Training 15th November, Head Coach's Report

Even the cloud and rain couldn't dampen the spirits of Gordon Skiers today.  It may have been our first wet Sunday, but everyone was on a high and didn't even seem to mind sliding around in the mud for fitness.

A big THANK YOU to Lynne today for helping out the coaches with the physical sessions and for organising such amazing looking kit. Some very smartly dressed racers on the Alford Mat today.

I'm always very impressed by the soup rota. Delicious today and the baking looked very impressive.

Training November 8th, Head Coach's Report

Someone needs to tell the head coach he needs some skis!!

It never fails to amaze me how much fun we can have and how much the skiers can be challenged on an 80 metre slope in Alford.

Although the weather was less clement to us today, the groups were all fully engaged, with the coaches working hard to keep them on their toes.

Training Sunday November 1st

Hi All,

I'll remember the 01/11 for a long time. What perfect day to start back training for our Autumn programme.  The sun was shining and everyone was on great form. We had 33 athletes and trainees all working very hard with the 5 coaches. 

Today's Times. Sunday October 4th 2015

Timed Runs October 4th
Performance Squad 1		Development  3
Rachel Brown	7.22	Daisy Cowie	10.69
Hamish Alexander		Logan Duncan	9.40
Graeme Campbell		Harriet Dawson	10.11
Andrew Simpson	7.40	Development 3
Neil Simpson	7.95	Finlay Carry	9.56
Beth Whatford	7.53	Jacob Ipsen	11.12
Erik Rasmusen	7.59	Izzy Pfleger	11.69
Hannah Morrison		Ruaridh Rogerson	10.71
Vicky Rasmusen	8.59	Development 4
Performance Squad 2		Murdo Reid	10.69
Nathan Smith		Alex Hay	11.04
Ben Whatford	9.58	Torin Liversidge	11.42
Development 1		Finn Rogerson	13.20
Kathleen Rae		New Members
Morven Douglas		Annabel Mackay	No time
Ellie Green	9.22	Glen Liversidge	No time
Jack Morrison	9.37	Ben McWhirry Merry	10.76
Harry Pfleger	9.44	Alex Selley	11.24
Daniel Lints		Thomas Paterson	No time
		Rasmus Ipsen	14.64
		Keira Henderson	11.56
		Eva Sinclair	12.27
		Olivia Sinclair	21.07

First Sunday Back

Welcome back folks. 

What a day to start back training at Alford. The sun was shining, the sky was blue and the Athletes were on top form.

Day one of training is always a little daunting, especially for our newest members. I was delighted to see everyone joining in the fun and to welcome our new coach, Nicholas, to the team.

As always the timed runs were a firm favourite and the competition was red hot. Fastest of the day was Rachel Brown with a red hot 7.22 seconds. The course was very tight and the coaches couldn’t compete with Jamie Robertson very close behind (by only 2 hundredths of a second)

Apparently one of the kids managed to beat her Dad today, but we’ll be looking to fix that next session on the 1’st of November.

Don’t worry if you didn’t manage to record a time this week, we’ll be setting up the timing gear every week so there will be plenty of chances to make your mark.

For the next session I’ll be working out the teams, based on the times I have from today, so expect some close racing next time.

As always, if you have any questions or comments, do not hesitate to ask.

See You All Soon, Gary W

Lecht Training Sunday 15th March

Training went well, we only had 7 kids with 3 coaches so that meant they were getting pretty good feedback. A course was set on the right hand eagle in the morning and everyone skied it pretty well. A much tighter course was set beside it in the afternoon and all managed to get down that, with some practice, as well.

The snow base was becoming very thin down the bottom and for most of it we were pretty much drilling into ice which made it extremely difficult to take the stubbies out at the end of the day. Over all it was a good day, but without more snow the training days at the Lecht will be limited.

Jamie

Video From Last Sunday 1st March

David Alexander has kindly shared this video from last Sunday.  Filmed at the end of training, skiing the Harrier and the area to the left side of it, skiers, Hamish Alexander, Ryan Pye and Iain Campbell

Head Plant of the Day!

Award for head plant of the day has to go to Ryan Pye!  James apparently also tried to demolish a snow fence but I missed that one!  Hannah Morrison came in a close second, see below.  All survived the experience.

Gordon Skiers Courchevel Training Camp

An amazing week of weather and snow in Courchevel was enjoyed by 12 skiers on the recent camp.
Each morning was spent skiing the whole mountain with the afternoon training gates on the World Cup 1850 Stade.

Day one and 2 we trained in bumps and off piste, with the afternoons spent in Slalom gates. Day 3 and 4 we switched to the bigger mountain and trained GS in the afternoon.

All the skiers also entered GS and SL races with the Gordon Skier's taking top honours in every race. Particularly well done to Andrew Simpson and Rachel Brown. Top boy and girl in every race. Andrew S even managed to beat the pace setter on one of the GS races.

In the SL race out of 84 entries, 73 finished. Only 10 medals were won and the Gordon Skier's took 8 of them.

Well done to all.

The week built to a grand Finale when the team made the Couloir Telepherique look like a walk in the park.If you've never seen this the off piste route, it's 40 degree pitch with a very exciting entrance from the very top of the mountain.

There's always a special mention and this one is for Ellie Green. In only her third snow season, Ellie cruised down her first couloir, with a proud Dad capturing the action (from the bottom) on video.

The camp seemed to go well. Let's see what happens next year.

Training Report, Sunday 18th January

Many thanks to all athletes and coaches for braving the storm on Sunday, for our first snow training day.

From what I could see the snow looked great, although most of it seemed to be attached Ali M's eyebrow at one point. (He had a frozen stalactite growing rapidly)

It was great to see so many enthusiastic skiers braving the breeze to stay out training and keen to train in the gates/stubbies in the afternoon.

With the races coming up this weekend, we had to jiggle the groups a little to ensure all the racers had the chance to practice in the appropriate gates, or stubbies. The younger groups had a full course set on the Eagle Race Way, whilst the Children had Sl Gates set on the Falcon.

The Children were challenged in the morning by skiing a rut line. I'm sure I saw a few of the parents looking on jealously desperate for a wee try. The rut line is a great drill for softening up the knees and emphasising the importance of the pole plant. Just what's needed to race Slalom next week.

Although I din't see them ski, I believe the Bairns covered lots of miles in the morning. A great re-introduction to the snow, before the stubby course after lunch.

I'll look at the numbers for racing this weekend and, if we can provide it, there will be training for kids not racing on Sunday. On Saturday, the coaches on duty will be supporting the races.

Whilst the kids aren't racing the coaches will do their best to keep them skiing, so they stay warmed up and ready to race.

As usual, any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Thanks, GW

PS Erik Razmussen and Hamish Alexander each lost a ski pole from outside the hut at the end of the day presumably somebody thinking they were a set and taking them thinking they were theirs.  The poles are both Scott with black Scott hand guards.  Hamish's pole is grey and black and Erik's pole is red and black.  Please could everyone have a quick check to see if they picked them up by mistake in the rush to get off the hill before the gates closed.

Training Report December 7th 2014

Evening Folks,

I keep waiting for the moment when the kids tell me they've have enough and are getting bored.

Thankfully, that still seems like a long way off. We've had another great day of training and racing today with some of the closest racing I've seen so far.

Training Times Sunday December 7th.

Here are this weeks times, definitely a slower course this week with most folk marginally slower and there were some tricky gates at the bottom that caught a few folk out and accounting for most of the DNFs.  In the family battles, David Alexander still clinging on ahead of son Hamish by 0.16 seconds and for the second week running Beth leads the Whatford clan home by 0.15seconds!

Training 30th November........and now the video!

Thanks to David Alexander for these videos from today's training.

Training Report November 30th.

Wow, what a day of training for Gordon Skier's today. The rain finally cleared and the Gordon Racers were shining as bright as the sun. I'm taking a well earned break from decorating the Christmas Tree to report on today's activities.

It seems the timing gear has really got everyone motivated. I don't know the times this week, but Paul will be publishing them separately.

Timings From Training, 30th November

So that's how he got his fast time!  : )

The timings are in!  So who are the cruisers and who were the losers??  Read on!

In the battles of parents V children, David Alexander is clinging on ahead of Hamish....... but it is getting close and Beth has the bragging rights in the Whatford household tonight!

Timings From Yesterday's Training

Here are the times from yesterdays timed runs which your skiers may well be interested in!  Gary, you might like to note that your daughter's time is getting extremely close to your own with a mere 8/100 sec in it!! Good also to see Hamish Alexander leading his father home by 2/100 of a second!

U16 and Above Boys	Time		U16 and Above Girls	Time
Kieran Troup	6.81		Rachel Brown	7.21
Andrew Simpson	7.12		Tabby Allan	7.57
Erik Rasmusen	7.32		Vicky Rasmusen	8.17
Hamish Alexander	7.6		Hannah Morrison	8.35
Graeme Campbell	7.77		Rachael Morrison	8.58
Callum Duff	8.31		Lauren Liversidge	8.66
			Kathleen Rae	8.82

Training Report November 23rd

What a fantastic training day for the Gordon Skier's today. I'm not sure if the sunshine made a difference, but everyone was beaming.

We had a bit of a change of theme today, with timed runs for most racers. I must apologise to Development Squad 2, as it's my fault most of you didn't get a timed run. I promise you'll all get times next week.

Training Report, November 16th

Many Thanks to all who came to training today. It was a very wet start and I saw plenty of soggy skiers at the half time break.

We managed to secure the use of the Alford Scout Hut, to keep the fitness training in the warm and dry. A bit of a change for the fitness and the feedback, so far, has been positive ”fitness today with the video was great fun” (Thanks Ellie) Thanks to Alistair and Mark for helping out with the fitness. (Alistair even managed to put quite a few of the Athletes to shame by completing the whole session, in his denims)

Training Report, November 9th

There was some great skiing out there today, especially from the younger skiers!  Pity the same could not be said of the coaches!!  Fras here demonstrating how not to do it!  Sorry Fras but we could not turn down such a golden opportunity!  In fairness the subsequent recovery was very impressive.

In the racing it was a win for Kenny's team who were undefeated!  A special mention also for Kathleen Ray who stepped up to make up the numbers in the coaches team.  Gary would especially like to remind the Performance Squads that it was again a win for the coaches!  : )

All the skiers should take note that we will be refocusing on the fitness training and assessments next week.  So for those in the Performance Squads........ there is relegation as well as promotion!

A selection of photos have been posted on our Facebook page.

See you all next week.

Training Report Sunday Oct 5th.

Evening All,

Many Thanks for the efforts and commitment at today's training.

A slight change around for the coaches today and the feedback from all was excellent. The physical training was great fun and the highlight, for me, was finishing with a good old fashioned game of British Bulldogs.