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Wind Tunnel: Fast, Faster, Fastest News Posted by ngski on Tuesday, October 11, 2005 - Printer Friendly Version
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Information provided by U.S. Ski Team News Bureau
 BUFFALO, N.Y. (Oct. 9) - Daron Rahlves (Sugar Bowl, CA) led a handful of U.S. Ski Team men back to wind tunnel testing Sunday, looking to shave more hundredths of a second off the racing technique which has made him the most successful American male speed racer.
Rahlves, who has six World Cup downhill victories and three super G wins in addition to his 2001 super G world championships and 2005 World Championships DH silver medal, came to the Calspan facility following a speed camp in Chile. Marco Sullivan (Squaw Valley, CA), Scott Macartney (Redmond, WA) and Steve Nyman (Orem, UT) also were to test equipment and new gear from Spyder, which has provided racing suits for the Ski Team since 1989.
"Spyder's brought samples of new fabric and some suit prototypes," U.S. Alpine Director Jesse Hunt said as Rahlves went through a series of tests, about eight minutes or so in length, under the eye of Dr. Michael Holden, who has tested U.S. athletes for more than two decades. Hunt and men's DH/SG Coach Pete Bosinger were joined by members of Spyder's research staff for the sessions, which will run for about three days.
Calspan tests racer’s aerodynamics
Calspan, which started as the Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory after World War II, provides testing so the racers can find their most aerodynamic position for the long runs of downhill and super G, helping trim split-seconds in two events measured in hundredths of a second.
"Daron's in today and he's doing some equipment testing, doing some [aerodynamic] position work...checking his racing suits, his helmet, his goggles, ski poles, other gear," Hunt said.
"'Scotty Mac' hasn't been here for a couple of years and he's going to revisit his proper position again...and they'll all be checking their best position, trying it with a back protector, and whatever's going to help them cut time."
This week’s testing follows similar testing drills a year ago with the U.S. women’s speed team and other members of the men’s team last spring. “Bode [Miller – Franconia, NH, the reigning downhill and super G world champion and overall World Cup and SG champion] was in two years ago and he’s pretty confident in his position work…but we’re cycling everyone through here,” Hunt said.
Spyder research adds to speed quest
Spyder, which recently signed a new multi-year agreement with the Ski Team, is designing new fabrics, as well as new suits to help U.S. athletes in their quest to be Best in the World, the team’s stated goal for the 2006 Olympics but their unwritten mantra year in and year out.
“Cutting hundredths of a second from your time is important, perhaps not as important if you’re moving from 21st or 22nd to 19th,” Hunt said, “as if you’re moving from fourth to third, or from second to winning…
"We don’t need to have everyone in the wind tunnel every year, but it’s good to have the best guys in; they’re testing for the whole team, and we need that repeatability of results. If we can cut the time for Bode or Daron, for Kirsten [Clark – Raymond, ME] or Lindsey [Kildow – Vail, CO], we can do it for the others.
“We’re at the point,” he went on, “where we want to keep pushing that envelope, where what we learn here can make the difference between winning and losing.”
-- Best in the World --
Skiiii Ya Later !!!
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