Help Wanted and Bring Your Crampons!!

RACE MARSHALS WANTED

This could be you!

We are in need of some willing people to help out this weekend at Temple and also on the 15th September at Crigieburn as race marshals.

This is a highly sort after position, so e-mail me asap if you want one of the best seats in the house to watch all the action. This is idea for those travelling to support a friend in the races.

If you are interested, you know any one that might be interested in helping out e-mail me at- grant@skimountaineering.org

CRAMPONS REQUIRED FOR RANDO RALLY

Make sure you pack your crampons for this weekend. Depending on the race day conditions we may make them required for the uphill boot pack up "Main Chute". If they are required and you don't have them, you will NOT be allowed to race!! No exceptions!

Deuter Temple Basin Randonnee Rally Update-Still on!!

Have had a few people ask about the Temple race and if it is still on or not? I can happily say it is all go for the 1st of September!!
The course has be changed a bit due to the snow conditions (and there is a good chance that it will change again in the next week), but I don't think people will be disappointed. The latest plan that I have hatched ( along with some help from some of the top racers!) will be the most fun and technical race so far this season.
A thin snow pack and tricky snow conditions are as much a part of ski mountaineering in NZ as anything, so don't be put of off by what you may have read or heard, this will be a great weekend.
If you are planning on coming up, I strongly recommend staying at least Friday night at Temple Basin (save having to walk 1hr the morning of the race!). Staying Saturday night and making the most of the back country skiing on Sunday would also be well worth it. Go to www.templebasin.co.nz/prices/overnight.htm for details.
Goods Lift Times-Friday-7-7:30pm. Saturday-7-7:30am
Race registration-8-9am
Pre Race meeting-9am Race Start-10am

The Race Division course will involve a lot of taking off and putting on of skis (3 times before the 1st down hill!) and will involve both uphill and downhill boot packs.

For both divisions, the final down hill will be broken into 2 sections by a boot pack along the "DownHill" walking track and a somewhat technical boot pack near the top of Temple Tow.

This will be a real test!! Not wanting to scare anyone off, but if entering, be sure you are confident with steep skinning, climbing both up and downhill with skis/board on your backpack and are a strong "off piste" skier/rider.

Ripper Results

Was a great race on Sunday, with Gena (who just had his 47th birthday today) running away with an easy win. Noel and Blair battled it out for 2nd and 3rd, with Noel leading until the final ski down.

Jane again won the female race class, with Jess and Melanie having a close race for 2nd and 3rd.

Congratulations to all who turned up, hope to see you all a the Temple Rando Rally on the 1st September!

Woman's Rec Class

Place Number Name hours/min

1 112 Mel Whitina 1.09

Male Rec Class

1 110 Scott Claridge 1.24

2 111 James Maher 1.25

Male Race Class

1 5 Gena Sibaev 1.26

2 35 Blair Leslie 1.38

3 30 Noel Oien 1.39

4 33 Steven Parker 1.54

5 37 Will Page 1.58

6 32 Joe Wilson 2.01

7 31 Scott Cambell 2.25

8 38 Chris Slade 2.36

Female Race Class

1 6 Jane Harper 1.29

2 39 Jess Donaghue 1.57

3 34 Melanie Powkev 1.59

4 3 Cindy Hague 2.04

5 36 Sonia Waters 2.34

40 Mike Donoghue 0.58 M Snow boarder on snow shoes, entered race class but did only one lap Race Class

Ripper Photos

A few shots from the race in the weekend. Was a really good race on Sunday with a good turn out despite the poor weather. Should have the results up in a day or 2.
All photos by Desmond Downs.

Peak Fuel Ripper Course Update

Hi all, this is going to be the new course for the race tomorrow.
1 is the Start/Finsih line, from there its connecting the numbers. The Rec divison will do this once, with the Race diviosn doing it twice. At the start of CP2 there will be a boot pack section. A call will be made in the morning on weather racers will be reqiured to wear crampons or not on this boot pack section.

PEAK FUEL RUAPEHU updated 7:10am 18/08/07

Morning all, unfortunately the weather is looking a little grim at Turoa today and Craig has made the call to POSTPONE the race until tomorrow. The strong winds, rain and poor visibility made the decision an easy one.
Good news is the weather is look a lot better for Sunday, so it will be all go tomorrow!
We hope that this does not effect to many people and you can all make it along tomorrow. I went over the course yesterday with Craig and it looks like it will be a fun one. It has been changed a bit from the original course because of the forecast weather and snow conditions, but will still have some fun skiing and a nice boot pack section in it. The Race division will do 2 laps (4 climbs) and the Rec division will do one lap(2 climbs). Total vertical climbing (and descent) will be around 400meters for Rec and 800m for Race. Its a little on the short side, but will feel a lot longer I am sure!
Any questions, shoot us an e-mail, other wise see you on the start line!

Peak Fuel Ruapehu Ripper

Only 5 days away now, stop 2 in the SCARPA race series-the Peak Fuel Ruapehu Ripper (the only race in the NI in this winters) is shaping up to be a good one!
Talking with Craig, it sound like things are all go for the full planned course if the weather plays ball, which it looks like it will.
There will be quite the turn out, with a lot of interest show from the NI "skinners", as well as a strong Arthur's Pass/Temple Basin crew travelling north for the race. Gena and Gary, who finished 2nd and 3rd at Ohau, along with Noel, who was looking good until taking a wrong turn in the white out at Oahu, will be there, as well as Jane, who won the female division 10 day's ago.
Look forward to seeing you ion the start line for this one!

LOST GLASSES?
We found a pair of glasses at Ohau last week on the 2nd climb, so shot us an e-mail if your missing a pair.

Black Diamond Ohau Backcountry Blast-Race Report

And they are off.......

This was the scene at the start line of the Blast this past Saturday. It was quit a sight seeing 40 people running up past the magic carpet at Ohau. After things thinned out a bit it was Gena who had the early lead and was first out of CP1 (Check Point 1), with Geoff close behind. The ski from CP1 to CP2 was trick to say the least in the white out conditions that came in about 5 min's after starting the race and that's were most people went a stray (funny how that worked out, it was by far the easiest and most dull part of the race if you could see were to go?). Geoff took the lead out of CP2 and was the first to reach Henry at CP3. By CP4 Geoff had a couple of minutes on Gena and had already started the final climb before Gena arrived. It was far from over as Gena managed to pull Geoff back in on the final climb and arrived at the final check point first. Unfortunately for Gena it wasn't enough and Geoff ran him down on the final ski to win by 1 minute.
While Geoff and Gena battled it out for first, Gary and Nigel did the same for 3rd, with Gary passing Nigel on the final climb for an impressive finish after having ankle surgery earlier this winter. Nigel-nice dress!

Jane quietly went about her business and spent most the race in "no mans land" winning the lady's race and taking 3rd over all! Kath and Sally finished 2nd and 3rd respectively.

Special mention needs to go out to Tina, who did come in last, but amazingly this was her first time on skin's!! Tina did the +/-950 meter vertical race in just over 3hrs, not bad for her first time skinning.

Big thanks to every one that made this event a success, look forward to seeing you at Turoa on the 18th of August!

Racers lining up for the start.

Gary, Gena and Geoff, top 3 males in race class.

Gena takes an early lead.

"Outdoor Cool"? maybe, best dressed, definitely!

Black Diamond Ohau Backcountry Blast-Results

Black Diamond Ohau Backcountry Blast
4th August 2007 Official Results
Men's Race Division
Place Name Bib Number Time
1 Geoff Small 29 1hr08min
2 Gena Sibaev 5 1hr09min
3 Gary MacPherson 12 1hr26min
4 Nigel Lloyd 2 1hr28min
5 Micheal Halseggar 27 1hr35min
6 Chris Erikson 9 1hr37min
7 Duncan Sherrattt 14 1hr41min
8 Eric Bunce 20 1hr42min
9 Craig Martella 7 1hr42min
10 Alexis Poilvert 8 1hr45min
11 Matt McLoch 24 1hr46min
12 Graham Allen 19 1hr49min
13 Tim Ensor 11 1hr49min
14 Gregg Belsby 18 2hr04min
15 Will Page 15 2hr 10min
16 John Lindsey 10 2hr12min
17 Greg Seatolt 22 2hr13min
18 Reese Doyle 17 2hr15min
Noel Oien 26 DNF
Tawny Wagstaff 25 DNF

Women's Race Division
1 Jane Harper 6 1hr18min
2 Kath Conlan 16 1hr36min
3 Sally Schott 4 1hr55min
4 Jo Prince 28 2hr40min
5 Tina Armstrong 21 3hr10min

Sorry, no times for Rec Division
Men's Rec Division
1 Ian Dee 107
2 Pete Graves 103
3 Mike Flatters 105

Women's Rec Division
1 Caroline Blakie 104
2 Gillian Ensor 106
3 Nicola Millar 109
4 Kate Hannaford 102
5 Jenny Beigtiton 108
DNF Tess Bunny 101

Black Diamond Back Country Blast Update

Just an update for every one.
Big change is we have moved the start time back. Please pass this on.
Friday 3rd August
-7:30pm-In TV lounge
Race briefing and registration for those at lodge
DVDs-2006 PDG and Gasherbrum II
Saturday 4th August
-8:30-9am-race registration in day lodge on hill
-9-9:20am-pre race meeting in day lodge
Gear check from 830-930am in day lodge
-10am Race Start
-1:30pm-cut off time for race
-5pm prize giving at lake Ohau lodge

Diving in to Ohau today things looked pretty good on the hill. They had 30cm up high a few days ago and are expecting a little more tonight. Fingers crossed we will be racing for powder on Saturday! Things are shaping up well for a great race.
Look forward to seeing you on the start line!