I am trying to upload a pdf. file, but I can't...please check back later for update.Thursday, March 27, 2008
WHISTLER NATIONALS UPDATE 2008
I am trying to upload a pdf. file, but I can't...please check back later for update.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Girls and Skiing- OFSSA
Whoa! I just checked the OFSSA (Ontario High School Champs) Results.
There were 140 Sr. women. 140!!! Why can't we retain even 3% of this field. Its clear that at the Highschool and younger levels there is a high volume of girls not just skiing, but racing! But at the Noram Sr.Women Level there are on average about 20-25 female starters?
Now if we could only rally the other provinces to have a HS racing system such as Ontario, I think there would definetly be a lot more girls interested in pursuing this sport when HS is done.
I know this is huge can of worms to open and almost impossible for me to write a well articulated and research based argument as to why there are not that many female skiiers at the top level in Canada. What I can say is that opportunity and experience are two things that must exist in order to expose jrs. and Srs for that matter to understand that this sport is something you can pursue.
I didn't know anything about World Juniors until I was 19, and even then I didn't know that it was a stepping stone to something bigger, I didn't know that it was an experience that prepares you for the Sr. Ranks or that it opens your eyes to the highest level of skiing and provides the knowledge base to start working harder at a younger age.
All I know is that 140 girls at a highschool skiing event is huge, its positive and kudos to the coaches (I know many of them) who have continued to inspire and share their love for this sport!
There were 140 Sr. women. 140!!! Why can't we retain even 3% of this field. Its clear that at the Highschool and younger levels there is a high volume of girls not just skiing, but racing! But at the Noram Sr.Women Level there are on average about 20-25 female starters?
Now if we could only rally the other provinces to have a HS racing system such as Ontario, I think there would definetly be a lot more girls interested in pursuing this sport when HS is done.
I know this is huge can of worms to open and almost impossible for me to write a well articulated and research based argument as to why there are not that many female skiiers at the top level in Canada. What I can say is that opportunity and experience are two things that must exist in order to expose jrs. and Srs for that matter to understand that this sport is something you can pursue.
I didn't know anything about World Juniors until I was 19, and even then I didn't know that it was a stepping stone to something bigger, I didn't know that it was an experience that prepares you for the Sr. Ranks or that it opens your eyes to the highest level of skiing and provides the knowledge base to start working harder at a younger age.
All I know is that 140 girls at a highschool skiing event is huge, its positive and kudos to the coaches (I know many of them) who have continued to inspire and share their love for this sport!
Monday, March 3, 2008
Alberta Cup- Tawatina and Athabasca
This weekend I travelled with the Foothills Ski Club (as an assistant helper to the Youth Racing Group) to the Alberta cups in Northern Alberta. By Northern Alberta I mean 5 hours North or Calgary. We stayed in Westlock, home of the world record harvest!
I will admit the actual towns lacked a little bit of pizazz, BUT the ski trails did not dissapoint. Tawatina had some of the funnest trails I have skiied on in a long time- they had lots of rolling and twisting sections, coupled with some punishing uphills. We didnt' get to race a distance race on these courses, but I will say that if we did, they would be pretty tough- there isn't a moment of rest anywhere. The problem with courses on the praries is that no matter if you can see the lodge, for some reason I always get lost. This time I wasn't the only one, a lot of the parents who were on a ski between the heats of the sprints were also lost!
Then we raced at Athabasca on some pretty crazy courses for the distance classic races. The course was pretty much a single track luge course- there were small briges, two technical icy downhills, long climbs mixed with short steep harringbone hills- You pretty much changed technique every 100m, it was AWESOME! I love this style of racing a lot more then grinding my way to the top of a mountain and then coming rocketing down. I love the idea of having to pace, look ahead and adjust your technique- it is a lot more fun and interesting.
I just wanted to thank Chris Jeffries, Mike Cavaliere and the Foothills group for letting me tag a long!!
Brooke
I will admit the actual towns lacked a little bit of pizazz, BUT the ski trails did not dissapoint. Tawatina had some of the funnest trails I have skiied on in a long time- they had lots of rolling and twisting sections, coupled with some punishing uphills. We didnt' get to race a distance race on these courses, but I will say that if we did, they would be pretty tough- there isn't a moment of rest anywhere. The problem with courses on the praries is that no matter if you can see the lodge, for some reason I always get lost. This time I wasn't the only one, a lot of the parents who were on a ski between the heats of the sprints were also lost!
Then we raced at Athabasca on some pretty crazy courses for the distance classic races. The course was pretty much a single track luge course- there were small briges, two technical icy downhills, long climbs mixed with short steep harringbone hills- You pretty much changed technique every 100m, it was AWESOME! I love this style of racing a lot more then grinding my way to the top of a mountain and then coming rocketing down. I love the idea of having to pace, look ahead and adjust your technique- it is a lot more fun and interesting.
I just wanted to thank Chris Jeffries, Mike Cavaliere and the Foothills group for letting me tag a long!!
Brooke
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