Alain Lazard responds...

Alain Lazard, a former ski racer, ski coach and retired ski industry consultant who lives in the Sierra Foothills of Northern California, made a response so complete and compelling to my last posting, that I had to publish it today!

Let me begin by commenting on your intro; I totally agree with you that the Super G is technically speaking, a useless event. In addition, it costs a lot to organize it while other alpine events are already expensive enough.

Downhills that are like freeways have also become without interest. In fact, a hybrid event between GS and Downhill should replace both. I’m thinking of terrain configured like the “Green” in Les Houches, France, for example.

Regarding slalom, I disagree with you. I don’t think rapid-gates and short skis with deep sidecut have negatively changed the event. On the same hill, slalom courses have become more “turny” with boots cutting it now close to the poles instead of just the shoulders as it used to be in our times. Today’s slalom racers look more like gladiators armored from head to toe; this is a very different event from other alpine competitions where the intrinsic qualities of skiers are secondary to their speed, reflex impulses, etc… The example of Gérard Bonnevie comes to mind; while he finished fourth at the 1974 St. Moritz World Championships, he wasn’t someone I’d call “a good skier.” He would have had a terrible time free-skiing down a long, steep run with one foot of fresh snow covering it.

Regarding the required qualities to win on skis, I generally agree with your analysis, but I’d get there somehow differently by adding two categories and by incorporating some "best practices" to round-up these winning traits:

1 - For me, the essence of an excellent technique can only be acquired through “free-skiing:” That's the ability to feel the snow, or the “intelligence of the feet” as a very controversial coach used to call it. I’d even go further and suggest that “premature” racing is counterproductive. I experienced this when I was in charge of the Far West Division for the USSA/USST. Parents were enrolling their 10 to 12 years old kids for one or two races per weekend (25 to 30 races per season) in order for them to garner points ... all that grueling schedule prevented them from really skiing. To counter this situation, I established a point system that took the two best results per event and removed 10% of the points for the rest of the season races, following 6 competitions in the same event or a total of 12 races for the season. At the same time, I organized camps where kids would free-ski all day long behind naturally talented skiers like Philippe Mollard. Tamara McKinney went through that program and her results speak for themselves.

2a - The second portion of technical skills – running gates – can only intervene after the skier is able to reasonably master “free-skiing.” For an accomplished skier, this threshold isn’t difficult to cross. However, the qualities required from the coach who facilitate that transition are drastically different from the initial phase. Some coaches excel in the first, other in the latter, very few in both, and a large number in neither one of them.

2b – Just running gates might suffice to improve motor skills unless weaknesses have been spotted and specific exercises are available for alleviating them. In this area, the key element for progress is to expose racers early on with top talents. It's a major problem in Alpine countries that have a plethora of World Cup racers who hang on inside the team very late and are road-blocks to young talent who would quickly blossom if given a chance to be exposed to that senior talent pool.

3 – Without a doubt, physical training is paramount. Cardiovascular development should be close to that adopted by 400 to 1500 meter track runners, although some endurance training is required to handle long days spent on snow. Muscle building should combine both strength (especially for downhill) and a combination of strength with speed (slalom.)

4 - As for mental strength, the situation varies from one individual to another. This is where the coaches’ influence can either be great... or devastating. Some racers reach the World Cup circuit armed with nerves of steel and need no or little assistance to make it. Others are very sensitive and show patchy performance from race to race or season to season, not to mention superb training runs followed by dismal race results. This is an area I don’t know well enough and that requires true experts seldom found within a team’s coaching staff.

To rank these prerequisite talents, I’d put the intrinsic qualities of skiers (# 1) in first position at 40%, then mind control (# 4) at 25%, racing technique (# 2 a & b) at 20% and finally physical fitness (# 3) at 15%.

This pecking order is highly subjective, and a few missing ingredients will prove to be enough to negate the benefits of others elements, except perhaps for the mental fortitude which lack thereof may open the door to a once-in-a-career exploit but will impede regular performance.

We must also take into account the interaction of the above traits. Without a sound technique and a potential for solid results, a steady mind-set is of little use, except for prolonging a lackluster career. The essential ingredient remains therefore a solid technique that opens the door on good results. Achieving the latter enables the proper mental attitude to take over.

Motor skill elements can be easily acquired earlier in life. As age sets in, this becomes increasingly difficult, if not impossible. Conversely, improving both physical and mental conditions is always feasible later on. This is why things should follow a certain sequence, something that the national selection process generally fails to facilitate.

One last point: The importance of what you call "be one with the element." This is the quality of the “natural skier.” Once acquired, the mind is free to focus on technical, tactical and other issues and allow progress in other areas. Let’s not put the cart before the horse!

Nothing was said of the equipment; yet, it's pretty obvious that it should be of quality and well suited for the appropriate skier style.

All this is a bit rough, but that’s what went through my head of this beautiful Sunday in February…

Alain Lazard, Penn Valley, California


Editor's Note: Make sure to read the other comments that were made about yesterday's posting; they all add some extra perspectives to my views that, I have to admit, were pretty limited...