I’ll weigh in, more on this race stuff sometime over the next couple of days. Bode’s “decline in SL” had ZERO to do with his skis, or boots. Not one thing. I know it quite well. You might consider that he added 40+ lbs of mass, to start. That’s the issue.
I talk don’t know how much I can even get into these topics here, anymore. People speculating....guessing, inventing. This reminds me of a former forum. This has been discussed a great deal before.
Steve Porino knows jack shit about SL skis, BTW. He’s a great guy. He was a very competent DHer, and he knows how to do his job. Don’t take everything he states as fact. Nor should you with Bode. There is a lot of “common knowledge” in Steve’s comments.
The fact is that nobody is winning WC globes on Head SL skis, but it MIGHT BE the athletes, not the skis. How does Steve know that Hirscher and Mikaela both might be faster in a Head SL setup. Wendy Holdener is pretty quick, and on MS’s heels.
If you recall, back in the day when Ligety was a better SL skier than a GS skier, and this young guy, Hirscher exploded on the scene, they skied both events and were in about the same place. During the last two years before the 35M skis, big advantage Ligety in GS, advantage SL to Hirscher. 35M skis are built, and Ted is unbeatable. Hirscher’s skis suck, and he can’t win. He, however has great SL skis built for him, with Atomic cosmetics, and he wins. Arrow, archer, or both? I say both.
That spring and summer, Ligety and Bode has spend ALL of their time dialing in GS skis, and on Bodes case, training a ton of speed. Head was way ahead of the game in the development of those GS skis.Neither was skiing much SL. And it showed. And of course, the word was that Head SL skis suck. As all of the SL specialists were not on Head. Bode’s, Ted’s...all of them sucked, right. Not so. You look at younger guys on the top stock and they kill it. This is true on the Europa Cup, the NCAA, etc.
SL skiers often grow out of it. Steven Nyman was one of the best SL skiers in the world as a U21. Svindal started as a dominant SL skier. Vonn was a phenom as a SL skier, predicted for greatness before she ever skier a DH, and reached 180 lbs. And yes, Bode. Ever see pictures of teenage Bode. Rail thin. Bode about 5 years ago? Tight end big. Mass is big in speed, and the two disciplines could not be more different. It might work for Ms. Shiffrin, but not for guys.
It was not the skis. Though Bode drove every race room director crazy, making them press SL skis over and over again. Boots? They are all built very similarly to that original matte black Dobie. Though Bode’s Heads are a complete custom clog, and cuff. As are those of another half dozen Head guys and ladies. But Bode, again drove people nuts at three other companies insisting on that same feel...to bring back his SL.
It took one of his closest friends becoming his tech coach, and his most trusted speed coach telling him that “Bode, you are no longer a SL skier....give it up. Stop this.” Others are not as stubborn.
Head can and does make decent SL skis. Most of their money goes to the speed programs and the speed skiers. Because their CEO thinks that’s the “real sport” and he loves his stable of speed skiers. Pretty obvious with both genders. Keeps adding them.
Have a nice Christmas, BTW.
Maybe a little of each.
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