PEOPLE have been skiing for about 6,000 years, but it’s safe to say that when someone first donned a pair of skis, it wasn’t long before that person had another entertaining thought: I wonder how far I can jump on these things?
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Mark LaMonica
A competitor about to head down the jump in Salisbury, Conn.
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Mark LaMonica
Another skier stretching for distance.
This is not a theory. Watching young children acquire the skills to ski or snowboard has convinced me that once most humans get comfortable turning and stopping as they slide downhill, they soon look for a bump and use it to get airborne.
Maybe it’s a desire to be free — or to be irrational — but we yearn to fly.
This could explain why, for 82 years, there have been ski jumping competitions and festivities in the tiny Connecticut town of Salisbury. Next weekend, Feb. 8 to 10, just outside the picturesque village green tucked in the state’s northwest corner, a couple thousand people will make their way — some in horse-drawn wagons — to a precious timepiece looming in the landscape. In an intimate, bowl-like setting sits an old, wooden ski jump nearly seven stories high. There, you can watch the original extreme winter sport: ski jumping.
There will be three days of ski jumping competitions in Salisbury, including the Eastern United States Ski Jumping Championships, plus fireworks, an ice-carving competition, a chili cook-off and a Saturday night dance, the Snow Ball.
But Salisbury is not just an enchanting place to watch ski jumping; check your fears at the car door and the good folks in this town will teach you to fly, too. That’s not an option during the championship weekend, but come by during the rest of the winter and they’ll set you up.
“You can’t just have a few beers, look up at the jump and decide to try it,” said Willie Hallihan, one of the volunteers for the nonprofit Salisbury Winter Sports Association, which sponsors the ski jumping event and several winter sports education programs.
Some people, after all, fly more than 200 feet off the Salisbury jump. Not only that, sooner or later, they have to land.
“But if you join our group and come when there’s training,” Mr. Hallihan said, “sure, we’ll teach you to jump.”
In Salisbury, a small crossroads a little more than a two-hour drive from Manhattan, they have trained hundreds of young ski jumpers, male and female, since the 1920s. Next weekend, there will be competitors as young as 10 jumping, and Salisbury coaches have tutored what they call adult beginners, too.
The fee to join the Salisbury association is $35, and joining the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (www.ussa.org) is also required ($40). But beginner’s equipment is usually provided. Weather permitting, there is training two nights a week and on weekends.
There is a progression that beginners follow, since they start on something not much larger than a bump and advance to smaller 20-meter and 30-meter jumps near Salisbury’s chief (65-meter) jump. The length designations given the jumps don’t refer to their height, but rather to an approximation of the maximum distance a jumper might safely travel off the jump.
“IT’S a pretty safe sport,” said Ken Barker, who is president of the Salisbury association and has been a ski jumping official for a decade. “Once you go down the in-ramp, you’re in a track moving straight. It can all go wrong in a second, but if you rely on your technique, you’re O.K.
“Your body follows the contour of the hill. It looks like you’re 50 feet in the air, but you’re probably never more than 15 feet off the snow.”
I had heard this explanation before, especially after climbing to the top of the Salisbury jump, or at the top of Olympic-sized, 90- and 120-meter jumps. But let me tell you something: At the top of a jump your eyes tell you that you’re about to sail off what looks like a 20-story building.
I should also add that, as I’ve stood frozen at the top of a ski jump, 12-year-olds have come along to nudge me out of the way so they can practice.
At Lake Placid, N.Y., where there are two Olympic-level jumps, there is a public elevator that will take you to the top so you can experience this kind of abject fear firsthand. If you visit those jumps on the right day, you could be nudged out of the way by 70-year-old Don West, a retired mathematics professor at the State University College of New York at Plattsburgh.
Mr. West has been ski jumping since he was an 8-year-old boy in Madison, Wis. He has been competing at Salisbury nearly every year since 1965, and expects to be soaring above the Connecticut countryside again next weekend.
Asked why he is still ski jumping, he answered: “People golf or bowl all their life, too. Why not ski jumping?”
Well, there’s the danger, for one thing.
“Yeah, it’s there,” Mr. West said. “You’re going fast, and you’re in the air. People always ask me if I’m crazy. But it’s what I do.
“You get more bang for your buck than any other type of skiing. You know years ago, there were hundreds of jumps and ski jump clubs; everybody was doing it.”
In the mid-20th century, Salisbury alone had eight jumps and played host to the national ski jumping championships. Nearly every town in a cold climate back then had a ski jump, with many rising behind the local grammar school as an after-school diversion. Obviously, it was a different era.
But who’s to say which is safer — ski jumping or flipping upside-down in a halfpipe?
In Salisbury, and at the handful of remaining ski jumps in the Northeast, there is an apparent understanding that so-called extreme sports will never go out of style. The Ski and Snowboard Association says there are about 15 ski jumps left in the United States — none closer to New York City than Salisbury’s — and roughly 400 registered ski jumpers.
In recent years, Salisbury’s biggest challenge has been warm weather, which has limited snow-making. But the townspeople always pitch in, even if it has meant shoveling and carting snow to the ski jump using a caravan of pick-up trucks.
Next weekend’s festivities begin Friday, with the chili cook-off, followed by a target-jumping competition, as the big, old ski jump is illuminated by lights. Fireworks will follow. There’s a busy schedule from there, culminating with the Eastern championships at 1 p.m. Sunday (admission is $10 for the jumping events, or $25 to $40 for all three days; see www.swsa.info).
The chief lodging and dining choice would be the White Hart Inn (www.whitehartinn.com), which dates back to 1806 and has a cozy tap room and restaurant. The 26 rooms start at $155 that weekend, with breakfast.
“Salisbury is a great event,” said Mr. West, who has seen hundreds of ski jumping championships. “When the sun is out and you’re pretty close to the jump, you just wait for someone to pull off a big jump.”
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Slide, Jump, Fly in Connecticut
An American-Style World Cup for the People
IF you ski or snowboard, chances are that you have seen a Nastar racecourse from a chairlift somewhere, or perhaps you skied or rode past one. They are straightforward, recreational racecourses, usually challenging enough to make it interesting but not scary.
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Skiing
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Ski Guides (December 6, 2007) You probably wanted to try it. But you thought: “I’m no racer.”
People will tell you that ski racing in America is on the decline, that it’s really more of a European obsession. Here are some statistics that might say otherwise. By the end of this winter, about 100,000 people will pay to make roughly half a million starts through Nastar courses at 125 resorts across the country. They will range in age from 4 to 94, and together they make up the largest recreational ski and snowboard racing program in the world.
Since Nastar courses are usually set up side by side, with each course about the same, most people race just to see if they can beat their buddy in a head-to-head duel. Or maybe they take on their siblings or parents. But there are Nastar National Championships, and racers can qualify individually or as a team representing the neighborhood or the home mountain.
The Nastar Nationals have become a ski industry phenomenon, attracting more than 1,300 racers, mostly skiers, but there are also categories for snowboarding, telemark skiers and monoskiers. Most racers bring spouses and families along, too, making the Nastar Nationals a particularly American, egalitarian version of a European World Cup event with thousands gathering to celebrate a pursuit of downhill speed on snow.
Racing dead? Did I mention that the national qualifiers have to pay their travel expenses to compete, this year making their way to Steamboat Springs, Colo., March 13 to 16.
“No one who goes to Nastar Nationals would ever again think that ski racing is passé,” said Doug Lewis, a former Olympic downhiller who is a national pacesetter for the Nastar Nationals. “It’s a wild scene.”
But as remarkable as the Nationals may be, the heart of Nastar’s appeal remains those moments on the local hill when someone skis past a Nastar course and decides to try it. In that moment, the goal isn’t a national championship, it’s to feel the rush of going fast where you’re supposed to go fast, to pretend for a minute to be an Olympian and to see just how good you really are. Hang around a Nastar course for an hour, and you will see toddlers, teenagers, twin-tippers, moms, dads, grandmas and granddads.
“There’s something about a racecourse that just draws people in,” said Mr. Lewis, who runs the Nastar program at the Sugarbush resort in Vermont. “Some people in the industry have this notion that people maybe don’t seek that kind of challenge anymore. But as soon as we set up a course, people come by and line up. It never fails.”
NASTAR, which is owned by Ski Magazine, is more than 125 recreational racecourses. Part of its success is the handicap system built in that allows every racer to compare his or her times with those that elite racers would turn in on that course. The same comparison can be made to one’s age group, even one’s overall racing ability level.
The handicap system is not entirely different from the one used in golf, the only difference is that a range of national and local pacesetters — beginning with Daron Rahlves, the recently retired American World Cup downhiller — set, in essence, the par for a course.
Nastar was largely the brainchild of John Fry, a former editor in chief of Ski Magazine, who established the National Standard Race in 1968. It has developed into four racing categories divided by ability and 50 different age and sex classifications. Based on the pace set for that course on the day you decide to race, you can win a gold, silver or bronze Nastar medal.
The cost to race varies from resort to resort, but Nastar officials recommend that the fee be $5 to race the course twice, $10 if you want to race all day and about $130 to $150 for a Nastar season pass.
If you want to qualify for the Nastar Nationals or be able to track your times on Nastar’s Web site (www.nastar.com), you must complete a short registration form. Depending on how you do in your classification, you could be among the 1,300 invited to the Nastar Nationals.
“Part of Nastar’s appeal is that it’s so simple,” said John Negomir of Littleton, Colo., who had no racing background until he jumped onto a Nastar racecourse about 10 years ago. “Pretty much anybody can do it. You run it when you feel like it, you go when you’re ready. There’s no judging, no sense that this is just for certain people. It’s more like, ‘Hey, give it a try, see if you like it.’ And most people do like it.”
Mr. Negomir, 43, finished sixth in his age group at last year’s Nastar Nationals. His wife, Tammy, was also sixth in her division, and the Negomir sons, 7-year-old Eric and 9-year-old Kyle, were each second in their age groups.
“It’s great because it’s something we can all do as a family,” Mr. Negomir said. “But I think there are a couple of things that appeal to most people. One, a lot of slopes are getting so crowded that there aren’t that many places you can go full speed anymore. Two, a lot of people hit a plateau in their skiing ability, and they really don’t know if they’re getting any better.
“But in Nastar, there’s a clock timing you, which is a way to tell if you’re getting better. The clock doesn’t lie.”
The deadline for qualifying for this year’s Nastar Nationals is Feb. 18. It draws a diverse crowd, though by then most have caught the racing bug.
“I’m always amazed at how 98 percent of the people at Nationals have racing suits,” Mr. Lewis said, referring to the tight, form-fitting Lycra or synthetic speed suits worn by elite racers. “That scene takes a little getting used to. But you know what? Everyone is trying to shave that last two-hundredths of a second off their time.
“They’re so into it, although I’ll bet most of them started racing one afternoon when they just decided to jump into the Nastar course they came upon. They saw it, and like a kid coming upon an empty playground, they said to themselves: ‘That looks like fun.’
“So they tried it. And it is fun.”
RevoPower Wheel
RevoPower Wheel is not windpowered! The RevoPower is a radical bicycle wheel thaty has a 25cc two stroke chain drive engine in it. Because of the small size engine one wouldn’t need a license to ride thus its targeted at a wider demographic.
It is capable of touching 20 mph and runs at 200 miles per gallon.
The wheel has a series of sprockets & chains and weighs less than 15 pounds (5 kg).
Nokia Sailing Competition - Nokia Oops Cup 2006
Nokia Oops Cup 2006 is a match with the world’s fastest sailboats. The one of the toughest sail racing competition in northern Europe will be an international match between Norway, Sweden and Finland.
Nokia Oops Cup starts in Oslo June 6 and will compete in Gothenburg, Stockholm, Helsinki, Malmö, Copenhagen and finally finish in Kiel August 19. The cup includes both spectator friendly City Races and several days long Offshore Races.
The SKIMBAT 5.5 PRO
The SKIMBAT 5.5 PRO is a "pro" model launched last year. I have talked with people from Kitewing Sports Ltd. (was that the new name?) and I think there are new models or at least new colors coming for the winter season. The SKIMBAT 5.5 PRO is still available and is kitewing for those who like a wing with quick handling and more power. The PRO wing includes 30 percent carbon composite front tubes combined with a fiberglass reinforced cross tube. The result is an even more powerful and durable wing that is used by all Kitewing team riders.
Kiteboarding
Snow Kiting is the latest winter sport. Large highly controllable kites are used to blast kite pilots along with just the power of the wind! The 'Big air' jumps that boarders and skiers are pulling under the power and security of power kites are simply breath taking.
"Flatlanders will love it," predicts Charlie Patterson, 31, a professional snowboarder and one of a new cadre of American athletes using kites to grab big winter air. An offshoot of its water bound cousin kiteboarding, snow kiting allows a skier or snowboarder harnessed to the 100-foot-long reins of a power kite to launch upwards of 40 feet off horizontal terrain. Patterson may be worth listening estimated 1.5 million wakeboarders.
In Europe, where the shift from water to snow originated, there's already a snowkiting competition circuit. And if the fledgling sport can take off on such a cramped continent, imagine the possibilities for the Midwest. "The best place for this isn't really a ski resort, but an open field where you could go for miles and days at a time," says Patterson.
Snow Kiting is a lot easier to learn than kiteboarding on the water! It is easy to stand on snow, which makes the whole process easier!
It also takes a lot less wind to drive a board across snow than it does across water.
The whole learning experience is lot less daunting as you need much less power and wind to get you moving.
Finally, holding an edge in snow is much easier than in water making up wind progress much easier to master. All you need is snow and a power kite and you can turn a cold winter's day into a blistering, adrenaline soaked experience!
To Snow Kite you will want a foil type kite since it is completely soft in structure and cannot be damaged easily when the kite is slammed into the ground. Foils are also capable of reverse launching which is very important for re-launching these kites from the snow. You may also choose a Cabrinha water relaunchable kite due to the new RECON technology that will allow the kite to relaunch off the snow!
Kite Skating
Can you use skates with kites? Yes for sure; many has done it in the past using regular hockey skates. For more stability and speed; however, you may want to use longer skates with firmer boots for more ankle support.
Besides the skates .vs. skis and the ice .vs. snow differences, kiteskating is similar to kiteskiing. Review the KiteSkiing section for more info and techniques.
Furthermore, as there is less friction on ice, you may consider to use a kite smaller than you would on snow. Also, as ice is harder, you may consider wearing the same protective stuff as a hockey player (or a snowboarder).
Kite Snowblading
Once kiteskiing become more and more popular, some snowblade enthusiastics start asking "can I use my snowblades with the kite". The answer is a resounding "yes". Kitesnowblading use the same boots as kiteskiing so the boots are pretty strong and provide more than enough support for kitesnowblading. Since most snowblades are pretty short (under 1m), snowblade bindings don't even need to release automatically as ski bindings.
But why kitesnowblading? Since the snowblades are shorter, the kiter has more flexibility can get perform certain tricks easier than longer skis. Besides, it is also somewhat stylish to ride with snowblades. So if you want to do it with more flexibility and style then kitesnowblading is for you!
Besides, with snowblades, the kiter is more flexible and more mobile when the kite is down. Similarly, snowblade skis are more suitable when you want to go out kiting with the family and tow your kids behind you on their toboggans or on their skis. Similar to kiteskiing, kitesnowblading is so easy to learn that if your kids already feel comfortable on snowblade skis, they can learn kitesnowblading with a small kite.
Kitesnowblading is easier than kitesurfing so if you live in a colder climate and want to get into kitesurfing, don't wait until spring, go kitesnowblading now! The skill you learn in kitesnowblading will be very useful in kitesurfing.
To go kitesnowblading you need the following equipment
A traction kite, lines and associated control device. Any land or water kite can be used for kitesnowblading. Inflatable kites can also be used for kitesnowblading especially the new Flat Inflatable (Flat LEI or bow kites) which can relaunch very easy on snow. For classic inflatable kites, you may want to rig up a 5th line to facilitate relaunch on snow. In very cold days, it is wise to pump up the struts indoor such that you only have to pump up the leading edge outside. Similar to kitesurfing, make sure you have a safety release system that you can depower the kite at any moment. Furthermore, you may want to use a kite that provides good depowering capability such that you don't have to stop and change to a smaller or larger kite as frequent. Similar to kitesurfing, you would need a number of kites to cover the whole wind range.
A pair of snowblades.
A pair of ski boots.
A kitesurfing or windsurfing harness (waist or seat harness is fine).
A helmet (a must on ice or hard pack as you don't want to test the "rigidity" of your skull when it hits the ice).
If you do a lot of jumping on hard pack or ice, protect your body with a wakeboard impact vest with elbow and knee pads or simply use the same protection equipment that a hockey player uses.
Warm clothing. You normally need less warm clothing kitesnowblading than skiing. It's best to use layers such that you can take off some layers when it gets too warm.
A good pair of thin yet warm mitten. Don't use glove as your fingers can get cold rapidly. You may want to use a a pair of thin inner gloves in case you have to use your hand to work on the lines.
So how big a kite you need for kitesnowblading? As snow and ice have much less friction than water, you should use a smaller kite as you would for kitesurfing (on the average, about 2/3 of the size you would use for kitesurfing; smaller on ice - 1/2 - and larger on powder snow - 3/4). If you fly the kite straight over head, you should be able to feel the pull from the kite and be able to walk backward with some reasonable effort. If you feel the kite lift around 1/3 of your weight and can barely walk backward then you have more power than you would need for kitesnowblading.
Kite Telemarking
Once kiteskiing become more and more popular, some telemark enthusiastics start asking "can I use my telemark skis with the kite". The answer is a resounding "yes". Modern telemark skis and boots are pretty strong and provide more than enough support for kitetelemarking. Some of the modern telemark bindings can even release automatically similar to downhill ski bindings.
But why kitetelemarking? The answer is not quite straight forward as kiteskiing or kitesnowboarding. While telemarking is a hybrid of cross country skiing and downhill skiing, kitelemarking is simply a more stylish version of kiteskiing. With telemark skis, the kiter can get in a the classic telemark position which looks more solid and very stylish compared to the normal kiteskiing position. So if you want to do it with style then kitetelemarking is for you!
Besides, with telemark skis, the kiter is more flexible and more mobile when the kite is down. Similarly, telemark skis are more suitable when you want to go out kiting with the family and tow your kids behind you on their toboggans or on their skis. Similar to kiteskiing, kitetelemarking is so easy to learn that if your kids already feel comfortable on telemark skis, they can learn kitetelemarking with a small kite.
Kitetelemarking is easier than kitesurfing so if you live in a colder climate and want to get into kitesurfing, don't wait until spring, go kitetelemarking now! The skill you learn in kitetelemarking will be very useful in kitesurfing.
Kite skiing
If you enjoy light wind kitesurfing and making high jumps in moderate to strong wind, you probably want to try kiteskiing on ice or snow. The high speed sensation of kiteskiing will remind you of those high speed down-hill runs that those ski resorts don't want you to make. The difference is that you are likely to enjoy kiteskiing all by yourself on a frozen lake or wide open field; there is nobody there to tell you not to go fast, you don't have to wait 1/2 hour for the ski lift nor having to pay for it.
Besides, while kitesurfing is somewhat a "loner" sport, kiteskiing is actually a family sport. You can tow your kids behind you on their toboggans or on their skis. Furthermore, kiteskiing is so easy to learn that if your kids already feel comfortable on skis, they can learn kiteskiing with a small kite.
Kiteskiing is easier than kitesurfing so if you live in a colder climate and want to get into kitesurfing, don't wait until spring, go kiteskiing now! The skill you learn in kiteskiing will be very useful in kitesurfing.
Many people associates kiteskiing with "being cold". On the contrary, I have found that kiteskiing is "warmer" than any other winter sports and much warmer than kitesurfing in spring and fall (and most of the summer too!).
Kitesnowboarding
If you enjoy kitesurfing, making high jumps in moderate to strong wind, you definitely want to try kitesnowboarding. Kitesnowboarding is very similar to if not identical to kitesurfing. The difference is that you are likely to enjoy kitesnowboarding all by yourself on a snowy field or a frozen lake, there is nobody there to tell you not to jump high or to go fast and you don't have to wait 1/2 hour for the ski lift nor having to pay for it.
Kitesnowboarding is a bit harder than kiteskiing but much easier than kitesurfing so if you live in a colder climate and want to get into kitesurfing, don't wait until spring, go kitesnowboarding now! The skill you learn in kitesnowboarding is identical to kitesurfing.
Lake
The carp that inhabit the lake are stunning specimens, both mirrors and commons. The majority have starburst scales, incredible colouring and sturdy bodies. They are powerful fighters and you will enjoy the challenge of catching them.
You may have the chance to catch your personal best carp at Lac du Pelerin. Our carp range between 20 and 40lbs. The potential catch for anglers is exciting.
The lake is accessible from all sides and there are grassy banks to bivvy up right on your rods & watch those lunking carp. The lake extends to a little over 5 acres of fishable water. The water quality is superb and the lake bed has a good natural food source - we even have swan mussels, just shows how rich and clean our water is! All this and enclosed by mature woodland - Brilliant!
The features extend over the complete lake - an island, with willow trees & reeds, a lake bottom with many humps & troughs and a small riverbed which gives a good source of blood worms, snails etc. The depths vary from 3ft to 12 ft which means the carpest can cover all eventualities with three rods.
We are establishing a lily pad bed which will just enhance Lac du Pèlerin's beauty and give the resident dragonfly, frogs and damsels somewhere to explore, along with the mirrors & commons of course.
To compliment the water chain at Lac du Pèlerin other species such as tench, roach and zander balance the natural cycle.
Spring
The beauty of the International Falls, Ranier and Rainy Lake area is the change of seasons – creating a never-ending palette of colors and exciting vacation experiences.
The first sight of seagulls returning to Rainy Lake triggers spring fever in locals and visitors alike. Early spring is prime time for fishing the Rainy River – a world-class fishery. There are convenient boat launches in and near International Falls (one located in town on Shorewood Drive, and the other located 11 miles west of International Falls).
Mid-spring marks the start of the Minnesota walleye opener – and the golfing season! Water is open – and anglers and boaters are ready to embark upon one of their most memorable vacations in the Rainy Lake area.
The 18-hole championship golf course is spring green, fresh and ready for another season of exciting golf. Scenic boat tours, paper mill tours, concerts in the park – and so many other things – are in full swing!
Many of the area’s lodging establishments offer special “early season” rates – and some also have “stay and play” packages for golfing enthusiasts. Any way you look at it – spring is a truly refreshing and invigorating time to visit our very special Minnesota destination.
This cherished recipe originated in the Bob and Lil Williams family in 1918. It is brought to you compliments of their grandson and Rainy Lake historian/guide/resort owner – Mike Williams.
Bon Appétit
While the secret of “where to catch the big ones” is closely held, the technique for a good shore lunch is offered here by local guide, Mike Williams.
“Walleyes, smallmouth bass, crappies, even boneless northerns, are filleted flopping fresh, faster that you’ve ever seen. Bacon is fried, boiled potatoes are sliced and brought to a delicious brown while baked beans are warmed.
Hot bacon and sliced onion seasoned with just a touch of lemon are placed between two slices of fresh, buttered bread and you’ve got hors d’oeuvres second to none.
The fresh fish is battered (any commercial batter that ensures a golden-brown fillet) and placed in the hot bacon drippings and fried fast.
Sliced onion is added to the browning potatoes, and the beans are ready. The guide serves the party and so begins, perhaps the most memorable part of a guided fishing trip.”
Houseboats
Rainy Lake waters – both in and out of Voyageurs National Park – offer unending boating opportunities. Expansive stretches of water and networks of bays, channels and islands invite exploration.
Rainy Lake is home to enchanting wilderness houseboat vacations and world-class angling.
225,000 acres are yours to discover as you embark upon a voyage filled with great scenery, bird life and wildlife.
Maximize your vacation and spend twenty-four hours a day in Rainy Lake’s awesome wilderness setting.
A houseboat vacationertravels at his/her own schedule.
Experience all the comforts of home while you cruise in one of the most picturesque settings in the United States and Canada.
Wilderness Vacation
The International Falls, Ranier, Rainy Lake, Rainy River and Voyageurs National Park area is rated one of the best wilderness vacation destinations in North America. The area provides some of the best “up north” experiences – without the taxing travel time or traditional challenges of traveling to typical “far away” northern vacation destinations.
