Team Event - race day

There was definitely a buzz in the air on Team Event race day. It was the last alpine event of the Olympics and folks could definitely 'smell the barn' as it were.

I was at the start (what a surprise) on the blue course. My job was to ensure the correct athlete was in the gate, that coaches didn’t interfere with the athlete or with the cameramen or vice versa....and to close the gate after each racer.

Michaela Dorfmeister (yes, the 2 time Olympic champion - DH & SG Gold at Torino 2006) was on the red gate.

I am clearly stronger than Michi as this was her gate closing handle.....

and this was mine...

 

They will be scratching their heads about how my handle got bent.....but that will stay an Olympic secret.

Here the ladies are ready to manage the elimination board as the event progresses...

 

The course workers, slippers, gate keepers were all ready to go...

 

The view from my blue gate.

The 'buff and shine' crew was up on top Markus' restaurant covering up the framing 30 minutes before race time.

 

Continuing the precision discussion, a course worker came by and with a tape measure and ensured the panels were all in the exact same spot on each gate.

 

Another course worker then came by and marked on the pole that spot with a Sharpee.... 

 

 

It all became very clear why all of this precision was required once the race started. 

 

The better athletes hit the gate panels with both hands knocking the gate out of the way. To the athletes, knowing the gate poles are exactly the same width apart, that the gate panels are the exact same height means they can hit them the exact same way all the way down the course.

Many are skiing 'blind' as the panels are at eye level.  With 6'7'' Ramon Zenhausern (SUI), some would say that he had a bit of an advantage as he could see over the gate panels.

 

The dye crew came through and really putting the icing on the cake.
 

 

It looked great from the start and we even had a bit of a crowd.

 

 

Each gate had a course worker responsible to ensure the gate panel was in the correct position after each run. They would all scurry out between runs, adjust the panel to the Sharpee marks and then scurry back.  It worked perfectly.

There was a brief moment to check on Markus and his restaurant staff....all good.

 

 Ten minutes before the first run - the teams have to announce the head-to-head pairings.

 

 

 

The race however did not start without a lumpy bit. If you saw the CBC coverage, there was a scramble as the first Korean athlete had the wrong bib number on. Each team of 6 is given a set of bibs with their nation marked on it and then numbered 1 - 6.  Each athlete is assigned a bib based on the team's entry. The mistake wasn't noticed until the athletes came into the start chute - my start chute. Hence the scramble to get it swapped. Unfortunately, when you are supposed to start at 11:00:00 am for TV, the delay caused the event to start at 11:02:00 am. A serious fail for any good race organizer.

Time flew as the event progressed. Canada was eliminated by France in the first round and the start area crowds got smaller as teams were eliminated but the intensity level continued to grow as teams advanced.

The final had Austria vs Switzerland.  The Swiss bear or rutting elk - not sure what it was that Ramon Zenhausern was channeling but it worked again as the Swiss Team prevailed over Austria.

And just like that, the Team Event was over. Teardown in these situations don't take long as the hill is stripped of all equipment.

Here the Swiss coaches celebrate their team's victory...

The Venue Ceremony podium - Gold - Switzerland, Austria - Silver and Norway - Bronze

 

Well deserved - the workforce also posed for their own photos at the finish line.

 

I came across fellow Sled Dogs who were able to enjoy the event as some of the crews weren't needed on the hill. 

This shirt was unveiled after we got back to the IF Lounge. 

 

 

The photo below may go down as the 'official' event photograph.  Both the ladies & men's juries and FIS staff were at the Team Event. This was likely the only time we were ever in one room together.  Most folks are looking pretty relaxed. They deserve to be.

 

 

Interestingly, a snowboard event was on the monitor beside me when the photo was taken and everyone was interested to see if Ester Ledecka (CZE) would make Olympic history and win gold in 2 different sports - winning the alpine SuperG and win the parallel GS in snowboard.  She did.

 

While this was the conclusion of the Olympics for alpine events and many of us will be heading home, the World Cup season is not over. The FIS race directors had already shifted gears as Markus, Manu & Mike were heading to Kranjska Gora in Slovenia for the Men's GS & SL and Atle, Pilou and Andi were off to Crans-Montana in Switzerland for the Ladies SG & Alpine Combined.

 

After this, all Winter Olympic eyes turn to 2022 in Bejing.  Bernhard Russi was flying there the next day to continue his discussions for their events. As he did at Sochi and here in PyeongChang, he is designing their alpine courses. The PyeongChang Olympic chapter has been written but the first draft of the Bejing chapter is well underway.

 

So how did we celebrate?

It was a pretty mellow post-event celebration.  We were all a bit fried - also everyone needed to pack, return loaner cell phones & loaner skis (and return a few loaner cars) and to confirm next day travel plans.  Except for Nobu, who was traveling back to Japan - we all had long flights from Seoul.  For dinner, six of us skipped the meal plan restaurant and all ordered the Burger Set at the Gelande Pub in the gondola base building.

 

 

O ya.....and we enjoyed 4 pitchers of beer.

 

Cheers!

B.