to finish, know that it is possible to finish. The only way to truly find out is to sign up and approach the race with the same determination as the skier who is gunning for a win.
And for the skier who is hoping to move up a wave or two in the Birkie, save your energy. Trust that you have prepared the best you can, that you have the best race plan in place, that you remembered your boots, and, most of all, your skis will be fast. Don’t stay up late waxing or worrying about how the race will go and certainly don’t try something new on race day. Keep things simple and be confident that you have prepared well. If you are relaxed and rested you’ll have a better chance at reaching your goal.
Being prepared and confident can go a long way for skiers of all abilities. Mental preparation will get us to the race, across the finish line, and hopefully onto the podium. It is not something that comes naturally, it is something that needs to be practiced. It takes time to develop a system that works for you and that time will be well spent.
You don’t get a do over after the race is done, so always approach raceday with a Mindset Full mentality. You will be more likely to reach your goal and I can promise you from experience that the race will at the very least be more enjoyable.
Good luck and ski on. |
SWIX
Product#: KR050
+3°C to -4°C (37°F to 25°F). FLEXI differs from the other klisters by being made for more varied snow, from fine to coarse. The ideal range is slightly on the colder side, but gives also grip above freezing (32°F). It is the klister that can take the most fine grained snow of all klisters in the market. The reason is that FLEXI contains silver. Compared to K21 Silver Universal it is slightly harder and can
thus take colder and more fine grained snow. Transformed moist fine grained snow, Frozen corn snow, Wet corn snow
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| Events/Clinics/Announcements |
38th Annual Salomon “Frisco Gold Rush”
Featuring the SALOMON Nordic races and TUBBS Snowshoe 7K
February 3, 2008
Click Here For More Details
Join us at Colorado's oldest XC Ski & Snowshoe event - the Frisco Gold Rush hosted by the Town of Frisco and the Frisco Nordic Center.
To Benefit the Summit Nordic Ski Club
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The FIS Nordic World Cup are in North America this week.
For more information check out www.albertaworldcup.com
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Cross-Country Technique Fundamentals - CDROM
This CD lays the foundation for both Classic and Freestyle techniques on
which we can build a consistent technique program that will continue to
develop great cross-country skiers for years to come.
WAKE UP! IT'S TIME TO TRAIN - DVD
70 minutes of exclusive interviews with US National Team coaches, drills and
technique, fitness testing, sports physiology, core strength, training
volume, intensity levels, race footage, and much more.
X-COUNTRY - DVD
The inside story on one of the toughest sports around by top World Cup
racers.
Visit the CXC Store
http://cxcskiing.org/CXC%20Store/education.htm
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Matching Grant Update
Dear Skiers, Outdoor Winter Enthusiasts and Supporters:
This is our first week after the announcement to raise $25,000 to
match Dr. Leslie and John Taylor grant to Madison Winter Festival. The grant
was issued on January 1, 2008 and will match dollar for dollar every
donation collected from now until February 1, 2008.
After seven days $3,800 has been raised. There are 24 days left with
$21,200 needed to be raised. Thank you to individuals and businesses who
already made a contribution. If not, please do it today. All donations are
tax deductible.
Your contribution will give an opportunity to the Madison Winter
Festival to expose more kids and families to the winter outdoor activities
and celebrate healthy life style through participation.
There are two ways you can donate:
1) Simply send a check to the Madison Winter Festival at PO Box
930442, Verona, WI 53593. The check should be made out to 'Wisconsin Nordic
Sports Foundation' with the 'Madison Winter Festival' on the memo line or
2) Go to http://www.winter-fest.com/site_pages/Grant.htm and donate
online with the credit card
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"Who will you pursue this Valentine's weekend?"
The Cowboy Chase Nordic Pursuit Race
Saturday February 16, 15km/5km freestyle, 10:00 am start time
Sunday February 17, 7.5km/3km classic pursuit, 9:30 am start time
Happy Jack Recreation area, 9 miles east of Laramie, WY, just
off Interstate 80.
Registration: Race day, $20 per race or $25 for the weekendFor detailed information, directions, course maps:
www.uwyo.edu/ski/CowboyChase.htm
Lodging Options: Hampton Inn, Comfort Inn, EconoLodge, Best Western
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John Day Citizen's Cross Country Ski Race
February 17, 2008 (Sunday)
Diamond Lake Resort, Oregon
Entry forms may be downloaded from the John Day XC Race Website: http://southernonc.tripod.com/id6.html
The Diamond Lake Resort is located in the southern Oregon Cascades off State Route 138 north of Crater Lake National Park.
The citizen cross country ski race is open to all ages and abilities. The John Day
XC-Ski Race includes 20k freestyle (skating allowed) and10k classic (diagonal stride only) events. The race also features Junior (18 & under) 5k freestyle and 5k
classic events as well as a 5k Fun Ski.
Pre-registration closes February 9th. Day of race registration is accepted. Check-in at the Diamond Lake Resort Lodge between 8:00 AM and 9:30 AM on the morning of the race. The mass-start race starts at 10:30 AM.
The race is sponsored by the Southern Oregon Chapter of the Oregon Nordic Club.
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2008 Masters World Cup: Less Than Two Weeks Left For Registration
With only two weeks left until close of registration for the 2008 Masters World Cup presented by Blackhawk (March 1-7, 2008 in McCall, Idaho), local organizers and National Directors worldwide are staying busy with a continuous stream of final registrations.
J.D. Downing -- U.S.A. National Director to the World Masters Association -- says that new USA registrations are coming daily. "It's been a steady stream the past week and I expect things will get even busier as the final two weeks count down. The important thing for all USA skiers to remember is that after the first of February, it'll be important to switch exclusively to the special on-line system we set up for USA skiers to enter the Masters World Cup. We don't want to have a registration hung up in the postal mail past the final deadline!"
USA registrations are now past the 400 mark with projections as high as 500 "home nation" skiers once the final deadline passes. Current registrations already have earned the MWC2008 the distinction of fielding the largest USA contingent ever to take part in a Masters World Cup. USA registration already spans over 22 states with skiers ranging in age from the minimum 30 years to the first-ever USA skier in the M13 category -- 90 years young! In addition to the strong USA turnout, a dozen international nations have confirmed registrations thus far with up to an additional dozen nations to enter skiers by early February.
As an added attraction, the Masters World Cup individual races are serving
double-duty as the 2008 USA National Masters Championships. All USA skiers
entered in the Worlds will automatically be scored for National Masters rankings giving skiers essentially two Championship races for the effort and price of one!
MWC2008 registration will continue to remain open until midnight on February 4, 2008. Registration is possible via a print-and-mail form found on www.MWC2008.com as well as via a newl on-line secure payment system set
up just for USA skiers.
The annual Masters World Cup event is managed by the Swiss-based World Masters Association, a volunteer organization with over dozen member nations. Drawing an average of 1,000 competitors and up to an additional 1,000 spectators every year, the week-long event travels to a different location and nation each year. Three individual races plus national team relays are held with skiers grouped in five year age/gender categories for all individual races. Skiers annually range in ability from former Olympic and World Championship medalists to beginner/intermediate masters with no competitive backgrounds.
The USA last hosted the Masters World Cup in 1998 (Lake Placid, New York)
and is currently not slated to host the event again for at least another 6-10 years.
The presenting sponsor for the 2008 Masters World Cup is Blackhawk, a
1551-acre conservation-oriented riverfront community located just five miles
southwest of McCall, Idaho. Additional major sponsorship is provided by
Amerititle, McCall Real Estate Company, and the McCall Chamber of Commerce.
Grant support from Idaho Tourism. Additional logistical support provided by
American XC Skiers (AXCS), the USA masters association.
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SUPERTOUR COMING TO DOWNTOWN MADISON, WI
Once again some of the best elite cross country ski sprinters will blaze
around the Wisconsin State Capitol building in the heart of downtown Madison
on February 2-3, 2008
In the fourth consecutive year SuperTour comes to the streets of Madison, WI
and will bring again crowds of spectators to celebrate elite cross country
ski racing. Madison SuperTour is an integral part of the Madison Winter
Festival (formerly Capitol Square Sprints) which brings over 900
participants and 10,000 spectators every year.
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FRIENDS OF XC SKIING
Both to commemorate the exciting results from our Nordic athletes so far this season, and in anticipation of the races next week and the pre-World Championships in Liberec in February, we're offering a program called Friends of Cross Country, which is already giving a wide range of U.S. Ski Team alumni, supporters, fans and recreational skier a way to be involved with the team, and to help to capture the momentum the athletes have as they race toward Vancouver in 2010, Sochin in 2014, and beyond.
Enthusiasts nationwide are now able to show their support of the Team as a Friend of Cross Country by giving a gift as low as $50. The Norwegian Ski Federation as operated an identical program for a number of years, and they sell 8,000 hats annually. Skiers of all ages and abilities in Norway show their support for their team by wearing their "Langrennsportens Venner" hats from the current year, and from years gone by. We've started to challenge Norway on the ski trails - surpassing them in nationwide community support is a key area to sustaining that challenge.
The results we've seen so far this season from athletes like Kikkan Randall, Andrew Newell, Kris Freeman, Bill Demong and Johnny Spillane are thanks to
the efforts of the entire U.S. skiing community including race organizers, community coaches, divisional leaders and dedicated supporters. This support has enabled athletes at all levels of our development pipeline to perform their best. Because of this, our athletes are better prepared to compete with their peers internationally. USSA has made new, high-performance investments in nordic skiing including:
· Coach, parent, club and officials education
· Greater support for elite-level development
· Investments in sport science, such as force measurement analysis tools
· State of the art roller skiing treadmill
· Nutritional, medical and performance psychology support
· 2010 Olympic venue training camps
· 2010 Whistler fast-skis project
Our athletes can achieve their goals and inspire generations of young kids to participate in this healthful, lifelong family sport.
NOTE: If you have an event you would like to have in SkiPost please send emails to weanswer@skipost.com
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