How to build a ski cross course ...
without getting blisters !
Creating the ski cross course
On a slope approximately 1000m long, fifteen race modules must be put into place. Moving snow, creating the course, testing the slope; all this demands a tremendous amount of extremely skilled work. Creating a World Cup standard course requires around 130 hours of machine work (specially adapted snow ploughs), dexterity and experience.
Interview of
Nicolas Marduel, top shaper
Flaine fan Nicolas Marduel is today one of the most sought-after shapers in the snowsports industry. His job is to craft out of the snow the finest moguls, the cleanest snowparks and the most impressive ski cross courses. It is this virtuoso of the piste basher blade who will be in charge of building Flaine's World Cup ski cross course. We meet a man at the top of his game.
Flaine Magazine: What do you think of Flaine?
Nicolas Marduel: It's one of my favourite resorts! I have spent several seasons in Flaine since 1994, initially working for the piste grooming department, then I worked on the snowpark. The ski area is fantastic, and with the links that have been created the off-piste is more accessible. I'm delighted to be coming back to Flaine to look after the World Cup ski cross course.
FM: So what are you going to be doing?
NM: I am going to conceive and design the course in collaboration with the International Ski Federation, and then it's my job to build it. The run has to be very fluid for the skiers, who will be setting off four abreast. It will include compressions, whoops, banked turns and table tops and the skiers have to be able to cope with all of the obstacles safely, sometimes at more than 80 km per hour. They must not have to brake heavily when approaching or leaving an obstacle. Fluidity is really important in this discipline. Then you have to make sure it'll be good to watch, providing a consistent run for these extraordinary skiers, who are capable of making jumps 20 metres long and 4 metres high.
FM: Is it a dangerous discipline?
NM: I prefer to call it impressive and committing. Fortunately, the FIS does have very strict safety standards to ensure that the skiers come to no harm, and the athletes are top level competitors. You don't throw yourself down a course like that shoulder to shoulder with three other skiers without having rock solid confidence in your skiing. You need to have so much speed to deal with the obstacles and to ski so well to get through the course that it's not recommended for us mere mortals. But don't worry, the spectators will get a big buzz out of it too..!
(extract of the Flaine Mag 2006/2007)
