Teton Tales: Whitewater - ROAM race & BC powder

Exited to race a new (to me) course and ski some new terrain, I joined Jeffrey and his family for an excellent weekend in Nelson BC. Going in, I knew very little of the course layout and unfortunately paid the price. Read on for details.

race start (phil best photography)

After a crowded start up a cat track, I settled in to 8^th place at a hard but bearable pace. The first bootpack was deep (8inches overnight and snow most of the preceding week) and surprisingly long but I pushed hard and managed to reel in and pass one person at the transition for the first descent.

I proceeded to get off course on the downhill (skating up a cat track following the flagging) but fortunately a friendly resort skier helped point me in the right direction. I bombed down to the transition, having lost a precious minute or 2 and 4 spots. I pushed hard on the next climb, passing 3

of the 4 spots I lost on my “detour.”

second climb, in the pain cave (phil best photography)

Near the top of the climb, I ripped skins with Stano when the flagging changed colors (uphill to downhill), but another racer came along (apparently more familiar with the course) stating the transition was further along the ridge, so I desperately skated/sidestepped another 100 yards to where the 2^nd descent actually began. Despite the fresh powder, the course sent us tucking down a groomer with a short uphill skate in the middle.

uphill skate during the 2nd descent (phil best photography)

I reached the transition as Stano was starting the final climb and I quickly slapped on skins and gave chase. I managed to catch and pass him during a portion of steep technical skinning and create a gap, leaving the final transition as he arrived.

Again being unfamiliar with the course, I had to stop mid-descent when the base area came into view but I couldn’t see the finish. I continued down at a conservative pace, searching for course markings. In my hypoxic and tired state, it took me longer than it should have to recognize that the pine boughs on the ground marked the turn to the out-of-sight finish area. As I rounded the corner, there was a slight uphill skate to the finish, and lots of cheering as Stano was apparently right behind me, who out-skated me to the line by one second!

results

I was disappointed to have gotten lost on the first descent and wasted time on the final descent but so it goes with racing, especially on an unfamiliar course. Live and learn. Sunday morning was spent skiing excellent powder in 5 mile basin (behind whitewater) with Jeffrey prior to hitting the road.