Jay Peak Extreme Ski Comp

[Robert Goulet]

Last year, and I'm sure in the near future, john witherspoon organized it. he has about a decade of experience on teh IFSA tour and knows what he's doing. I'd say this past winter, the field was about 45 and it got whittled down to 25ish for the finals. Then we had two runs in for the finals. Numbers wasn't the problem. Even if the number increase to, say 75, you should just spot 2 days for the event like most other IFSA events. This one was the only one I've seen that is only one day.

 

[hardline]

Last year, and I'm sure in the near future, john witherspoon organized it. he has about a decade of experience on teh IFSA tour and knows what he's doing. I'd say this past winter, the field was about 45 and it got whittled down to 25ish for the finals. Then we had two runs in for the finals. Numbers wasn't the problem. Even if the number increase to, say 75, you should just spot 2 days for the event like most other IFSA events. This one was the only one I've seen that is only one day.

one day seems to be rushed. i wonder if its the management that was pushing for one day.

 

[deadheadskier]

one day seems to be rushed. i wonder if its the management that was pushing for one day.

given the volatility of the weather, even at Jay, if you want to schedule an event months / weeks out, chances diminish that you'll get good conditions two days in a row.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

how'd you do?

its something i wish would get more exposure. I know its not like the extreme comps they have out west but it still would be cool to watch.

My goal was top 10...but I finished 19th out of 120 or so...I popped the cliff under the tram...about a 10' drop, stuck the landing but high sided on the bump after it, rolled out of it and finished the run. The guy who won went right after me (jay local), did a front flip off the same drop, high sided and fell on the same bump...but went on to win. I was a little bummed by my performance as well as the score...when I looked at the judges scores I'd scored 5th overall according to 2 of the 3 judges but 40th or something like that by the 3rd judge. Anyway, I didn't deserve a top 10 but there were only a few people who caught any air. I'd go back and do it again if it hadn't felt like such a waste of time...a whole day for 2 runs was rough...4hrs of driving on each end too...and it was butt ass cold that day.

 

[deadheadskier]

Was this during 2000-2001? I remember a competition like that at Jay where I heard the winner launched a front flip

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

yeah, it was supposed to be one qualifier and two scored runs...in one day, but as I said, they qualified everyone and didn't limit the entrants despite advertising a limited, first come, first served sign in...I drove from portland, maine after bartending until 2am. The conditions were firm...no fresh snow, about 0 deg and windy. But, excuses are like aholes, everyone has one and they all stink...I hucked, I landed, I fell...not my best run. I'd do it again.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

Was this during 2000-2001? I remember a competition like that at Jay where I heard the winner launched a front flip

yup, that sounds about right...another guy launched about 30' but landed in a small pine tree...he had the most air by far...think he was 3rd. there were only 5-6 of us who got any air.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

how'd you do?

its something i wish would get more exposure. I know its not like the extreme comps they have out west but it still would be cool to watch.

I'd get my ass handed to me out west...I can get down the hill okay but those guys are tapped!

 

[hardline]

I'd get my ass handed to me out west...I can get down the hill okay but those guys are tapped!

maybe not. i watching video of the comp from the bird last year and there was someone from vt layin it down. its amazing what a season out west on good snow will do for you.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

maybe not. i watching video of the comp from the bird last year and there was someone from vt layin it down. its amazing what a season out west on good snow will do for you.

I've had the seasons out west on good snow...but the last time I watched a US freesking open those guys were going 40+ off ugly exposure onto even uglier landings...and some were throwing backs. I'll take 30' or so with a deep and steep landing but higher than that onto crud and my sphincter puckers. there's good and then there's good + nucking futs! I'm not nuckig futs...I'm 35 with a wife and kid...hell, I wouldn't have done it at 25 and single anyway.

 

[Robert Goulet]

maybe not. i watching video of the comp from the bird last year and there was someone from vt layin it down. its amazing what a season out west on good snow will do for you.

That was Dylan Crossman. He won the event. He's been in Alta for years and is a terrific skier.

At Jay, the biggest cliff on the face wasn't even hittable this year (you had to take it in two stages) because the landing was flat, refrozen corn with moguls. Noone attempted. I have been doing comps out west for 3 years and 30 feet isn't a huge deal in a comp. Enough to raise eyebrows but certainly won't get you major props even if you stick it. However, sticking a 30 footer out west and sticking a 30 footer out east is a different story. I wouldn't have even considered taking that 30 footer on the face the day of the comp. Out west, just about everything is more forgiving, but there is more exposure....
Kind of like comparing apples and oranges.
In terms of judging, though, I think this year the judging was pretty sound. If you fell, you were docked hard. But you had to take air in order to come in top 10.

 

[riverc0il]

I'd have to go with not much. Maybe 30degrees...and that's for the steep sections....the run out is flat.

I'd say that the main Face Chute is steeper than 30* if you discount the run out and take just the main pitch. I can't think of anything in bounds that is much steeper that I have skied in New England. That said, I was disappointed my first time skiing it as it wasn't as steep as I had expected it to feel (not really approaching anything like the Tuckerman gullies, which start around 35*, as an example).

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

Bob Goulet...I like your work on the small screen.
I was at snowbird for another industry event that week...it was not soft those days! it got better by the end of the week as shown in my avatar...but on the days of the freesking comp it was firm and the guys who took big air deserve BIG props. Like I said, nucking futs.

 

[Robert Goulet]

Bob Goulet...I like your work on the small screen.
I was at snowbird for another industry event that week...it was not soft those days! it got better by the end of the week as shown in my avatar...but on the days of the freesking comp it was firm and the guys who took big air deserve BIG props. Like I said, nucking futs.

That's great that you watched the snowbird comp!
If you watched any of the comp this year, you probably watched one of my runs! I was in the first day qualifier and semifinals (missed the cut for finals by 4 skiers). Finished 14th after the first day but that's neither here nor there. You are right to say that some of those guys deserve huge props for going huge. But one difference is that the landing zones, even on the hard days were steeper in general than anything on the face at Jay, which I competed at only 2 weeks later. I hit bigger airs on the first day of the qualifier at snowbird than I would have hit that day at jay.
Anyways, I'm glad that you like my work on the small screen.....Dabba dee Dabba doooooo.

If you did see the snowbird comp, then you probably saw the huge crowds. something that neither the jay comp or the comp at Mad river have. Perhaps more sponsors to get more crowds? Or is it that more crowds will draw more sponsors and publicity. I dunno.

 

[hardline]

That's great that you watched the snowbird comp!
If you watched any of the comp this year, you probably watched one of my runs! I was in the first day qualifier and semifinals (missed the cut for finals by 4 skiers). Finished 14th after the first day but that's neither here nor there. You are right to say that some of those guys deserve huge props for going huge. But one difference is that the landing zones, even on the hard days were steeper in general than anything on the face at Jay, which I competed at only 2 weeks later. I hit bigger airs on the first day of the qualifier at snowbird than I would have hit that day at jay.
Anyways, I'm glad that you like my work on the small screen.....Dabba dee Dabba doooooo.

If you did see the snowbird comp, then you probably saw the huge crowds. something that neither the jay comp or the comp at Mad river have. Perhaps more sponsors to get more crowds? Or is it that more crowds will draw more sponsors and publicity. I dunno.

my personal opinion is that eastern resorts are clueless when it come to brand management and how to align their brand with others. right now i a few friends that are doing this for some of the larger computer/electronics companies. they basically are looking for branding opportunities. its seem the ski areas are scared to more out of their comfort zones. the point of stratigic branding and sponsorships is to draw in crossover clientel. i also think there is a big disconect with the people that are running the marketing departments and the average person on the street. im not saying they should blow their load on marketing to the average person but a good 10 to 15 percent should be about brand identity/awareness.

 

[Robert Goulet]

Interesting, what would you suggest related to the topic? I'd be interested to hear what you think they should do, since they obviously haven't really done anything.

 

[riverc0il]

Marketing departments are spending their most marketing dollars on Joe Average skier. Those are the skiers and riders going less than half a dozen times per year, pre-booking vacations, taking family, etc. The bread and butter of the industry. Personally, I just don't see a lot to be gained by big companies spending big dollars to sponsor sparsely attended extreme events. Why would any one want to watch an extreme comp on Jay's face in the dead of winter? Especially when only 10 or so competitors are going big, conditions dependent. I just don't see it as making much financial sense. Personally, I'd rather be in the trees smoking out some powder. The marketing guys are going to see low attendance and ask why bother? I certainly don't put my marketing dollars for my business behind low exposure low attendance specialized events when I could be doing marketing towards the bread and butter of my business at much more cost effective rates per exposure.

Eastern areas just don't have much of a venue for these types of things. Not enough open exposure and inconsistent conditions. I don't think Jay has provided much hype to get the people there but who is the target market? Hardcore skiers? I'd rather be skiing. Families? They are on the bunny slopes and it is too cold and windy at the top of the Freezer to hang out and watch dangerous activities that could form impressions on the young kids.

What I would do is combine multiple specialized aspects of the activity into a big weekend. Combine the Extreme Comp with the powder 8s (lol) and the Rando Race and the park comp. Make it a huge weekend and get all these special interest groups cross pollinating and checking each other out and make it a festive event. That would be an event worth sponsoring and marketing and hyping. Do the MRG Triple Crown style in which a competitor has to do multiple events on different days. Who cares if a Rando Racer can high tail it up the mountain and survive bumps on skinny skis and light gear. Can they huck in the park the next day or take a knarly line down the face after skinning to the summit. F the Rando Race man, inject some spirit into that crap and make it interesting. Let's see the skinny ski three buckle racers side slip down the face and take a few hucks in the park! Now we are talking, now there's an event!

 

[hardline]

Interesting, what would you suggest related to the topic? I'd be interested to hear what you think they should do, since they obviously haven't really done anything.

i worked in marketing for a few years plus at my current firm i responsible for all pr related to the A/V division that i run. i won't go into specifics as this is a public forum and i would esentially giving people blueprint for a brand awarness program but lets use the best eastern us event as a example. burton brings in a partner brand like volvo and microsoft. now what do these brands have to gain be being co branded with burton and the us open.
these would be some of the point you market to potential sponsers of an event.
percived hipness
ability to market themselves to a younger age demographic(volvo specifically)
possible additional revenue streams.

you sell the idea of cool to them. in return you get money for advertising and admin costs.

now im not saying you trying to sell them on something that does not exist. you have to pick your partners carefully so that it is mutually beneficial partnership. that is where someone with the ability to have a feel for the average joe and winter sport enthusiast really comes in to play. its like the kid in highschool that was popular with all the clicks.

this really should only be part of a large biz's marketing but it so important for brand awareness. if you can get the average person interested you can create buzz.

now there is a downside to all this. you can go overboard and just becomes one comercialized cluster fuck. which is no longer cool or hip. there has to a balance and thats a real art because when a company see's something working they want to throw more money at which in the end will end up ruining it. which is why you see an eb and flow to all that popular or cool. once it gets to big/ comercial it looses the cool factor.

hope my thoughts make sense.

 

[awf170]

Steve, that idea rules. Especially since this would be my ultimate competition.

 

[hardline]

Marketing departments are spending their most marketing dollars on Joe Average skier. Those are the skiers and riders going less than half a dozen times per year, pre-booking vacations, taking family, etc. The bread and butter of the industry. Personally, I just don't see a lot to be gained by big companies spending big dollars to sponsor sparsely attended extreme events. Why would any one want to watch an extreme comp on Jay's face in the dead of winter? Especially when only 10 or so competitors are going big, conditions dependent. I just don't see it as making much financial sense. Personally, I'd rather be in the trees smoking out some powder. The marketing guys are going to see low attendance and ask why bother? I certainly don't put my marketing dollars for my business behind low exposure low attendance specialized events when I could be doing marketing towards the bread and butter of my business at much more cost effective rates per exposure.

Eastern areas just don't have much of a venue for these types of things. Not enough open exposure and inconsistent conditions. I don't think Jay has provided much hype to get the people there but who is the target market? Hardcore skiers? I'd rather be skiing. Families? They are on the bunny slopes and it is too cold and windy at the top of the Freezer to hang out and watch dangerous activities that could form impressions on the young kids.

What I would do is combine multiple specialized aspects of the activity into a big weekend. Combine the Extreme Comp with the powder 8s (lol) and the Rando Race and the park comp. Make it a huge weekend and get all these special interest groups cross pollinating and checking each other out and make it a festive event. That would be an event worth sponsoring and marketing and hyping. Do the MRG Triple Crown style in which a competitor has to do multiple events on different days. Who cares if a Rando Racer can high tail it up the mountain and survive bumps on skinny skis and light gear. Can they huck in the park the next day or take a knarly line down the face after skinning to the summit. F the Rando Race man, inject some spirit into that crap and make it interesting. Let's see the skinny ski three buckle racers side slip down the face and take a few hucks in the park! Now we are talking, now there's an event!

see it not just about the averge joe skier but the average joe. they are the ones that watch tv, buy quicksilver tshirts;shorts, get their daughters roxy clothing but that would be the point of bringing in sponsers that are not directly related to the event.

i do think combining a buch events would work but now you are getting into winter x game territory and that is almost played out. you would have to be carefull of how you marketed en event such as that. but for the purposes of the conversation haveing those different events would dilute what you are trying to market to possible sponsers.

it would be a good event fun to hang out and watch