SkinTrack

Stano Faban

Prize Giveaway: SkinTrack training plans, t-shirts, bandannas

By

Update – Jan 11, 2018 – Contest Winners:
Thank you everyone for participating and giving us your feedback! Check back soon for another prize contest.
We said we would announce two prize winners but we decided to do one extra, just because we can 😉
Each of these lucky tree wins the SkinTrack prize package and the training plan they indicated they would like the most:
Shad Williams from Utah will start training following our 12-Week Novice Level Skimo Training Plan
Lori Anne Donald from BC will crush some sprint courses with 8-Week Sprint and Speed Development Training Plan
And Florimond Gachet of France will take on the mythical Pierra Menta by following intervals prescribed in our 8-Week Sprint and Speed Development Training Plan
Congrats! We will get in touch via email.
– – – – – – – –
Whether you have been reading SkinTrack for a couple of years or fell in love with it only recently, here’s a prize giveaway contest you will like.

Two Prize Packages (over $150 value each)

Be one of the lucky two to win a full SkinTrack package, each will include the following:

giveaway-contest

How to Participate + Giveaway Contest Rules and Conditions

  • To participate, fill out the giveaway contest entry form below, agree with the rules and conditions, then hit “Submit My Entry” button and you are done!
  • Giveaway contest entries will be accepted until Wednesday, January 10, 2018.
  • Two winners will be announced by January 14, 2018 and prizes will be shipped by January 19, 2018.
  • By participating, you agree to be added to SkinTrack emailing and newsletter list – don’t worry, we won’t email you more than once a month.

Entry Form

Contest has been closed and we will announce winners soon.
Thank you for checking in.

In Memory of Ben Parsons: A Good Friend and an Athlete with a Big Heart

By 2 Comments

gfm-logo-single-2016Please consider donating to a fundraising campaign started by Ben’s friends. All proceeds will go to support his son Rowen and wife Jen. Thank you!.
Ben-Parsons-Portrait
Update – January 5, 2018:
I can’t believe it has already been a full year since the world lost such an incredible human being…
Benny, wherever you are, know that we are thinking of you and your family. You have always been a great example and showing us all how to be!
Original post from Jan 6, 2017:
When my phone rang last night and I saw one of my best friends name on the screen I got happy and excited. Sadly those feelings didn’t last long…
I learnt that Ben has passed away just couple of hours ago, after being involved in a large avalanche in his home mountains.
Yesterday, the North American skimo racing community lost one of its nicest, most genuine and humble people. Ben was from the “previous” generation of the NA skimo racers and reached as high as top 40 at the famous Pierra Menta race, with his good friend Brandon. They were from Montana but Ben often joked he wanted to be on the Canadian team. He liked us and we liked him.
I first met Ben in 2008 when he showed up at a race I was organizing in Fernie, BC. He got lost mid-way while in the lead, because of the winds blowing course flags around, but he was still grateful for the experience. From there on, he and Brandon would regularly come up to our Canadian races to kick our asses and take our prize money. Not that there was much of it but it still hurt. They were keeping us honest.

Ben dropping into a descent at 2015 Canadian Skimo Champs in Golden, BC.
Ben dropping into a descent at the 2015 Canadian Skimo Champs in Golden, BC. (Photo Malcolm Taylor)
My personal favourite skimo racing moment of all time is not from Pierra Menta or World Championships but from a battle with Ben on his home turf at Whitefish Resort. Both of us were “diesel engines”, as he would often say, and after dropping others we were trying to figure out how to drop each other. I knew that from bike racing he was tactically as smart as it gets and true enough he surprised me with a full out running sprint two minutes from the line (the finish was uphill). He won by a couple of seconds and we both collapsed at the finish line. Then the first thing he did was to give me a big hug and he wouldn’t stop telling me how well I raced. Next day, fifteen of us went for a tour.
Stano Faban with Ben Parsons at Whitefish 2013 skimo race
Skimo racing is simply a friendly sport although it hurts sometimes.
I know that Eric had similar racing moments with him and both of us held Ben very high for all of his qualities.
He was an absolute class, full of passion and had a such big heart.
I would like to express my deepest condolences to Ben’s wife and my friend Jen, and their little son – I am very sorry for your loss. Also, my condolences to Ben’s parents and thank you for raising such an amazing person.
Ben, thank you for all the great memories and leading by example. Keep up your big smile and never fading enthusiasm.
We will keep doing turns for you!
Stano

Skimo News – Jan 2: Race Previews and Current Snow Conditions

By Leave a Comment

No racing action took place over the holiday period in North America or on the World Cup circuit.
In other ski news, Colorado has finally received a bit more snow but the entire US Rockies remain anemic. The Pacific Northwest and Canada are faring better with good snow on the Coast and skiing to be found in the Canadian Rockies. An arctic air front has settled in over much of Canada and parts of the US causing a deep freeze (good luck to the East Coast ski mountaineers!).
Europe seems to be faring well, with deep snow in the Alps. If you are considering a Grand Tour skimo event, or hop over just for a vacation, this just might be the deep snow year to do it!

Photo from our touring day earlier in December. Good snow conditions are continuing in the west parts of Canada.
Photo from our touring day earlier in December. Good snow conditions are continuing in the west parts of Canada.

Upcoming Events

ISPO Munich, Germany – Jan 28-31, 2018:
This year we are going to Munich to visit the biggest outdoor show on the planet. Just like the Outdoor Retailer in US (but many times bigger), we are going there to get a preview of all the 2019 ski mountaineering gear so we can share it with you.
COSMIC Grand Mesa Grind at Powderhorn, CO – Jan 6, 2018:
The COSMIC series is scheduled to continue at Powderhorn Resort with one of the more backcountry feeling races of the series, however, snow conditions are proving difficult. Organizers remain in a holding pattern and will keep us posted!
More info at: http://www.cosmicski.com/event/powderhorn
Magic Mountain Skimo Race, VT – Jan 6, 2018:
The Eastern US skimo race season kicks off on January 6 in Vermont at Magic Mountain, the first of the five USSMA-sanctioned races of the NE Rando Race Series.
Total vertical will top out at around 5,100 feet via three cycles of a circuit comprising a very efficient skin track from base to summit, leading to a partial ski descent, followed by a short steep boot-pack, and finally picking up the prior ski descent back down to the base. The skiing will be almost entirely steep moguls, and adding to the challenge will be a currently forecasted continuation of the arctic weather conditions that have dominated all of the East since Christmas.
More info at: http://nerandorace.blogspot.ca/p/course-layout-magic-magic-mtn.html
Castle Mountain Skimo Race, AB – Jan 6-7, 2018:
The second event of the SMCC Canadian Cup takes place on January 6 and 7 at Castle Mountain Resort in southern Alberta.
Saturday’s sprint event will be an excellent opportunity to practice the World Cup format. The individual race on Sunday utilizes the full spread of terrain offered by Castle. Starting with a technical skin track to a rocky ridge boot-pack, then the race descends big perfectly fall-line chutes on the left side of the ski area. The second climb is a groomer grind leading racers up to the top of the resorts side-country cat ski zone and usually descends nice powder fields before shooting down to the village finish area.
Watch out for the usual contingent of Canadian athletes as well as a few Americans making the short trip up from Montana.
More info at: http://www.skimocanada.org/2018-castle-mountain-ski-mountaineering-race/

La Sportiva Sytron and Scarpa Alien RS: Boots Under 1 kg with Focus on Downhill Performance

By 7 Comments

There are two light ski mountaineering boots talked about these days – La Sportiva Sytron and Scarpa Alien RS – both weighing under 1,000 grams per boot yet promising previously unmatched downhill performance in this category.
In each case, focus during the design and development process was on creating a true light ski mountaineering boot that would descent as their much heavier cousins, and without the price tag of a Ferrari. This has been a goal of all boot manufacturers for many years but it seems that only now they are getting close to reaching such ever elusive target.
la-sportiva-sytron-scarpa-alien-rs-preview
One thing to keep in mind is that such light boots perform best with up to mid-fat skis (up to about 90 mm), however, when dry powder is plentiful then two boots can certainly drive a much bigger ski.
Overall, both Sytron and Alien RS are great improvements in the right direction, and we can’t wait to see the boot models that will succeed them in 2-3 years.

Backgrounds

Both of these boots draw heavily from features previously designed for and tested in other models, now creating a mix of the best ones into single pairs of boots.
La Sportiva Sytron combines features of the Syborg boot (image below) which borrowed some from La Sportiva’s top skimo racing platform, the Stratos Hi-Cube and its predecessors.
la-sportiva-syborg
As the name suggests, Scarpa Alien RS, also leverages race technology coming for the Scarpa Alien platform, and combines it with lessons learned on the F1 boot as well (image below).
scarpa-f1-ski-boot

La Sportiva Sytron ski mountaineering boot

While the overall look could imply that the Sytron is only slightly improved Syborg boot, actually it is those subtle changes that make the difference – in performance as well as durability.

La Sportiva Sytron men's version on the left, women's on the right.
La Sportiva Sytron men’s version on the left, women’s on the right.
The cuff locking and closing mechanism is similar, using La Sportiva’s unique CavoBike Pro Lever mechanism, but now the back lever flips all the way up, something we have been used to on Pierre Gignoux and Scarpa boots, which protects it in rocky boot-packs.
Feature that arguably improves the Sytron’s dowhill perfomance the most, compared to Syborg’s, is the completely new lower buckle that results in a tighter and much more customized fit around a foot. La Sportiva calls this “Spider Buckle Evo closure system” which combines the buckle with a newly added over-the-foot panel, instead of just a gaiter like on the Syborg.
Front and back view of the Sytron boot.
Front and back view of the Sytron boot.
Then there are a couple of smaller improvements like new gaiters and S4 toe inserts that help guide boots into bindings. These won’t have significant effect on performance but will add to overall skier’s comfort and better experience.
Specs:

  • Weight: 930g (size 27)
  • Forward lean in degrees: 14, 16, 18, 20
  • Last width (front-foot width): 100.4 mm
  • Shell: Grilamid
  • Cuff: Carbon reinforced Grilamid
  • Sole: La Sportiva Grip Guard

The La Sportiva Sytron comes at a very affordable price:

Scarpa Alien RS ski mountaineering boot

We have been hearing from some reliable source that the Scarpa Alien RS has greatly surpassed their expectations as its downhill performance is very comparable to much more heavier descent-oriented boots. The Alien RS has a couple of unique and innovative features that contribute to its qualities along with some already proven functionalities.
scarpa-alien-rs-ski-boot
Carbon reinforced Grilamid – carbon fibers strands infused into Grilamid plastic – has been used for cuff manufacturing for a few years now, but the Alien RS utilizes this material in the lower shell as well, instead of pure Grilamid.
2-propulsion-techThe bottom portion of the cuff is further reinforced with a steel arch which reduces cuff’s expansion (widening) when lots of pressure is applied onto the cuff while skiing. Naturally, this solution improves force transmission to the boots which results in better control over skis. Think of it this way – the boot is a piece of gear where most force is lost and direction of this force is affect by the boot’s deformation.
A simple yet effective solution comes in the form of using a cam lock for tightening and loosening cuff’s closure. Simply loosen the cam and pull on a Dyneema cord to quickly adjust cuff’s tightness.

Yellow Dyneema cable running through the cam lock on the outside of the boot.
Yellow Dyneema cable running through the cam lock on the outside of the boot.
Alien RS uses a BOA closure system, instead of a buckle, for the foot part of the shell (like their racing models Alien 1.0 and Alien 3.0). The idea of enclosing the BOA cables behind waterproof gaiter, and leaving only the BOA wheel outside, finally sees the light of day and replaces those ugly florescent green fabric gaiters Scarpa has been supplying the Alien and Alien 1.0 with for years.
Molding/Punching the shell on Alien RS:
A comment from our reader (see comments section below this article) suggests that “The Scarpa Alien RS comes with a tag that specifically says not to heat mold/punch the shell.”
While most people should fit into a boot with 99 mm last width it really depends on shape of your foot, and sadly many might not fit in at all.
Specs:

  • Weight: 910g (size 27)
  • Forward lean in degrees: 7, 9, 11, 13
  • Last width (front-foot width): 99 mm
  • Shell: Carbon Grilamid LFT
  • Cuff: Carbon Grilamid LFT
  • Sole: Scarpa UFO RS

The Alien RS is about $100 more expensive than the Sytron:

What’s next?

We are hopping to ski both boots soon so we can provide you with a more skis-on experience.
Overall, all manufacturers are really pushing for lighter and better skiing boots and we have much more to look forward to in the coming years!

Skimo News Dec 19: World Cup in China, Cam Smith Takes His First Ever Win at Wolf Creek, First Descent on Mt Assiniboine, Upcoming Events

By 5 Comments

It was an exciting weekend in the skimo racing world with the first ever World Cup taking place in China! The Wanlong venue will be hosting some of the sports for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

Top athletes fighting in cold conditions in the vertical race in Wanlong, China.
Top athletes fighting in cold conditions in the vertical race in Wanlong, China.
The American Rockies continue with low-tide snow conditions while the Alps are hammered hard by a storm that marks their start of the season. The Canadian Rockies and Coast Mountains have had a much more promising start followed by high pressure period that allowed skiers to venture into the alpine and attempt some bigger lines.

USA and Canada Race News

Unfortunately the COSMIC race at Irwin Lodge in Colorado was cancelled due to low snow but this was made up for by the previously postponed Wolf Creek Rando Race that got moved to Dec 17th and ran without a hitch.

Wolf Creek Rando Race – Wolf Creek Ski Area, CO – Dec 17, 2017

For a ski area usually lush with snow, usually earliest to open, and the deepest base, even Wolf Creek at 10,300 feet has been challenged this year. Northeast aspects were holding pockets of sugary snow as the course made it’s way along the Continental Divide trail via boot-pack.
Cam Smith, freshly graduated from Western State University & US Ski mountaineering team member, captured his first overall individual win, covering 3300ft of gain over 8 miles in 1h 36min, besting much more experienced racers Scott Simmons, Chris Carr, Rory Kelly, and Jon Brown.
On the women’s side, Breckenridge local, Jaime Brede captured the women’s win in 2h 24min.
This race was made possible by the tireless efforts of Jesse Morehouse and Richard Piltingsrud of the Colorado Army National Guard. We cannot thank them enough for the efforts in promoting ski mountaineering in the United States!
» Full results – Wolf Creek skimo race Dec 17, 2017

Canada

There were no races in Canada this weekend but the Canadian National Team did meet up in Revelstoke, BC for a training camp focused on downhill skills. The team covered downhill fundamentals starting on groomed runs and moving to steeper un-groomed terrain under the watchful eye of veteran racer Melanie Bernier.
In non-racing news, the high pressure in Canada has allowed skiers in the Rockies to get after some big lines. Notably, the SW face of Mt. Assiniboine saw its first ski descent over the weekend!

International Race News

ISMF World Cup – Wanlong, China – Dec 15-16, 2017

Meanwhile, the ISMF World Cup made its first stop of the season with an unusual trip to Wanlong, China. There was a strong turnout from international athletes (especially compared to last season’s Wold Cup race in Turkey) despite the unique challenges of the event. However, no North American athletes attended.
The weekend featured a short vertical race (around 500m ascent) and a sprint race, but no individual. This is likely due to the nature of the venue – a small ski resort with no natural snow. The base was entirely man-made snow thanks to extremely cold temperatures that athletes had to battle with.
Vertical race
The vertical took only 16:58 for Anton Palzer (GER), finishing 12 seconds ahead of Werner Marti (SWI) who was followed by Michelle Boscacci (ITA). The race did feature more than 10 racers from China, South Korea, and Japan – arguably the best turnout from Asian countries ever.
There were 19 women competing in the vertical race with Axelle Mollaret (FRA) winning convincingly almost 30 seconds ahead of Claudia Galicia (SPA) and Alba De Silvestro (ITA) coming in 3rd further 4 seconds behind.

» Vertical results – World Cup – Dec 15, 2017
Sprint race
Because of the extreme cold (down to -25C), several racers chose not to start the sprint, including vertical race winner Toni Palzer. Palzer released a statement expressing his dismay that the ISMF would allow racers to compete in such potentially dangerous (health damaging) cold conditions. We can agree with him because cold-induced asthma (exercise-induce asthma by cold air) and other undesirable effects of cold air on athletes’ airways can lead to prolonged health problems.

Italy topped the men’s results but not one of the names we would usually expect. The winner was a quickly upcoming espoir athlete Nicolo Canclini (ITA) who won over Oriol Cardona Coll (SPA) and Iwan Arnold (SWI).
Laetitia Roux (FRA) dominated the women’s sprint as usual, with Claudia Galicia (SPA) and Swiss espoir Marianne Fatton rounding out the podium.
» Sprint Results – World Cup – Dec 16,2017

Upcoming Events

The next World Cup event will take place on the weekend of January 20, 2018 in Switzerland with sprint and individual races.
There are no major races scheduled in North America over the holiday weekend but early January there will be a couple of events:

For a full racing calendar see our Events page.

10 Last-Minute Skimo Christmas Gift Ideas

By Leave a Comment

skimo-gift-ideas
Christmas is quickly approaching and skimo athletes can be notoriously difficult to shop for. To help you out, we’ve got a gift list that you can send to your significant other and let them surprise you from there on 🙂
Below are our choices for the best stuff to get this Christmas in order from cheap to “you must really love them” more expensive items:

SWIX CH8 Ski Wax – $14 CAD

» product page
Everyone needs ski wax. It’s cheap and you can always use more. CH8 is a solid bet for the majority of conditions out there. A small package will only set you back a few bucks. If you really want to get fancy, look around for the new Marathon High-Flouro wax from Swix.

CAMP G Comp Wind Gloves – $49 USD

» product page
While CAMP is known for their hard goods, they actually make a surprising number of really nice apparel items. Gloves can be a difficult decision for racing – too thin and you get cold fingers, too thick and you lose dexterity and fumble with equipment. The CAMP G glove is on the thin end of the spectrum and best used in warmer races or for spring skiing.

SWIX Wax Iron – $54 USD

» product page
If you are waxing, you’ll need an iron. Stop using your mom’s old iron and get a decent Swix unit. The extra-thick baseplate makes for uniform heat output and reduces your chances of melting your bases.

Dynafit Mercury Gloves – $64 USD

» product page
When temps drop and the wind kicks up, having a good pair of insulated gloves is critical. The Mercury retains dexterity while adding Primaloft insulation. These are what you will pull out of your pack at 14,000 ft when the wind kicks up on a cold day.

CAMP Speed Comp Helmet 2.0 – $119 USD

» product page
Nothing says “I love you” like head injury prevention. Racers looking to compete internationally now need dual-certified helmets and the CAMP Speed Comp 2.0 is the least mushroom-shaped of the current options.

Pomoca Race Pro 2.0 Skins – $144 USD

» product page
No one can have too many skins. If you race a lot, you wear out skins. Buy the kit and you don’t have to bother trying to create your own tip system. Pomoca is the best you can get and they keep improving with each version.

Plum Race 170 Binding – $467 USD

» product page
Adjustable race bindings are awesome. When your race boot and training boot have different sole lengths, an adjustable heel piece makes it so you can swap boots and skis as needed. The Plum unit is simple and easy to use but isn’t much heavier than a regular race binding.

Movement Vertex-X Skis – $549 USD (on sale)

» product page
There is nothing like having a pair of true ski mountaineering skis – those that fit between your race and powder setups. Movement Vertex-X, at 84mm width, is superbly light for its size yet a very reliable downhill machine.

Movement Race Pro 66 Skis – $1,099 CAD

» product page
If you really want to blow someone away, a new pair of race skis is the ticket. Movement is famous for light touring skis and they are applying their successful know-how to their skimo racing platform as well. Check these out.

Fischer AlpAttack Skis – $849 USD

» product page
The new AlpAttack is as light as they come and has a redesigned tail to make them easier to slot into a backpack, making for faster transitions. Highly recommended item!

Skimo News Dec 12: Record turn-out at Vert 180, Loup Loup Rando race preview

By Leave a Comment

Vert 180 – Calgary, AB – Dec 9, 2017

There was a historical turnout at the Vert 180 race in Calgary last Saturday with around 100 participants competing in solo and various relay categories. This is a great sign of future development of skimo in Canada, especially given the number of athletes that were on light racing gear – new local store SkiUphill provided a couple of light & fast demo setups as well.
The race course was non-technical, featuring a 140m climb ending with a boot-pack section, followed by a fast descent. The goal was to do as many laps as possible in 3h.

6pm start makes a for an unique race setting. (And low light makes snapping pics difficult.)
6pm start makes a for an unique race setting. (And low light makes snapping pics difficult.)
The win in the men’s solo category went to Peter Knight who was the strongest and completed 18 laps for a total of 2520 m. Second went to a local skimo “novice”, Tyson Smith, who has built his engine through years of cross-country racing. Third place belonged to Vert 180 co-organizer Travis Brown. All top 3 solo men completed full 18 laps but finished a couple of minutes apart.
Women’s solo race was more predictable as Kylee Ohler (Vert 180 founder) has confirmed once again that she is a truly dominant force in the Canadian racing scene over the last two seasons. Kylee completed 17 laps for a total of 2380 m. Second place went to Marg Fedyna (14 laps) and third to Heather Anderson (13 laps).
For junior categories, 2-person and 4-person relay results see the link below.
» Vert 180 – 2017 full results

Race Preview: Loup Loup Rando Race – Loup Loup Ski Bowl, WA – Jan 27, 2018

Most dedicated mountain athletes in the western US and Canada have heard of the Methow Valley: a small cluster of towns nestled into the eastern slopes of the North Cascades featuring a reliable snowpack and ample front- and backcountry terrain for excellent touring. Now there’s another reason for endurance athletes and racers to pay attention to the Methow: the Loup Loup Randonee Race.
loup-loup-race-preview
The Loup race is hosted by Cascade Endurance, a coaching and events business run by Methow athlete/coaches Sam and Alison Naney. The Loup course features a 1300’ vertical gain on a forested up-track and a straightforward blue-run descent, making the race a straight-up endurance challenge with low technical barrier-of-entry for newcomers. Last year’s race offered a one, two, or three lap option and saw about thirty competitors toe the line for the inaugural year.
This season’s race, scheduled for January 27th, promises more fun, greater challenge and good beer. In addition to the standard 1/2/3 lap individual events there will also be a 10,000 ft (8 lap) challenge for individuals and 3-person relay teams. The local Old Schoolhouse Brewery will be hosting a pre-race party and ski film showing at their Twisp-area taproom on Friday night, and on race day there will be food and beer aplenty for finishers (and lappers?) at the start/finish area.
If you’re looking for an opportunity to check out this beautiful mountain paradise and get in a solid race effort without trekking to the Rockies, you should definitely consider the Loup Rando races.

Skimo News Dec 5 and before: Gaston and Valmassoi dominate in Eldora, Wolf Creek race Cancelled

By Leave a Comment

Welcome to our first week of 2017/18 seasonal coverage for ski mountaineering racing in North America and abroad!
We’ll be doing our best to recap all the events and preview upcoming races. We’re always looking for more contributions so if you’d like to give us the inside scoop on any particular events, just send us a message. We could especially use insight on women’s races in North America.

North Americans racing in Europe

The next World Championships event will not take place until 2019 which means we will likely see a much smaller representation of North American athletes in European races but potentially more competition on the domestic scene.
At the moment, we’re not aware of any athletes planning to complete the full world cup series (but let us know if you are!). It’s likely though that a handful of athletes will head over for select races and Grand Tours.

USA Race News

The snow situation in North America is not quite to the same levels we had last year. As we write, West Coast of Canada has seen quite a bit of ski action but the Canadian Rockies could definitely use more snow.
Colorado has had cold weather (and man-made snow) but little natural snow. California and the Sierra’s appear to be getting their first few snowfalls of the season. Utah seems quite warm and dry although appears to have kicked off the first North American race of the season with their Thanksgiving event at Brighton!
The Wolf Creek race (and first in the COSMIC series) was unfortunately cancelled due to challenging snow conditions. That means the premier Colorado event was this weekend’s Indian Peaks Revenge at Eldora Resort.

Eldora Indian Peaks Revenge – Eldora, CO – Dec 1-2

With a very lean snowpack in Colorado, the COSMIC crew and the staff at Eldora Resort did an incredible job putting on a three race weekend in the Front Range.

Rory Kelly racing the individual race. Photo by Summit Endurance Academy.
Rory Kelly racing the individual race. Photo by Summit Endurance Academy.
Things kicked off on Friday night with a 300 meter vertical race, topping out just under 3000 meters (9800 ft), that men’s winner John Gaston took only 13 minutes to complete. Cam Smith, only an espoir, took 2nd in front of Rory Kelly.
Visiting from Italy, Martina Valmassoi ran away with the women’s victory with Boulder native Sarah Kadlec finishing just 12 seconds back! Jaime Brede finished 3rd.
Vertical Results: https://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=121859
Saturday featured an individual and sprint event. With a very civilized start time of 10AM, the individual course was a four lap affair with two ascent routes in the trees and a descent down a groomed run. The descent run was reserved entirely for racers – amazing commitment to our sport from a resort with only three open runs total!
Again, in men’s race, John Gaston ran away with the victory while a trailing pack traded places right up to the final lap. Eric Carter came in 2nd and just ahead of Rory Kelly.
In women’s race, Martina Valmassoi had a wider margin, finishing over 8 min ahead of Nikki Larochelle. Third went to Sarah Kadlec.
Individual Results: https://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=121951
The sprint race was held on another closed piste with a course built by the local downhill race team that featured fast descent gates. 25 racers started, including women and a handful of junior racers. The men competed in two semi-final heats with Mark Koob taking both his semi and the overall in the final, though not after being challenged by Rory Kelly and Chris Carr. There were only enough women for a final heat where national team member Sarah Cookler finished first!
 

Upcoming Races

» Visit our 2017/18 skimo events calendar
USA:
Next up is the Irwin Guides individual event near the town of Crested Butte. This unique event in the controlled cat skiing backcountry area usually delivers reliable early season snow. If snow conditions in Colorado improve, expect good turnout from the Colorado crew and despite the distance, some out of state competition at an exciting event.
Canada:
The Canadian season kicks off with the Vert180 in Calgary, Alberta. The race is one of very few within a major city, held at the Canada Olympic Park. Athletes have three hours to complete as many laps of the on-piste course as possible. Athletes can complete the event solo or as part of a relay team (2, 3, 4 persons).
World:
European teams have been busy training at the ski resort of Tignes, France and selecting their world cup roster.
The first event on the docket is in China, potentially a test event for future championships? It remains to be seen how many athletes will actually attend. Past world cups held outside of Europe have been historically poorly attended. The upside is that athletes looking to score world cup points have much better chances if they are willing to travel to China!

Short and Long-term Skimo Training: Training to Train vs. Training to Compete?

By Leave a Comment

It’s appealing to follow the top athletes in our sport as many post all of their training on social media like Strava. It can be also incredibly tempting to try to mimic what Kilian Jornet or  other skimo stars are doing but it would be at a very high risk of failure, injury, or burnout.
While a few select athletes might be able to match the training of the pros, the vast majority of us have jobs, families, and other activities that occupy the portion of our life that pros dedicate to training and more importantly to recovery.
Aside from having the time and resources available to train and recover, it’s important to remember the training base that a professional athlete has to support their current training load. Training is cumulative, especially if volume is maintained consistently.

dfg
Damiano Lenzi (left), age 30, is the current World Champion in both individual and team races, consistently challenging the legendary Kilian Jornet, age 30. Both have accumulated lots training volume over the years. William Bon Mardion (right), age 34, has been known to focus more on quality over quantity and has also reached an impressive collection of victories – but remember he still accumulated a lot of volume in the process.
A 30-year-old professional endurance athlete has probably been training between 700 and 1200 a year for 15 years! The average recreational competitive athlete may have less than half that number of hours in their “training bank”. The accumulated hours provide a support system for the training currently being completed – imagine a pyramid with all the training hours building the base, and the current training load as the very top.
The training bank needs to be maintained both on a long-term scale (many years of training) and on a smaller scale within the training year (maintaining consistency and using sound periodization throughout the year).

Long-term Progression

I’ve found a concept developed by the Canadian Cross Country Ski Federation for their long-term athlete development program to be very useful. During their development, athletes go through stages, one of which is “training-to-train”. This is the process of building a large training bank and is followed several years later by the stage “training-to-compete” where the athlete is focused primarily on training to be as fast as possible.
Ultra-running athletes often find that the volume and intensity of training required to merely complete their first ultra-marathon is considerably more than that needed to complete successive races and also find the recovery period post-race to gradually decrease. This is a good example of transitioning from training-to-train to training-to-compete on a multi-season scale.

Janelle Smiley, racing to first place, spends lots of time moving in the mountains thus by default accumulating big training volume. Photo by Eric Hoff.
Janelle Smiley, racing to first place here, spends lots of time moving in the mountains thus by default accumulating big training volume. Photo by Eric Hoff.
I find it is also important to keep this concept of progression in mind within a single season. For athletes focused on skimo as their primary sport, the summer is primarily base building. At the end of the summer and beginning of the fall, it’s time to build up the intensity training (training-to-train) that will allow you to complete the workouts done when winter begins, that will actually build your race fitness (training-to-compete). Once the race season begins, you enter a new phase where fitness is maintained and racing itself becomes the main priority!

Early Season and How to “train to train”?

Hopefully you’ve been building your training volume through the summer so that by the time fall comes around, you are at a good amount that you don’t need to build too much the rest of the year. It can however be a good time to put in a few final big volume building periods to get up to the level you’re expecting. It’s also a good time to start to focus on skimo specific type training – prioritize uphill training and consider adding roller skiing!
Finally, this is the time to add the interval sessions that will enable you to do even harder intervals in the training to compete period. Focus on longer tempo efforts in the 10-30 minute range with a few short threshold sessions.

Winter Season and How to “train to compete”?

This period is no longer about building volume. Instead focus on adding longer intensity workouts at threshold pace and above. Training should be 100% sport specific and carried out on skis as much as possible. Strength training should be focused on max strength tolerance for downhill skiing.

Training Smarter

Train smarter, not harder. Plan your training progression and give yourself time to train-to-train and then train-to-compete. You will not only be better prepared but also be less likely to experience an injury or setback.
Remember that the pros have also had a lifetime of training-to-train and that matching their training plans is not advisable.

Profiling Three Specialized Skimo Stores in North America

By Leave a Comment

Not long ago, all of North America was struggling to buy light ski mountaineering and ski touring gear. We were ordering online from Europe, dealing with language barriers, and hoping nothing breaks because the warranty process would be lengthy.
Another big issue was, getting our light weight bindings properly mounted once the gear arrived.
That has changed completely as today, there are three specialized light-weight ski mountaineering and touring shops in North America with both an online and brick-and-mortar presence:

Over the last couple of months, we visited all three and found that while they have lots of similarities they also have subtle differences that make them unique. All three stores are full of similar gear and have people that share a passion for moving fast in the mountains and having fun, the differences become apparent as soon as you walk inside.
We like all three and we encourage you to visit them in person when you get a chance.

Inside the Stores

Skimo.co

» Online store at http://skimo.co
Skimo.co founder, Jason Borro, comes from IT background which translates into his store’s look and vibe as being very organized and orderly. His obsession with technical and engineering detail means that the binding mounting bench is basically the centre of the store.
skimo-co-ski-wall
Skis on the ski wall are alphabetically ordered by brand and then width, in general kept under 100mm wide. The variety and abundance of choice of very light gear comes from his passion for efficiency, whether that be writing code or skiing in the mountains.

Eric Bunce, second in command, setting me up with Aski demo skis.
Eric Bunce, second in command, setting me up with Aski demo skis.
People that work in the store are as equally passionate about the same things as Jason. This is perhaps no coincidence. The overall vibe is calm yet enthusiasm for light & fast is high. The store’s technical expertise is phenomenal.

Cripple Creek Backcountry

» Online store at https://www.cripplecreekbc.com
When you visit Randy Young and Doug Stenclik’s store in Carbondale, CO you quickly realize that while passion for light gear is definitely there these guys took a more “cowboy” approach – coffee machine and beer on tab reflects their social and high energy personalities.
ccbc-store-2
Each product in their store has a little more room than at Skimo.co and the whole floor is more loosely organized. The mounting bench is at the back of the store yet still very present and busy – it’s integrated into the bar! If you are into fatter skis, specifically DPS, then this is your candy store.
ccbc-store-1
Last winter, Randy and Doug opened another store in Vail but we haven’t had a chance to visit yet so make sure you do.

SkiUphill.ca

» Online store at https://skiuphill.ca
This new kid on the block was founded only this year and is a child of Joel Desgreniers (avid racer) and Gavin Harmacy (ski mountaineering practitioner). As rumor has it, Skimo.co is an investor in this venture so expect close collaboration between the two as they will try to fulfill every customer’s expectation.
skiuphill-store-2
Their brick-and-mortar store is located in Canmore, Alberta. This town is more known for alpinism and ice climbing but is a home to plenty of fit and fast people searching for lighter gear to accomplish bigger and faster days in the mountains.
The vibe and overall feel of the store actually feels like a blend of their two older siblings in US – very organized but also relaxed with an espresso machine handily available.
skiuphill-store-1
The selection of gear is performance and light weight focused, and just like Skimo.co they offer plenty of choice from boutique European brands like Movement and Ski Trab for skis. They also carry a sizable stock of trail running gear including shoes, running vests and clothing.

Service Quality and Community Involvement

As the article title suggests, we are talking about these three stores because they understand the gear they sell as well as striving to provide the best service possible. People in each store have a unique touch in different areas but in the end they share passion for the outdoors and skiing.
Furthermore, all three stores are heavily involved in their communities and committed to provide entertainment and learning opportunities for local enthusiasts and passing by travelers.
Visit them whenever you can and support the community, together it will grow faster.