Alpine Ski, need for speed
Jared Joyce
Staff Writer
Every Thursday and Sunday night, Westford Academy’s Alpine Ski Team practices with Coach Ruhmann, a Blanchard Middle School teacher, and Senior Captains Helen Webb and Ben Andrews.
Races are held weekly at Nashoba Valley Ski Area on Tuesdays, from three to five. In downhill skiing, there are two different kinds of races, Slalom and Grand Slalom, also known as GS.
Slalom is more difficult and is characterized by its short and quick turns through closely spaced gates. The most difficult turns in slalom are called “flushes.” These gates are arranged in a row down the mountain, so that getting around them requires only the slightest movement. These are the sharpest turns.
GS is less difficult and has wider turns, but can be completed in a shorter amount of time. This means that racers are going at a greater speed.
More advanced skiers often have two different pairs of skis. Giant slalom skis are usually longer and are made of different materials than slalom skis, which are shorter and lighter to accommodate for the closely spaced flushes.
Practices focus mainly on the dynamics of finding balance when ski racing. Balance is one of the most important aspects of ski racing. The racers use their edges, both sides of the ski, when turning. This is rather difficult, as many people use only one edge of their ski without realizing it, similar to favoring your better foot.
One of the methods used to teach skiing on edges is going down the mountain on only one ski. Each skier leaves one ski at the top, and then struggles to get down the mountain at a high speed while only balancing on one ski.
There is a range of talent on the team. Senior skiers are not necessarily better, just as freshmen are not necessarily worse. Finley Payne, a sophomore, holds the top varsity position.
Helen Webb, one of the team’s captains, is very proud of the way this season is going.
“Being a captain I focus on teamwork and bringing all of the grades together. I like how there are students from each grade on the team. Building a team is just as important as practicing the skills to become a better skier,” says Webb.
Although skiing is an individual, competitive sport, there is also a sense of community on the ski team. The skiers are not only competing against their own teammates, but are also competing as a single unit against other schools.
“It is an individual sport but I feel that there is a strong sense of community on the ski team,” says Webb.