TOP FIVE FRIDAYS: NOVEMBER 29, 2019
#1: FIS World Cup Ski Racing Update: Shiffrin Shines Again
Mikaela Shiffrin gets to know her 4th reindeer after her recent victory in Levi. Image: Mikaela Shiffrin on Facebook
It’s November 29, 2019, so you know what that means: we’re finally back into full on FIS World Cup Ski Racing season! This past weekend, the World Cup season officially got underway with its annual stop in Levi, Finland. At that race, each year the winner of the event is “given” a reindeer to celebrate the kickoff of the World Cup schedule, as well as the holiday season. Since 2013, Mikaela Shiffrin has won 3 reindeer, with one coming as a recently as last season. Between her history at the event, her domination over last year’s circuit, and her surprise second place finish in the first race of the 2019-2020 season, it’s safe to say that all eyes were on Shiffrin at last weekend’s event.
Spoiler alert: she didn’t disappoint. Coming in a full 1.78 seconds ahead of second place finisher Wendy Holdener, Shiffrin notched her 4th slalom victory in Levi, her first win of the year, and perhaps most impressively, her 41st World Cup Slalom victory. With that 41st win, Shiffrin also broke her first (likely of many) records this season as she surpassed the legendary Ingemar Stenmark for the most World Cup Slalom victories of all time. With all of that in mind, it’s safe to say that Mikaela had exactly the weekend she was hoping for as she heads to Killington for a Slalom and Giant Slalom race this weekend.
On the men’s side of things, things were unfortunately a bit more subdued for the American team, as there were no results of note at last weekend’s event in Levi. They’ll look to improve their storyline this week via a Downhill and Super G race scheduled for this weekend in Lake Louise, Canada. Best of luck to all those competing!
#2: New Study Reminds Us That Ski Helmets Don’t Promise Invincibility:
With our weekly racing recap out of the way, let’s get into this week’s mixed bag of ski news! First up on that list is another update in the ongoing debate as to whether or not ski helmets make a difference (editor’s note: they absolutely do). In recent years, there have been a handful of studies that show that despite the increasing use of ski helmets, the number of significant head injuries hasn’t declined as much as one might expect. As a result, there’ve been periodic proclamations from media outlets that ski helmets are ineffective.
This week, we find ourselves in that familiar position as two trauma surgeons at New Hampshire’s Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center recently released a study that takes a look into the effectiveness of ski helmets. Much like the studies that have come before it, this most recent study suggests that ski helmets work effectively for a majority of users, but don’t offer substantial protection in the event of a high impact. What’s interesting about this study though, is that it takes the next step and suggests that a majority of those receiving significant injuries are also those taking bigger risks, often as a result of being more talented skiers. In other words, it’s suggesting that along with the increase use of ski helmets has come an increase in confidence, ultimately leading to riskier skiers. While there isn’t any data presented that accompanies this specific conclusion, our gut reaction is that it’s likely true, although the constant evolution of ski equipment on the whole shouldn’t be overlooked as a contributing factor as well.
So what’s the moral of the story here? Well, there’s two, really. First, we can’t stress enough the importance of a ski helmet. For a majority of skiers, wearing a helmet can make a huge difference in the event of a collision. Second, for expert level or risky skiers, keep in mind that a helmet doesn’t make you invincible. While it does offer protection for most impacts, it’s still entirely possible to put yourself in a position where a helmet simply isn’t enough. Regardless of who you are and how you ski, we urge you all to be safe this ski season, and by all means, please wear a helmet. For more on this, check out the Denver Post’s recap of the study here.
#3: Ski Areas Struggling to Fulfill Seasonal Employment Needs:
Interested in working at a ski resort this winter? Consider giving Aspen Snowmass's industry leading employment website a look. Image: Aspen Snowmass's Employment Website
Next up: a story about the struggles of ski resorts to find seasonal employees. It’s a theme that’s been slowly developing over recent years, for several reasons, although this season seems to have hit ski resorts hardest. Years ago, the concept of the ski bum was alive and well: die hard skiers would get a job at a resort to earn a season pass and make just enough money to scrape by living in employee housing and eating ramen. Now, ski areas are struggling to find capable seasonal workers. In a report this week from NPR, a number of factors are cited as causes for this growing issue, including a reduction in the amount of affordable housing due to an increase in short-term rentals being offered on websites like Airbnb, a low national unemployment rate, and limitations on J-1 visas which are commonly used to offer seasonal employment to foreign workers. As a result of all these factors, the desire and ability to live the ski bum lifestyle has simply evaporated, making it tough for ski resorts to find adequate seasonal employees. As a result, they’re finding themselves having to go the extra mile to find employees. In Steamboat Springs, season workers earn about $1.50 above minimum wage, and receive a pass that’s useable at a number of other regional ski areas. And then, there’s Aspen Snowmass, who announced this week that, despite their competitors’ struggles, they are having one of their best seasons for finding seasonal workers. Their secret? An easy to use website. For more on the struggles facing most ski resorts, check out this recap from NPR. To learn more about how Aspen is bucking the trend, check out this writeup from the Denver Post.
#4: Tim Durtschi Announced as Wild Card for Freeride World Tour 2020:
Tim Durtschi: the latest addition to the Freeride World Tour. Image: Freeride World Tour on Facebook
Finally, we round this week out with some very exciting news for fans of the Freeride World Tour: it’s just been announced that Tim Durschi will be joining this year’s circuit as a Wild Card entry. As you might recall, a similar scenario played out last season as Tanner Hall was a late addition to the roster of invited athletes, and the results didn’t disappoint. In his first event, Hall took home 2nd place. With the addition of Durtcshi to this year’s event, freeskiers will have the opportunity to watch a second skier with a revered freestyle background take on the technical challenges of the Freeride World Tour. As fans of both big mountain skiing and park skiing, we love this recent trend as it forces two disciplines of skiing to propel each other forward.
For what it’s worth, Durtschi, who grew up in Alaska, also seems extremely excited for the opportunity. In a recent interview with the Freeride World Tour, Durtschi is quoted as saying, “Freeride skiing has been the space where I have been able to truly express myself and I am beyond excited that my journey has led me to the FWT.” With two athletes with a rich freestyle background now on the tour, we’re more excited than ever for this year’s Freeride World Tour, which gets started on January 18th-25th in Hakuba, Japan. For more on this, check in with the official announcement from the Freeride World Tour.
#4.5: Bonus Highlight: The SkiEssentials.com 2020 Ski Happy Contest is Now Live!
