Ligety's remark about parallel course in Schladming

More vertical distance and offset, as in the set for a regular slalom. Maybe, maybe not.  More offset equals more risk that you're going to ski into the other lane. Without offset, you've got to shorten the vertical distance between gates, otherwise you'll wind up going Mach 3...

I think Ted may have a good point here. Over the years, I have seen some of the worst, season ending injuries in our race league course, which is basically a parallel half length GS. The courses at times are set too close together, with too much offset. When a racer misses a turn, it often results in them blowing right into the other course at a high rate of speed. If two racers are having a "head to head" race, the resulting collision can be horrible for both racers. I'm not a big fan of parallel racing in general, and have reservations it should be done at the World Cup level. I feel much safer running a single Master course, even with the higher speeds, than hearing another racer right next to me.

I agree it was stupid race, but why there was so much of an offset as it was, is pretty clear. And I guess Ligety wouldn't be too happy next day either, if they would made course with more offset. Temperatures for all week were around +15c with strong sun all day long. They had course like they had, which means, they didn't have 200m wide course but normal DH/SG course, which was a bit wider on finish steep. There were still two GS races to be run on that course, so they squeezed team event course all the way on side, so majority of finish steep would stay untouched for both GS races.

Sure there's easy solution for this, just move team race to Sunday, but you can bet there would be almost 0 spectators then, 0 media covering this race and very few racers doing it. So sometimes you just need to live with that what nature gives you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainKirk 

I think Ted may have a good point here. Over the years, I have seen some of the worst, season ending injuries in our race league course, which is basically a parallel half length GS. The courses at times are set too close together, with too much offset. When a racer misses a turn, it often results in them blowing right into the other course at a high rate of speed. If two racers are having a "head to head" race, the resulting collision can be horrible for both racers. I'm not a big fan of parallel racing in general, and have reservations it should be done at the World Cup level. I feel much safer running a single Master course, even with the higher speeds, than hearing another racer right next to me.

agreed I stop leaving at the same time as other people in parallel courses. The risks of season ending injuries and death go up when racing side by side with someone. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josh Matta 

agreed I stop leaving at the same time as other people in parallel courses. The risks of season ending injuries and death go up when racing side by side with someone. 

Yep, same here.  My beer-league course (Nashoba Valley in Massachusetts) has side-by-side courses that are pretty close to each other, and not necessarily a whole lot of bail-out room to either side if somebody skis / falls out of their course.  I just give whomever I'm racing against a lead (plus it gives me a rabbit to chase )

I too race in a side by side beer league (I thinks same as Cap Kirk) tho this is not a head to head format - you race against the clock.  One run both courses.  This is good because it gives rec racers two diff looks (courses on SAME hill will usually run up to .5 sec diff).  It is more exciting. It also breeds personal head to head rivalries between racers at all ability levels.  Racers with similar HCPs seek each other out to race.  This is what rec racers are there for.  Friendly competition and excitment.   Can this be more dangerous?  Yes and I have a great video somewhere of blow out/collisions. 

Yes sometimes I (like Kevin) will give my competitor a head start.   Personally I dont do well with the "rabbit" because it makes you think about "chase" rather than "line."  You "cheat" on the line to catch up and get late. 

If I know I am lined up with a huge unsteady looking guy, I will often either jump the start (Racer ready...3 2 GONE.) or wait.  Clock starts on the wand. 

For the pros - I do not like it as there is too much on the line physically.  That said - TV viewers want danger and car wrecks.  (Look at growing pop of Skier Cross which is NASTY)

The "Pro-style" barge gate races of the 70s 80s are pretty cool to watch and exciting to boot.  Youtube it.  :)

If Pro skiers want big(ER) TV dollars, producers/sponsors will need to continue to find more exciting (e.g. dangerous) formats. 

Ditto on the barge gate/pro start races of the past. We had a great series of rec. races in the 80's in Perisher Valley, some of which used start gates and, on rare ocassions, mid-course jumps. I really enjoyed the timing aspect of getting a good start without head-butting the gate and the relatively safe air on the floater jumps. Most of the spills we had were minor and fatigue was sometimes a factor after several rounds of racing. I realise any comparisons between this and Schladming are pretty thin and the reference to the perils of Ski-Cross would seem to suggest that we are talking about 2 different "types" of racer and racing here. The traditional longer form and the short, sharp form. Is there any room for cross-over when, as previously mentioned, the crowds would have been a lot smaller had the dual been the last item on the program? Should we keep them separate or do we just need to take W.C. dual more seriously regarding course sets etc? Anyone for a new, non F.I.S. pro dual SL series?