OSLO – FIS Ski Cross
RACE REPORT
March 21st & 22nd
With the season drawing to a close we prepared for the back to back FIS races over the weekend.
We had never been to Norway and didn’t know what to expect, but what started as just another race turned into probably one of the best events of the season.
The packing was done the night before, no real change there, but it was getting easier as the same gear was needed at each event and it was becoming a regular routine.
The alarm went off at 4am and we were on the road by 4.30. An empty road made for a good time to Heathrow and we were parked and through security in good time.
The flight left as scheduled at 7.10am and 2 hours later we were on the ground and in Oslo.
Inspection and Official training had been put back to 4.30pm unlike other European races were it was often earlier in the day and more difficult for us to make in good time. We are a very small minority who fly to each event so logistics always play a big part.
A refreshingly fast transfer to the hill meant we were changing into our ski gear in the car park very soon, but by going straight there we knew we would get some valuable training time before the course opened for inspection. As it turned out this was a good move as Martin had just received a Pro Deal with Salomon and was skiing on their 191cm GS ski for the first time.
Training went well and the skis were more responsive than the Vist and more flexible than the Atomic skis. The course was set on a long black run from top to bottom of the Tryvann Winterpark within the Holmenkollen ski area. The snow had frozen over night but the in constant sunshine had become wet and grippy off the racing line and this had already resulted in the first accident of the event with an official breaking a leg on the course.
Inspection went well and it was clear that it would be a fast run. Out of the start gates and straight into a gap jump followed by three rollers at speed. A move to the right, tight to the gate and a long sweeping carve to the left and into the first of the bigger drop downs. Landing was some fifteen down the hill but straight into a sequence of five tight GS turns that would be the difference between winning and losing.
Stood in the start gates the focus is on rollers, jumps, speed, racing lines and more speed. On this course however there was a technical section that had to be skied just right in order to keep the speed for the mid section of the course.
After the GS section came a couple of more open carving gates into big, fast rollers that could be either compressed or doubled. These led straight into a blind drop down jump that had to be compressed in order to land on your edges so as not to run late at the next left gate. Direction was the key coming off the jump and with speeds building this was section was one of the main areas for concern at inspection.
Two more long Super G gates ran into a freefall as it led into a big compression before a kicker jump over a gap throwing racers 50 to 60 feet down the hill at approximately 100 - 110 kph. If positioning was right the landing was effortless and immediately into the tuck for the final open Super G gate and drop down jump to the finish line.
A mistake over the big jump in his first practice run meant Martin had to nail his second or face going into Saturday’s event mentally unprepared, but nail it he did and it set him up well.
A team captain’s meeting at 7pm at the bottom of the course went without incident and we left for downtown Oslo to prepare the skis for the next day.
Oslo was only 20 minutes drive from the hill and we were soon settled in. Martin edged, and waxed the Salomons and at 11pm we found a restaurant that was open. The day ended at 12.30am with all thoughts on Saturday morning’s timed run, but not before scraping and brushing the skis and apply a final overnight wax.
The alarm went off at 6.30am as the skis needed scraping again before heading up to the hill.
We brushed and prepared the skis before bib allocation and the random draw for the qualification run. Then it was off to the top and final CERA F race wax accelerator which is corked in 5 minutes before the start. Without it or its equivalent you can forget qualifying cos that stuff is like grease lightening.
Martin’s run wasn’t his cleanest, he knows he needs more drive in the GS turn and that will be addressed before the start of next season but it was solid and fast and he was the quickest British racer by two seconds. His final position was 34 in a European field of 62. Not a bad day’s work and more great experience that he can build on.
Influenced by his dad – the afternoon was spent in an Irish bar watching England beat Scotland and Ireland beat Wales – another great day in the office.
Serviced skis….again and this time it was bed by 9.30pm.
Saturday night was a cold one and Sunday morning looked very icy and inspection was done off the racing line. The officials were great and for their first FIS event they did very well, salting at regular intervals.
The course ran much quicker on the Sunday and with some small changes to the features overnight it looked like a different race altogether. The Japanese and the Norwegens were looking the best in practice with some solid runs in the faster conditions.
Injuries reduced the starting line up for the second day and with Ed (19) one of the English racers injured it left Martin(16) and Max (21) to fly the flag. Martin was struggling with the impact of the season’s landings after jumps and his shins were bruised. His run was more technical and he skied the GS section more maturely, but without the drive in the second phase of the turns his time was not as quick as he had wanted. He had improved on the previous days 50.83 seconds by 1 second but it was only enough to get 38th place. Max did himself proud and qualified a second faster in 31st place with what was his best performance of the season.
A little disappointed we said our goodbyes to Ian and the team and made our way to the airport.
An on time flight and a smooth ride home, we were there by 7.30pm. Two hours of course work for school before bed finished off what has recently become a typical weekend these days, and with one last event ( The Brits in Laax, Switzerland March 31st – April 2nd) before the end of the season it has given us a lot to look back on and experiences that we will value for a long time to come.
So to conclude;
i. - Gained valuable FIS points
ii - A great event run by the friendliest people in an amazing place that we will no doubt visit again very soon. I would recommend it as a family holiday location anytime.
