Ski Girl Says

Jeannie Thoren Center for Women’s Skiing to open at Vail

Jeannie Thoren has signed on with Vail to open the Jeannie Thoren Center for Womens' Skiing at Vail in the 2009-2010 season. This is fantastic news for ski girls who will have the opportunity to visit the center. Thoren has been a leader in the ski industry, driving equipment design and fittings geared for females.

I had the opportunity this past weekend to hear Jeannie speak and to have my boots fitted by her and by the great staff at Dekdebruns Ski Shop.  (More to come on my boot fitting experience in the next post.) I can tell you that after years of arguing that my boots and my skis should not be the same as men's it is so refreshing to hear the Thoren theory.  

Jeannie breaks down the barriers of traditional thinking--that women's equipment is mens' gear with a pretty design, or a softer core.  She looks at anatomy and physical movement to show why for many females, creating an athletic stance on your skis requires gear set up to align a woman's body properly. 

Correct equipment and fit can make breakthroughs in your skiing. So if you are out at Vail this winter, schedule an appointment with Thoren and her team.   Find out, while having fun, if your skiing can be improved by tailoring your gear to meet a female stance. I dare you try not to crack a smile during and after the experience.  I am not sure it is possible.

Ski Area For Sale

"If I had a million dollars, I would buy you....," so goes the popular song by the Barenaked Ladies.

What would you wish someone would buy you? For a million dollars, you just qualify to bid on a ski area.

Elk Meadows in Beaver, Utah is up for auction until November 20.  Minimum bid is $1,000,000 and the projected value is over $5,000,000.  If you just happen to have a few million lying around and want to get in on the action, you could buy the area for ski girls everywhere.  Check it out online at the auction site. 

2010 Olympics Planning

The top skiers in the world will descend on Vancouver, Canada, in February for the 2010 Olympics. If you are thinking about attending the games, here are a few things to know.

The official ticket site for Olympics tickets in the US is www.cosport.com.  There you can buy individual tickets, for what is left, or hospitality packages including lodging, transit, and events.  The lowest package I found cost around $2,000. This does not include your airfare.  Can you find tickets other ways? Probably. But CoSport is the only official site where the tickets are definitely issued by the 2010 Games.  You can also register your email on the site to receive email alerts on ticket news.

Traveling to Canada requires a passport. Prior to 2009, Americans could travel to Canada with less stringent identification.   If you have visited our northern neighbors with ease in prior years, don't assume you have all the necessary id. Check with customs for travel requirements.

Skiing venues are not all in one place. Some events such as freestyle are on the outskirts of the city. Others take place at Whistler Blackcomb. Many other events are in the city of Vancouver. Determine where you are viewing events, before you select your lodging. It will make your life easier if you are staying in the vicinity of where you want to be.