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Skimo World Cup Sprint: Video Transition Technique Analysis

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skimo-racing-transition-world-cup
Sprint races are not really my forte when it comes to skimo racing. However, they are incredibly spectator friendly (good for the sport) and allow mortal athletes to closely watch the top guys.
After a quick spin, but not quick enough, around the sprint track at the recent Alpiniski World Cup in the qualifying round, I made a point to post up at the transition areas to watch the race leaders and their technique. I shot four videos from the men’s semi-final rounds and the final. Because the race also served as European Championships, there was a strong field in attendance.
There are three transitions in the race: 1) skinning to boot-pack where skis get attached to the backpack, 2) boot-pack to skinning, and 3) skinning to skiing or skins off for the descend. In a sprint race, every fraction of a second counts at each transition so regular practice is an absolute must.

Skinning to Boot-pack

In this semi-final round we see two Swiss athletes (black suits) using a “kneeling technique” to transition into the boot-pack. Notice their fluid movements when the bindings are released and stepped out of. The skis are put on the pack and then the poles grabbed before standing up.

The slow-motion section shows the faster Swiss athlete using the kneeling technique.
In the third clip of this video, we see athletes putting their skis on their packs without kneeling. This technique appears to be slightly faster but the margin of error makes it essentially the same.
Transition times (in seconds) are listed with each clip for the athletes followed and times are from the moment the poles hit the ground to the moment they come off the ground:
#8 – 7.4s
#24 – 7.7s
#1 – 6.9s
#7 – 7.0s
#9 – 7.4s
#67 – 8.1s

Boot-pack to Skinning

Here we see the athletes putting their skis on at the end of the boot-pack. It’s not a very technical movement but notice how they stay bent over the entire time. They drop the skis, open the bindings, step in to each, and THEN stand up with the poles.

Times for the first two were as follows:
#5 – 6.5s
#2 – 7.3s

Skins off: Skinning to Skiing


The mythical double-skin rip is pretty standard fare on the World Cup.
The first clip shows Italy’s Robert Antonioli into the transition first, he went on to become the new European Champion. He actually makes the transition look pretty mellow.
The carefully watch the last guy into the transition (Swiss – #4 – Yannick Eccour), he is the fastest of the group and looks very smooth. After that you will realize that Antonioli made few errors – he didn’t get his heels clicked in at once and took few pulls to get the skins off – but Eccour is flawless.
For the double-rip, watch #69 (Austrian). The key is to lock the heels first with a little hop, then bend forward to reach both skin tips and rip simultaneously. Some subtle differences to the Italian style! Also, notice the Austria athlete clipping his clip-in style ski poles simultaneously while already fully parked in the transition. It takes him more time as the others, using traditional ski poles loops, take their poles off while still moving forward. And final interesting points is that five of them are using the same ski poles from Leki.
Their times were as follows:
#2 – 10.7s (Antonioli)
#1 – 12.1s
#5 – 14.6s
#7 – 13.4s
#69 – 13.8s
#4 – 8.5s
Study up the videos and practice your technique! A few tens of a second in a sprint and even an individual race can make a big difference!
For more skimo racing technique tips see our Manual For Ski Mountaineering Racing e-book.

Measuring skimo racing success: Focus on small goals rather than results

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Obviously, when we race we care about results. By results, I mean our name’s location on a sheet of paper which determines our state of satisfaction after each event. Or at least that’s how my relationship was with results before I knew better.

Forget the results

For sure I still care about the results, however, I read them differently now. It’s not the most important thing to me despite it giving a very quantitative value of my performance.
Why?
Because results are a statistic. They are raw data and nothing more. And I now find it very misleading to judge something so complex as athletic performance without considering broader context.

Focus on small specific goals

To measure your racing success or satisfaction more properly have three small goals for each race. At the end, put more weight on those than the result.
Here is an example of what kind of small goals you can set for yourself. Try to be quite specific, not general:check-boxes

  • Nailing all skins-on transitions (instead of “nailing all transitions”)
  • Ski the long technical descent smoothly and under control (instead of “ski fast”)
  • Don’t slip on the moguls climb (instead of “climb strong”)
  • Eat a gel after 50 min (rather than “eat two gels”)
  • Layer up and do a 15 min cool down right after finishing (rather than “do a cool down”)

Why only three goals?
Your racing mind will function much better if there is less to think about. And once you accomplish the goal in one race you will replace it with another small one in the next.
Why specific small goals?
The goal size and specificity allows you to focus on the it better because you know with absolute certainty what needs to be done to accomplish it. Also, it let’s you evaluate whether you nailed it or not much more easily than trying to figure out whether you skied fast or not.

Long time improvement

Once you come into peace with the idea that the end result is not as important you are setting up yourself for a long-term improvement. Results only by themselves are a double-edge sword, without reflecting the bigger picture.
And yes, it is true that for lot’s of these goals there won’t be an objective measure but that’s not a problem. You know very well whether you can check off a specific goal based on how you feel about executing it. If you don’t answer that honestly you are only cheating yourself. No progress.

Your next race

Figure out three specific things you want to improve at. Create a sequence of them for your next race. Now go and do your best to check them off.
What do you think, is this gonna work for you?
Share your thoughts in the comments below.

How to choose the right length (and kind) of skimo racing poles for you

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Some time ago someone posted a question on Skintrack about ski poles for skimo/rando racing. It never got fully addressed.
Recently, @peteyknight asked about skimo racing ski poles length during our live Twitter interview with Reiner Thoni. And I bet you are asking the same, so I decided to share some personal experience and discuss the topic more.

ski mountaineering racing world championships
Top 3 from vertical race at 2010 World Champs: in blue Dennis Brunod (he seems about 170-175cm tall), Florent Perrier in red/blue (about 180cm tall), behind Kilian Jornet was about to pass them, more on him below.
Feel free to share your experience and thoughts in the comments below. It will open more opportunities to benefit yourself in finding the most suitable poles for you.

Previous personal experience with racing poles

As anyone I started skimo racing with normal ski poles with full baskets, don’t remember the exact length though. There is nothing wrong with that as during this time you should be evaluating other aspects of your experience more, such as: “Do you like this type of racing? What turns you on to come back?”
After getting inspired by super-fast Euros I decided to put more energy into skimo racing. I noticed that their poles were longer than usual backcountry ski poles and that they were actually cross-country ski poles (smaller baskets too).
To shorten the story, I ended up with 140cm cross-country poles. I am 186cm (6’ 1.2”) tall so it seemed appropriate until I noticed that my shoulders and arms were getting quite tired even mid-way through each race. But still stuck with them.
Few years later a friend from a Spanish skimo team gave me his 130cm Ski Trab poles, he was about 170cm (5’ 7”). Sure, 130cm felt a bit short but was more comfortable on the steeps, in the switchbacks and on the downhills. I stuck with these for few seasons (they were free, eh) until I lost one. Then the dilemma began again. What length?

My racing poles now

In the last three seasons I use 135cm cross-country ski poles and find that length the most suitable overall. As I mentioned above, I am 186cm. My arm span (Wikipedia on arm span) is 186cm too which gives me about an average height to arm span ratio (this ratio is different for women). I am providing this info since I believe it is important to consider also your arm span, not just your height, when choosing your poles.

Some thoughts and examples

Perhaps, a super ideal length for my skimo race poles lies somewhere between 135 and 140cm. However, it is very difficult to objectively select the right one, so by relying on my feelings I am leaning towards 135-138cm, and only maybe 140cm for a flat vertical race.
This leads me to believe that some of the most advanced skimo racers would use, and train to effectively use, two different lengths. In the same time I believe it is very individual.
What length other people use:
Reiner Thoni at cca 188cm (6′ 2″) – 140cm poles (NA and Canada’s skimo champ).  You can read our interview by following Skintrack on Twitter and diggind in our history. The transcript is coming here soon.
Peter Svatojansky at 186cm (6′ 1″) – 138cm poles (podiums at Pierra Menta, World and Euro Champs). Read an older interview with Peter where he provided his ski poles info.
Melanie Bernier at 175cm (5′ 9″) – 130cm poles (3 x Canadian champ and a 5th place from a sprint race at World Champs 2011).
Kilian Jornet at 171cm (5′ 7″) – (best of the best last 3 years) from photos Kilian seems to be using quite long poles for his height, I would guess around 135cm. I also guess that he would be the one to use two different lengths – for individual race and for a vertical.
This video does a good job of showing how long poles the best use (in proportion). Not the best quality but you will get the idea:

How to choose your skimo (randonnee) racing poles?

Since all competitive skimo racers use cross-country (xc) style poles I suggest you consider them as well. Just be careful to pick the ones where hand straps can be easily removed.
Length:
Consider that the poles length should be suitable for all aspects of skimo racing – skinning, bootpack, and downhill.
Since most of xc poles can be cut to adjust length I would  suggest this formula:

  • if you are 190cm+ tall (6’ 3” +) buy 145cm and you can either cut them or keep as is
  • if you are 180-190cm (5’ 11” to 6’ 3”) buy 140cm, cut or keep
  • 170-180cm (5’ 7” to 5’ 11”) buy 135cm, cut or keep
  • 160-170cm (5’ 3” to 5’ 7”) buy 130cm, cut or keep
  • 160cm and less (less than 5’ 3”) probably buy 130cm, then cut or keep

Material and weight:
You have couple of choices:

  • Carbon is very strong and very light but most expensive. Need to be careful not to fall on them because it breaks, does not bend.
  • Aluminum is less expensive, strong but heavier than carbon or composite. Makes for a good beginner or training poles. Usually bends when you fall on it – you can still finish the race. Cheap aluminum poles bend way too much when you put lots of your weight on it, they are too soft.
  • Composite poles are a mix of materials. Price, weight and performance varies quite a bit. Similar qualities as carbon.
  • Fiberglass probably comes only with composites these days. I find it a bit too “bendy” when loaded.

Baskets:
Some xc poles come with very small baskets. You don’t want those. You need something smaller than backcountry skiing pole baskets but still big enough to provide some support when the snow is deep.
Figuring out the length:
See the length formula above before buying. Then it will take some time (maybe even few seasons) to find your ideal.
How about figuring this out with a length-adjustable mountaineering pole?
This only works if you manage to restrict how much of the tip sinks into the snow. Usually, tips on mountaineering telescopic poles can go as deep as 5-6cm. You want to restrict your test poles that only up to 1cm punches in, and then you can use this length as a reference.

What poles do you use? Questions, thoughts?

Share what poles you use and how tall you are. Or if you have any questions use the comments below to ask.

Rando ski mountaineering (racing) transitions with Reiner Thoni

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Ski mountaineering is as much about having fun as it is about efficiency. In fact, the more efficient you are the more time you can spend having fun. Hunting powder in the backcountry or during a skimo race lots of time can be saved on transitions – getting you set from uphill to downhill modes and the other way around.
There are couple of styles for wicked fast transitions and no style is really too much faster than the other – it all boils down to pick your style and practice it again and again. In the two videos below, Reiner Thoni (current Canadian and North American skimo racing champion) will talk you through his way of transitions.
There are separate articles about different rando ski mountaineering transitions coming on Skintrack – with more in depth analysis and videos from the last World Ski Mountaineering Championships 2011 in Italy.

Reiner’s skins off transition


It may seem that this transition is only possible with skimo race gear but in fact many of us are doing it the same way with any Dynafit style bindings. Of course, the boots might have more buckles or the skins might need to be ripped off from the back but otherwise the workflow is the same.

Reiner’s skins on transition


What was said below the “skins off” video applies for this transition as well. The same logic can be applied with non-racing gear but might require some additional steps – undo buckle 1, buckle 2, buckle 3… 😉

Small differences, and personal preferences

Since there are more ways of doing the fastest transitions differences occur mostly with personal preference. As you can see in “skins on” video, Reiner likes to bring up the whole ski to finish putting the skin on. Many of us do that with back end/toe of the ski being firm on the ground the whole time which I consider an advantage in crowded European race transitions where every inch is shared or has to be fought for.

What are your thoughts? Maybe you want your transition analyzed?

You are welcome to ask questions or share your advice through the comments below.
Also, if you want your transition analyzed I can help you two ways – meet you at a race or you can upload your video to a site like YouTube and send me the link. (If you can’t or don’t know how to upload to any video sharing site just drop me a line below and we’ll figure something out.)

6 tips to get you ready for your first ski mountaineering race

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Backcountry skiing is great fun. It is one of the best ways to spend time with your friends, to relax and to do what makes you happy. But from time to time we all like to try something different, to have a new challenge.
crystal-race-bootpack-2007You can challenge yourself many ways. For me, ski mountaineering racing is one of the ways I like to challenge myself during winter months.
Skimo racing makes my life more interesting in couple of ways:

  • Gives me an athletic goal, which I always like to have.
  • Teaches me efficiency, which helps with equipment skills.
  • Forces me to reach for my limits, which helps in moving them.
  • Makes me participate in a community that by definition is very friendly.
  • Introduces me to one of the nicest people I have ever known.

Whether you feel like trying something new or just wanting to improve in your next race here is a list of tips I consider essential (and in that order) to get the best out of your experience:

  1. Gear – check what you have and act accordingly
  2. Conditioning – your overall fitness
  3. Technique – practice the right moves
  4. Fuel and rest – quality makes or breaks your days
  5. Transitions – gaini time for free
  6. Speed – the icing on the cake

Gear – check what you have and act accordingly

I am starting with gear because without it we cannot backcountry ski. But since it is a whole another topic I am not going into much detail here.
I assume that you have either AT gear, telemark ski gear or a split-board for touring. The level of the gear (high-end, cheap, light, heavy…) doesn’t really matter if there is a will to try new things.
You don’t have to run into the store right away but a fact is that AT gear is the most efficient for skimo racing. You can learn about this from a personal experience of a current Canada Skimo Team member here – From tele to Team Canada: A telemark skier’s switch to AT race gear.
As with anything that involves going uphill lighter is better because it means faster climbing. And skinning up is the majority of the time spent when skimo racing (just like touring).
Besides that you should make sure your skis are in good condition, that your bindings work as they should, or that your ski poles ain’t going to collapse on you.
Simply check all your gear at least couple of days before a race and make necessary repairs or replacements.

Conditioning – your overall fitness

For skimo racing you don’t have to be super fit. Of course, the fitter you are the easier it feels but you don’t have to be able tour 5000 feet days in order to race. There are usually two categories at any event and you can sign up for the one you feel like doing.
The key with conditioning for ski mountaineering racing is to be active. You don’t have to be active racing or speed wise, just be used to spending time outdoors doing things you like – climbing, biking, hiking…
And just because you are getting ready for a race don’t panic about speed or interval training. Speed is only the icing on the cake. To get to a point where you should worry about speed training you need good overall conditioning.
So be consistent with your sport activities for at least couple of weeks before you even think about pushing the pace.
As strange as it sounds, you need to go slow in order to go fast. Everything that is very beneficial for health or racing purposes that happens in your body is a product of low paced activities (or workouts). The amounts of slow paced activities will determine your progress from year to year way more that any interval workouts.

Technique – practice the right moves

Even though good technique is very important for skimo racing, it will not save you if your basic conditioning is poor. Also, your gear will determine your technique efficiency as well.
Climbing
Since the most time during ski mountaineering races is spent skinning up you should focus on developing an efficient stride. Don’t force yourself for the longest stride. Rather try to pick your frequency which some times means shortening your stride if your original one is too long.
Make sure to practice skinning on hard snow, up steep uphills and traversing.
One of the most important climbing skills for skimo racing are making efficient switch backs. There are switch backs sections on many race courses. On those you can loose minutes and lots of energy if you are struggling due to your technique. On the other hand you can effortlessly drop less skilled racers even if you are not as fit as they are.
Downhill
Skiing with seized up legs and burning lungs is hard and some times dangerous but fun. The key for solid downhills is to practice skiing right after you climb a hill and rip your skins off. You need to get used to wobbly legs if you want to ski without stopping in races.
To make the skiing less taxing on your legs practice doing turns with big radius (20+ meters) rather than short and aggressive. Use “traversing sections” between turns to control your speed as oppose to pushing on your edges with your quads. On a 2-3min downhill the difference is only about 10sec but the energy spending is over the roof compared to a more mellow style.

Fuel and rest – quality makes or breaks your days

We all read many times one of these: “you are what you eat” or “your body works only as good as the fuel you put in it”. Of course, there are individuals that defy this. Heck, even I had some great races after downing few beers and eating a big sausage a day before an event 😉
The point is that your eating habits and the quality of food you consume greatly determines your short term as well as your long term body functioning. The same goes for rest. You can find plenty of advice in sport and health nutrition books.
No meat
Based on my experience, for skimo racing, I will recommend not to eat meat starting the day before the race. Few slices of ham on a sandwich are OK but a steak is not very useful.
Dinner
The night before the race have simple dinner – some veggies and lots of pasta or rice. Veggies will give you some variety in taste and pasta or rice will load your body with the desirable carbohydrates.
Race fuel
During the race drink a sports drink rather than just plain water, and you can consume an energy bar or a gel if you feel you are running low on your reserves.
Sleep
If you are not getting enough sleep on regular basis, try to get in at least three 8h nights before your race. No engine is good if your brain is tired.

Transitions – gain time for free

Transitions between uphill and downhill modes (and vice versa) are parts of skimo races where you can gain lots of free time. If you are more efficient with your gear than a guy next to you, you will consistently drop him at every transition and he will be expanding lots of energy trying to catch up to you.
If not sure about your technique ask more experienced/skilled skimo skiers what works for them. Try it out and if it seems alright practice the moves. Once at the race you can observe the fastest racers how they transition in few seconds.
To give you something to shoot for I am going to give you some average times for transitions:

  • Fairly efficient racer with no special AT racing gear needs about 1.5-2 min to go from uphill mode to be skiing ready. And it takes him about 2-3 min to put his skins on, and adjust his boots and bindings before he can march uphill.
  • The fastest racers transition from climbing to skiing in about 20-30 sec, and are ready to hammer up after skiing in about 40-50 sec.

Technique, practice and gear makes the difference in transition areas.

Speed – the icing on the cake

Speed factor is last on this list because I don’t feel it is a necessary element to have a blast at your first race but we can discuss it a bit.

peter-kilian
World class ski mountaineering athletes train smart and a lot, yet even they spend majority of their training at low paced intensities.
Your downhill times are mostly determined by your technique but climbing speed is mostly determined by your conditioning.
Climbing like a mountain goat is desired but not the most important thing at this stage.
However, if you really want to challenge for skimo podiums then you will need to put in some real hurting miles.
You need to teach your brain and body to push more for longer. This is achieved either by simply hammering every hill in your way or by very specific workouts.
Hammering based only on your gut feelings can take you only part of the way. Usually, it has a faster effect than the more “scientific” approach but is short-term lived as it is a very inefficient training method. And if practiced over long time with high frequency you are headed for injuries and illnesses.
For serious speed (fast) training talk to an experienced athlete or a coach and read some books from reputable people. Also, you need to understand that speed training without great overall fitness has very low success rate as you will never reach your full potential.

How are you going to challenge yourself this winter?

So are you going to challenge yourself differently this winter than your usual weekend powder hunting?
I challenge you to make your first race the Tiki Torch Dash in Golden on Dec 6. It is specifically made for those that just want a little taste of skimo racing. Nothing too hard, mostly a fun event where you can learn some tricks and meet new friends.
Ask, share and discuss in the comments below.