Marcel Hircher & then everyone else (off topic)

[h.harb]

We have subbed the iSpeed for the TT800 now, it's stronger, has metal and still makes the same turn. We definitely thought the TT800 was detuned from the original TT80. The other ski we really like and it's like a TT80 is the Mya 7, but only comes into the country up to a 163cm. I'm still looking for the 170cm demo ski HEad used at the show. I tested a 170cm, at the ski show in Feb. great ski, like a TT80 but held the ice much better.

[NoCleverName]

I'd be interested in what models you are carrying this year.

[Basil j]

I love all 3 of my skis for different reasons, but have always had a bias towards Fischers for their hard snow grip.

If you get a chance demo Head and Elan carving skis. Both have incredible hard snow grip with a great flex pattern.

And see this thread for racer specific info:

http://pmts.org/pmtsforum/viewtopic.php ... 29&p=31381

anyone have experience with the Elan SLX? I have an opportunity to get a pair new for $300.00. specs say that this should be an extremely solid hard snow carver?

[HighAngles]

Yep, I own a pair and Chris Brown (HSS shop manager) has skied the SLX for a few years. It's a nice ski.

[Max_501]

anyone have experience with the Elan SLX? I have an opportunity to get a pair new for $300.00. specs say that this should be an extremely solid hard snow carver?

Very good hard snow ski. Could be a bit stiff depending on ski level. I ski it in a 170.

[jbotti]

Returning to the original topic that started this thread. While I agree that Marcel Hirscher has technique that we should all copy the most, if you look at the skiing from Soelden, Hirscher is only the third best GS skier in the world. Pinterault started to do this last year in that he is emulating Ted with a rounder, smoother turn which requires more patience and extremely high edge angles. At his best Pinterault was faster then Hirscher last year but less consistent. If Soelden is any indication, Hischer still is taking a straighter more aggressive line with a less smooth choppier approach. He had all summer to figure out why Ted is faster and work it into his skiing but it just looks like it goes against his personality and everything he learned over the years that made him fast (and on 27m skis it would likely work better). He still is the favorite to win the overall but I think Pinterault has a good chance to finish higher in GS this year than Hisrcher.

Ted is the greatest and most dominating GS skier in history other than Stenmark. And a complete joy to watch ski GS. It's pure magic the way he skies it. Truly a thing of beauty.

[h.harb]

Skis, Skis Skis.

[HighAngles]

And Ted is the American so of course I'm always rooting for him. I really hope he gets his SL figured out. I wonder if he's aware of Harald's MA of him? You would think that in this age of the Internet that he would be aware, but not necessarily acknowledge it.

[h.harb]

I agree with jBotti, Pintarault is a Phenom. Which I happen to have called a few years ago. I think he's smoother in his arcs than Hirscher, but I think it's largely due to ski design. I already saw it last year. Salomon has a nice bending ski, like the Heads. Atomics suck and they didn't improve them much from last season. So if you want to ski like the best world cup skiers (as a mere mortal) stay away from Atomic GS skis and Fischer boots.

[h.harb]

Remember Ted was 14th fastest in the second run, the middle guys who get the wind were the fastest. Hirscher and Pintarault beat Ted in the second run, without the wind benefit.

[Basil j]

anyone have experience with the Elan SLX? I have an opportunity to get a pair new for $300.00. specs say that this should be an extremely solid hard snow carver?

Very good hard snow ski. Could be a bit stiff depending on ski level. I ski it in a 170.[/q
Is there a big difference between the SLX and SLC? SLC looks like s a detuned SLX?

[jbotti]

Remember Ted was 14th fastest in the second run, the middle guys who get the wind were the fastest. Hirscher and Pintarault beat Ted in the second run, without the wind benefit.

Pinterault was faster than Ted in the second run 58.95 to 59.06 but Hirscher ran at 59.10.

[h.harb]

However the Finn, Missillier and Sindal really moved up on everyone. Missillier won the 2nd run, beat Ted by 1 second.

[jbotti]

I am getting the not so subtle feeling that you are not a Ted Ligety fan

Whether we root for Ted or not it's undeniable what he's accomplished. Only two people in the history of mens ski racing have more WC GS wins than Ted (18), Stenmark (46) and Von Gruenigan (23). It's a good bet that by the time he retires he will pass Von Gruenigan. It's clearly not all the skis because he was doing this on 27m skis as well and in the beginning on 21m skis (and he didn't always ski for Head). Simply he is the greatest GS skier of his time, by a reasonable margin.

[h.harb]

I'm not an anti Ted fan, he's just not my idea of a complete skier. He sucks in slalom, and I don't mean he's just not getting it, he actually sucks, (compared to the top 10) not because he charges or takes too many risks, but because his fundamental technique is terrible. Even when he's 9th or 11th, he does it on his athletic ability, not good skiing. Not that even 10th is not admirable, but compared to the rest, it doesn't make him a great skier in my view. And some of it has to do with Head slalom skis not being the best ski in the slalom field.

I think Pinarault is a great skier, I'm a big Pinarault fan, because he's technically great in both slalom and GS.

As far as the skis. Not one guy on Atomic was in the top 10 last season, all year, except Hirscher. (sorry maybe Beni got a 10th somewhere) Hirscher is almost always on the podium. I don't care how many Head skis were in the top 10 in GS last year beside Ted, although there were many others. Guys you never heard of were popping into the top 10 in GS on Heads. One comes to mind, the frenchman who wasn't even on the team got a medal.

But Hirscher being the only one on Atomic on the podium in GS, tells you the Atomic skis suck, and because he's the only one, it's completely on Hirscher's skiing that got him even to the podium. He beat Ted in a GS and he had another one in the bag, but crashed near the bottom of the second run, as did Pinarault in a GS race. Even with those two incidents, Ted would have won the GS globe, which is great. However, I guarantee that Hirscher can make every bit of a GS turn that Ted can make, if he were on the same skis.