It was a serious knee injury for Leanne Smith. She has recovered to the point where she is back on the slopes and back on the World Cup circuit:

“US Ski Team member Leanne Smith is rebounding from the torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee suffered in last January’s Cortina downhill and will get her first World Cup start since the injury in Saturday’s Aspen giant slalom.

“I’m feeling really good and was really lucky that even though it was a serious injury I had the resources to get back together,” she said.”

link to the article by Marty Basch for The Boston Globe

[Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images]

Maria Riesch of Germany won the World Cup slalom in Levi, Finland. The margin of victory was under a second:

“Maria Riesch of Germany won the opening women’s World Cup slalom Saturday, edging Lindsey Vonn of the United States by 0.08 seconds.

Riesch, the defending world slalom champion, finished with a two-run time of 1 minute, 48.71 seconds on the Black Course at the World Cup circuit’s northernmost venue above the Arctic Circle.”

link to the article by Stephan Nasstrom for THe Associated Press

[Photo by Alain Grosclaude/Agence Zoom/Getty Images]

The results are surprising. More than half of British skiers will not be wearing a helmet this coming season. A surprising fifty eight percent (58%) will not be using this safety equipment:

“… The survey, which was conducted by Ski Club of Great Britain and Ski Republic, a ski and snowboard equipment hire company, also found that of the 17,500 head injuries sustained last season, 7,700 injuries and 11 deaths could have been avoided if a helmet had been worn.”

link:  British skiers shun helmets despite Natasha Richardson death

Rules and regulations differ from region to region. However, there are an increasing number of facilities that are making a helmet mandatory equipment on the slopes, for both the skiers and the snowboarders.

The use of headsets and ear buds for music should be banned on slopes. It is simply dangerous to be tuned out of the sounds of the environment. Other skiers cannot tell that the person listening to music cannot hear them. It’s another reason for wearing a helmet.

Catherine Forsythe

American Lindsey Vonn is an elite skier. She has been the World Cup overall champion twice. That is just one of her numerous accomplishments on the ski slopes. Ironically, she is better known away from the United States. By contrast, she is well recognized and immensely popular in Europe. However, her home country soon may know her much better with the forthcoming Vancouver Winter Games:

“… get used to hearing Lindsey Vonn’s name.

When the lights go up in February at the Vancouver Winter Games and the downhill ski gates swing open, Vonn will burst right into the NBC spotlight.”

link to the article by Gil Lebreton for the Star-Telegram

[Photo by Agence Zoom/Getty Images]

Tanja Poutiainen from Finland started the World Cup season with a win. In the Soelden, Austria competition, the race down the glacier was very close:

“Tanja Poutiainen of Finland won the opening race of the ski season Saturday, edging Kathrin Zettel of Austria by 0.01 second in the giant slalom on the Rettenbach glacier.

Poutiainen was trailing Zettel at the final checkpoint but made up time on the flatter bottom section, clocking a two-run combined time of 2 minutes, 24.96 seconds for her ninth career victory.”

link to the article by Andrew Dampf

additional link:  Poutiainen spoils Austrian show in season opener

additional link:  Soelden as expected for the ladies: Next up for GS is Aspen

[Photo by Agence Zoom/Getty Images]

The World Cup season starts for Lindsey Vonn in Soelden, Austria this coming weekend. Her goals for this year are to defend her overall World Cup title, defend the super-G title and defend the downhill title. Olympic gold at the Vancouver Winter Olympics is also part of her plans for the season:

“… Although regarded as a potential multi-medal winner at the Vancouver Games in 2010, Vonn said performing consistently well throughout the season’s races, of which there are 34, remains one of her priorities.

“Definitely my biggest goal is to win an Olympic medal. But I want also to try to defend my overall title and my super-G and downhill titles,” Vonn said here Thursday ahead of this weekend’s series opener in Soelden.”

link:  US skier Vonn wants maiden Olympic, and more World Cup glory

Lindsey Vonn is an elite, world class American athlete. She is not as well known in her home country as she should be. That may change with her performances at the Vancouver Olympics.

Catherine Forsythe

[Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images]

Your local weather still may be mild enough so that skiing is not a sport that comes to mind. In Soelden, Austria, the preparations are being put in place for the opening of the ski season for the World Cup. Competition begins October 24 on the Rettenbach glacier with some man-made snow to augment the course.

“It has become tradition: Saturday (for the women) and Sunday (for the men) Soelden, Austria opens the 2010 World Cup just as it has in eight of the last nine years and 10 times since 1996.”

link:  World Cup openers important in many ways

On the women’s side, Hank McKee is looking for “Maze, Zettel and Poutiainen” to be contending. Lindsay Vonn, Julia Mancuso and others may disagree.

Catherine Forsythe

[Photo via Newscom Content]

Superstition is common in athletics. The NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers are an example. After winning the NBA championship last year, they are seeking to repeat with another title this season. To continue their successful championship season, this year the players are sitting in the same seats on the bus. Why mess with success?

Does it make any difference? Perhaps that is a question for psychological inquiry. However, it makes the players feel better. That may be all that is important. Call it superstition.

Michelle Roark has added another element to enhance her athletic performance. She is a champion skier and she believes that scent helps her on the slopes:

“… Michelle Roark, the 2009 U.S. freestyle skiing champion, wants to change that. Ms. Roark, who is two classes short of a chemical engineering degree from the Colorado School of Mines, is convinced that the scent from a patent-pending perfume blend that she developed and calls “Confidence” is as important to her success as a good night’s sleep. Before competing, she douses her neck-warmer in the natural fragrance and spritzes it on the back of her neck and behind her ears.”

link: Can Perfume Make You a Winner?

Is it science or is it superstition? If Michelle Roark keeps winning ski competitions, it is called great marketing.

Catherine Forsythe

In September, Swiss skier Lara Gut dislocated her hip in a training accident. She has had surgery and is doubtful for the Vancouver Olympic Games:

“… Gut spokesman Roberto Mazza said she will use crutches for a month and must not ski for at least three months.”

link:  Swiss skier Lara Gut out until January

This would place her recovery into 2010 and she may begin to ski just prior to the Olympics. Ms Gut may race during the latter part of the World Cup season. It is highly unlikely that she would be prepared to race at the Vancouver Olympics.

Catherine Forsythe

[Photo by Agence Zoom/Getty Images]

To many in the skiing community, Kit DesLauriers is a legend. She is an extraordinary Skier and she has gone where few only dream to go.  Kit DesLauriers has skied the highest mountains in the world:

“… At 11 a.m., Oct. 18, 2006, DesLauriers stood on the pinnacle of Mount Everest, the final peak in the stunningly ambitious challenge she set for herself. She then skied down to the 40-foot sheer wall of rock called Hillary Step.

The following day DesLauriers upped the danger dramatically when she skied down the Lhotse Face… “

link to the article by David Maurer

additional link: North Face presents Kit DesLauriers

additional link:  a photo gallery