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From tele to Team Canada: A telemark skier's switch to AT race gear

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My first ski mountaineering race was completed on 184cm K2 telemark boards with non-free pivot bindings and Garmont Excursion boots. My skins were G3 Ascensions that required the removal of the ski from my foot in order to get each skin off.
This is a guest post from my friend and fellow skimo racer, James Minifie. James is sharing a great personal experience that is interesting as much for telemark skiers as for alpine gear users.

james-race-gear
James' gear before (right) and after "The Switch". Now he is on Ski Trab Duo Race Aero World Cup skis, Dynafit bindings and Scarpa F1 boots.
I had never seen light randonnee race gear up until then and looking down at the competitors to my right and left and seeing 160cm skis 60mm at the waist mounted with impossibly small low-tech bindings and skins that could be ripped off in seconds left me awe-struck.
These guys were clad in Lycra suits with special skin pockets. They wore ultra light AT boots that converted from ski mode to tour at the flick of a lever. Their poles were composite Nordic jobs extra long and stiff for ultra efficient climbing.
These guys were F1 racers and I felt like a monster truck ready to lurch my way up a mountain. The good thing was, there were a lot more monster trucks in the field that day 🙂
I was lucky that day. Most of the really fast guys were in Europe competing in World Championships so I was able to Clydesdale my way to a 4th place finish on the tele boards. The other thing that happened that day was a beginning of my obsession with ski mountaineering racing.

The Switch

The winter of 2009 saw my return to skimo racing and this time I came armed with lighter skis and free pivot telemark bindings. I still used the Excursions (little more than a glorified cross-country ski boot) because they were light and nimble.
To paint a better picture, here are my 2009 before “The Switch” results. I always finished as the best telemark skier, yet I wasn’t reaching the top spots in the overall standings:

  • Whitefish Whiteout, MT – came 5th behind 4 AT speedsters
  • Sunshine 5000, AB – finished 9th
  • Nelson ROAM Randonnee rally, BC – finished 8th
  • Mountain Storm in Fernie, BC – finished 9th

See the pattern? It was then that I made my silent apology to the spirits of my telemark brethren and purchased all out AT race gear complete with carbon poles and a tight Spandex race suit.
The transition was surprisingly easy actually. The hardest part was learning to ski in alpine style again. Something I hadn’t done in almost a decade.
The difference in my results was profound. I raced in two final races in 2009 with my new AT set-up and took third in both. The biggest result “The Switch” brought was my second place from Canadian Ski Mountaineering Championships which secured me a spot on a National Team for this season.

Lessons learnt and shared

For those telemark die-hards pondering “The Switch” here is my humble advice:

  1. Just go to AT straight up! I transitioned through lighter telemark gear before I went AT Race. All this did was cost more money and delay the inevitable.
  2. Just give in and get a race suit. Not only does it allow you to show off your um…pecs, it’s an invaluable piece of race gear for comfort and skin storage.
  3. Plan the transition with plenty of time to practice the Alpine turn and get used to having your heel locked down. If you can, take a couple of lessons at a local resort it’ll fast-forward the “re-learning” process.
  4. Keep in mind that you don’t have to transform into Hermann Maier to race on this stuff. Look at the skiers in any rando race. We’re so tired and on such unsupportive gear that we all look like we’re just surviving on the descents anyway.
  5. And finally, if you’re already fast on your telemark rig, get ready for the podium because having AT race gear and learning to use it will put you in that lead pack before you can say “Spandex”!

Have fun shopping for that new gear. It won’t be cheap but neither are cigarettes, junk food, and cable TV!

Want to share or know more?

You are welcome to share your experience in the comments below as well as feel free to ask about any details of this article’s topic. James, I and other fellow readers will answer.

Recap of the Canadian ski mountaineering racing season 2009

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Canadian ski mountaineering racing series is growing bit by bit every year. The 2009 skimo racing season promised five event calendar, which meant one more than the previous year.
The new event that was added was a Dogtooth Dash at the Kicking Horse Alpine Resort in Golden, BC. And after some key sponsors pulled out of the Whistler’s race the Dogtooth Dash was announced the new venue for the Canadian National Ski Mountaineering Championships.
At the end the calendar looked like this:

  • Feb 7, 2009 – Sunshine 5000 Ski Mountaineering Race – Sunshine Village, AB
  • Feb 21, 2009 – ROAM Randonnee Rally – Nelson, BC
  • Mar 7, 2009 – Mountain Storm – Fernie, BC
  • Mar 28, 2009 – Dogtooth Dash – Golden, BC (National Champs)

Sunshine 5000 Ski Mountaineering Race

Feb 7, 2009 – Sunshine Village, AB
Blue sky and not too cold temperatures by Rocky Mountains standards made for a great opening to the new racing season. The Sunshine 5000 event is one of the “old timers” on the Canadian calendar and this year it welcomed about 60 racers on two courses. The long one was especially tough with the length of 18km and 1400m of climbing.
In the main men’s race, over the long course, two super fit Montana racers schooled the Canucks and showed how it is supposed to be done on skinny sticks. New prodigy of the US racing field, Ben Parsons, took first just ahead of Brandon French, who is American SkiMo Champ from 2008. The top three Canadians were Reiner Thoni, Stano Faban and Steve Sellers.
The women’s long course was stormed through by Julie Matteau who improves rapidly every season. Second place belonged to Kylee Toth and third to Laura Heffler. Reigning Canadian champion, Melanie Bernier, pulled out of the race in the morning due to a sickness.
Winners on the short course were Ron Worobec and Megan Dunn.
Complete results in a PDF: Sunshine 5000 – Feb 7, 2009

ROAM Randonnee Rally

Feb 21, 2009 – Nelson, BC
The second race on the calendar is traditionally a part of the Cold Smoke Powder Fest that takes place at the Whitewater Ski Resort near Nelson, BC.
The Randonnee Rally main course was a bit shorter than a usual ski mountaineering race. However, fun was everywhere mostly due to fairly tough snow conditions.
Men’s race, on the long course, was won by a German speedster, Benedikt Bohm, who posses a great deal of experience from the European racing circuit. Second and third belong to Brandon French and Ben Parsons from the States. Then the top three Canadians followed – Andrew McNab, Jeff Colvin, Alex Wigley.
The women’s category was once again dominated by Julie Matteau followed by last season’s no. 1, Melanie Bernier, and third belong to Kylee Toth. Again, the girls posted some fast times that even many men racers wouldn’t mind.
The short course winners were Daniel Klein and Jamee Beaupre.
Complete results in a PDF: ROAM Randonnee Rally – Feb 21, 2009

Mountain Storm

Mar 7, 2009 – Fernie, BC
A broken chairlift three days before the event and almost continuous snowing made for epic conditions. In the morning, the organizers almost wondered whether they should make fat skis mandatory as sinking waist deep was inevitable. Deep, deep powder was to be skied!
Big tumbles, face shots and good laughs characterized the atmosphere on the race course. The battle for the win was all the way to the line when the first four racers came in within one minute of each other. First belonged to Reiner Thoni, second to Andrew McNab, and the podium was completed by Jeff Colvin, all Canadians.
Speedy ladies had good times as well and nothing could stop another dominant performance of Julie Matteau, as she won her third race from three starts this season. Second belonged to Kylee Toth, followed by Linda Berg of Sweden.
Race over the short course was won by Matt Nerdig and Brenda Critchley.
Complete results in a PDF: Mountain Storm – Mar 7, 2009

Dogtooth Dash – Canadian Championships

Mar 28, 2009 – Golden, BC
This was the day many racers prepared for whole winter because medals were to be awarded. Despite the fact that this was the very first time the organizer put on a ski moutaineering race the course was designed perfectly and was the most technical one Canadian skimo racing scene ever saw (the same most likely applies for the whole North America).
Once the gun went off the fierce battle was on. Mid-way through the race, the field was led by a pack of four. The race leader and eventual winner, Scott Coldiron of US, was pulling slowly but surely away from three Canadians that stayed together until the very last moments. Reiner Thoni was crowned the new Canadian Champion as silver went to the revelation of the race, James Minifie, and third to Stano Faban.
The technical course with around 300m vertical of bootpacks made it a bit tough for ladies to follow since their steps are considerably shorter than those that male racers make. However, once more a fast time was set by Julie Matteau who became the new queen of Canadian skimo racing. Last year’s champion, Melanie Bernier, came second followed by Billie Velisek.
In the short course battle the fight was won by Jonah Job and Brenda Critchley.
Complete results in a PDF: Dogtooth Dash – Mar 28, 2009

Overall results – Canadian Ski Mountaineering Cup 2009

At each race, points based on finishing times were awarded to each participant, towards the overall Canadian skimo series. Three out of the best four results were calculated to establish the final national ranking.
Men’s overall series champion for the 2009 season was Brandon French of US. The top three Canadians were Reiner Thoni followed by Jeff Colvin and Andy Traslin.
In the women’s category an impressive sweep of all the races on the calendar gave Julie Matteau the overall series title. Followed by Melanie Bernier and Kylee Toth.
The season was arguably the most competitive in the history since many racers wanted to have a shot for a National Team for the next year’s World Championships.
Although, there is a considerable gap between the top ski mountaineering athletes from the United States and the Canadian ones, all the fast Canucks are determined to break the “curse” next winter. Lets see what happens in a year.