Ski Jewel Update

It looks like they're making decent progress with the Alpbach / Wildschönau Ski Jewel lift. Also if you've ever wondered how they drop the pylons in place (in pic 2) I understand they use a helicopter. The final image is what awaits on the other side. Can't wait!

New Station

Thought you might like to see the new picture that appeared on the Alpbach tourist office's Facebook site today. This looks like the new top lift station linking Alpbach with Wildschönau.

Monthly Timings

As the website is again being completely non co-operative I've added monthly timings for June & July here. Thanks to Phil, as ever, for compiling these. They're also on the timings page of the website but the server just isn't playing ball at present. With the traditional August break on the horizon the next chance to put yourself against the clock through slalom poles at Telford will be Wed 5th Sept.

DF

The K-Monster & A New Batch

Midland Club National

1st July, 2012

The day all of the training on & off skis paid off. A day that Kirran Girling - now forever to be known as the K-Monster - nailed 3 runs together and smashed it. Whether smashed refered to his U16 competitors, his BARTS seed points or virtually the rest of the field is irrelevant, 'cos he smashed them all. 1st U16, 6th overall and a 30 point BARTS drop says it all really as this was the day the K-Monster came of age. This was no freak result or accident however as the long hours winter training at Telford and a clearly impressive fitness regime combined into a blur of speed down the region's longest ski slope.

Elsewhere there was also plenty of good news. Ellen Brown, another who has put the winter dendix training miles in made 2nd in category, 3rd overall and again proved she has the speed to compete at the top end of the timings board. Expect a race win from Ellen sometime soon.  

In the boys race Dieter Bowers enjoyed a solid day, and whilst his 3rd run didn't quite deliver the hoped for time his frustration at an overall top 20 confirmed the progress he has made. Jordan's lack of speed meant he had to settle for 3rd U16 and Charlotte Shrimpton's 3rd run DNF ended any hopes she had for the day..

It was pretty much good news all the way in the younger categories. In the U10's Charley Fellows overturned a small deficit in run 3 to claim victory with Ellie Drummond skiing into 6th place. In the boys U10 event Harvey Campbell claimed 6th despite a strong uphill wind just about destroying every run he had whilst Matthew Williams continued his improvement to claim 8th place. Team Telford pretty much dominated the U12 girls category with Ellie Jackson claiming 1st & Issy Drummond 3rd, whilst Grace Williams continued her stellar season with 2nd U14. 

We've enjoyed a long and impressive run of stellar results from our established female racers over recent summer seasons and it looks like a new batch are on the way - you have been warned.

Charley topping the podium in U10's

Issy, claiming 3rd in U12's

Ellie, after winning the U12's

Grace, 2nd U14

Biggest smile of the day from the K-Monster & Jordan 3rd  - U16

Ellen, Runner up U18

DF

Ski Jewel

So after years and years (and years) of talking, they're finally linking Alpbach with the other side of the Schatzberg Mountain. It'll be rebranded as Ski Jewel Alpbachtal Wildschönau and offer 145 km of runs with 47 lifts. The lift will take the direction as shown below and there' a couple of snaps of the first plyon hole being sunk next to the Wiedersbergerhornbahn lift in Inneralpbach. Looking forward to it already!

DF

Hitting The North

Saturday afternoon heralded a new era for the club as we headed north and kicked off our monthly indoor sessions at Xscape Castleford. Given the really short notice on this one only five of the group made it onto the white stuff but it's fair to say they had a great time and made some stunning improvements in their skiing. 

After some intense Alan Ashfield instruction Issy, Ellie, Charley, Ellie and Harvey were unrecognisable from the kids who had entered the building four hours earlier. As ever the concentrated block of instruction allowed the kids to experiment and find the changes Alan was looking for and whilst they looked absolutely shattered at the end, the improvement they'd all found made their work and the trip very worthwhile.

Thanks the Lee at SZR for allowing us to join in and also to the guys at Castleford. Their attitude to racers and clubs is spot on, they were most welcoming and very helpful. It's a pity all indoor facilities don't have the same ethos to clubs, racers and the sport. I think we can do some good things between us in the future. 

The July session is scheduled for Sat 21st July with the August date confirmed as Sat Aug 25th. I suspect that these sessions are going to prove popular.

DF