Masters: What We Really Want for Christmas

By Published On: December 20th, 2014Comments Off on Masters: What We Really Want for Christmas

Dear Ski Racing Santa,

As you and the elves load your sled for your annual trip to our chimney tops, here are some gift ideas for masters racers that would really make our holidays happy:

Snow!

We know it’s is a little bulky, but you may be able to drag the clouds behind you from the North Pole to our local mountains. We’re hoping for a particular type of snow — the kind that’s not too soft and not too icy, so we can ski a smooth course from start to finish even if we running 85th.

ElanGSXFusion_18m-radius

Skis

Sure, our basement is full of ‘em, but masters racers can never have too many skis. It would really make our season if you could find us a pair of new “old” GS skis with a radius of 18 to 25 meters. Maybe it’s a case of us old dogs not wanting to learn new tricks, but those straighter FIS-legal GS skis are tough for us to turn.

Boot-heater

Boot heaters

Our aging toes get cold even on 35-degree days. The doc says it’s a circulation problem, but we think it’s from 30 years of frostbite. A few of us already have boot heaters, but the batteries have died. We’ve tried shoving those disposable toe warmers into our ski boots, but they usually end up in an annoying ball, squishing one of our bone spurs or putting our feet to sleep. And those boot muffs, well, they make tightening our boots before a racer run rather inconvenient, and our kids are so embarrassed when we wear them, they won’t ride the lift with us. With new boot heaters, we’d be cool without being cold, if you get our snowdrift.

Transpack_Heated-Pro-boot-bag-(1)

High-tech boot bag

Speaking of heat, we would be overjoyed for one of those boot bags that warm up ski boots on the drive to the slopes. Think of it as a preventative health care. Nowadays, unless we can find an inch by a heating vent or an outlet for a hair dryer, putting on ski boots is the most strenuous part of the day, pushing us to the edge of heart failure from bending and straining for an hour. At the very least it would save us the embarrassment of asking another racer to help us put on our boots.

Gloves

Could use a little heat for the hands, too. A case of those disposable hand warmers would be nice, though they’re tough to wear with pole guards on slalom days. We really do get colder than those junior racers. A 1997 study by the National Institute of Health found that older folks were less able to maintain core temperature because cold triggered a lower rise in metabolic rate. (OK, so a lower level of physical fitness also impairs one’s thermoregulatory response. We promise to work out more, as soon as the post-New Year’s health club bargains kick in.)

Speed suit

One more thing: our old speed suit is getting rather ratty where it covers our boot buckles. It seems a little snugger this year, too. Maybe it shrunk after we washed it last spring? We’ve been eying those two-piece speed suits, figuring we could maybe handle bio-breaks alone without dislocating our shoulders.

Happy Holidays to you and Mrs. Claus!

Sincerely,
Masters Racers Everywhere

MASTERS TEAM WISH LIST

Wondering what the fastest masters racers want for the holidays? A few members of the U.S. Alpine Masters Team reveal their wish list:

Shannan-Beltz
A new pair of GS skis. I wrecked mine in Chile. For stocking stuffers, Advil, rub-on speed wax, ski straps, Advil, nippers (preferably rum). Did I say Advil? — Shannan Beltz

Birdie-Britton
Do they make racing gloves with an electric hand warmer apparatus in them? For stocking stuffers: Racing wax. — Birdie Britton

Bill-McCollom
First choice, a ski rack perched on top of an Audi A6 S. If that’s too much for Santa, second choice, new GS race skis, 183 centimeters with a 23-meter radius. If that still puts too much of a strain on the budget, third choice is electric heated socks. My poor mangled toes are in need of this kind of love. For stocking stuffers: Every skier’s favorite book, A View from the Finish Line. It’s dirt-cheap ($20) and guaranteed to entertain the entire family for years! Or a membership to a ski historical organization (Vermont Ski Museum, New England Ski Museum, International Skiing History Association/US Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame). They are all worthy causes. — Bill McCollom

Dick-Calvert
I’ve already received my holiday gift: surviving 90-plus years and having the good fortune to still be able to participate in masters races. I thank the Good Lord for granting me the privilege to enjoy His great mountains for so many years in all seasons. — Dick Calvert

What’s selling?

If you’re looking for gift ideas for a fellow masters racer, it may be helpful to know what masters racers are buying.

“Speed suits are an indicator for us,” says David Sword, manager of The Race Place, the retail shop and racing supply catalog based in Bend, Ore., which also distributes The Beast tuning tools. “We sold 60 speed suits before a pair of skis this year. We’ve also sold a boatload of edge guides and brushes for waxing.”

Speed-suit
Speed suits are hot. Credit Lisa Densmore Ballad

The Race Place is introducing a new line of high-performance ski wax for this winter with a simplified three-step system, appealing for masters racers who don’t have the time or the interest in more complex systems. “Masters are serious about their racing and know that wax, can have a significant effect on one’s performance outcome,” says Sword. “You can throw a lot of dollars at the wrong wax, but that only makes you slow and poor.”

For diamond stones, Sword recognizes that many masters racers want one, not five, grits. He recommends a medium grit (400 grit) stone and warns you get what you pay for. He also sees a lot of wheeled ski bags checking out. For stocking stuffers, he recommends Booster straps and ski straps. And for the masters racer who has everything, a laser infrared thermo gun reads the snow temperature from up to six feet away.

Share This Article

About the Author: Lisa Densmore Ballard

Lisa Densmore Ballard has garnered close to 100 masters national titles and four world masters titles since 1991. This long-time coach, racer and member of the U.S. Alpine Masters Team also chairs USSA's Masters Committee.