TR X-wing Rally Europe Part 2

[marmot mb]

PART 2

We were then transferred from the hotel in Annecy to the Salomon Annecy Design headquaters.

To my knowledge this is where they develop their products, produce the race room skis and house all the Global operations staff. We finally got to meet Cara Jones (the lady who worked her ass off to co-ordinate everything, this girl rocks !)

We then began to meet all the people that we would spend the next 10 days or so with.
Jamie Parks (absolutely awesome guy !)
Wendy Fisher (very nice girl, down to earth and a pleasure to meet)
Smiley Nesbitt (also a stand up solid guy and a lot of fun to be around)
Ryan Lindquist (didn’t spend a lot of time with him)
Robin Lenell (Our # 3 team mate. This guy is #6 ranked in Europe in Supercross, watch for him in coming years, seriously mad skills in all departments and a fantastic person, mommy and daddy done good with him).

Among these Pro skiers were skiers from around the world who had won their qualifiers or had won the draw out of the US. We would soon come to learn that most of these people were seriously amazing skiers.

We then received all our freebie’s Free:
Salomon 08 season helmets
Salomon Valdez 15 backpacks (great bag by the way, used it for the whole trip and I may have it to thank for still having a back or life)
http://www.landausports.co.uk/Detail...unisex/id/3319
free Salomon soft shell ski pants
Free Salomon 178 CM Tornado’s with bindings
all kinds of stickers and event stuff as well, IE race pinny, race arm band, parafanalia.

Then we were led up to the parking lot to get our cars. HOLY SHIT ! ! brand new Black 0069 KM on the clock SAAB 93 Aero Turbo, leather seats, fully loaded, GPS. Jackpot baby !

It was all starting to sink in how lucky we were to win this wicked kick ass trip.

We were only loosely told how to use the car and were told how to read the navigation book.

We all loaded up and waited our 1 minute intervals for starting our first stage drive to Albertville Airfeild where we would be taught high performance driving and watch the pro drivers from SAAB do tricks in the cars.

I’ll explain the race rules at this time so the rest of the TR makes some sense.

Driving:
At the beginning of each driving stage we are given a start time and a projected completion time. The close to the projected arrival time we were the more points we got. We also got points for keeping a clean car.

Pictures;
Each team was to have one camera.. (this was later changed to as many camera’s as the team had) This was to be used for taking of picture of at least 2 team mates in front of the checkpoints to prove finding it & to take pictures that were to be scored by a panel of judges and picture points awarded. Pictures were turned in at the end of each day and only the previous 24 hours pictures were allowed.

Watches;
One Suunto S6 ski watch was given to each team at the beginning of each day and returned at the end of the day. This watch was set to record all downward vertical performed during the day. The more Vertical obtained each day the more points you got.

Skiing:
Each morning a map of where (loosely) the check points would be and a schedule of events. IE start time, special event times, checkpoint value’s.

The first morning they handed us a REECO belt that had 4 sensors on it for us to wear during the skiing. We did have to give this back, but it was a great idea and easy to use.

Most times we were handed a simple lunch for the day (greatly appreciated).

The special events thorough out the week consisted of: Dual Slalom, Supercross, Syncro, Moguls, Jumping, GS, a Freestyle mogul run, beacon search.

We were given a race start time and a picture and watch hand in time.

We arrived at the resort at 3 valley, got into our room and went for dinner anxious to go skiing as the resort seemed to have a lot of snow along the roads.











Smiley Nesbitt getting his weapon of destruction


Mmmm a room full of 08 stock


Our TEAM


READY... SET... GO !


Our weapon for the week, Lucky # 7


Saab performance demonstration cars


Robin Lenell, watch for this kid he seriously rocks hard !




Burn em up boys


Arrived at Val Torens (3 Valley)


The following is a squence of how a Canadian can drink a beer from his head without touching with his hands. Yes folks Stupid Human tricks really do exist.






Part 1
http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81885

Part 2
http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81889

Part 3
http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81894

Part 4
http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81896

Part 5
http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81902

Part 6
http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82066

Part 7
http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82134

Part 8
http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82136

Part 9
http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82143

Part 10
http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82147

[dankhucker]

ok that wa super freakin GAY!

[sftc]

ok that wa super freakin GAY!

This coming from the master of blue squares who lives in Ohio and thinks Heavenly is the shizznizzle.
If you only had a clue....
Nice TR, looks like a great event.

[Huckwheat]

Wow, what a crazy event. How did you get to go? I wanna go....that is like the ulimate vacation.

Regarding the stupid human trick......that is rad.......going to have to throw out that challenge on Friday night.....

[marmot mb]

www.xwingrally.com

www.salomonxwing.com

entered online and worked the shit out of it honey.

Also competed at the Fernie Qualifier but buddy Jay wrecked his ankle the day before free skiing. We didn't win the Fernie Comp, Flaming Snow Blades out of Whistler did.

[Alkasquawlik]

Ryan Lindquist claiming to be pro?

[marmot mb]

Ryan Lindquist claiming to be pro?

I have no comment I didn't see him ski, I barely spoke to him, he barely spoke to me. He was dished up by Salomon as someone important, I know the name but nothing more.

wouldn't be fair for me to say anything either way.

I will say that all the other pro's were super great people and treated me like any other regular person would treat people. A pleasure to talk to and were very open to conversations.

[workinforturns]

ill show you how to drive a saab if you want. just give me the keys and ill be going now.......

[MrDirt]

Front wheel drive sucks.

[Alkasquawlik]

he actually is quite important, he's 1/2 of my ski shop repair dudes in Squaw. I was just calling him out hoping he reads this.

he probably was claiming to be pro though, probably didn't think it would get back around or something.

[BushwackerinPA]

Front wheel drive sucks.

in which ways? car jong

decent TR of cool event for shitty skis

[marmot mb]

he actually is quite important, he's 1/2 of my ski shop repair dudes in Squaw. I was just calling him out hoping he reads this.

he probably was claiming to be pro though, probably didn't think it would get back around or something.

Nope Ryan never made any mention at all he was pro to me or that I overheard, it was Salomon that dropped his name as someone important.

[marmot mb]

in which ways? car jong

decent TR of cool event for shitty skis

You know the X wing Tornado is an odd ski. It doesn't particularly hook up well at the start of a turn but it sure finishes really strong on hardpack.

In powder it's a dog when going slow, but ramp up the speed and it is actually rather capable. Over 5 days of decent pow I had no issues with tip dive or control in pow.

It also is pretty decent in the air and for landings. I wished they made it longer than 178.

The ski does have a fine balance point, but once dialed in it's not half bad.

It doesn't really have a specific use, perhaps hardpack, but rather it was a decent tool for 7 days of going everywhere. Rarely did I curse the ski except on ice.

I did miss my Legend 8800's but the Xwing Tornado did pretty well over the week.