Nordic Racers Ski Club:
The Leading Edge,
February 2004

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In This Issue:
Waxing 101 - Glide Wax | Members in the News | Club & Other Events | Upcoming Loppets | Holly Burn Race | Community Bulletin Board | Website of Interest | Buy and Sell

Waxing 101 - Glide Wax

Glide

Press an ice cube against the side of a glass and observe what happens: pressure and friction create heat, the ice melts, then the meltwater lubricates the interface between ice and glass.

The same thing happens when a ski presses down on snow. The ski does not glide directly on the snow crystals; instead, it glides on a microscopic thin layer of water created by the pressure of the ski on the snow.

Why Wax?

Next time it rains, look at the wood fences around your neighbourhood. Notice how the untreated wood fence absorbs the water and how the treated fence beads up the water? If you had to make a pair of skis from the wood, which would you choose?

Skis slide best when the microscopic thin layer of water forms tiny individual droplets that behave like ball bearings under the base. The application of paraffin wax (a petroleum by-product) to the base of a ski prevents water from being absorbed by the ski base. It's actually the wax that causes water to bead up and roll off the ski.

Today, ski bases are no longer made from wood but from polyethylene. Polyethylene and paraffin are very close in molecule structure; this allows the wax molecules to be absorbed by the polyethylene base and remain there.

Unfortunately, one of the properties of polyethylene is that it can dry out and become very brittle. Once it becomes "oxidized", it will no longer absorb and hold wax. Essentially, wax serves a twofold purpose: to make your skis faster by causing water to bead up instead of becoming absorbed by the ski base, and to prevent the ski base from oxidizing.

Wax Colours

Paraffin wax is very soft. In fresh snow or snow with sharp crystals, you will find that snow sticks to the bottom of your skis. This is due to the penetration of snow crystals deep into the wax. We want glide, not grip, so how do we overcome this problem?

To get a wax that is hard enough to prevent the penetration of snow/ice crystals, wax manufacturers add plasticizers (or hardeners) to the wax. The more plasticizers used, the harder the wax. However, the more plasticizers, the more water will "stick" to the surface. This means that a wax suitable for sharp snow crystals is not suitable for wet snow and vice versa.

Typically, wet snow is associated with warm temperatures, and sharp snow crystals are associated with cold temperatures. Wax manufacturers colour code the waxes to help identify the appropriate wax for the conditions. A warm colour, such as Yellow or Red, is suitable for warmer snow conditions. A cooler colour, such as Blue or Green, is more appropriate for colder snow. The rule of thumb: the cooler the wax colour, the more plasticizers/hardeners it contains.

Fluorocarbons

Fluorocarbons (fluoros) added to a wax will help reduce the wax's surface tension, which makes the water bead up even more. To help you understand this concept, envision a "Hershey Kiss". The water droplets on a ski waxed with paraffin would look like a multitude of small Hershey Kisses on your ski base. Now, picture a ball bearing. The water droplets formed on a ski with fluorocarbon would be much rounder and more like a ball bearing. Which would be the faster ski in wet conditions?

Fluoros can be found in many waxes (low fluoro waxes contain about 2-3% fluorocarbons; high fluoro waxes contain up to 15% fluorocarbons) or 100% fluoro powders can be applied to the ski base after it has been waxed.

Why don't all waxes have fluoro? Fluoros are expensive and they do not make the ski any faster in colder conditions. In fact, when the conditions are very cold, your ski will not be able to transform the snow, through pressure and friction, into a microscopic thin layer of water. However, the use of fluorocarbons can increase the glide/speed over warmer and wetter snow.

The recent introduction of molybdenum to fluoro waxes adds density to the wax so that it is able to effectively repel dirt. The addition of graphite to some waxes reduces static that is typically found in old snow under warm and moist conditions.

Buying Waxes

Manufactures sell waxes under different names or acronyms. The basic paraffin wax is usually sold under the name Carbon, Hydrocarbon or CH. Most manufacturers will indicate when a fluorocarbon has been added to the wax. Swix actually labels their waxes with an LF (low fluoro) or HF (high flouro), while some other manufacturers do not mention the amount of fluoro. In these cases, let price be your guideline -- the more fluoro the higher the price!

Good Glide

Getting good glide out of your skis is simply a matter of getting the right hardness of wax for the type of snow that you will be skiing on. For optimum ski performance, the wax needs to be slightly harder than the snow.

Tony Chin

Club Members Making the News

Biathlon BC Cups #3 & #4

Nordic Racers Junior Challenge sent a team of six athletes to compete in Biathlon BC Cups #3 and #4 in Quesnel on Jan 17-18, 2004. Team results were very good! Claire Corbett continued her winning streak by winning two gold medals in the Sr. Girls category. Laurel Priest (still recovering from her broken wrist) came 3rd in both races in the same category.

Click image to enlarge

Tyler Ronaghan - Gold medalist in Sprint

Tyler Ronaghan also posted excellent results, placing 1st and 2nd in the two Sr. Boys races.

Our three beginners, Karina Bakker in the Juvenile division, and Katja Zubkhova and Becky Ronaghan in the Jr. Girls division, performed well and will continue to do so as they get more on-snow shooting experience. Our novice team members have good to superior ski skills and good shooting skills, but can't quite put them together consistently in races. With practice and competition this will continue to improve.

The overall results were excellent: Claire, Tyler and Laurel have been selected to join the BC Team. Three out of three is not bad at all! Many thanks to Clay Ronaghan who acted as coach on this trip.

Alan Ball

Click image to enlarge

On podium: Claire Corbett - gold medalist (centre); Laurel Priest - bronze medalist (left); Sarah Green - silver medalist (right)
Photos courtesy of Claire Corbett

Coast Cup Races #1 & #2 Report

The first Coast Cup Races of the series were held during the last weekend of January. The races were a tremendous success and the weather cooperated to showcase the incredible beauty of the Pemberton and Whistler area!

Coast Cup #1, a classic individual start race, was held at the Lost Lake Ski trails in Whistler, BC. Approximately 100 participants from Strathcona Nordics, Hollyburn Rabbits, Nordic Racers Junior Challenge, Spud Valley Nordics and the Whistler Nordics competed in this event.

From start to finish the event was well organized and ran smoothly. Conditions were excellent with a temperature of approximately -5°C, clear skies and hard groomed tracks. Participants relaxed with bowls of soup, buns and goodies after the race and awards were presented shortly thereafter. All Atoms and winners received a ski scraper embossed with a Whistler Coast Cup motif. The perfect addition to every young skier's wax box!

Coast Cup #2, the sprint races, were held at Black Tail Meadows in Pemberton, BC. The day started off with cold temperatures of approximately -15°C. There were around 100 participants with competitors in every category.

Race organizers performed an excellent job to ensure that the race proceeded smoothly, and that both spectators and competitors had plenty of fun. Hot drinks, goodies and burgers straight off the barbeque were available for athlete refueling. The Spud Valley Nordics were pleased to award their new medals! They look great! It is important to note that events like these are made possible by the hard work of so many volunteers. To the race organizers, trail groomers, coaches and parents: Thank you very much for making these events a success!

Donelle Murdoch, Regional Coach Correspondent,
CCBC

Reino Keski-Salmi Loppet

The 20th Annual Reino Keski-Salmi Loppet was held on January 17th at the beautiful Larch Hills Ski Area in Salmon Arm, BC. A very large contingent of Nordic Racer club members participated in the full-length 36 km classic technique loppet and in several recreational category loppets. Per Gaarder, top Nordic Racer, placed 36th overall in the 36 km race with an impressive finish time of 2:14:38.

Club members Andrea Weiss and Tracy Kim Campbell also successfully completed their first full-length loppet. Congrats to all!

For complete race results refer to www.skilarchhills.ca.

Overlander Ski Marathon

January 25th marked the first annual Overlander Ski Marathon held at Stake Lake Ski Trails near Kamloops, BC. The ubiquitous Nordic Racers enjoyed nearly perfect racing conditions and posted excellent race results:

50 km-Free

• Jamie Stirling - 2:51:10
• Gerry Furseth - 3:00:01
• Feng Chen - 3:27:18
• Andrea Heal - 3:49:10
• Colin Gray - 3:50:29

30 km-Free

• Dirk Tempelman-Kluit - 1:48:48
• Per Gaarder - 1:49:44
• Barton Pietras - 2:06:09
• Eva Gaarder - 2:12:27
• Dominique Barabé - 2:16:10
• Brendan Haigh - 2:37:10

Click image to enlarge

Mass start at Overlander Ski Marathon
Photo by N. Cheeptham,
courtesy of the Overlander Ski Club

Cariboo Marathon

The 100 Mile Nordics hosted the 25th Annual 50 km Classic Technique Ski Marathon on February 7th. Once again, a large contingent of Nordic Racers took part in the grueling 50 km competition. Race highlights include 1st-place finishes for the following club members:

• Magnus Bratlien completed the 50 km race (male 70 & over)
• Jorgen Dahlie (male 70-79 - 30 km)
• Gerry Furseth (male 30-39 - 30 km)
• Dominique Barabé (female 30-39 - 30 km)
• Alena Branda (female 60-69 - 30 km)

Fastest finisher:

• Jean-Yves Sauriol placed 16th overall in the 50 km race.

For complete race results refer to www.100milenordics.com/car_results_d.html.

Canadian Birkebeiner Ski Festival

Three hearty Nordic Racers traveled to chilly Edmonton to compete in the 18th Annual Canadian Birkebeiner on February 14th.

Silke Gumplinger finished 3rd in her category (55 km BirkieLight - F30/39), with a time of 4:18:51. Silke reeled in four direct competitors and crossed the finish line 14 seconds ahead to win a coveted place on the podium.

Peter Gumplinger competed in the traditional Birkebeiner (55 km with 5.5 kg pack), and finished 55th overall with a time of 4:44:25. Only 196 skiers entered this class out of 1700 participants.

Charles Hamfeldt competed in the same event, finishing 84th overall with a time of 5:23:29.

Affectionately known as the "Birkie", thousands of skiers make their way each year to the Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area to replicate the legend of Norway's King Haakon Haakonson by skiing the 55 km course with a 5.5 kg pack representing the weight of the infant prince.

Club & Other Events

Hollyburn Hot Chocolate

Every Wednesday evening throughout the ski season, drop by Hollyburn Lodge between 7:45 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. and pick up a ticket for one free hot chocolate from a Nordic Racer host.

Note: this is a club benefit that is for current and paid-up members only.

Upcoming Loppets

13th Annual Nickel Plate Classic Loppet will be held on Saturday, February 21st at the Nickel Plate Nordic Centre near Penticton, BC. The event features a 30 km classic race, a 15 km recreational class and several junior class races.

For more information and to register, refer to www.nickelplatenordic.org/PDFs/loppetreg.pdf

Whistler Cross Country Ski Loppet - free technique will be held on Sunday, February 22nd in Whistler, BC.

For more information, and to register, contact Whistler Nordic's Tom Barratt.

19th Annual Cascade Cup Spring Classic will be held on Saturday, March 6th at Manning Park. The event features a 30 km classic race, a 15 km recreational class, a junior class and two Jackrabbit courses.

The debut of the Similkameen Sprint Relay will be held the following day on March 7th at Manning Park's Lightning Lake.

The sprint relay is designed to be fast and exciting for skiers of all skill levels. The sprint relay teams will complete as many loops (800 - 1000 m) as possible within the one-hour time limit. Teams are limited to four participants.

Book a Seat on the Cascade Cup Bus!!

Want to avoid six hours of driving? Ride in comfort with fellow Nordic Racers on the Cascade Cup bus, and let a professional do the driving.

Phone or visit Sigge's (at 604-731-8818, 2077 West 4th Ave., Vancouver) to book your seat. The cost is $35 including GST.

This year, the bus will be staying late at Manning Park -- until 4:30 p.m. -- so you won't have to rush through or skip the race lunch and awards.

Departure from Vancouver is at 6:00 a.m. by Sigge's, with additional stops at Broadway/Boundary and in Guildford, which gets you to Manning at 9:00 a.m., leaving plenty of time to register and prepare your skis.

The deadline for registration is 3:00 p.m. March 3rd, so book now!

Holly Burn Race - Volunteers Needed

Volunteers are needed for the upcoming Holly Burn Sprint Race on Sunday, March 21st: a Master of Ceremonies (MC), a video camera operator, a bib collector, and a start/finish team member. Many other volunteers are needed to assist in the food area and to act as floaters. There are big jobs and small jobs for everyone, so come out and help make this a great annual event!

If you would like to help, please contact Sherryl Yeager.

Community Bulletin Board

CCBC Call for Ski Photographs

Here's your chance to get some of those great ski pics published!

If you have ski photographs that would be suitable for the BC ski community's annual publication Ski Cross Country 2004-05 issue, then read on. CCBC is looking for photos (good quality film) or high resolution digital images. The preferred format for digital photos is TIFF or EPS -- minimum 300 dpi resolution. Note: Do NOT send the photo as a JPEG file.

Please submit your photos along with your name and club; however, be cautious about writing in ink on the back of a photo that is mixed in with other photos. Unless otherwise indicated, all photos will go on file for possible use in future CCBC publications. If you wish to have your photos returned, please indicate this request along with your submission.

Send your photographs to Cross Country BC, #106 3003 30th Street, Vernon, BC V1T 9J5. Deadline: April 16, 2004.

YOKO Tuesday Night Race Series

The Tuesday Night Race Series is in full swing again this year! Register at Hollyburn Lodge by 6:50 p.m. for the 7 p.m. SHARP race start.

Access the race schedule at www.skiingbc.info/pages/nordic/tuesdaynight/.

If you're not into racing, help in running the races is always appreciated! To volunteer contact Chris Bowlby.

Note: the Nordic Racers Ski Club is not affiliated with this race series.

Website of Interest

www.brokenski.com: the site bills itself as the "premier site for X-Country ski matching", sort of a mating service for skis. For a nominal fee, the folks at brokenski.com act as a listing agent to help people locate a ski or pole match.

Buy and Sell

[See our separate buy and sell web page. Ad space in our newsletter and on our website is free for club members; contact Feng at 604-738-5695 or fengski@yahoo.ca for details.]