British Contenders at Speed Ski World Cup
18th March 2004Over the weekend (19-21st March), members of the British speed ski team will be competing in two FIS World Cup speed ski races in Cervinia (Italy).
Speed skiers don skin-tight rubber suits, Darth Vader-style helmets and fairings behind their legs to achieve speeds of over 150mph. This weekend's races will be on a smaller track where skiing efficiently will be the key to success. Nigel Brockton, currently ranked 3rd in the World, is hopeful of some good results. "The Cervinia track is very simple but that means you have to ski very precisely and efficiently...at over 100mph".
The British Speed Ski team had a very successful season in 2003; they scored the first ever FIS World Cup win by a British ski racer (Nigel Brockton, Loser/Altaussee, Austria) and had three members of the team in the top 10 at the FIS World Championships (Marc Poncin 3rd; Nigel Brockton 5th and Millar Reid 10th).
Already this season, Brockton has finished 10th and 3rd in World Cup races on tracks which, according to his assessment "did not suit my approach". These races were on very bumpy courses. In the races at Leysin (Switzerland) during February, Brockton reckons he was off the ground for 20m in the 100m timing zone. "It is difficult to think about technicalities when you're just trying to stay in one piece" he says.
The team's preparations have been enhanced this season by wind tunnel testing conducted at the University of Glasgow (Department of Aerospace Engineering). Each racer has made small but important adjustments to equipment as a direct result of this testing. This weekend they hope to see the benefits on the race track.