Ski Girl Says

Injured Vonn Continues Racing

Lindsay Vonn crashed during a Giant Slalom race December 28 in Leinz, Austria.  The accident resulted in an arm injury and brief speculation if Vonn's place as a lead contender for an Olympic medal would be jeopardized.

The injury proved to be not a fracture or break, but a bruised wrist.  Vonn returned to the course the next day, placing 18th and maintaining her World Cup lead.

U.S. Teammate Sarah Schleper finished 5th in Leinz today.

Day 2 Testing Skis

Beautiful Morning in Vermont for day 2 of the People's Ski Test from Ski Magazine.   Snow is packed powder with a little loose powder on the trail edges.  Temps are in the teens, but the sun is shining.

After the first day of testing, Ski vendors displayed gear at a reception. I had a chance to view and discuss the equipment they brought, so I knew what skis I was looking to try.  The first ski I had in mind, didn't quite work out for me. My boots are a very small size and the demo binding would not adjust down small enough.  So, I tried a lower-end ski from the same line. It was versatile and lightweight, but not as responsive as my current skis.  

By the end of the day I found a couple pair that piqued my interest. The skis handled a variety of packed powder, ice and crud, and still made frisky turns in the powder on the edge of the trail. I'm excited to see these skis come out next year and give them another chance.

Design a Potentail Olympic Medalist's Helmet

Lindsay Vonn is one of the hottest names in skiing today. This female phenom has claimed back to back World Cup titles. She is loved by the media, and is one of the US Ski Team's best shots at a Gold Medal in Vancouver.

During the Olympics, Lindsay could take a medal-winning run wearing your custom artwork. Design her helmet graphics. Enter to win. If you do, the skiing sensation will wear your work as she descends the Olympic course. Hey, if you can't ski down an Olympic course, why not watch your artwork fly through the gates. The contest is about to close though. Hurry and check out the contest details!

It's a crisp, clear day in Vermont, with temperatures hovering just above twenty degrees. At the base of Okemo's Jackson Gore Mountain, a dozen or so manufacturer's tents and trucks are lined up, presenting an offering of shiny new skis not available yet for sale.

Today is Ski Magazine's demo testing of next year's skis.  The event is open to the public.  Any adult with a credit card for ID can take skis out for a test drive.

I arrived in the afternoon after a long drive and a few runs on my own skis to get my ski legs back and a feel for the conditions.  There will be just enough time to demo a couple pair today and more tomorrow.

The process is fairly straightforward.  Register your information, visit a manufacturer and swap your ID for a pair of boards.  In exchange for running off with demo gear for a few runs, you simply need to give your feedback on each product you test.

Ratings evaluate the following criteria: flotation/surfability, stability at speed, quickness/bumps, rebound energy, forgiveness/fun, crud performance, hard-snow integrity, balance of skills and overall impression.

I tried two pair today. I took each for a couple runs through hard pack, ice, crud and any loose snow I could find on the trail edges.   I ran them through various radius turns and speeds and played round with stopping, railroad tracks, and skiing on one foot.  To my disappointment, there were no moguls or off-piste runs to be found, so I couldn't rate skis on my favorite terrain types.  But, I was still grinning all afternoon.

I found a pair of skis I really liked. Another ski was definitely not for me. That's okay. Not every ski is for every skier.  However, once I put my own skis back on I was ecstatic. The best boards under my feet today? My own!

Every fall the Ski Magazine Buyer's Guide rates the top new ski gear of the season. The skis and boots are rigorously tested by a panel of expert skiers.  This year you can contribute with the panel. In an unprecedented move for the Buyer's Guide, ski testing is open to the public--and it's free.  

Can it get any better?  Try testing the newest gear 9 months before it hits retail, for free. Give your feedback and  be part of the results of the top rated equipment. Thank you Santa! It's just what I always wanted.

The event goes down at Okemo in Ludlow, VT Dec. 11-13.  Be there if you can!

The Holiday season is many things, including a time to let old transgressions be forgotten and make peace with others. So, I decided to not hold a grudge against Warren Miller Entertainment for suing it's namesake, Warren Miller.  I'll leave the hard feelings between their lawyers and hope to read in the news some day they have worked out an amicable settlement.   

I decided to forgive and attend the premiere of WME's film, Dynasty. Besides, I'm craving skiing and there is none to be had around here yet.  What better way to get psyched for skiing, than to cram into a theater with thousands of other people waiting for snow and watch great footage from skiing around the world last season.  This year I caught the film at the classic Shea's Theater in Buffalo, NY.  I am so glad I went!

The film featured much of what it does each year, extreme ski and snowboard footage, music, glimpses into ski life in far corners of the earth and occasional dry wit.  This year it offered a perspective on something very important to me, mono skiing.  A mono ski has a bucket seat mounted above a single ski. It is a fantastic piece of equipment that allows persons who might spend their lives in a wheelchair or unable to stand or walk, the ability to experience skiing. 

I have ridden a mono and it is not easy.  It takes good balance and upper body strength to maneuver. The athletes featured in Dynasty were phenomenal skiers, competing in the X Games.  These men could rip and jump far better than I can on two skis.  Kudos to WME for showcasing this great downhill sport and the athletes who compete in it. I heard a lot of exclamations from people around me in the theater: "awesome", "so cool", "those guys are amazing", "I'd love to try it."  I am glad ski fans across North America will be exposed to mono-skiing through this movie.  If you saw it and think that was cool, be sure to watch the competition from the paralympics at Vancouver in 2010. If you want to learn more about skiing programs and events for persons with disabilities, check out Disabled Sports USA.

Last year I bought a new pair of ski boots. I loved them (most of the season). My boots felt like they fit fairly snug and were comfortable. Most of the season I skied 3 or 4 hour days on a 700 foot vertical.  When the season drew near a close, I skied 7 hour days on a good-sized mountain.

When I skied long days at the end of the season, I had to fight off the pain to finish the day.  Intense burning plagued the ball of my foot, my one foot. I unbuckled that boot and skied on the other leg to complete my last few runs each day.

I don't hate my boots. They are a fantastic women's boot and serve me well in most conditions. My boots were purchased on sale, but were still enough of an investment that I do not want to replace them after one season. So what can be done in a situation like this? I chose to reinvest in my boots.

I scheduled a custom-boot fitting and evaluation at Dekdebrun's Ski Shop in Ellicottville, NY.  Greg Dekdebrun and women's ski equipment guru, Jeannie Thoren, worked with me for over an hour to adjust the inner-workings of my boot to really fit like gloves.

When I think about it, I could not possibly have two great-fitting boots with out investing in a custom fit. My feet are a full 1-1/2 size different and have very different arches. All my life I have compensated in footwear, fitting one foot well and not the other, or sort of fitting both feet.  I don't know any better. I have no idea what it means to have two of anything but socks fit my feet!

The boot fitting experience was like a custom-engineering or architecture session all about me and my skiing. It rivals the attention given at a spa, or a salon.  I spent an hour talking about my skiing, my challenges and successes. Greg and Jeannie listened, measured, looked, tweaked and adjusted. I walked out with heel lifts and footbeds and a little custom this and that especially for me. Both boots now fit snugly. I have never experienced this before.  I can not wait for it to snow to try my new again-to-me gear.

If the fit does not deliver what I hope and the boots are uncomfortable; I know I can stop back at Dekdebruns for an adjustment.  It is that kind of shop with that kind of service.   I'll let you know how the boots perform with a few miles under my skis later this season. 

Do your boots fit well? Do they deliver all your energy and transition to your ski and the snow? Do they  hurt, or worse -deliver performance like a bald summer radial tire in a snowstorm because your heel wiggles and your stance is off and your boot is full of slop? Do you know? If you aren't sure, an evaluation by an expert boot technician could be well worth your time.

Last week my skis were leaned up against the wall by the door. My boot bag was packed for the first time this season. I was ready to go!  I headed to the Northeast for a Thanksgiving feast with so many of the people who are special to me. I also hoped to work off that feast with my first day of skiing on Friday.

Black Friday was gray and dreary Friday for me.  First stop, Killington.  Rain was coming down pretty hard. There was not a bit of snow on the lower mountain, though white could be seen at the highest elevation. I saw two brave souls leave their car with gear in hand.  However, with less than a dozen cars in the lot and no lifts turning, I don't think there was any official skiing to be had.

Next stop, Sunapee, NH.  The rain continued, though it was lighter. Still no snow.  I did pick up my season pass, grinning and thinking of snowier days. This was the ski outing that wasn't. The best laid plans in outdoor sports do not always work when mother nature has other plans.

Today I am back at home, ready to return to work.  This morning is the first snow at home.  An inch of white blankets the ground. But there are no mountains and I must go to the office.  Maybe in a couple of weeks the weather and I can get on the same page. Winter will come, it always does.

Day 1 Testing Skis

It's a crisp, clear day in Vermont, with temperatures hovering just above twenty degrees. At the base of Okemo's Jackson Gore Mountain, a dozen or so manufacturer's tents and trucks are lined up, presenting an offering of shiny new skis not available yet for sale.

Today is Ski Magazine's demo testing of next year's skis.  The event is open to the public.  Any adult with a credit card for ID can take skis out for a test drive.

I arrived in the afternoon after a long drive and a few runs on my own skis to get my ski legs back and a feel for the conditions.  There will be just enough time to demo a couple pair today and more tomorrow.

The process is fairly straightforward.  Register your information, visit a manufacturer and swap your ID for a pair of boards.  In exchange for running off with demo gear for a few runs, you simply need to give your feedback on each product you test.

Ratings evaluate the following criteria: flotation/surfability, stability at speed, quickness/bumps, rebound energy, forgiveness/fun, crud performance, hard-snow integrity, balance of skills and overall impression.

I tried two pair today. I took each for a couple runs through hard pack, ice, crud and any loose snow I could find on the trail edges.   I ran them through various radius turns and speeds and played round with stopping, railroad tracks, and skiing on one foot.  To my disappointment, there were no moguls or off-piste runs to be found, so I couldn't rate skis on my favorite terrain types.  But, I was still grinning all afternoon.

I found a pair of skis I really liked. Another ski was definitely not for me. That's okay. Not every ski is for every skier.  However, once I put my own skis back on I was ecstatic. The best boards under my feet today? My own!

Be a Ski Tester This Weekend

Every fall the Ski Magazine Buyer's Guide rates the top new ski gear of the season. The skis and boots are rigorously tested by a panel of expert skiers.  This year you can contribute with the panel. In an unprecedented move for the Buyer's Guide, ski testing is open to the public--and it's free.  

Can it get any better?  Try testing the newest gear 9 months before it hits retail, for free. Give your feedback and  be part of the results of the top rated equipment. Thank you Santa! It's just what I always wanted.

The event goes down at Okemo in Ludlow, VT Dec. 11-13.  Be there if you can!

Holiday Forgiveness; Warren Miller Entertainment Redeemed

The Holiday season is many things, including a time to let old transgressions be forgotten and make peace with others. So, I decided to not hold a grudge against Warren Miller Entertainment for suing it's namesake, Warren Miller.  I'll leave the hard feelings between their lawyers and hope to read in the news some day they have worked out an amicable settlement.   

I decided to forgive and attend the premiere of WME's film, Dynasty. Besides, I'm craving skiing and there is none to be had around here yet.  What better way to get psyched for skiing, than to cram into a theater with thousands of other people waiting for snow and watch great footage from skiing around the world last season.  This year I caught the film at the classic Shea's Theater in Buffalo, NY.  I am so glad I went!

The film featured much of what it does each year, extreme ski and snowboard footage, music, glimpses into ski life in far corners of the earth and occasional dry wit.  This year it offered a perspective on something very important to me, mono skiing.  A mono ski has a bucket seat mounted above a single ski. It is a fantastic piece of equipment that allows persons who might spend their lives in a wheelchair or unable to stand or walk, the ability to experience skiing. 

I have ridden a mono and it is not easy.  It takes good balance and upper body strength to maneuver. The athletes featured in Dynasty were phenomenal skiers, competing in the X Games.  These men could rip and jump far better than I can on two skis.  Kudos to WME for showcasing this great downhill sport and the athletes who compete in it. I heard a lot of exclamations from people around me in the theater: "awesome", "so cool", "those guys are amazing", "I'd love to try it."  I am glad ski fans across North America will be exposed to mono-skiing through this movie.  If you saw it and think that was cool, be sure to watch the competition from the paralympics at Vancouver in 2010. If you want to learn more about skiing programs and events for persons with disabilities, check out Disabled Sports USA.

Ski Girl's Boot Fitting Experience

Last year I bought a new pair of ski boots. I loved them (most of the season). My boots felt like they fit fairly snug and were comfortable. Most of the season I skied 3 or 4 hour days on a 700 foot vertical.  When the season drew near a close, I skied 7 hour days on a good-sized mountain.

When I skied long days at the end of the season, I had to fight off the pain to finish the day.  Intense burning plagued the ball of my foot, my one foot. I unbuckled that boot and skied on the other leg to complete my last few runs each day.

I don't hate my boots. They are a fantastic women's boot and serve me well in most conditions. My boots were purchased on sale, but were still enough of an investment that I do not want to replace them after one season. So what can be done in a situation like this? I chose to reinvest in my boots.

I scheduled a custom-boot fitting and evaluation at Dekdebrun's Ski Shop in Ellicottville, NY.  Greg Dekdebrun and women's ski equipment guru, Jeannie Thoren, worked with me for over an hour to adjust the inner-workings of my boot to really fit like gloves.

When I think about it, I could not possibly have two great-fitting boots with out investing in a custom fit. My feet are a full 1-1/2 size different and have very different arches. All my life I have compensated in footwear, fitting one foot well and not the other, or sort of fitting both feet.  I don't know any better. I have no idea what it means to have two of anything but socks fit my feet!

The boot fitting experience was like a custom-engineering or architecture session all about me and my skiing. It rivals the attention given at a spa, or a salon.  I spent an hour talking about my skiing, my challenges and successes. Greg and Jeannie listened, measured, looked, tweaked and adjusted. I walked out with heel lifts and footbeds and a little custom this and that especially for me. Both boots now fit snugly. I have never experienced this before.  I can not wait for it to snow to try my new again-to-me gear.

If the fit does not deliver what I hope and the boots are uncomfortable; I know I can stop back at Dekdebruns for an adjustment.  It is that kind of shop with that kind of service.   I'll let you know how the boots perform with a few miles under my skis later this season. 

Do your boots fit well? Do they deliver all your energy and transition to your ski and the snow? Do they  hurt, or worse -deliver performance like a bald summer radial tire in a snowstorm because your heel wiggles and your stance is off and your boot is full of slop? Do you know? If you aren't sure, an evaluation by an expert boot technician could be well worth your time.

Snow Chooses its own Timing

Last week my skis were leaned up against the wall by the door. My boot bag was packed for the first time this season. I was ready to go!  I headed to the Northeast for a Thanksgiving feast with so many of the people who are special to me. I also hoped to work off that feast with my first day of skiing on Friday.

Black Friday was gray and dreary Friday for me.  First stop, Killington.  Rain was coming down pretty hard. There was not a bit of snow on the lower mountain, though white could be seen at the highest elevation. I saw two brave souls leave their car with gear in hand.  However, with less than a dozen cars in the lot and no lifts turning, I don't think there was any official skiing to be had.

Next stop, Sunapee, NH.  The rain continued, though it was lighter. Still no snow.  I did pick up my season pass, grinning and thinking of snowier days. This was the ski outing that wasn't. The best laid plans in outdoor sports do not always work when mother nature has other plans.

Today I am back at home, ready to return to work.  This morning is the first snow at home.  An inch of white blankets the ground. But there are no mountains and I must go to the office.  Maybe in a couple of weeks the weather and I can get on the same page. Winter will come, it always does.