Sölden

A week from today the Alpine World Cup season kicks off in Sölden, Austria. The opening weekend is always a festive one. I've trained a lot in the Ötz valley, and the days leading up to their date with the World Cup build like a crescendo with more media and sponsorship tents arriving every day leading up to the weekend.

This year the race is especially interesting because of the new rules mandating longer and skinnier skis for the athletes. It hasn't been since the mid 90s that people competed on skis with this long of a radius, and it has been an issue that has dominated discussion since the rule change was announce this time last year. But no amount of athlete protesting has changed the rules, and next week we will find if the changes will benefit a new type of skier, or if the best will maintain their spot at the top.

Here are a couple of pics to tide you and me over until the race. Viewing is available for Universal Sports on TV or online. Words cannot express how much I'd like to be over there gearing up for competition, but since that's not in the cards it's time to bring out the bullhorns and root for the USofA! Rip it up ladies and gents, I'll be screaming at you through my computer screen!

A look up the hill from the race finish last year. 

Coming off The Pitch and into the finish makes for a tiring run.

The USST yesterday after a training sesh on the hill. Fire it up!