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Skiing Speeds
- Thread starter ctenidae
- Start date
dmc
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ctenidae said:
Yes we are... And thats why I still ski sometimes... So I can go fast.. And ski bumps..
Although a friend of mine beat all but one skiier in a speed event a few years ago.. He was using a huge race board and was wearing a speed suit...
GadgetRick
New member
Not again....
I hope we're not going to get into the helmet battle again.
Speeds have increased quite a bit in the last 10-20 years, not because of safety gear, rather, the skis/snowboards have gotten better (along with the boots). Some people did a study like this years ago then did it again recently and saw the speeds dramtically increased.
I hope we're not going to get into the helmet battle again.
Speeds have increased quite a bit in the last 10-20 years, not because of safety gear, rather, the skis/snowboards have gotten better (along with the boots). Some people did a study like this years ago then did it again recently and saw the speeds dramtically increased.
B
BickMaster
Guest
Ice, snow and speed: how not to get bored with bad conditions...
One aspect of the speed problem in the east is the lack of powder for advanced skiers. If the conditions are chalk or glassy ice (as most of the time) you quickly get bored and take your revenge on speed and downhill instead of glades an double diamonds... *< :O(
I bought a Super G pair of Volkl for that sole purpose a couple of years ago.
They are now replaced by a race snowboard with hard boots so I get my adrenaline shot on the technical side since I am an intermediate snowboarder as oposed to an expert skier. *< :OP
A friend of mine who's an advanced skier told me that his buddy is following him with his race board. I could believe this from Jasey Jay Anderson but haven't got the chance to see such a rider with my eyes yet ... anyway, that's just like telemark, more demanding for equal performances.
One aspect of the speed problem in the east is the lack of powder for advanced skiers. If the conditions are chalk or glassy ice (as most of the time) you quickly get bored and take your revenge on speed and downhill instead of glades an double diamonds... *< :O(
I bought a Super G pair of Volkl for that sole purpose a couple of years ago.
They are now replaced by a race snowboard with hard boots so I get my adrenaline shot on the technical side since I am an intermediate snowboarder as oposed to an expert skier. *< :OP
A friend of mine who's an advanced skier told me that his buddy is following him with his race board. I could believe this from Jasey Jay Anderson but haven't got the chance to see such a rider with my eyes yet ... anyway, that's just like telemark, more demanding for equal performances.
ctenidae
Active member
I thought it was ineresting what teh average speed is. I sometimes feel like I'm absolutely flying, but have no way of really telling how fast I'm going. I suppose anytime you're out of control you're going too fast. Nice shot of adrenaline, though.
B
beswift
Guest
Speed.
Over the past twenty years I have skied with some extra-ordinarily good skiers, ski professionals and others. After being chided on a few occasions for speeding on Blue box or Intermediate trails by some of them, I have changed my attitude when skiing on those days where the temptation is to cruise. Most of those guys would hit their top speeds on the Black Diamond Trails, taking the fall line and making a few quick turns. However, they would use their free skiing on the intermediate trails to work on their turns, making as many as they could. Now, that doesn't mean that they didn't let it rip on occasion, but it does mean that they were into getting their muscles in shape by working the easy slopes. The other day I was skiing pretty much alone with the Holderness school race team while they had Cannon for free skiing. They rip the mountain when not in school as my friends and I did when their age. I took this run on Rocket with one of the girls who blew by me trying to set downhill records. We had the slope to ourselves so obviously I gave chase as this is man's favorite sport. 8) At the bottom I nearly caught an edge and went flying into the Lake.
At that point I let out a yelp and recovered. At the beginning of the chairlift there was this other girl (not a racer and prabably just an intermediate) standing looking pretty and watching us both. When I came up after the racer she had an incredible look of shock and fear on her face . It came from watching this lunatic chasing a girl down the mountain. :blink: Then I got on the next chair and was riding only a few behind the Holderness girl. I started singing this jingo which is set to the words >>You cruise and you lose<<. She was visibly shaken by that message as I was when it was presented to me.
Over the past twenty years I have skied with some extra-ordinarily good skiers, ski professionals and others. After being chided on a few occasions for speeding on Blue box or Intermediate trails by some of them, I have changed my attitude when skiing on those days where the temptation is to cruise. Most of those guys would hit their top speeds on the Black Diamond Trails, taking the fall line and making a few quick turns. However, they would use their free skiing on the intermediate trails to work on their turns, making as many as they could. Now, that doesn't mean that they didn't let it rip on occasion, but it does mean that they were into getting their muscles in shape by working the easy slopes. The other day I was skiing pretty much alone with the Holderness school race team while they had Cannon for free skiing. They rip the mountain when not in school as my friends and I did when their age. I took this run on Rocket with one of the girls who blew by me trying to set downhill records. We had the slope to ourselves so obviously I gave chase as this is man's favorite sport. 8) At the bottom I nearly caught an edge and went flying into the Lake.
At that point I let out a yelp and recovered. At the beginning of the chairlift there was this other girl (not a racer and prabably just an intermediate) standing looking pretty and watching us both. When I came up after the racer she had an incredible look of shock and fear on her face . It came from watching this lunatic chasing a girl down the mountain. :blink: Then I got on the next chair and was riding only a few behind the Holderness girl. I started singing this jingo which is set to the words >>You cruise and you lose<<. She was visibly shaken by that message as I was when it was presented to me.skidon
New member
Hey Bick, not only can a snowboarder on carving equipment keep up with a skier, he (or she) can drop the skier like a bad habit. I'm a ski racer, and I know snowboarders that I cannot stay with turn for turn. They have so much leverage, it's impressive to see the trenches they can carve even into really firm snow. I have no intention of ditching my 2-stix for one, but you have to respect the carving snowboarders. I'm surprised there aren't more of them out there.
riverc0il
New member
in reference to the notes beswift mentions, i know as a former racer (almost typed raver :lol: ) that you're free skiing time is still good practice time, so you keep carving up high speed arcs even when you're not with the coach working a drill. actually, a lot of drills race teams use involve slowing down and working on a specific aspect of technique, and while you're doing gates often you're more concerned with the gates than working the form and technique... so free ski is often the best time to really rip it and practice the high speed arcs. not that i do so any more, but remember the thought process.
back to speed, i think too often people are trying to set speed records with their skiing (this coming from a former racer keep in mind). i always like to work really precise and technical short and quick turns on the sides of trails where the snow gets pushed over to. when i'm "on", i feel like i can stop on a dime or put my skis any where.... i can put my skis 180 degrees the other way within three down hill feet without making a hop turn, and i can do it with excellent form and balance. then i look toward the center of the trail and see people either barrelling down hill quickly or people side slipping and scraping the whole thing. i can link railroad carved turns together all day and that takes skill and energy. but i think a complete skier can also have amazing control at slow speed.
26.7 mph sounds about right for an average speed of most skiers. i'd guess without checking any stats to back up my guess that most good recreational skiers likely have a top speed of 40-50 in control, recreational racers in the 60s. downhill racers reach 70-80 in some places and i doubt many recreational skiers ever get going that fast.
back to speed, i think too often people are trying to set speed records with their skiing (this coming from a former racer keep in mind). i always like to work really precise and technical short and quick turns on the sides of trails where the snow gets pushed over to. when i'm "on", i feel like i can stop on a dime or put my skis any where.... i can put my skis 180 degrees the other way within three down hill feet without making a hop turn, and i can do it with excellent form and balance. then i look toward the center of the trail and see people either barrelling down hill quickly or people side slipping and scraping the whole thing. i can link railroad carved turns together all day and that takes skill and energy. but i think a complete skier can also have amazing control at slow speed.
26.7 mph sounds about right for an average speed of most skiers. i'd guess without checking any stats to back up my guess that most good recreational skiers likely have a top speed of 40-50 in control, recreational racers in the 60s. downhill racers reach 70-80 in some places and i doubt many recreational skiers ever get going that fast.
RuffusCorncobb
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XCoutry Speeds
Due to black out dates on our All east passes a friend and I were doing some Xcross country skiing this weekend up in Bear Knotch. My buddy had his gps with him seams it clocked us at 23 mph on one of the long down hill sections. It never seamed all that fast. Made me wonder if it wasnt time to start wearing a helmet when I was out ploding thru the woods. Our over all speed for the day was just slightly more than 2 mph LOL
Due to black out dates on our All east passes a friend and I were doing some Xcross country skiing this weekend up in Bear Knotch. My buddy had his gps with him seams it clocked us at 23 mph on one of the long down hill sections. It never seamed all that fast. Made me wonder if it wasnt time to start wearing a helmet when I was out ploding thru the woods. Our over all speed for the day was just slightly more than 2 mph LOL
ctenidae
Active member
That's pretty good, Ruffus. My brother and I rode in the NYC Century last fall, and we were humping it a lot of the time, but when we got done and averaged our speed out over the whole time, it was like 11 mph. Gotta hate those rest stops. And the hills. Who knew there were so many hills in Queens?
I wonder how accurate your GPS was on the downhill speeds. Anybody have any exerience on that? At 23 mph, does a location error of 10-15 meters make much difference? I'd work it out, but that's far too much math for a Monday morning.
I wonder how accurate your GPS was on the downhill speeds. Anybody have any exerience on that? At 23 mph, does a location error of 10-15 meters make much difference? I'd work it out, but that's far too much math for a Monday morning.
ChileMass
Active member
When I raced back in the early Seventies, one day during practice the coaches set up 2 "electric eyes" 100 meters apart to measure our speed. The sensors were set up at the steepest part of our giant slalom course, about 2/3 of the way down the slope, when we were at full speed. At age 13 and about 125 pounds, I hit 67 mph. I have to say I was skiing at the absolute outer edge of my abilities, and I was right on the verge of crashing. It was quite a contest among my teammates to try to set the fastest speed for the team, and as I recall 4 or 5 guys actually went faster than me, amazingly enough. That was a long time ago, but I don't think I've ever come close to going that fast in recreational skiing. I do know that I have scared the sh*t out of myself a few times ripping down a trail, but I don't think I ever hit 67 mph again.
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