Mike's Skiing Blog

Last month, we got a look at some of the top 08/09 Women's Skis. Now, it's time to turn our spotlight on what's new for the men this season.

For starters, last season I actually had the opportunity to ski the 08-09 Head Mojo 94s that I'm holding for my Christmas in July photo - and yes they are my new skis! These are Twin Tip, 132-94-119, and are available in a range of sizes, from 166cm to 187cm.

Definitely in the mid-fat category, Head's sandwich construction for the 94's make for a durable, firm yet surprisingly light ski that handled well on the groomers I tried and can't miss in any but the deepest powder.

I asked Guest Author Tony Crespi, a former Ski School Supervisor and Development Team Coach, who loves testing skis and writing about them, to give us an overview of some of what he liked in the 2008-09 Men's Skis. Tony presents some of the best skis to look for in Powder, All Mountain Expert Cruisers, and All Mountain Performance Cruisers. No matter where you ski, or what your most common snow conditions are, there's something here for everyone.

As I have always said and as Tony reiterates - Demo, Demo, Demo. Skis that are great for one person may not be so great for a person of a different size, or someone who might like a faster ski, or more of a carver type. Take in the information and personal opinion of expert testers, like Tony, and then be sure to demo two or three skis before putting your money down.

_{Image © Mike Doyle}

Are you considering taking your family on a ski vacation this season? It's important to choose a ski resort that is geared towards families and children. Not all ski resorts are suitable for younger or beginner skiers. There are some resorts where the terrain and services are geared toward satisfying the challenges of the advanced skier. Your vacation will be more fun if you visit a family-friendly ski resort that offers special programs, packages, and discounts for children.

Don't wait too long to book your trip. You'll need to book holiday and school vacation weeks early to get your first choice of airline and hotel or condo reservations. That's especiall true this year with airlines cutting flights and raising prices. Also, if you're booking ski school or lessons for your family, book them when you make your reservations, so you're sure to get a spot in the class.

Ski Vacations

• Family Ski Vacations
• Top Ski Vacations
• Ski Resorts
• Ski Deals / Discounts

Image © Mike Doyle

In early June, I mentioned the daydream of an enclosed ski area in Riverhead, Long Island. Well that dream is a little closer to becoming a reality - about $2,000,000 closer.

Recently, officials of Riverside Resorts turned over an unrefundable $2M to the town of Riverhead to initiate the environmental, engineering, energy, and other review studies necessary before the proposed project can began construction. The investors, led by Scottish home builders Baldragon Homes Ltd. and real estate developers Bayrock Group LLC, say the payment is a sign of their commitment to the project, which is being proposed for 160 acres of the old Northrup Grumman site.

Only 75 miles east of New York City, the resort will include, in addition to the 35 story ski area, an indoor water park, a convention center and hotel, a winery, equestrian trails, campgrounds, an artificial lake, and a spa surrounded by botanical gardens.

While, if all plans go as the developers see it, skiing isn't planned until 2013. Maybe you might want to makes some subtle inquiries into possible slopeside properties, but don't look for anything resembling an alpine chalet.

_{Dubai Snowdome Copyright Getty Images Chris Jackson}

These days, Jeremy Bloom, former college football standout, two time Olympian freestyle skier, and 2005 World cup mogul champion is working hard to make the 53 man Pittsburg Steelers roster. While football is his main focus, Bloom tells LancasterOnline.com (Intelligencer Journal) that he still finds time to check out the Summer Olympics action in Beijing.

"The Olympic Games will always hold a special place in my heart," Bloom said. "So I'm very excited for the Summer Games. I think we are sending a great team, and I'll be watching when I can." Being a part of the opening ceremonies at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City with the country's post 9/11 solidarity is one of his best Olympic memories.

Originally drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles following a splendid, but shortened, college career at the University of Colorado, Bloom ended up on injured reserve with a hamstring injury before being released at the end of training camp. He was signed by the Steelers prior to their playoff game against Jacksonville last January and is competing for a spot in the Steeler receiver corps.

In Olympic freestyle skiing and college football Jeremy, 5-foot-9, 180 pounds, always gave 110% and if he can stay injury-free on the pro football circuit he has a good shot of helping the Steelers into another playoff round.

_{Freestyle photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images
Steelers headshot photo/Getty Images}

Olympic gold medalist Julia Mancuso and silver medalist Gretchen Bleiler might not be competing in the 2008 Olympic Summer Games in Beijing, but they are certainly in the midst of the action. Both have taken on journalist assignments for the duration of the Games.

Mancuso, Gold Medal winner in Torino, Italy, in 2006, is a lifestyle correspondent for NBC's Olympic lead-in show called "The Ozone," which airs Monday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET. Her segment, entitled "Julia's Beijing Must List," follows her around as she explores Beijing as a winter Olympian at the Summer Games for the first time.

Bleiler, recently named Best Female Action Sports Athlete at the 2008 ESPY awards, isinterviewing athletes and providing morning wrap-up sessions at 9:00 a.m. ET daily for the online Yahoo! Sports Olympic Wrap-Up.

Mancuso's segments also will be available online at NBCOlympics.com and she will be updating her blog regularly.

_{Photo of Julia Mancuso Copyright Agence Zoom / Getty Images}

If you are in the Lake Tahoe region this weekend, make your way over to Squaw Valley USA on Monday night for a high rise camp out under Mother Nature's Perseid meteor shower.

The Perseids are an annual happenning, beginning in late July and stretching into August. However, there is always one night that the viewing of the shower is at its best and this year, that evening falls on Monday, August 11. The main event night pretty much guarantees sky wathchers will be presented with colorful fireballs, occasional outbursts, and almost always, long hours of gracefully streaking meteors.

On Monday evening, Perseid Meteor Shower campers can upload the Cable Car between 5 pm and 6:30 pm. Arriving at High Camp, guests have the option of a sun set hike around Squaw Valley's upper mountain peaks or eating a special dinner at the mountaintop cafe.

Professional stargazers will be at the 8,200' High Camp site providing viewing telescopes and an informational briefing. At 10 pm, the meteor shower viewing will begin and in the morning, from 7 am to 8 am, campers will enjoy a continental breakfast before taking the Cable Car back down.

The Perseid Meteor Shower Family Campout is subject to selling out so reservations are required. If you can't make this event you can still explore the wonders of the night sky during one of Squaw Valley's summer Stargazing Sessions each Friday and Saturday evening in July and August. More information is available on Squaw Valley USA.

_{Perseid Meteor Shower Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images}

The 2009 U.S. Alpine Ski Team, which includes 12 Olympians and three World Championships medalists was named recently, according to Alpine Director Jesse Hunt.

Speaking of the 46-member Team (25 men, 21 women) Director Hunt said, "This is an amazing group of athletes that clearly stepped up to the next level last season. On the World Cup we had tremendous results with Ted and Lindsey taking titles as well as a first World Cup win by Marco and podium performances by Julia, Scott and Steven. This positions the Team well and gives us great momentum going into the 2009 World Championship season."

The 2009 U.S. Alpine Ski Team (with date of birth, hometown and club program)

A TEAM

Men
Jimmy Cochran (5/29/81; Keene, NH; Cochran's/Mount Mansfield Ski & Snowboard Club)
Ted Ligety (8/31/84; Park City, UT; Park City Ski Team)
Scott Macartney (1/19/78; Crystal Mountain, WA; Crystal Mountain Alpine Club)
Steven Nyman (2/12/82; Provo, UT; Park City Ski Team/Sundance)
Marco Sullivan (4/27/80; Squaw Valley, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team)

Women
Stacey Cook (7/3/84; Mammoth, CA; Mammoth Mountain Ski Team)
Julia Mancuso (9/9/84; Olympic Valley, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team)
Kaylin Richardson (9/28/84; Edina, MN; Team Gilboa)
Resi Stiegler (11/14/85; Jackson Hole, WY; Park City Ski Team/Jackson Hole)
Lindsey Vonn (10/18/84; Vail, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail/Buck Hill Ski Team)

B TEAM
Men
Erik Fisher (3/21/85; Middleton, ID; Bogus Basin)
Tommy Ford (3/20/89; Bend, OR; Mount Bachelor Ski Education Foundation)
Kevin Francis (6/13/82; Bend, OR; Mount Bachelor Ski Education Foundation)
Tim Jitloff (1/11/85; Reno, NV; Park City Ski Team)
Tim Kelley (5/20/86; Starksboro, VT; Cochran's/Mount Mansfield Ski & Snowboard Club)
TJ Lanning (8/27/84; Park City, UT; Park City Ski Team)
Cody Marshall (11/15/82; Pittsfield, VT; Burke Mountain Academy)
Erik Schlopy (8/21/72; Park City, UT; Park City Ski Team)
Jeremy Transue (6/1/83; Hunter, NY; Green Mountain Valley School)
Andrew Weibrecht (2/10/86; Lake Placid, NY; New York Ski Education Foundation)

Women
Hailey Duke (9/17/85; Boise, ID; Park City Ski Education Foundation/McCall Ski Team)
Jessica Kelley (10/5/82; Starksboro, VT; Cochran's/Mount Mansfield Ski & Snowboard Club)
Chelsea Marshall (8/14/86; Pittsfield, VT; Green Mountain Valley School)
Megan McJames (9/24/87; Park City, UT; Park City Ski Education Foundation)
Sarah Schleper (2/19/79; Vail, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail)
Leanne Smith (5/28/87; Conway, NH; Mt. Washington Valley Ski Team)

C TEAM
Men
Chris Beckmann (10/9/86; Guilderland, NY; New York Ski Education Foundation)
Will Brandenburg (1/1/87; Spokane, WA; Schweitzer Alpine Racing)
Travis Ganong (7/14/88; Squaw Valley, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team)
Tague Thorson (1/9/85; Park City, UT; Romark Ski Academy)

Women
Sterling Grant (6/1/87; Amery, WI; Buck Hill Ski Team)
Keely Kelleher (8/12/84; Big Sky, MT; Rowmark Ski Academy)
Julia Littman (7/21/84; Vail, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail)
Laurenne Ross (8/17/88; Klamath Falls, OR; Mount Bachelor Ski Education Foundation)
Kiley Staples (2/2/89; Park City, UT; Rowmark Ski Academy)

U.S. Alpine Development Team
Men
Michael Ankeny (1/17/91; Deephaven, MN; Buck Hill Ski Team)
Nick Daniels (4/5/91; Tahoe City, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team)
Colby Granstrom (9/21/90; Lake Stevens, WA; Mission Ridge Ski Education Foundation)
Will Gregorak (9/30/90; Longmont, CO; Ski and Snowboard Club Vail)
Nolan Kasper (3/27/89; Warren, VT; Burke Mountain Academy)
Wiley Maple (5/25/90; Aspen, CO; Aspen Valley Ski Club)

Women
Felicia Byers (12/17/91; Sandy, UT; Snowbird Sports Education Foundation)
Julia Ford (3/30/90; Plymouth, NH; Holderness Ski Team)
Kayla Fry (5/1/90; Reno, NV; Team Savage Ski Racing)
Alice McKennis (8/19/89; Glenwood Springs, CO; Rowmark Ski Academy)
Jennie VanWagner (6/22/89; Traverse City, MI; Rowmark Ski Academy)

Reserve
Caroline Lalive (8/10/79; Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club)

The Team is currently gearing up for month-long training camps in New Zealand and Chile, with the World Cup season set to open Oct. 25-26 in Soelden, Austria. The annual swing to America kicks off Thanksgiving weekend in Colorado with the Aspen Winternational for women, while the men will race the harrowing Birds of Prey starting Dec. 2 at nearby Beaver Creek Resort. The highlight of the 08-09 season will be the World Championships scheduled for Feb. 3-15 in Val d'Isere, France.

_{Lindsey Vonn Image Copyright Don Emmert/ Getty Images}

Vermont Ski Safety Equipment Inc. (VSSE) is the manufacturer of safety-related products for the snow sports industry, and offers safety services and courses. A major piece of safety equipment produced by VSSE specifically for the ski industry is the Vermont Release Calibrater.

VSSE, in cooperation with the Snowsports Industry of America (SIA) and the National Ski Areas Association (NSSA), conducts seminars and workshops and this September will kick off the 19th season of the Ski and Snowboard Mechanics workshops. During the months of September through November the VSSE faculty will present the program at 18 resorts across the country.

The workshops are serious business and are accredited by the major binding manufacturers. The Bindings workshops are full day courses, one covering entry level techs and one for previous certified techs.

There is also a rental equipment course for employed rental mechanics. Here, the techs participate, hands-on, in rental projects such as pre-season inspection, in-season inspection, post accident inspection, and equipment dispatch.

Don't despair if you are not currently working at a resort, retail, or rental shop. Ski mechanics of all levels are welcome to attend a full day course on Ski Tuning and Repair. Here you can get hands-on training in hand and machine techniques for bottom and edge tuning and training in delamination and other major base repairs.

At some of the venues there is a third day scheduled for a Rental/Service Management and Employee Training Seminar. An in depth look at the proper organization and operation rental and service facilities.

Check out the list of the Resorts hosting VSSE and if you are interested in one, or more of the courses register before August 10 for an early bird saving!

_{Wet Belt Sanding©Mike Doyle}

If you have never enjoyed, or survived, the Olympic experience in person and you are aiming for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, get your calendar ready to make plans. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) have released the official 2010 Daily Competition Schedule giving a day-by-day breakdown of the sporting activities over the 17 days of Olympic competition and the 9 days of Paralympic competition.

Some highlights of the schedule are: the Opening Ceremony will begin at 6:00 pm on February 12, 2010 and the final sport event of the Olympic Winter Games, the men’s gold medal hockey game is scheduled for February 28, at 12:15 pm. The first Paralympic event will be the men’s and ladies’ alpine skiing competitions beginning at 9:30 am on March 13th, with the final Paralympic sport event, the men’s and ladies’ one-kilometer sprint finals in cross-country skiing, at 12:00 pm on March 21.

With the release of this official hourly account, you can plan out the events you would like to see making sure you won't have a conflict when it comes time to buy tickets. Remember, if you are serious about getting tickets, work out all potential conflicts now because tickets go on sale October 3rd - just two months away.

_{Freestyle Skiing photo© Getty Images}

Your Passport is what you need to get to Europe to ski and Ski Snowboard Europe by Charlie Leocha is what you need to get to the right ski resort. This winter, I'll again be taking a week to ski in Europe. I am just now making my plans a little more concrete as to where I'll be heading and exactly where I want to stay. Believe me, this is in no way too early to set a schedule and make bookings for any resort in Europe, especially since the cheap flight schedules out of England were recently announced and the Brits are planning their European invasion.

Before you get the very wrong impression that I must be rich to even think of heading to Europe to ski, let me explain that I save my money all year to ski in the Alps, and I wouldn't leave home without the latest edition of Charlie Leocha's Ski Snowboard Europe. When the bottom line is where to go in Europe so that you get as much bang for your buck as possible, you have to trust someone who's been there, and goes back there, and checks out the skiing, hotels, apartments, chalets, and restaurants. Charlie Leocha has been dong that in Europe for over 30 years.

It's true the American dollar is taking a hammering against the Euro and prices in Europe aren't cheap to begin with. However, as Leocha points out, with a little research you can find a ski package or a tour operator that can put together a European vacation for not much more than what you would pay for a destination vacation in the states.

But why would you? Well, once you seen these mountains up close and skied non-stop for 6 or 7 hours without ever crossing your tracks it's very, very addicting. Everything you see in brochures from the Alps is true and 10 times more breathtaking in person. However, there are so many resorts and so little time you need experienced advise to set up a vacation you'll enjoy on and off the slopes. Ski Snowboard Europe takes the guess work out of finding a resort or village that fits your fancy, your skiing and your budget.

This season I'll be telling you about a certain few books related to skiing that don't go on my bookshelf - they stay on my coffee table at home, in my backpack when I'm on the road and on my nightstand when I'm traveling. Ski Snowboard Europe is one of these books. Don't ski Europe without it - I don't!

_{Book Cover Image © World Leisure Corporation
Mont Blanc Photo © Mike Doyle}