March 5, 2010
National pride on the line for U.S. skiers
by Tony Chamberlain/
Bode Miller poses for photos and mixes with race fans at the U.S. Nationals. (photo: Tony Chamberlain)
I’ve harped in the past about the rewards we ordinary skiers can derive from watching at least one top-fuel ski race every now and then.
And by top-fuel, I mean World Cup or NorAm. These are the young athletes who have put in their 10,000 hours – in Gladwell’s notion of mastery – and then some, and have plenty to show us for it.
I mentioned that when the U.S. National Championships came to Sugarloaf in Maine in 2007 the U.S. Ski Team was warmed by the sight of some 3,000 ski fans attending the races and apres ski celebrations.
The racing was pretty amazing to watch as form in this sport we love and have devoted ourselves to, approaches perfection.
And if near-perfection can be measured in Olympic medals, the greatest ski team in U.S. history will be arriving in Lake Placid on March 20 for this year’s National Championships.
By now, you know that cast very well. We’ve all heard their names for most of February.
Biggest winner, Bode Miller – three medals, one of each color – may make his final U.S. appearance in a pair of ski boots that weekend, and he will be joined by Lindsey Vonn (gold, bronze), Julia Mancuso (silver, silver) and hometowner Andy Weibrecht (bronze).
I’ve been to U.S. Nationals half a dozen times, and found that the much relaxed atmosphere and security gives fans a proximity to the athletes, a chance to meet, talk and collect autographs.
But it also puts skiers on Whiteface, one of the most awesome mountains in the East and the site of the 1980 Olympics. (OK know-it-all historians, the Olympics were also here in 1932, but Alpine skiing was not in the games until ’36).
Whiteface has a really fine mix of steep cruising and ego runs, with all the off piste and terrain offerings as well. Whether you were going for the races, New Englanders used to the same lineup of ski areas every year should try Placid at least one time for the excellent skiing.
And, of course, this is pretty much the same village you saw on TV in the 1980s. Still here is the last outdoor speed skating oval, and of course the rink where the Miracle on Ice happened.
Harder to remember is that on Whiteface’s slopes, aside from the Phil Mahre silver medal in slalom, ski racing still belonged to the Austrians, Swiss and, of course, two-gold winner Ingemar Stenmark from Sweden.
The U.S. Ski Team has improved immeasurably since those games, and the super-skiers who made it happen will be well-worth the trip to Lake Placid.
One of the best aspects of the competition is that the Nationals is the time for the young benchwarmers to take their best shot at the medalists and veterans on the team, and there are always some underdog upsets.
U.S. Nationals schedule
Saturday, March 20
9:30 a.m.– Men’s super-G
12:30 p.m.– Women’s super-G
Sunday March 21
9:30 am– Men’s slalom
11:30 a.m.– Women’s slalom
Monday March 22
10 a.m.– Men’s GS 1st run
1 p.m.– Men’s GS 2nd run
Tuesday March 23
10 a.m.– Women’s GS 1st run
1 p.m.– Women’s GS 2nd run.
