Day 5: Feb 9th - last day before timed training

Today was our last day to complete our set-up of starts, intermediates, speed traps and finishes before serious timed training begins. The day began with a very long wait for the security checkpoint to open. Prior to today, we had been able to enter the "field of play" simply by showing our accreditation at check-in. Today, we had to start going through an airport-style security checkpoint, complete with x-ray machines for scanning our backpacks. Once up the mountain, our crew split into smaller groups and tackled the remaining set-up tasks by about 1:30 pm. The courses are looking ready to race, too. (as shown in this photo of the Dave Murray men's downhill course.

It's getting more exciting as the opening of the Olympics draws so near and we are seeing everything come together.  The alpine skiing finish/spectator area looks so impressive, with the giant grandstand and flag-draped office trailers for timing, results and media.  Several of us took the bus into the village this afternoon and the Games atmosphere was electric.  While meandering along the Village Stroll, we saw Maria Riesch (German skier currently in 2nd place in overall World Cup standings), Brian Stemmle (former Canadian skier and now broadcaster) and Michael Landsberg and Jennifer Hedger of TSN/CTV.  There were athletes and officials from many countries wandering around, and Olympic tourists talking with them and having their photos taken.  We saw some Italian athletes posing in the Omega bobsled and we scored some Omega ball caps when we told the Omega rep that we providing support to Omega as volunteers.


We also went to the Weasel House tonight - a giant tent on a tennis court, where the Whistler Weasel Workers race volunteers host the Olympic alpine skiing volunteers and give us a chance to mix and mingle over a few beers.  I managed to find the Canadian flag that Red Mountain Racers had signed and sent for display at Weasel House and caught up with quite a few people with whom I've worked before at a number of ski races. 

One fellow volunteer I was pleased to see again is Mai Kudo, a young woman from Japan who is making ski race volunteering a significant part of her life.  She routinely works on the course crew at the Lake Louise World Cups, but usually returns to Japan after a few weeks.  This season, she has stayed for the Olympcs and Paralympics and has also worked some other races in between.  Mai also worked at some races in New Zealand last summer and told me that in the past year, she has been away from her home country for 200 days.

Tomorrow, we"ll rise early and try to get up the hill quickly.  Security screening should not be such a bottleneck tomorrow, because the checkpoint is now staying open 24 hours per day.  Eighty-seven men are scheduled to take a timed training run on the Dave Murray downhill tomorrow starting at 10:30.  If you go to www.fis-ski.com, you can watch the results on Live Timing.  My role tomorrow is to be a standby timing support tech, ready to zip down to any location on the course if any issues were to arise.  The plan is for me to be like the "lonely Maytag repair man" - at the ready, but never pressed into action!

Everything is looking good - we just have to hope for more clear, cool weather on training and racing mornings.