Was für ein Rennen in Schladming! Unbelievable!

Was für ein Rennen in Schladming! Unbelievable!

Postby Eiszapfen » Tue Jan 28, 2014 2:45 pm

Wasn't it great?

Hope you all had the posibility to watch the Slalom in Schladming, the so called "NIght Race". In my opinion it was the most exciting Slalom of this season's Worldcup. First Felix, our german ski star, did a great job, went down without mistakes, then Hirscher took the risk and only needed 0,01 less than Felix! Finally, when I thought that the race was over, the 19 year old Kristofferson showed them all how to ski and just flew down the slope... I still don't know how he did it.
What do you think? Could you recognize any technical difference between those three?
I think they are all doing some pretty great PMTS skiing with a highly developed phantom move, but Felix and Hirscher did use a slightly wider stance than Kristofferson did, didn't they?
I'm sure Mr. Harb can add some interesting facts.

Greetings from bavaria :D
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Re: Was für ein Rennen in Schladming! Unbelievable!

Postby arnokamphuis » Tue Jan 28, 2014 3:34 pm

It was such a great race. I just enjoyed it very very much. I don't have any comments on the technique, just a lot of fun to watch it!!!!
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Re: Was für ein Rennen in Schladming! Unbelievable!

Postby h.harb » Tue Jan 28, 2014 7:18 pm

It's actually a simple view point, Kristofferson just an amazing talent, and he has cleaned up his skiing as far as his upper body during the season. It shows. He seems to really focus on what the best are doing and learning. Different from the Swedes who seem to be stubbornly focused on touching their hands on the snow and rotating. The Italian Team except for Thaler is a mess, poor direction, poor coaching, and bad equipment and set ups.
Felix, Marcel, Kristofferson and sometimes Pintaurault are the cream at the top. One mistake by anyone of them, and the tables turn. Two mistakes and you are 3rd or 4th, still a big step ahead of the rest, but not top 3. Kristofferson really skied it smart, cooled it near the bottom to set up perfectly for the final steep. Hirscher as usual was a little wild, but right on the skis and gaining in time until he screwed up before the final steep, got low and lost at least 0.40. Felix skied very well every where, just missed a little on the energetic flexing and rebound. Just finished his turns a little too clean. Pintaurault was off, just couldn't find the line.

Matt was good, he's still not to be underestimated with his speed, but had some luck, with the top 4, he could still surprise people at the Olympics.

There are definitely some equipment trends to take notice. The Lange and Rossi skiers, in particular the Solvanian and the Russian, and some Rossi boot set ups are really soft. That means they are really knocked kneed. These skiers are much better than their results, that includes Haugen. It's sad to watch them working so hard, it's not bad technique it's bad boot set up. The skiers on Fischer boots also still really struggling, it's just not working. Look at the overall Italian Team, great talent, but they are almost all on Fischer boots what huge error. It's amazing the coaches don't see it.
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Re: Was für ein Rennen in Schladming! Unbelievable!

Postby jbotti » Tue Jan 28, 2014 10:14 pm

Just finished watching the race. Amazing!! One of the more exciting ones for sure and I knew the outcome already!!
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Re: Was für ein Rennen in Schladming! Unbelievable!

Postby deicreo » Wed Jan 29, 2014 2:09 pm

Harald,

there is really some madness about those Fisher set ups. Of the 27 of racers that finished Schladming slalom 9 were on Fischer boots. This number is very constant
from race to race. As much as 30 % of racers were using fischer boots!!! Counting those on voelkl skis as well. I do not know what it is that keeps racers choosing Fischer, but must be very perceiving. Or as you mentioned many times techs/racers have little knowledge of the proper boot alignment.
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Re: Was für ein Rennen in Schladming! Unbelievable!

Postby HeluvaSkier » Wed Jan 29, 2014 3:55 pm

I suspect the number of racers on Fischer are the result of the Fischer tech-event skis being some of the best in the business. I only see two men that are scoring points using the boot only. The latest stiff flex (not normal medium) Fischer SL ski is the most well balanced SL ski I’ve ever been on. I haven’t skied the newest version of the GS ski yet, but the 190cm stiff version I have is the most well balanced GS ski I’ve been on.

I ski in the pre-Vacuum version of the Fischer race boot. I also have Nordica Dobermann 150’s. The Fischer setup is far superior to the Dobie setup. The Fischer is a much higher performance boot – stiffer both fore/aft and laterally, with a significantly more robust lower. The setup is tricky though… neutral is a half-degree or so different between the two boots. I’ve heard non-Vacuum versions of the WC boot are still being used. This would indicate that even if the Vacuum boot may not be being used due to it's limitations, the techs still don't know how to align their skiers.

Lucky for me though, I still have a new pair of non-Vacuum boots in the box waiting to be fitted and aligned, and I know how to set them up now. If I end up on new Fischer gear next season, I’ll be requesting non-Vaccum boots. If they can't get me a pair, I always have my pair in reserve. I don’t trust the stiffness properties of any plastic that becomes moldable at 80 degrees C (176 degrees F).
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Re: Was für ein Rennen in Schladming! Unbelievable!

Postby h.harb » Wed Jan 29, 2014 5:06 pm

No one is questioning the Fischer skis, the race skis, that is, they make some recreational skis that I wouldn't even advise PSIA skiers to ski on. The boots are really a "set up" dilemma, even Greg admits, so for some if you tip them out far enough for the start of the turn, they end up "far" too inside at the end. If you tip them out to cure the inside knee drop, for the end of the turn; they are too far outside at the beginning. Thaler makes them work and his leg might be "OK" for a Fischer boot.

My point however, isn't about just being; "it's OK"!!!!!!??????? This is after all the World Cup. If you are racing at any level why compromise? There are far better products available, why fight to just stay on a produce because it might be OK???? It Doesn't make sense, I see this all the time, it's your life, your career, select the best from the best performers. It's obvious that Nordica, Salomon, and some skiers on Atomic, it works, but the rest are a comprise. Even Kristofferson, his Rossi boot works, but for most of the rest, the set up, it's a set up nightmare. The Rossi is different from the Fisher however, because it can be set up for almost everyone to work. Not so with the Fischer boot. If it isn't perfectly smooth snow and totally hard ice, say good bye to the Fischer skiers. The boot makes them grind out a long radius and then they can't release, it is ugly to watch. I can not believe the Italians Sl skiers are all on this product. Someone made some bad decisions. and after awhile they will blame the lack of results it on the skiers, not the product.
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Re: Was für ein Rennen in Schladming! Unbelievable!

Postby deicreo » Thu Jan 30, 2014 4:09 am

Thanks Harald and Heluva for sharing your experience.

In favour of Nordica: The small team of their athletes are really scoring well. Obviously, Neureuter is the best representative, but we have Hargin, Dopfer and Myhrer being
continuously in sl top 10. Myhrer has got child now and looks little bid distracted, but was already sl overall season winner. Also he is making lots of "O" frame transitions which is a rare thing
among fischer boot users ( apart from you Heluva :wink: ). This observation makes me think that Fischer having so many great skiers is somewhat underperforming in comparison to Nordica.
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