The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
Peak performers: Shiffrin, ski team return to snow for camp
to the pandemic.
Given the varying temperatures, it was far from Mikaela Shiffrin rode easy to prepare the three the chair lift to the top trails for the group. Some of Copper Mountain on a days, it would rain. Some sunny June day and took in days, it would be 50 degrees a sight she hadn’t seen in a (10 Celsius), with while: A freshly groomed, the course turning into a snow-packed course just slimy, wet consistency. waiting to be skied. Enter the course groomers, Paradise. who worked their A little tropical, too, magic sometimes late into given the warm weather the night. that had the carefully “It’s like grooming a manicured slopes turning slushy,” laughed Mike Looney, mushy by mid-morning. the senior slope maintenance
Didn’t matter. It was manager at Copper just energizing to be back Mountain. “But when on skis. the weather cooled down,
The two-time Olympic it got a little bit better to champion and the rest of manage and then it started the U.S. women’s team, setting up. By the time athletes along with the men’s Europa hit the course in the squad, recently returned morning, it was a nice to snow for a firm, race product again.” two-week, pay-strict-adherence-to-social-distance-guidelines Looney, who’s in his 23rd season at Copper, estimated camp in the last time they Copper Mountain, Colorado. groomed the trails at Copper This was a chance to in June like this was zip through a course again about 15 years ago, when after the season abruptly they had spring race ended in March due to the camps. coronavirus pandemic. Their approach?
“Being back skiing, on “You get a nightly game the snow, it just felt like plan of where the thin home,” said Bella Wright, spots are, where the wet who made her World Cup spots are, and you fix debut last season. “It felt them,” Looney explained. like we were back doing “Then, you do it again the what we’re supposed to be next day.” doing.” Shiffrin certainly appreciated
The main objective of the momentous efforts the camp that ended last of the snowcat operators week was nothing more to make the training than honing technique. sessions possible.
For about three hours a “We’re one of the first day — beginning around sports that’s found a way sunrise — the team turned to get training and it’s a in run after run on the giant huge production,” Shiffrin slalom course. Shiffrin posted on social media. and the other technical “For all people involved, racers also were able to it’s amazing they’re trying charge through some slalom to pull this off.” gates. The team followed strict
“To get this training protocols, too, such as no in during June is something more than two skiers on we need because we a chair lift at a time and missed spring training,” facemasks worn everywhere U.S. women’s coach Paul (except when skiing). Kristofic explained. “It’s They also had one just great quality mileage person doing the grocery in the bank.” shopping and limited contact
It marks the first time to within their small the team has been assembled bubbles — the speed team in an organized setting with the speed team and since the 2019-20 season the tech squad with the was halted in March tech squad. just as the women’s squad Everyone’s temperature prepared for a World Cup was taken twice a day. race in Are, Sweden. Shiffrin There were no positive was set to make her tests reported. return to the slopes after “To be able to train at taking a six-week break Copper in the spring is from the circuit following something we’ve always the death of her father. wanted to do and to be Federica Brignone of able to achieve it in a really Italy captured the overall challenging situation with crown, ending Shiffrin’s COVID is a real win for the three-year reign. team,” Kristofic said.
Several European teams Some of the coaches and have already returned to technicians live in Europe training: The Austrian and couldn’t make it to the men’s and women’s teams camp due to travel restrictions. in Soelden, the Swiss team Also, a portion of on the Zermatt Glacier and their equipment remains the French in Courchevel in Europe as well. and Val D’Isere. “We’re pooling our resources
French racer Alexis Pinturault the very best way posted a video on we can,” Kristofic said. “Of social media with the comment: course, what an opportunity “Sunny and Cold GS we had. We had to do day in June.” this and take advantage of
In the Rocky Mountains, what we have on home soil, more like sunny and because it could very well warm. be the only training we’re
Copper Mountain made going to get.” it work, though. The resort After the training sessions, is the home of the the team took advantage U.S. ski team’s speed center of the nearby terrain. and has a crew up for Some athletes went the challenge — no matter mountain biking. Others the tricky conditions. The went for hikes or fishing. hill still had around a 60inch Wright preferred rollerblading, base following their even logging 11.2 closure in mid-March due miles on one excursion.