Day 11 - Downhill Race Day

February 15, 2010

On the Mountain by 5:00 a.m. and saw the sun rise over the Fitzsimmons Range. All the course work was completed and the track was frozen hard and fast. This was finally going to be the 2010 Olympic Mens' Downhill Race. Inspection of the course by the Racers and their coaches started at 7:30 and 10:30 the race started. You could hear the bells ringing and the crowd cheering as the first racer left the start. From my control spot just above the top of the Toilet Bowl I could see the racers coming towards me at least 3 gates ahead. I was from there able to snap a couple of photos of Bodie Miller and Robbie Dixon as the raced past me. From this position I then notified the course workers below me of the oncoming racers by yelling "Course". I would also notify them that the Slippers (course workers on skis who smooth and polish the race line between every two racers).

I use my large format Digital SLR camera and had it set to take 3 frames per second.

Then I moved done the course slightly to a jump into the Toilet Bowl that my crew has labeled "Rim Shot". This is where I capture this Italian skier as he approached the jump, launched off the jump and then flew through the air all within one second.

As a Canadian I was disappointed to not see a local ski racer on the podium but a fifth place by Erik Guay was a decent showing.

Later that night after cleaning up the course in preparation of the Downhill / Slalom Combined Race I was able to attend the metal presentation ceremonies in the "Celebration Plaza" - a project I worked on for 2 1/2 years while employed the the town of Whistler. It was quite a frenzy to see the crowd support for the awarding of the Bronze Metal to Brodie Miller (USA), the Silver Metal to Aksel Lund Svindal (Norway) and the Gold Metal to Didler Defaco (Switzerland ). The course (3105 meters long with a vertical drop of 853 meters and 41 gates) must have provided some challenges to these three racers but all three had it dialled in with only .04 seconds separating their times.

Today it was snowing heavily from 4:00 a.m. till noon and therefore the Downhill / Slalom Combined Race was postponed. We worked all day to clear and pack the new snow on the track in preparations for the rescheduled race on Thursday. My crews are all getting tired from the early morning loads on the chair lifts and the heavy work with all the snow, but their spirits are still high.

We will see tomorrow what the weather will bring but as always we will have the track ready.

Till another day

Gerry

February 15, 2010

Day 10 - Too Much Snow

February 13, 2010

Due to too much wet snow the Mens' Downhill Race was postponed this morning. What a disappointment to all involved. Everyone had watched either live or on TV or at the number of JumboTrons set up around Whistler the spectacular 2010 Olympic Opening Ceremonies and was stoked to get the Mens' Downhill Race - one of the premier events of the Olympics, completed.

But last night it started to snow and when the crews arrived at 5:00 a.m. this morning there was 30 cms of fresh snow at the Start, 20 cms of frozen wet snow in the Toilet Bowl and 10 cms of very wet snow all along the rest of the course. Our first job was to clean off all of the nets and then to remove the new snow off the track and behind the fences. With the use of shovels, rakes, snow scoops and snow blowers by noon all of the snow was removed. Then with a couple of more hours of work the safety systems were repairs and made race ready.

After my day of work at wandered thru Whistler Village and the experience of all of the people from many location around the world and the buzz off many different languages put a smile on my face and a lightness in my step. So this is what the Olympics is all about.

Due to conflicts with the Ladies Course (the Mens and the Ladies courses actually meet at the bottom and cross the same finish line), there was no opportunity to run the Mens' Downhill Race on Sunday, so I decided to take the day off and go to Vancouver to share Valentines Day with Alison, Grace and Alana.

Arriving in Vancouver I again experienced the buzz of the Olympics as all of the streets and transit stations were full of excited people (most wearing some article of red & white clothing demonstrating their support for our Canadian athletes.

There is a good chance that the Men's Race will happen tomorrow and therefore I will return to Whistler tonight - after one good sleep in my own bed. So look for me along side the course at the top of the Toilet Bowl - I will be the one in the light blue coat, with a white toque ringing my cow bell.

Hope you all are enjoying all of the Olympic Events and stories.

Cheers to downhill racing.

Gerry

Day 09 - Training Run

Friday Thursday February 11, 2010

(the Volunteer "Break room" Breakfast Lunch and Dinner meals 24/7.)

So today from 6:00 a.m. when we loaded on the Creekside Gondola and used head lamps to ski to our section of the course, where we buttoned up all of the edges of the course and them smoothed out the track. It was going to be another training run for 89 racers. The snow from the day before had been minimal overnight so most of the work was done by large wide long handled "asphalt rakes" and snow shovels. Also following the course inspection by the coaches and racers we send "Slippers" down the course who with speed and understanding of the "race line" remove any loose snow and polish and buff the race course.

At 9:30 a.m. the course was totally cleared and the we could see from the top of the course to the valley floor. The training run started, but due the prospect of weather coming in and to speed up the training run the racers were coming onto the course in only 40 second intervals. This left very little time for the course workers to make any small repairs to the course or replace any damaged gates. But finally by 11:30 a.m. all 89 racers had been given an equal and fair change to ski down the course at full speed. We are now ready to run the Olympic Men's Downhill Race - the first and one of the premier events of the 2010 Olympics.

The plan now is starting tomorrow morning at 6:00 a.m. all course work will be a 24 hour a day effort up to the completion of the Men's Downhill Race. There will be on opportunity to cancel or to prospone the race because the track is not ready. But we can not control the weather.

So my job tomorrow is to get my crew of 22 excited and committed to this once in a life time event, to put in all of the necessary effort and to make it happen.

I am very excited and can hardly wait for Saturday morning. Stay tuned.

Gerry

Day 08, More Test Pilots

February 10-2010

Today we ran "test pilots" and attempted a training run. (test pilots are young junior canadian ski team members who are looking for experience in skiing down a world class downhill course). They are not expendable or like Bic Lighters. They give the race course designers an idea of how the course will repond at full speed and where small adjustments to the course and the track itself to make it safer or scarier.

Also was the first training day. This is where the racers get to inspect the course with their coaches and then to ski the course as fast as possible. The times of their runs will determine the number racers from each country that will be allowed to compete in the Olympics as well as what their starting position will be come race day. I love to watch the racers standing at a part of the course as they memorize and visualize the run.

So at 9:00 a.m. we started, on a race ready track the training run for 89 racers. Things were going well until the 42 racer when the fog rolled in from the bottom of the mountain and the snow started. We waited for 4 hours with a hope that the weather would clear enough to run the balance of the racers. The training run is very important for to be able to run a Downhill race you have to provide at least one training session before the race. But the weather did not clear and the training run was cancelled.

Today was also special as the security "Mag & Bag" check into the venue started. The long line up extended down the stairs and around the block.

Everywhere the signs of the Olympics are around you here at Whistler from the banners along to race course to the conversion of the Whistler Public Library - a project that I was involved in when I lived and worked here in Whistler - into "Whistler - Canada House" - the hospitality centre for Canadian racers, coaches, and the Canadian Olympic Family.

Well time for bed as we have an 4:30 start to work tomorrow morning.

Gerry

Day 07 Feb-09-2010

Febuary 09, 2010

Today was all about adjusting the safety systems so that the TV Cameras had a clear view of each racer as they passed by the camera. Nets had to be pulled back and adjusted and then all of the camera locations (both fixed on TV towers and hand held had to have protected to ensure that a downed racer would not get injured.

The photos is of the Finish Line and Corral at the bottom of both the Ladys' and Mens' tracks. There is seating and standing room for at least 7,000 spectators and press. They will be able to watch in real time on a giant jumbo tron TV screen the racers coming down the course. Should be one of the most exciting locations next to mine which will be right inside the fences at the top of the notorious steep and dangerous "Weasel Pitch".

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Everywhere the signs and symbols of the 2010 Olympics are slowly appearing such at these five giant green rings. Everything up here is either Green or Blue the colors of the Games even the ropes we use.

Tonight at Weasel House two members of the Canadian Men's Alpine Ski Team came by talk with the volunteers; Manny Osburne-Paradis from Whistler and Jan Hudac from Calgary. It was also Manny's birthday so the Weasels had a cake for him and sang "Happy Birthday". The Weasels support Canadian racers in many other ways other than building the best and safest race course possible. We all look forward to these boys doing well in the Downhill.

Another early start (7:00 a.m. load on the Creekside Gondola) so it is early to bed.

Stay tuned.

Gerry

Day 6 - Still More Excitement

February-08-2010















































I wish I could show you all my daily notes of the tasks and jobs that have been assigned to my sections of the race course. As with all specialized areas of effort there is a specialized language and terminology. Here is an example of just a couple.

1. Willie Bag - a large plastic bag with an inner liner filled with air and use to protect individual hazards along the course (i.e. TV towers, net towers, trees, etc.)



2. Dingle Balls & Dingle Ball Pullers - short elastic bungie cords in a loop with a plastic ball at the end for fastening nets and slip skirting together.



3. Toilet Bowl - a very steep (and also white) part of the race course that is just the S**ts.

More tomorrow

Gerry

Day 5 - Making it Perfect

Today was just another Sunday on the Race Course. Every morning at 6:30 a.m. I have to show and have scanned my Olympic security pass before I can do anything (get breakfast, get a lunch, go up the mountain and pass into the "Field of Play")

All of the safety systems are in place and there is just lots of fine tuning of the various elements. The fellow in the picture is Dr. Steve Nadar from Ottawa who has come out to Whistler the last three years to gain valuable race course preparation experience not only so he would have the opportunity to volunteer for the Olympics but also to take back to his "home mountain". What is really interesting about the picture is that Steve and I are setting the two 4" by 4" posts into the snow at the start of the race course. The timing system and wand that the racers passes through are attached to these posts. Now there are all sorts of specification about the location, separation and height of the post prescribed by the FIS. So we wanted not only to get the specification right but we wanted the posts to be level and plumb. So Steve downloaded an Application onto his IPhone called "Carpenter's Level" and we set those posts perfectly and then ice them into the snow.

The woman in the photo is Helen Brown, another of my crew members who has been coming to Whistler from Campbell River and spending a week away from her kids and husband to assist with major ski races at Whistler. Helen and her family are very active in the development and running of a small ski resort, Mtn. Cain on Vancouver Island.

What made today special is that I was able to get off the mountain early enough to see the 3rd & 4th quarters of the Super Bowl and to see New Orleans win. How exciting.

That is all for tonight.

Gerry

Gerry

Day 04 - Only 7 more days till the Downhill

You know that people spend thousand of dollars to climb to the top of major mountains to watch the sun rise across the peaks. Well Olympic Alpine volunteers just have to get up early, (5:30 a.m.) and get to work. And then turn and look over your shoulder as you work to build the ski race course at the pink sunrise on the peaks across the valley.

Today I realized after having to remove and relocate over 400 meters of safety fencing so that the TV cameras had a more clear view of the track that alot of the Olympics to the rest of the World is just a television events. But the the volunteers building the course and the racers who have to ski down at 135 kms this is more than reality TV. This is real scary business.

But lots of sunshine and cold temperatures so things continue to look good for the Olympics in one week.

Keep watching.

The two picture are of John Benbow, the Chief of Course who is the only person I report to and Phil Hunt and his crew. Phil is one of the young crew chiefs I have brought along and into the Weasel fold to ensure that there is younger people still interested and trained to continue the Weasel Downhill Ski Racing legacy at Whistle following the 2010 Olympics.

Gerry

Day 03 - A New Day & New Snow

Day 03 We awoke to 10 cms of new snow that really cleaned up the valley and provided additional work for the Course Workers as the safety systems continued to be installed all along the Dave Murray Downhill Course.

But with many hardy crews, such as Greg Stoddard's band of old experienced workers with a couple of rookies, rose to the test and installed B nets all day. When not installing nets the crews worked at getting the track itself ready by removing the new snow and smoothing the track. And what the crews can not do then along comes the "Piston Bully" snow cats. These $300,000 machines can take a rutted and snow filled course and turn it into a sloped table top ready for racing.

Today the Olympic Torch came to Whistler and all sorts of special events and people along the route welcomed the Torch. It is starting to get really exciting!

More tomorrow

Gerry

Day 2 The Work Really Starts

Crew Installing B Net

Carousel Corner

The "Toilet Bowl"

Thursday Febuary 04, 2010

Whistler Village stroll with Lights

Today the crews all started to arrive. Many of my long time crew members and long time friends today after their Olympic training session arrived on the mountain. Helen Brown from Campbell River brought her husband Casey to work with us for the first time ( I think he realized that Helen was just having way too much fun), Greg Stoddard who started working with me over 15 years ago arrived and is now leading his own crew, and Steve Nader from Toronto arrived also to share in the excitement of the Olympics. The crews are all filling out and settling in and should be ready for the next three days of work building all of the required safety systems along the race course.

The sun shone most of the day and I can feel the sunburn and wind burn on my face as I sit here putting this blog together. Its was still cold and it is crystal clear tonight which will help to set up the race track and make it even harder.

The Weasel House opened tonight for the first time. Weasel House is a 6, 000 sq. ft. sprung structure "tent" that is the hospitality centre for all Apline Course workers and a symbol of the connection of the Whistler Weasel Workers to designing and building ski race courses at Whistler. The Olympics are so gald to have us and all of our experience.

Till tomorrow

Gerry

Feb. 03, 2010 - the First Day

Ger in Olympic Blue

Sea to Sky Highway The Carousel Net Looking up the Toilet Bowl

Arriving at Creek Side this morning was like entering a whole new world. VANOC has transformed the roof of the parking garage into a high security zone with full cameras, high fences and large men who check your security clearance. But once at the Chief's Tent I was met by lots of familiar Weasel Worker faces, old friends and a couple of members of my Crew. Everyone is now dressed in the Olympic light blue jackets and hats. (See attached Picture).
Throughout the morning we were introduced to all of the various leaders, chiefs and head honchoes of the Men's and Ladies Venue. Safety, protection of the public & the racers and representing the Olympics are the major concerns and we were given alot of instructions and protocalls to adhere to.
Then finally at lunch it was into my skis and up the mountain for some on site training and refreshing on the installation and maintenance of the safety systems along the course. The feeling of skiing with no poles and just skiing as fast as possible between lifts and the course is still one of the thrills of Course Work.
The weather up here today was high overcast and it was getting cooler as the day went on. The top of the Race Track is in great shape - hard, smooth & fast. But past midstation the course is quite soft but should set up hard as the weather gets colder.
I am taking the buses up here and other than taking extra time is definitely the only way to get around the valley as there is little public parking.
Tomorrow the crews all start arriving and then the work will begin in earnest.

The Excitement is Starting to Build

Now that there is only 21 days to the start of the 2010 Olympic and 12 days till I start working on the Men's Track things are really getting exciting.