Men’s World Cup 2021

[Black Dog]

Eurosport’s Fellows and Mickel like to use the term “under-gate” a lot to describe particular pitches on the course (maybe more GS than slalom though). This struck me as a Britishism that I don’t think I would hear in U.S. expert commentary. And I don’t really know what they mean. What would be a more familiar American term for “under-gate”, or am I just unaware and you would use that term too?

An under gate is also referred to an delay gate in the US.

 

[James]

Rebranding: U.S. Ski Association (USSA) rebranded as U.S. Ski and Snowboard (USSS).

You don't even WANT to have an idea of how much the organization spent in consulting fees and "marketing advice/direction" to reach that decision, and THEN the costs to redesign the logo, implement all of the changes, etc. Many are not so sure what it really yielded!

The amazing thing is all you had to do was rename it and keep USSA and all the logos. US Ski and Snowboard Association. I thought it was that anyway, lol. Completely absurd. If they think the public will somehow respond to this, they won’t. No one cares.

 

[4ster]

 

[DocGKR]

Since 1865 USSS has meant United States Secret Service. Definitely a confusing acronym choice for USSA, since US Ski and Snowboard Association makes a LOT of sense.

 

[Rudi Riet]

An under gate is also referred to an delay gate in the US.

Under gate = delay gate = through gate

All three terms are used interchangeably and it varies by many factors: geography, era in which one raced, etc.

For example: I was first taught about alpine racing in the mid-1980s in Utah. We used the "delay gate" terminology. I used this term in my coaching without any issues until I started coaching in Pennsylvania, where the "through gate" term is the lingua franca of the area. When I use the "delay gate" term with young athletes it's like I'm speaking ancient Greek to them.

 

[S.H.]

in Pennsylvania, where the "through gate" term is the lingua franca of the area.

it IS? learn something new every day.

 

[Moose32]

Under gate = delay gate = through gate

All three terms are used interchangeably and it varies by many factors: geography, era in which one raced, etc.

For example: I was first taught about alpine racing in the mid-1980s in Utah. We used the "delay gate" terminology. I used this term in my coaching without any issues until I started coaching in Pennsylvania, where the "through gate" term is the lingua franca of the area. When I use the "delay gate" term with young athletes it's like I'm speaking ancient Greek to them.

Back in the day, when I raced (WNY), the coaches used the term "Under Gate" predominately. "Through Gate" was also used but not quite as much. "Delay Gate" is a bit new (to me) but obviously the same thing.

 

[Rudi Riet]

Yeah, it's funny how there are different dialects of coaching terminology depending on where and when you raced. And in their efforts to standardize some terminology, USSS has completely upended some terms from what many of us more "seasoned" folk once knew. It's all well and good, but it's also vital to keep on top of what terminology is used at, say, a USSS Regional Age Group Project. If an athlete goes to one of these and the USSS/USST coaches are using terms completely foreign to an athlete it can increase frustration for both athlete and coach.

There's a movement in the USSS junior development ranks to create a "language locker" - i.e. terms that resonate with athletes - but this isn't really landing on any kind of standardization, save for within teams.

 

[Tony S]

Agreed on Foss-Solvaag... and I actually thought the same about Pertl in the first run... he just looked like he was fighting for grip so much less than everyone else.... very smooth.

Agree. Pertl's skiing in the first run was SO precise and poised compare with many others on that difficult course.

 

[James]

Since 1865 USSS has meant United States Secret Service. Definitely a confusing acronym choice for USSA, since US Ski and Snowboard Association makes a LOT of sense.

That reminds me of the pre season meeting one year and the marketing presentation. Every year we’d get one for the ad campaign. So he goes through the theme and the logos, and blah blah, blah. It was probably ten minutes. Then he says, “but we couldn’t use that...” Wait, what? Goes on to explain how Burton had already taken the theme, so they couldn’t use it.
One of the instructors who’s worked in advertising for years commented later, “companies get the ad campaign they deserve”

It’s pretty sad that the ski/snowboard association appears lower on a google search than the US Stamp Society.

 

[knobby]

That reminds me of the pre season meeting one year and the marketing presentation. Every year we’d get one for the ad campaign. So he goes through the theme and the logos, and blah blah, blah. It was probably ten minutes. Then he says, “but we couldn’t use that...” Wait, what? Goes on to explain how Burton had already taken the theme, so they couldn’t use it.
One of the instructors who’s worked in advertising for years commented later, “companies get the ad campaign they deserve”

It’s pretty sad that the ski/snowboard association appears lower on a google search than the US Stamp Society.

View attachment 125668

I guess when you specifically ask not to have your new name be turned into an acronym, you end up in this situation. Makes sense now why so much on the website is still branded as USSA.
“As a general rule, acronyming is a bad brand practice,” Kelly wrote in a follow-up email to FasterSkier. “It creates a collection of letters that is not easily recognizable to the majority of people who cross paths with the brand. We’ve been seeking to avoid acronyms for some years, but USSA was ubiquitous. We will always use U.S. Ski & Snowboard and not abbreviate it or create an acronym. And we appreciate users respecting that.”
I think it was bad advice for sure.

 

[4ster]

Pinturault
Odermatt
Schmid

Watching the 3 Worlds medalists.

 

[dbostedo]

Odermatt
Faivre
Pinturault
Zubcic

 

[4ster]

Odermatt
Faivre
Pinturault
Zubcic

Couple of good picks there^

Both courses had a lot of swing & also looked like a lot of work. Pinturault was making a charge & did ok considering losing a pole.
Austrian Brennstiener on the podium even with a couple of mistakes out of bib #24.
Hadalin with fastest 2nd run was impressive but Zubcic really threw it down for the win & Faivre backs up his World Champ win.
Good on Radamus for getting the job done with 2 solid runs.

Tomorrow...

Pinturault
Zubcic
Meillard

 

[dbostedo]

Chalk tomorrow....

Pinturault
Odermatt
Zubcic

 

[DocGKR]

Bansko GS #1: Zubcic wins, Faivre 2nd, Brennsteiner 3rd, Pinterault 4th, Odermatt 5th, Feller 6th: https://www.fis-ski.com/DB/general/results.html?sectorcode=AL&raceid=104333

Bansko GS #2: Faivre wins, Odermatt 2nd, Pinterault 3rd: https://www.fis-ski.com/DB/general/results.html?sectorcode=AL&raceid=104334

 

[dbostedo]

Bansko GS #1: Zubcic wins, Faivre 2nd, Brennsteiner 3rd, Pinterault 4th, Odermatt 5th, Feller 6th: https://www.fis-ski.com/DB/general/results.html?sectorcode=AL&raceid=104333

Bansko GS #2: Faivre wins, Odermatt 2nd, Pinterault 3rd: https://www.fis-ski.com/DB/general/results.html?sectorcode=AL&raceid=104334

Faivre's on fire lately.

 

[Muleski]

Faivre is on a new ski. Freshly built by Head's guys. Originally in development for Tommy Ford, I hear. I don't know the exact details, but it's a significant tweak. Sidecut, shape, layup, etc. Evidently Pintu did not feel that a mid-season change was in his best interest. With so many Head guys on the shelf, Faivre has really benefited from this, I hear. ENORMOUS difference maker.

So you don't think skis matter? Or that they are all the same? Sure......

He IS on fire, and was hardly top of mind {particularly in North America}. He's a lot more that "MS's former BF." The guy has always been able to ski. Fast.

 

[Noodler]

Faivre is on a new ski. Freshly built by Head's guys. Originally in development for Tommy Ford, I hear. I don't know the exact details, but it's a significant tweak. Sidecut, shape, layup, etc. Evidently Pintu did not feel that a mid-season change was in his best interest. With so many Head guys on the shelf, Faivre has really benefited from this, I hear. ENORMOUS difference maker.

So you don't think skis matter? Or that they are all the same? Sure......

He IS on fire, and was hardly top of mind {particularly in North America}. He's a lot more that "MS's former BF." The guy has always been able to ski. Fast.

They mentioned in the U.S. telecast that this new ski is longer than what most of the racers are typically skiing. Faivre looks so smooth through his turns on this new ski. Kind of reminiscent of what Ted was doing to his competition with those other Head skis earlier in the past decade.

 

[Muleski]

I have heard that they “grew” the development of the ski out of the development of the skis they are building for parallel GS. Not the same, at all, but evidently some similarities.
I like seeing this stuff take shape. Obviously Head has huge resources to bring to the effort.