Former Olympic Champion Vegard Ulvang just returned to Norway after having done a FIS inspection of this winter’s World Championship courses and the arena in Oberstdorf, Gemany. Ulvang is promising lots of excitement and loads fun.
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All systems are ready
Ulvang reports that the organizer is just about ready with everything for the championship that starts February 16, 2005. The only thing lacking is the snow. The arena has however had its first night below 0 Celsius and there was new snow in the hillsides above the stadium.
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Fewer herringbones
Last years pre-Worlds had one herringbone hill with a 23% grade. The grade of this hill is now reduced to 15%. That means that it’s now possible to ski this hill using diagonal stride.
http://www.fasterskier.com/opinion.php?id=1464 ) Technology will also be used to measure the skier’s positions and speed at certain locations. This technology will make it possible to tell who is skiing fastest in the downhills and who are the fastest going up the hills.Â
Enormous interest
The interest for cross country skiing in Germany is at the moment enormous. Television is already now, almost four month before Worlds, showing the German top skiers skiing in a man-made loop on a cruise ship!
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This is going to be fun!
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