BelleayreRacing

 Greetings to all Racing Families,

I welcome everyone back to the beginning of the 2011/12 season. Actually the preseason should be underway by now.  I am hoping that everyone is participating in a fall sport or doing physical training on their own. Soccer, field hockey, lacrosse, cross country and football  are all great ways to get in shape for the race season. If you are not in training yet there is still time to get started so that you will be in great shape for ski racing.

Jimmy’s ski shop in Highmount will be holding a Pro and Racing day on Oct. 22, 2011. The reps are expected to be there by lunch and the coaches should be there by mid afternoon to help answer any questions.  This will be a great opportunity to speak with pros and representatives as well as getting an early season deal on equipment. Regardless of where you shop do not hesitate on necessary ski purchases for too long. Race skis are in short supply as of the past few years and are often limited to the supply on hand at the shops.

As you may know there has been a lot of talk about equipment changes this off season. The bottom line for our athletes is that there are no changes from last season.

As your Race Director I would like to share this information with everyone interested in participating in the race program. My hope is that the following information will allow everyone to know what to expect, what is needed and a sense of what you and your child will get out of our race program.  This may be common knowledge for returning families but, I believe, will be helpful for both the veterans and new members alike.  As participants in the Belleayre race program you are also expected to join the Belleayre Mt. Racing Association(BMRA) which is the organization supporting junior racing at Belleayre. Some of the BMRA activities include purchasing certain race related equipment, staffing much of the race administration on race day for USSA and Mini World Cup events held at BE, cover some traveling expenses for coaches and raising funds to support these efforts.  So please make sure to get your dues in to help support your club.  It is required to join USSA and NYSSRA in order to participate in any sanctioned races.  I strongly recommend joining these organizations to support the ski racing community and start receiving Ski Racing Magazine(on line) which has useful information regarding training, skiing, waxing and tuning as well as staying updated with World Cup Ski Racing. It is important that you register your J4 and J3 athletes prior to Jan. 1 as this is the cutoff date for determining council and regional quotas. The quotas are based on how many athletes are registered by Jan.1 and will determine how many athletes will qualify for state championships.

We will be starting the program on Sat. Dec. 10 at 8:30 am in the Longhouse Lodge.  Groups will be formed by age as follows 8-10, 11-12, 13-14 and 15-19.  Groups will further be divided according to individual ability and group size as needed.  The first two weekends of the program will be focused on structured free skiing and fundamentals.  Thereafter we will have a blend of skiing, drills and gate training appropriate to the various age groups. The breakdown of skiing to gate training will vary by age, younger racers will have a strong emphasis on skill development through skiing and older racers will have approximately ½ skiing and ½ gate training.  Much of our training will coincide with USSA guidelines and fundamentals.

Children participating in the race program must be able to load and unload the lift without the assistance of a coach or adult. The lift loaders can help a child load if they are aware that help is needed, the lift will can also be slowed down if needed.  Children need to be skiing at a level where they can ski most terrain and conditions at Belleayre in a parallel technique.  I reserve the right to refer children to Alpine Development if their ability to ski and use lifts does not meet these requirements.

The 8-10 year olds will have the opportunity to race in four Mini World Cup Races at Belleayre and to enter some of the fun USSA races as an intro to racing.  I feel strongly to keep the 8-10 year olds home skiing a lot as opposed to traveling and spending too much time standing and waiting. 9-10 year olds(J5’s) should plan on racing the opening J4/5 Rip Council GS at Belleayre(later part of Jan.) as well as the Kandahar races in early March.

GENERAL EQUIPMENT GUIDELINES:

Racers will need to have a helmet that has hard ears, no soft eared helmets will be allowed for racing and a pair of goggles. Helmets must be snug fitting with minimal side to side and up and down play. Try different brands as they are all shaped slightly different. The folks at a good shop can help you assess the fit. The helmet should be able to incorporate a chin guard as well. Chin guards are necessary for Slalom but not allowed for GS or speed therefore will need to be removed or attached as needed. Helmets should not have any stickers or tape on them.

 The following are general ski requirement guidelines which can vary on an individual basis. Racers from 8-11 may have one pair of skis, they should be of the combi or slalom style.  From 12 up most racers will need both slalom and giant slalom skis.  Once racers have made a commitment to be on a competitive as opposed to participatory track they will need to move to event specific skis from the age of 11 on.  For younger racers one pair of ski poles will be adequate but in time a pair of slalom and giant slalom poles will be necessary for the competitive racer.

When racers are training in gates it would be great to have a padded under shirt to protect  the arms from contact with the gates.  Shin guards are needed for training with stubby slalom poles and slalom pole guards will be needed as well once you are training on full size slalom poles.  Race suits are not necessary at a young age, but everyone feels fast in a race suit.  Look for good deals and second hand suits since they will outgrow them quickly.  If you get a race suit with pads it can double as your protective under garment for training.

This is a guideline and in no way implies that every piece of equipment that you may need has been covered.

PRESEASON PHYSICAL FITNESS:

As ski racer it is important to come into the season in good physical shape.  Everyone should be participating in some sort of regular exercise and/or training. Activities like soccer, cross country running, lacrosse, rugby, field hockey, mountain biking, weight training, aerobics and hiking are examples of some possible activities to get you in shape for ski season.  The BMRA has a great core strength training segment on their website. I encourage everyone to do this workout to  get in good condition for the racing season.

GUIDELINES FOR SKI LENGTH:

Slalom skis should come up to a point somewhere between the racers chin and tip of nose.  GS skis should be about as tall as the racer. Stronger,  larger and racers with advanced skills should add 5- 10cm to the  length of GS skis.  Please be careful  and choose a ski that is soft(flexible) enough for the skiers size and ability. If a young racer will have just one pair of skis it should be a slalom or combi type ski in a length near the long end of the range for Slalom skis.

GUIDELINES FOR SKI POLES:

Ski pole length should be in the area of bringing the forearm to a parallel relationship to the snow while standing on your skis.

GUIDELINES FOR SKI BOOTS:

 Ski boots should be of the 4 buckle style as they offer a better fit and flex for aggressive skiing. Ski boots must be flexible in the fore and aft plane in order to absorb terrain and be centered on ones skis.  This is a very important consideration especially for the young racers. Boots need to be shell fit for proper sizing,  you do this by removing the liner from the shell and putting your foot in the shell.  Slide your foot forward until the big toe touches, then check for space behind the heel of your foot.  For the young racer there should be no more than 2 finger spaces between the heel and the back of the ski boot.  As racers get older they will require tighter fitting shells allowing only one finger space or less.  Once you have shell fit the boot put the liner in and see how it feels, it should be tight but not painful. Try some different boots to see which ones give the best fit.  Make sure to try both boots on. Ski boots should not be really comfortable at first, there is definitely a break in period. If a boot is really comfy and cozy out of the box it will most certainly become too loose fitting for performance skiing.

On a more advanced level there are many possibilities to make boots fit better. A good boot fitter will ultimately be a must to achieve your maximum performance.

GUIDELINES FOR SKI CARE:

Skis need to be kept in good condition. They should be stored in a dry place at the end of each day, place them in a way so that the edges do not touch each other.  Do not leave them on your ski rack in your car or in your trunk overnight.  Skis need to have sharp edges and they need to be waxed regularly.  When skis are maintained regularly they will require less work to resharpen and the bases will be well lubricated with wax and be faster.  Ski shops and some individuals offer ski tuning and waxing, but as a racer/parent it is beneficial to learn to do this yourself.  For the racer it should become part of their racing preparation routine.   A ski tuning clinic will be given early in the season for all interested parties.

Our goal is for the children is to have fun and improve their skiing through exposure to all kinds of snow conditions, terrain and racing opportunities.  In the course of race training we will also be skiing powder moguls, park and pipe and generally all conditions as the opportunities arise.  Some racers will be on a more recreational track while others will be more competitive. Our program will give both the opportunity to take their sking and racing to the level they desire.  In the end it is our hope that the child will continue to enjoy skiing and racing as a lifelong sport.  

Looking forward to seeing you on the hill.

Ralph Combe Jr.

Race Director Belleayre Mt.