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!

TRANSTIONS-As Easy As 1,2,3.....Putting On your Skins

Putting on skins is another area that one can make up, or loss for that matter, a lot of time in a ski mountaineering race or while racing our buddy's on a powder day.

Most of us will spend at least 5 minutes, if not 15 putting our skins on. Top races will do this in under 60 seconds!!

Just as there is when taking skins off, there are a few key things to remember - take your pole straps off and put poles in one hand (to keep it really simple, drop them on the snow) and have your top unzipped, ready to pull your skins out (remember they aren't in your pack).

The Perfect Fold Every Time

The other day we went over how to remove your skins in a fast and efficient manner that took only 10’s of seconds instead of 10 minutes. Now what to do with these furry, sticky thinks once they are off? The standard way of dealing with your skins is to stick them together by touching the tip and tails, then pressing together. This works fine most times. But what if its windy out, or you are in the heat of battle at one of the upcoming ski mountaineering races were a mis-fold could be costly? Clearly you need a fast and efficient folding technique to go with your flash new way of removing your skins.
I learnt this trick from friend Steve Romeo. Steve represented the US at the 3rd World Ski Mountaineering Champs in Italy in 2006, is a NZAC member and has made some very notable ski descents in the Teton mountains of Wyoming were he lives. Check out is web site-www.tetonat.com
I just use the centre fold of the skins as the start point, but if you want to make it even easier you can bust out a permanent marker and mark the centre line of your skins.
Damien Jackson is today’s model.

2008 World Ski Mountaineering Champs

Just got a e-mail from Yanick, one of the organisers, detailing the schedule of events for the 4th World Ski Mountaineering Championships to be help in Chablais-Portes du Soleil, Switzerland from February 23rd-1st March 2008.
The most interesting feature is the inclusion of a 2nd singles races. The standard 1600m vertical race is included, along with a longer 3000m vertical race. This bringing the total number of races to 5, in a week long event that will see the best ski mountaineering races in the world, including a team from NZ, doing battle.


Program for 4th Ski Mountaineering World Championship 2008
Chablais-Portes du Soleil, Switzerland
-Saturday 23rd of Feb. Team Welcome – Opening Ceremony
-Sunday 24th of Feb. Adult race: Individual Race (1650m vert)
Open Young (800m vert)
-Monday 25th of Feb Adult race: relay-race
Young race: relay-race
-Tuesday 26th of Feb Adult race: Team race (1950m vert)
Young race: Individual race (1250m vert)
-Wednesday 27th of Feb Day off
-Thursday 28th of Feb Adult race: Vertical race (880m vert, no down hill)
Young race: Vertical race (500m vert, no down hill)
-Friday 29th of Feb Adult race: Long distance Individual race (3000m vert)
Closing Ceremony with Gala dinner
-Saturday 01st March Team departure

If you want to see where it is, check out- www.champery.ch or www.portesdusoleil.com
The official web site of the 4th world champs is www.smwc2008.com although it won't be up and running until late August.

TRANSITIONS- As Easy As 1,2,3...Removing your skins

“There's more than one way to skin a cat” or in this case, de-skin a ski. The following is one such way and is more than anything a starting point for speeding up your transitions in a ski mountaineering race. This technique can be adapted to any situation (racing or a lazy day in the “slack country” for example) and in one form or another, to any type of gear - tele, fritsch/naxo or Dynafit binding.
A few key things to remember - as you come in to the transition point/summit, have your pole straps removed and poles in one hand (so you don’t get tangled up) and your shirt/jacket unzipped so you can stuff you skins easily. Whatever routine you adapt, make sure it is a routine and that you practice and perfect it. While most people will spend well over five minutes farting around folding skins, you should spend less than 20 seconds!
Jane Harper, winner of last years inaugural Temple Basin Randonnee Rally and the 2007 Asian Ski Mountaineering Champs takes us through today’s lesson.
Comments/ questions are welcome.