Old vs New

[Swede]

If this isn't watchable on the other side I apologize, but modern athletes compete against 'old' ones (and old records) on old equipment in an array of sports (alpine, speed skating, bob...). First up is Manuel Feller vs Marc Girardelli.

Världsmästare mot legender | UR Play

Idrottsforskaren Steve Haake undrar om dagens vintersportstjärnor verkligen är bättre än gårdagens, eller om de når sina resultat tack vare modernare utrustning. Han låter därför nutida sportstjärnor tävla mot legender med utrusting från förr. Det blir utförsåkning, bob, skridskor, hockey och...

urplay.se

 

[dbostedo]

If this isn't watchable on the other side I apologize

The message I get says that it's only watchable in Sweden, FYI.

 

[François Pugh]

Got the web page up here (Sudbury Ontario Canada). Seems there is a competition using old equipment and modern athletes, but I can't find a link to the video to play it, even with google translate.

 

[Wendy]

Yeah, I get the same message; it’s only available to watch in Sweden. Too bad. It would be fun and interesting to watch.

 

[LiquidFeet]

Same here.

 

[Rudi Riet]

A VPN is your friend here, folks. I'm VPNed to a Swedish exit port and can watch this video without issues.

 

[Rudi Riet]

Amazing to see Feller versus Girardelli. Girardelli gets back into the swing of old school GS technique fairly easily. Feller can't get off of his inside ski at all. Had he simply lifted his inside ski through most of the turn, then done the step, he likely would've beaten Girardelli on the old Atomic "pink sleds." As Feller surmised: he got through the older ski challenge through sheer strength.

 

[DocGKR]

What VPN are you running?

 

[Rudi Riet]

Private Internet Access, though I'd imagine any quality VPN service would work just as well (e.g. SurfShark or NordVPN).

 

[BrianB]

Private Internet Access, though I'd imagine any quality VPN service would work just as well (e.g. SurfShark or NordVPN).

Can confirm NordVPN works

 

[Gnorris2]

Really interesting ... love to see the same thing on SL skis. Reviewing technique from old SL video (Ingemar Stenmark) seems a whole lot harder and slower than today (Noel Clement).

I did nearly the same experiment ... GS sized step turns on my 210cm Rossi SM’s 32(!) years ago, followed by a 30 year skiing hiatus, followed by skiing on modern skis (Rossi Hero GS and SL) starting last year with what I hope is modern technique. New seems much easier! I’m working on faster :^)

 

[Rudi Riet]

Really interesting ... love to see the same thing on SL skis. Reviewing technique from old SL video (Ingemar Stenmark) seems a whole lot harder and slower than today (Noel Clement).

Yeah, there's been a huge change in SL technique. You needn't even go back as far as Stenmark in the 1970s: even someone as recent as Tomba would prove illuminating (comparing early rapid-gate technique to current stuff). In fact, comparing Girardelli's SL technique from 1985 or 1990 to, say, Noel or Hirscher - so much has changed.

I did nearly the same experiment ... GS sized step turns on my 210cm Rossi SM’s 32(!) years ago, followed by a 30 year skiing hiatus, followed by skiing on modern skis (Rossi Hero GS and SL) starting last year with what I hope is modern technique. New seems much easier! I’m working on faster :^)

I'd see if it's possible to spend a few days with a current alpine racing coach who has worked on modern technique for some pointers. Having a trained set of eyes on your skiing with the new equipment can prove illuminating.

Looking at the old/new video of Girardelli versus Feller, there's a lot of latent old school technique in Girardelli that shows his pedigree. Feller, having only ever skied on shaped skis, is much more a master of how to work them properly. Finding a current coach to help assess your progress (using video will be a big help in this, methinks) would likely prove helpful in both the technical and speed aspects of your skiing.

Good luck, and welcome back to the fun!

 

[ScotsSkier]

Really interesting ... love to see the same thing on SL skis. Reviewing technique from old SL video (Ingemar Stenmark) seems a whole lot harder and slower than today (Noel Clement).

I did nearly the same experiment ... GS sized step turns on my 210cm Rossi SM’s 32(!) years ago, followed by a 30 year skiing hiatus, followed by skiing on modern skis (Rossi Hero GS and SL) starting last year with what I hope is modern technique. New seems much easier! I’m working on faster :^)

Yeah, there's been a huge change in SL technique. You needn't even go back as far as Stenmark in the 1970s: even someone as recent as Tomba would prove illuminating (comparing early rapid-gate technique to current stuff). In fact, comparing Girardelli's SL technique from 1985 or 1990 to, say, Noel or Hirscher - so much has changed.



I'd see if it's possible to spend a few days with a current alpine racing coach who has worked on modern technique for some pointers. Having a trained set of eyes on your skiing with the new equipment can prove illuminating.

Looking at the old/new video of Girardelli versus Feller, there's a lot of latent old school technique in Girardelli that shows his pedigree. Feller, having only ever skied on shaped skis, is much more a master of how to work them properly. Finding a current coach to help assess your progress (using video will be a big help in this, methinks) would likely prove helpful in both the technical and speed aspects of your skiing.

Good luck, and welcome back to the fun!

@Gnorris2 See bolded from Rudi! I would vert strongly recommend this. As a Masters coach I get a lot of athletes coming back to the sport who raced as juniors and still try to use old school techniques on new equipment. While they can still make it work it is not fast, especially when they still try to ski with feet locked together which effectively doesn't let the ski work as designed. (And I speak from experience having gone through the same process with the same results until I learned I had to make changes!)

Get some time with a coach to give you some things to work on and get the proper performance out of the skis. If you want an easy drill you can work on by yourself in the short term to help you adapt to skiing with feet apart/independent leg action, try the "Cowboy drill" - skiing with your legs artificially wide apart as if you were on a horse, always one of my early season drills with Masters athletes as we all tend to revert a bit to old school.

 

[Swede]

Great posts @Gnorris2 @Rudi Riet and @ScotsSkier ! Didn’t really think about that, but obviously a great watch for people who used to race in the ”straight” days and now is getting back into masters or beer legaue.