North American FIS TD Update 2010 Presented by: Darrell MacLachlan #908 & Doug Campbell #1019 October 2010

Vancouver 2010 OWG The Making of a Slalom Course – Men’s Slalom

The Team The Team The Venue The Venue The Schedule The Schedule The Weather The Weather Track Preparation Track Preparation The Slalom The Slalom –The Weather –The Plan –The Result

The Team The success of the Alpine events, and in particular the snow preparation, was the result of the effective collaboration of many people including: The success of the Alpine events, and in particular the snow preparation, was the result of the effective collaboration of many people including:

The Team FIS Race Directors and Jury FIS Race Directors and Jury ROC Management Group ROC Management Group 1064 On Hill Volunteers 1064 On Hill Volunteers Vanoc Staff Vanoc Staff

ROC: Management Group LADIES’ ALPINE Bruce Holliday (CoR), Vernon BC Jim Brewington (ACoR), Calgary AB Rick Hume (CoC), Whistler BC Craig Smith (ACoC), Calgary AB Andy Wolff (ACoC), Ottawa, ON MEN’S ALPINE Darrell MacLachlan (CoR), Calgary AB Gary Taylor (ACoR), Lions Bay BC Mike Irwin (ACoR), Calgary AB John Benbow (CoC), Whistler BC Mike Kirker (ACoC), Calgary AB Doug Campbell (ACoC), Stirling ON

The Team The ROC Management Group and FIS Race Directors worked closely with professional track coordinators Dan Gallaugher (Men) and Dale Stephens (Ladies) and Vanoc staff. The ROC Management Group and FIS Race Directors worked closely with professional track coordinators Dan Gallaugher (Men) and Dale Stephens (Ladies) and Vanoc staff.

The Volunteers  Section Chiefs: 12 Ladies, 8 Mens  Hill Coordinators: 3 Ladies, 4 Mens  Crew Chiefs: 27 Ladies, 26 Mens  1064 on Hill Volunteers split between tracks

The Venue The common finish area for the separate Men’s and Ladies’ tracks proved challenging The common finish area for the separate Men’s and Ladies’ tracks proved challenging Slalom posed the challenge of preparing and preserving a race surface for both genders to be run on the Men’s track on consecutive days. Slalom posed the challenge of preparing and preserving a race surface for both genders to be run on the Men’s track on consecutive days.

Whistler Creekside Separate tracks for each gender except for Slalom Separate tracks for each gender except for Slalom Common Finish area Common Finish area Mens DHLadies DH SL FINISH GS (M) SG/SC(M) GS(L) SG/SC(L)

The Schedule Slalom, the final event at the Alpine venue, Ladies and Men run on consecutive days Slalom, the final event at the Alpine venue, Ladies and Men run on consecutive days

The Weather

The Weather Always the big story at Whistler

Typical Weather During Speed At the Start…

Typical Weather During Speed While at the Finish…

The Weather Heavy Rain in January during preparations (XY junction viewed from Coaches Corner)

The Weather In the early going we had so much rain we had to build diversionary canals…

The Weather For the Ladies Track we had different problems

Men’s ROC Management Group The Green Hats (other 2 found now 2 more missing)

Ladies ROC Management Group

It wasn’t easy being green….

The ROC benefitted from professional working relationships with FIS Race Directors Developed over the past few years at Whistler…

Two Day Ladies GS

Collaboration with FIS Race Directors

Track Preparation The men’s downhill track was water injected with Steinbach beams during every window of opportunity. The men’s downhill track was water injected with Steinbach beams during every window of opportunity. The slalom segment of the track was injected a total of 4-5 times from fence to fence. The slalom segment of the track was injected a total of 4-5 times from fence to fence.

Track Preparation Water Injection

Track Preparation Water Injection – 6 beams wide

Track Preparation Day and Night

Track Preparation …and more nights

Get Rest Whenever You Can

Downhill Start Area

Dan’s “Tractors” at DH Start

Winching the DH Start

The Entire Track Could be Illuminated with Diesel Construction Lighting

Olympic Fog

Dressing for the Weather While Respecting Vanoc Uniform Protocol

DH Inspection

View to Finish Stadium from Slalom Start

Volunteer Slip Crew The Slip Crew headed by Andrée Janyk contributed an outstanding effort day and night. The Slip Crew headed by Andrée Janyk contributed an outstanding effort day and night. During track preparation: During track preparation: –Snow accumulation on the upper mountain could be slipped clear… –From mid station down, the accumulation of wet snow mixed with rain was ski- stepped, wall to wall, around the clock.

Ski Stepping Teamwork - 5 cm sideways at a time

Ski Stepping All night long…

Manual Snow Removal

FIS Race Directors Enforce Vanoc H1N1 Pandemic Protocol Alternative to handshakes and hugging

After a successful GS

By the end of the speed program, the FIS Pros had completely assimilated with our culture

The Slalom Early Injection Water injection continued on the lower track in preparation for the slalom events. Water injection continued on the lower track in preparation for the slalom events. –The early injection provided a solid foundation upon which a track could be prepared for slalom

The Slalom Later Injection –The later injection, despite near 100% relative humidity and thoroughly saturated snow, produced a positive effect by drilling holes which allowed scarce frost to penetrate, and which facilitated some evaporation, to maximize cooling of the snow surface –This injection was performed tightly and quickly, drilling but not filling the holes

The Slalom Coordination – Ladies’ and Men’s The track was partitioned with the Ladies running skiers left on February 26 th and the men running skiers right on February 27th The track was partitioned with the Ladies running skiers left on February 26 th and the men running skiers right on February 27th

The Slalom Weather No freezing temperatures on the track for 48 hours prior to the men’s slalom. No freezing temperatures on the track for 48 hours prior to the men’s slalom.

The Plan Hans Pieren FIS Race Director and the ROC Develop a Plan

The Men’s Slalom Race Day Snow Preparation Procedures Following athlete inspection: Following athlete inspection: –Shovel crews remove 12” berms created during inspection (also reminding less experienced racers that inspection was closing in 10 minutes and they still had half the course to go). –40 boot packers create 2 cm impressions in the surface. –Snow hardening product is broadcast by hand

The Men’s Slalom Race Day Snow Preparation Procedures Following athlete inspection: Following athlete inspection: –Continued… –20 slippers close the boot-packed surface behind the application –Water is spray applied with fire hoses to activate the chemical –A 2 nd surface broadcast and light slip to close –Security to protect course during reaction between snow, air and water

Rallying Men’s track volunteers at mid-station tent to begin hand clearing snow from track at the conclusion of Ladies’ Slalom

Mobilizing the crew

Men’s Slalom Athlete Inspection

Men’s Slalom 40 boot packers follow inspection

Men’s Slalom Application of Snow Hardener Follows Boot Packers

Men’s Slalom Slippers follow applicators follow boot packers

Men’s Slalom Water follows slippers follow applicators follow boot packers

Men’s Slalom Hands-on FIS Race Directors

Men’s Slalom Boot Packing Army Marches Downward

Men’s Slalom 100 Course Crew arrive at the finish 10 minutes before first forerunner

10 minutes to get Jury, FIS pros and key course crew back to start. 10 minutes to get Jury, FIS pros and key course crew back to start.

Men’s Slalom The Result….. The Result…..

Men’s Slalom The Making of a Slalom Course – Men’s Slalom Summary Summary –Develop relationships with your TD, ROC, Jury, Coaches and Volunteers –Gather expertise and ideas –Sometimes anything is possible once you commit to a program and get enrolment and the commitment of others

Men’s Slalom The Making of a Slalom Course – Men’s Slalom Thank you! Thank you! Questions? Questions?