THE LION
  • Home
  • News
    • Editors 2023
    • Prefects 2023
    • School News >
      • Community Service
      • MUN
      • Duke
      • Arts
      • School Trips
      • Reading Week Reviews
    • Advice for the IB
    • World News
    • Other News
  • Commentary
    • Politics/Current affairs
    • Medicine
    • BUSINESS & ECONOMICS
    • technology
    • science and environment
    • History
    • OPINIONS
  • Features
    • Poetry
    • Lions' book recommendations
    • Guide to
    • Fashion and trends
    • How-to
    • ART, MUSIC & LITerature
    • Reviews
    • Curiosities
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
    • Quizzes
    • Student council candidates interviews
    • Short Stories
  • Sports
    • School Sports >
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Volleyball
      • Athletics
    • Sports News >
      • NBA
      • NFL
      • Formula 1
      • Olympics
      • World Cup
      • Other News
    • SPHSL >
      • SPHSL Results
      • SPHSL Pictures & Highlights
    • Rancho >
      • Rancho Results
      • Rancho News
    • House Updates
    • Schedule
  • Photography
    • Global Print
  • Audiovisual
    • The Lion Network
    • The Lion Insight
    • Feed The Lion

SPORTS

Race Day for a Competitive Skier

2/25/2022

0 Comments

 
By L. Gaz
Picture
Race days might be the most fun day for a skier who has been training every day for months, but most definitely the hardest.  Unless I am staying where the race is happening, which is highly unlikely, my day starts at 4 AM. Plenty of energy is required for this long day, so a big breakfast is key. I would usually have scrambled eggs, juice, waffles and then the mayhem starts. I pack my skis, which were tuned the day before, so the edges are sharp enough to allow me to perform at my highest level. Then I must check the weather which is crucial. The weather dictates what goggle lenses I should wear - clear or dark, race shorts or race pants, and how many jackets I pack. Then comes the car ride which usually takes about an hour and a half depending on where the race takes place.
 
When we arrive at the race, before I go up the mountain I must talk to my coaches about the conditions, get a ski pass, and my race bib. After I go up the mountain, the whole team stretches together, and I drop off my ski bag at a designated area near the start of the race. Each team has a determined space for their gear, this is also where they wait until for their turn. At a regular youth ski race there are around eight teams participating and sixty people per age group, ranging from ten to eighteen years old. After dropping off my bag, I usually do two or three runs to warm up. Keep in mind these runs are performed on a track near the racecourse, since it can only be used during the actual race to keep snow conditions optimal. After I do a Recognition run (RECO); the teams go down in groups to familiarize themselves with the course. Then comes the most annoying part of it all.
 
The RECO is done at nine AM, but my turn only comes at around noon and to top it all off I can’t just ski until my race time, or I will get tired. I must be at the top of the course somewhere near 35 minutes before the race starts because I must, switch to my race skis, take of my jackets and my pants (racers wear skintight race suits), make sure all my gear is working perfectly, put on all my protective wear on, warm up, and check in with my coaches one last time. Then comes the fun part - the race. A traditional Giant Slalom course consists of around thirty to fifty gates which alternate red and blue. The goal is to ski in between the gates and arrive at the bottom with the fastest time possible, which can be very hard because gates can have up to 8 meters of offset, but my day is not over once I finish, I must do that twice, a competition consists of two legs! Finally, I get back home take a nice hot shower, and get some rest.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    Basketball
    Football
    Futsal
    Issl
    Little 8
    Polo
    Project Gold
    Rancho
    School
    SPHSL
    Sports Day
    Tennis
    Volleyball

    Archives

    February 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    September 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017

  • Home
  • News
    • Editors 2023
    • Prefects 2023
    • School News >
      • Community Service
      • MUN
      • Duke
      • Arts
      • School Trips
      • Reading Week Reviews
    • Advice for the IB
    • World News
    • Other News
  • Commentary
    • Politics/Current affairs
    • Medicine
    • BUSINESS & ECONOMICS
    • technology
    • science and environment
    • History
    • OPINIONS
  • Features
    • Poetry
    • Lions' book recommendations
    • Guide to
    • Fashion and trends
    • How-to
    • ART, MUSIC & LITerature
    • Reviews
    • Curiosities
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
    • Quizzes
    • Student council candidates interviews
    • Short Stories
  • Sports
    • School Sports >
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Volleyball
      • Athletics
    • Sports News >
      • NBA
      • NFL
      • Formula 1
      • Olympics
      • World Cup
      • Other News
    • SPHSL >
      • SPHSL Results
      • SPHSL Pictures & Highlights
    • Rancho >
      • Rancho Results
      • Rancho News
    • House Updates
    • Schedule
  • Photography
    • Global Print
  • Audiovisual
    • The Lion Network
    • The Lion Insight
    • Feed The Lion