Hello Tristate and Interclub Race Teams
Due to the late start to the season this year, we have decided to extend our training for one extra weekend. We will be meeting for our last training weekend on March 5th and 6th. Normal training schedule and times. This is all depending on the Mountain of course. As usual, please check the catamountski.com website prior to making your way to the ski area, to check for possible mountain closings.
Steve
Hi everyone,
Please click on the links below to access your race video, courtesy of Coach Sonia!
Enjoy!
Coach Pat
“Ski fast…Take chances…”
Hi everyone!
The U16’s will be training SL tonight @ 6pm on Catamount. Any U14 is welcome to join Lars on the hill.
Coach Pat
“Ski fast…Take chances…”
Hey Racers!
Just letting you know the plan for this weekend’s training. Please be prepared to train GS Saturday on Lower Alley Cat and SL Sunday on Catamount. Please meet your coach at the bottom of the Quad at 8:30am sharp to warm up. The goal of this weekend’s training is to practice inspecting each course with a partner with minimal direction from the coach.
*****Parents we can really use your help in putting up fencing again!!! Due to safety issues, no one can practice on the GS training course until proper fencing is set. Please find and drag or carry a roll of B-netting located at the flat, skier’s left, above the pump house, to the top of Lower Alley Cat at 8:45am (you do not need poles) where you will be directed on how and where to help put up fencing. The quicker we get the fencing up, the quicker your racers can get on the practice course!*****
Thanks in advance for your amazing help!
Saturday – GS Full Course
1. Inspect the course with a partner – Do you know how many meters the course setter set the course at? Remember to look back and up the hill at every feature.
a. Look at the start – Is it flat? Pitched? Does it lead straight into the 1st gate or do you have to ski across the fall line to reach it?
b. Look at the pitch, are the gates set rhythmically with consistent offset? Are there any fall away gates that you need to set up early for? Where is the fall line? Are there any heavy left or right footers? Are there any compressions that you need to be prepared for?
c. When you inspect the delay, stand at the entrance to the through gate, look up the hill and down. Then stand at the exit, look up the hill and down. Imagine yourself at speed. How are you going to take the delay? High, medium or low?
d. Look at the flats, where can you drop into a high/half tuck? Can you drop into a full tuck? Is there anywhere that you can generate speed?
e. Look at the finish, where can you drop into a high/half tuck? Where can you drop into a full tuck? On which side of the finish will you be?
Try not to memorize every nook and cranny of the course. Trust your careful inspection that you can let your reflexes take care of the easy parts of the course. However, concentrate and memorize the tough parts of the course. Maybe there’s a particular cranker, difficult exit from the delay gate, a fall away gate or compression.
2. Check your inspection with a coach at the bottom of the course.
3. Run the course as if it were a race. If you train casually, then you’ll race casually.
4. Ask for feedback. Your coaches will give you feedback, but it’s helpful if YOU know what you’re working on and share it with your coach.
Sunday – SL Full Course
1. Inspect the course with a partner – Do you know how many meters the course setter set the course at? Remember to look back and up the hill at every combination or feature.
a. Look at the start – Is it flat? Pitched? Do you need to skate to the 1st gate?
b. Look at each rhythm section. Are the offsets consistent? Are there any crankers? Are there any tight gates?
c. When you inspect the delay, stand at the entrance to the through gate, look up the hill and down. Then stand at the exit, look up the hill and down. Imagine yourself at speed. How are you going to take the delay? ON/ON, ON/OFF or OFF/ON?
d. Look at the pitch, are the gates set rhythmically with consistent offset? Are there any fall away gates that you need to set up early for? Where is the fall line? Are there any heavy left or right footers? Are there any compressions that you need to be prepared for?
e. Look at each vertical combination. Is it a hairpin? Is it a flush? Stand at the entrance to the combination and look up the hill and down. Then stand at the exit, look up the hill and down. Imagine yourself at speed. Is the entrance difficult? Is the exit difficult? Do you need to set up early?
f. Look at the finish. On which side of the finish will you be?
Try not to memorize every single little detail about the course, but do memorize the order of the combinations so you know what to expect. Trust your careful inspection that you can let your reflexes take care of the easy parts of the course. However, concentrate and memorize the tough parts of the course. Maybe there’s a difficult exit to the flush, or a particular cranker on the exit of the last hairpin, a really offset exit from the delay gate, a fall away gate or compression.
2. Check your inspection with a coach at the bottom of the course
3. Run the course as if it were a race.
4. Ask for feedback.
Coach Pat : )
“Ski fast…Take chances…”
Hi everyone,
Congratulations to the following U14 racers who made it to Tristate Championships to be held at Blandford (SL on Saturday, March 5th) and Berkshire East (GS on Sunday, March 6th)! Please click on the links below to see the attached final season’s standings for girls and boys.
U14 Girls
Sage Siegel
Francesca Mann
U14 Boys
Achille Saracheck
Dax Roy
Adam Hess
Will Cross
Stanley Spence
Ethan Leifer
Colby Stevens
Congratulations to all!
Coach Pat
“Ski fast…Take chances…”
Hi All,
We are quickly approaching the end of the race season. The last weekend of training for our interclub and tri state teams will be Sat and Sun 3/5 – 3/6 ( there may be some individual training going on after that weekend for some Tristate racers that have qualified for post season championship events.) That weekend Interclub racers will be awarded participation trophies for a season of hard work and skill development.
Thank you all for being a part of the Catamount Race Team
Steve
With many racers away at the Piche Qualifier this coming Saturday, an early finish for the race schedule, and a shortened start to the season, Steve Adams has got the mountain management to agree to an extra weekend. We will have our annual Potluck/Pizza Party for Interclub on Saturday, March 5th. I am looking forward to a fun weekend with no races to think about.
The following Interclub racers have qualified for the 1st Massachusetts Piche Invitational Qualifier this coming Saturday.
Eleanor Smith, Phillip Mann, Ruby Blunt, Matthew Glatt, Grace Swartout, Parker Levin, Alice Pajeski, Yanni Schattman, Louise Albert, Oliver Meir,Isabel Lehrman, Ryan Claffey,
Laurentia Arengi-Bentivoglio, Milan Savard, Ella Keaney, Alex Bradley, Sydney Dohr, Federico Arengi-Bentivoglio, Oona Albert, Noland Kozlowski, Jonah Dohr, Jasper Gititz
Emil Rahn-Siege
Congrats,
Peter
Hi everyone!
Congratulations to the following racers who made it to the Piche GS qualifier this coming Saturday being held at Wachusett Mountain Ski Area!
Great job to all our racers at our 2nd SL and last race of the season! The course held up surprisingly well in the morning. However in the afternoon, as I heard one parent say, “the kids looked like they disappeared in the ruts”! Congratulations to all our racers today and to their great improvement this season!
Click on the link below to check out today’s results.
Special thanks to Charles Gagnon and Coach Larry Hess in helping with getting racers ready at the start. slipping the course and running coats and shorts down to the finish!
Today Sunday2/21 will be SL training. Some video of Saturday’s training Go to Sprongo.com on computer or app on phones. Search under teams for “Snow Devils” Videos are under the athletes first name.
Hi everyone!
Just letting you know the plan for Saturday’s training in preparation for our last SL race at Butternut on Sunday. Please be prepared to train SL (with chin bar, pole & shin guards). (Except for U12 & U14 Boys & Girls who think they might be selected for the Piche Qualifier at Wachusett; I’ve arranged for you to work GS with the U16’s and U19’s on Sunday on Lower Alley Cat in the AM only) . Please meet Coach Sonia at the bottom of Catamount at 8:30am sharp to warm up. Just a reminder to parents – since we will be on Catamount we will not need you to put up B-netting!
Saturday AM/PM – Full Course
Inspect the course with hairpins, flush and delay (under/through) gate. If we’re lucky timing will be set for the course!
See you tomorrow in the AM,
Coach Pat : )
“Ski fast…Take chances…”