Friday, December 10, 2010

Cancelled!!!

This morning we woke up to 12 inches of beautiful powder. Ten years ago I would have hopped out of bed and been the first in the lift line. But times have changed and today I drove to the slopes before openning to check the status of the race. The decision had already been made (and it was the right one). The athletes were on the hill tearing down the netting as this was the final day of the series.

Cancelled... the word we all hate to hear. Cancelled ski races just disappear -- there just isn't room on the calendar and enough flexibility in ski area operations to reschedule them. Cancellations are a bitter pill for everyone in ski racing:
-- The athletes are always ready to go. They've been preparing for months. Each race is an opportunity. Their mental preparation is in full swing the evening prior and by race morning their focus is narrowing. Cancelations are an emotional letdown.
-- The coaches are probably the most conflicted by cancellations. They likewise go through months of preparation. They are fully invested in their athletes. They, more than anyone, have a broader view of the opportunities each race presents. However, they are also deeply protective of their athletes' welfare and watch closely to ensure the right decisions are made.
-- The Race Committee and Organizers work months preparing to host major events. 95% of the workers are volunteers who have put in the sweat equity to create a viable and safe venue. They are great people and take pride in their work. Most of them either have, or had, ski racers in their family.
-- The parents foot the bill. Besides liking to watch the races and see their kids succeed, they've paid some pretty big bucks to get their kid to the events. For instance, one region charged $900 per athlete for this three race event (not including transportation). If one race falls out, the family perceives to have "lost" a $300 investment. But the fixed costs don't change -- that's just the way this sport works and it's actually fair. This is a winter sport and there is associated risk to each race investment.

In the end, the difficult decision to cancel a race is made by the Jury, headed by the Technical Delegate. I could write a full blog describing this person's job and responsibilities. Suffice to say, he/she is the final authority at any race and has overall responsibility for protecting our athletes, the workers and the public. The TD also has a full understanding of all impacts this has on each cohort, but he/she makes the decision that best serves the athletes and the sport. Special people.

The Team had reserved the rooms through tonight, which was a good move. If the race had gone off the boys would be thankful for a hot shower and a bed after tearing down all of the "B" netting (see explanation below). Last year Scott and I drove late after this race and the netting drill and we were miserable. So anyway, the boys had a full day off. I have no idea what they did, although I heard a Canadian vs US hockey game was on tap. They played one two days ago and the Canadians killed them. Scott loves skating and is really getting into hockey (minus fistfights, thank you).

For my part, I had a condo waiting in Panorama. I'll go see my Ski Patrol buddies, pick up my lift tickets, and ski around a while. I want to look at the snow conditions. Looking forward to the next race series.

Oh yeah. "B" Netting. If you watch TV and see the triple walls of red netting lining the course, that's "A" and "B" netting. Traditionally the athletes and coaches dismantle and roll all the "B" netting at the end of an event. It's awkward, difficult and time consuming, but part of the deal.

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