Parallell GS coming up

[Swede]

In Alta Badia tonight. Should be fun.

Startlist:

http://data.fis-ski.com/pdf/2017/AL/0129/2017AL0129SLR0.pdf

 

[Rudi Riet]

So far, it's fun viewing. I know that parallel races are built for spectating, and this one is a corker. Looks very cold there in Alta Badia.

 

[checkracer]

Last year, the PGS was a farce.

This year, not much better. More modest jumps, similar TRs and times.

It´s not a GS. The race is basically a pathetic FIS effort to introduce a race attractive for television companies (the race was finished in 1 hour 15 minutes, including ads and stars´comment s in 90 minutes –the time you need for the 1st leg of usual 70 GS racers.)

Rush to judgement.

Otoh, let´s take it as alpine racing (AR) future. In order to keep AR attractive, you´d do even more crazy things than racing a format like that.

The stars beaten by an outsider Sarrazin (a new moustached d´Artagnan of the Three Musketeers) are one of the best news the marketers could deliver.

FIS wants the parallels to become a regular globe contest (3 races are sufficient to aword the crystal globe) and to introduce it as an olympic contest.

The grey IOC seniors like a contest that looks „modern enough“ but still addressing the traditional stars and viewers.


It may be a farce but in the AR crisis (anyone feelin there´s none?) parallels might be a working measure. Like it or not, sad or not.

The times they are a changin´, not only since Bob but since the dawn of mankind.

 

[Don in Morrison]

I enjoy watching the parallel format. (Now, if they could just figure out a way to incorporate fire burnouts. )

 

[Primoz]

@checkracer I guess you are the only one next to me, who doesn't like this crap Pretty much everyone other person I have been talking with about this (and that they are not one of racers, coaches or servicemen or even photographers following WC ) just love this thing. It beats me how, but they actually do. But if it would be up to me, this stuff would be taken of the list in second. It's useless thing, and hugely unfair. First, they limit who can start, then they set course that Jansrud can win GS (or finish third), when on real GS he doesn't even come anywhere close to top 30, and third... Yesterday in Alta Badia real GS there was 7 gates from today's start to finish line. Yes 7!! When I was going down the course, I actually counted gates, as I couldn't believe they will really be starting with GS skis as Janka's serviceman told me day before when went out for beer in Gardena. So you give 100 points for pretty much joke of GS, and those 100 points can actually mean a lot. They can decide winner of overall globe (not likely this year), or they buy someone number 31 for all GS races next season

 

[Swede]

There's always people who don't like new things and don't want change, but that's the way of the world. The parallell format, be ut GS or SL, is much easier to follow and fun to watch even for a newbie to alpine racing. The head to head format puts a different kind of stress on the athlete and it might not suit everyone, star or no star, but it's a part of the game. I know for instance that Henrik K doesn't like it at all. Others shine and up their game. A majority seem positive and apparently enjoy it a lot. Especially the atmosphere and attention at the city events. As someone involved in youth racing loving the sport (and as a advertising pro) I want to be pragmatic about it. It helps the sport. And are exciting to watch. Personally I really like the mixed nation vs bation.
Bad news about Swedish ski-cross skier Anna Holmlund.

 

[checkracer]

@checkracer I guess you are the only one next to me, who doesn't like this crap Pretty much everyone other person I have been talking with about this (and that they are not one of racers, coaches or servicemen or even photographers following WC ) just love this thing. It beats me how, but they actually do. But if it would be up to me, this stuff would be taken of the list in second. It's useless thing, and hugely unfair. First, they limit who can start, then they set course that Jansrud can win GS (or finish third), when on real GS he doesn't even come anywhere close to top 30, and third... Yesterday in Alta Badia real GS there was 7 gates from today's start to finish line. Yes 7!! When I was going down the course, I actually counted gates, as I couldn't believe they will really be starting with GS skis as Janka's serviceman told me day before when went out for beer in Gardena. So you give 100 points for pretty much joke of GS, and those 100 points can actually mean a lot. They can decide winner of overall globe (not likely this year), or they buy someone number 31 for all GS races next season

Are we the exceptions and others somewhow tied with FIS who don´t venture to say what they see and feel? Or just outsiders repeating what FIS dignitaries emphasize?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Emperor's_New_Clothes

„Finally, a child cries out, "But he isn't wearing anything at all!"

Sad but true, there seem to be no children crying out.

I´d guess the Austrians are very unsatisfied as well.

The FIS better not publishes the data of the race (elevation, nr. of gates, times) . GS R 35 skis might be appropriate since there are no real GS turns. The difference between a SL and GS parallels is just in gate distance.

The parallels haven´t played a decisive role since 1975. Long enough to forget the shameful WC finals with Cotelli against the young intruder Stenmark ending up with no WC parallels in decades.

How much fair or unfair the races are is not so important. Popularity, viewership and money included is what counts. Maybe sad but inevitable, as it seems.

At least till a farce like that decides the Big Globe.

Btw, some relevant European countries (incl. not so relevant mine) are desperately in love with biathlon. As you probably know, Eurosport (Deutsch), the future IOC partner, shows the traditional winter sport like AR only between car/motobike racing, biathlon and tennis. Alpine racing is, with the exception of Austria´s ORF 1, just one of the sports showed and no more Nr. 1 in winter.

As a FIS top official, you (and me as well) would probably try to do anything to promote AR.

Just trying not to be 100% critical without some sort of understanding.

Not satisfied, though.

 

[Swede]

You guys are just grumpy Eastern Europeans

 

[checkracer]

There's always people who don't like new things and don't want change, but that's the way of the world. The parallell format, be ut GS or SL, is much easier to follow and fun to watch even for a newbie to alpine racing. The head to head format puts a different kind of stress on the athlete and it might not suit everyone, star or no star, but it's a part of the game. I know for instance that Henrik K doesn't like it at all. Others shine and up their game. A majority seem positive and apparently enjoy it a lot. Especially the atmosphere and attention at the city events. As someone involved in youth racing loving the sport (and as a advertising pro) I want to be pragmatic about it. It helps the sport. And are exciting to watch. Personally I really like the mixed nation vs bation.
Bad news about Swedish ski-cross skier Anna Holmlund.

Yes, "pragmatic" is the word. Alpine racing has to do almost anything to promote itself.
Us traditionalists crying, nihil novi sub sole.

Otoh, aren´t both enthusiasm and criticism reasonable sides of the equation?

 

[Swede]

Yes they are and there are certainly a touch of "spectacle" to it.

 

[Swede]

Btw, Stenmark didn't like 'em either.

 

[checkracer]

You guys are just grumpy Eastern Europeans

Yes, sir. The world would be better without our pathetic selves.

No Elans for Stenmark, no Krizaj, Svet, Petrovic, Maze, Stuhec, Zahrobska/Strachova.

I´m going to do my Christmas swimming at my beloved long-distance lake on Fr/Sat.. Should I drown myself?

 

[Swede]

 

[checkracer]

Btw, Stenmark didn't like 'em either.

Exactly. How could he have praised the 1975 WC finals where the Cottellis organized the „anti-Stenmark front“? He should have said „as if the Wimbledon finals between Edberg and Borg were table tennis“.

Ingemar was one of the most conservative skiers ever.

Winning the first globe 1976 on 205 cm SL skis only, refusing 210 GS model.

Staying with Elan even if others promised him much better conditions.

Staying long in old Cabers Alfa and in Cabers generally.

Using Marker Rotamat FD years after the Compact heel was available and staing with Marker after Salomon 727 was a better binding.

Opposing SG, threatening to quit racing if it would be adopted. (And finally racing a few, 5th as his best).

 

[James]

The US Pro tour had side by side and drop offs.
1970's:

https://www.aspensojo.com/articles/2015/2/1/breaking-trail

 

[Swede]

Stenmark was fore sure conservative (stubborn!), but apperantly also open minded in a quite way. He did a lot of experimenting with equipment and also gambling. When there was a discussion about maybe trying new more flexible SL gates (year?) he took a chance and practiced exlusively with the new ones when others did 50/50, not knowing what was going to be used the coming season.

 

[checkracer]

The US Pro tour had side by side and drop offs.
1970's:
View attachment 17462
https://www.aspensojo.com/articles/2015/2/1/breaking-trail

You should know the 4-part Killy report „The Great Comeback“, (part I SKIING Oct 1973 p. 121 + 186).


Parallel SLs a GSs.

The longest GS was the final race set by his longtime guru and friend Arpin: 1500 ft/31 gates.

The only SL he won the next day 1200 ft/51 gates.

He writes that GS was a SL/GS hybrid, open gates, mostly around 30 seconds. Therefore choosing ROCs 550 208 cm. Not a regular GS even back then.

 

[Muleski]

An American here,

I think this is kind of a fun carnival. Many of the skiers HATE it. Note that Ligety and his back are not skiing. I won't begrudge FIS trying anything to increase interest, and to increase sponsorship money.

No way should this sideshow involve WC discipline points, IMO. No! For the reasons discussed above. It is not GS. Or close.

Still fun to watch. And people do show up for these things!

 

[checkracer]

Stenmark was fore sure conservative (stubborn!), but apperantly also open minded in a quite way. He did a lot of experimenting with equipment and also gambling. When there was a discussion about maybe trying new more flexible SL gates (year?) he took a chance and practiced exlusively with the new ones when others did 50/50, not knowing what was going to be used the coming season.

Agreed. Good remark. The Elan people had to be rather modest in the half-communist economy but the less money they had the more fresh ideas they nurtured and tried to develop.

Did you know the employees had to vote whether young Stenmark deserved a better contract? Fortunately enough, they said yes.

They must have made an excellent match, otherwise Ingemar wouldn´t have stayed with them.

The experiments with more shaped Elans made the way for the revolution of the 1990s.
He remembered testing such SL skis overnight with snowcats providing light. The prototype he had was fast on flats but problematic on steep portions - hence he decided not to race it.

Nevetheless, the Comprex GS from the late 80s were (not his personal, measured on a friend of mine´s used pair) 91-62-79/205 cm = R 37 m = not much more R than current enforced standard.

 

[Mendieta]

This is from last year, right? A lot of promotional stuff