Masters and Mistresses

Conditions for Saturday’s Austrian Masters ski race were interesting to say the least. Course inspection revealed a very hard packed, thin-based track with windblown snow accumulating on the edges. The course appeared to be quite tricky to everyone I spoke to but was actually easier than expected, partially due to the snow softening between inspection and actual race time.

As a result everyone tried harder on the second run and that was when some came unstuck. Together with the presentation dinner the event was great and congratulations to the organisers, staff, competitors and spectators for making it a very enjoyable day. If it hadn’t been for the race the day’s skiing would have been very ordinary. Battery failure prevented me from getting any more race photos.

The wind was still blowing on Sunday and there was a mix of sun and cloud. The air temperature was only around zero but the wind-chill was closer to –15C. There was some nice off-piste windblown up high around Karels and the Basin. The Supertrail was slushy and crowded as many other runs were closed due to either lack of snow or concrete boilerplate conditions. The sun did soften some of the other options and I was very surprised to find Cannonball a really enjoyable run down under Ramshead chair in the afternoon. The run out was not so enjoyable.

Austrian Masters Race

Another of some 112 competitors

Ice formations at the top of Karels T-bar

Plantations back to grass

Groomers were soft, off-piste not

Typical concrete conditions where runs were closed

High Noon - Sunday afternoon

The snowmakers were able to start up their machinery this morning and touch up some lower areas. The forecast has the weather changing from the current clear blue skies to rain and then snow later in the week. We can do with the later more than the first.