Minus 6 at night and plus temperatures during the day have the groomers starting at 4pm - the transition time - when the sun leaves the tracks and start to freeze up.
Different game plan each day, Dirk meets with the Jury and TD's right after the day's races to initiate the next days course planning. Normally 6 pages of notes are recorded during their ski around the race course. These notes are then transferred to his grooming team - often first discussed in Trailer 2 as to the best way to execute the plan. His team is a diverse group with un believable expertise. Mt Washington on the island groomers Mark Lister and Tom Kennedy have the most experience with para-nordic track setting...and similar snow conditions, thus their input is highly valued. Groomed with the large Pisten Bully 400 machines, then reviewed by skiing the entire race course with fine scrutiny. Tracks for standing visually impaired skiers need to be continuous, no breaks - which means manual grooming in erratic corners. Sit ski tracks need to be level - which means quite a bit of raking and then adding in a manually created track...a track pan pulled by hand.
And of course salting will come to play in the plus degree conditions still facing the skiers at Whistler Olympic Park.
While in Toronto not having the opportunity to tune in to athletics...cause I was hamming it up in front of CP24(the new 24 hour news channel) in a raft at the Sportsman Show as well as doing the brochure distribution rounds for our summer businesses... decorated Paralympian Colette Bourgonje added a second medal to her 2010 collection on Thursday, earning bronze in the women's 5km sitting cross-country ski race. The 48 year old athlete is an inspiration to women world-wide, sending the message that age is not a barrier - passion and hard work can achieve goals that are realistic not only for able bodied athletes...but for those that have unique challenges. It takes creativity, will power and support to reach goals. The benefit is not only an individual gain, but shared by all that surround you. Congrats Colette and thank you for paving a path - one that opens up opportunities, closes barriers that traditionally may have halted us. You have shown us that this can be a temporary speed bump, a derailment...or change of tracks.... one that brings new joy into a sport for life ! Thank you !
Brian McKeever is becoming a successful gold miner...adding to his collection a second first place podium finish on Thursday in the 10km classic competition with brother Robin as his guide. To finish 1 and a half minutes ahead of the field must be a very rewarding feeling to "Own the Podium".
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