Opening , TTB and World Cup - 2024

[Low Rider]

Because when Killington got the event it was when this early slot was available due to their snowmaking abilities. They are unlikely to be able to get a later one.

That and Killington probably does not want the logistics of a later date trying to incorporate it with the regular skiing weekends. Early season is really the only viable option.

[slatham]

IIRC, the WC came to a killington as a one off as Aspen had the World Championships that year and FIS prefers to not hold events twice at same venue. That first killington WC was hugely successful, way more so than Aspen, and FIS and Aspen didn’t have the best relationship (since improved, obviously). So it stayed at Killington. Point being, Thanksgiving date is 100% due to the slot that happened to open on the schedule. Killington had no choice, other than to say no.

Those more in the know correct me if my memory is off….

[eagle628]

I always thought that FIS also didn't want to come back across the Atlantic in the middle of the season. Lake Louise and Beaver Creek are early on too, I assume for the same reason.

[skiadikt]

I always thought that FIS also didn't want to come back across the Atlantic in the middle of the season. Lake Louise and Beaver Creek are early on too, I assume for the same reason.

also tremblant. they're the weekend after us. don't blame them for not wanting to criss-cross the pond.

[Bubba]

Hey , I’m getting board waiting for the weather to change and for the mountain to start making snow , do any of you zoners have any stories about going to concerts back in the 70s they would be really fun to listen to until the snow starts to fly

Your English teacher is rolling in their grave. Wow.

Irony, thy name is Heywood....

[Mister Moose]

Spell chuck is know god when the miss spelt word is also a wort.

[Bayfive]

I speak my posts into my phone guys , kinda funny how you guys get your panties in a bunch when one word comes out wrong , enjoy

[Heywood jablowmee]

Hey , I’m getting board waiting for the weather to change and for the mountain to start making snow , do any of you zoners have any stories about going to concerts back in the 70s they would be really fun to listen to until the snow starts to fly

Your English teacher is rolling in their grave. Wow.

Irony, thy name is Heywood....

I’ll bite: care to expound , oh overzealous mudderator?

[twilkas]

Spell chuck is know god when the miss spelt word is also a wort.

intentionally a beer reference? i suppose wort could refer to cannabis too.

[machski]

The ground and the pond are going to be "too warm" right into December if the weather pattern doesn't change. That doesn't mean you can hold off snowmaking forever and wait for ideal conditions on that front. They will need to begin soon albeit less efficiently. Everyone is battling the same issues.

I take it K doesn't have any pre-cooling towers for the main water lines??

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[machski]

IIRC, the WC came to a killington as a one off as Aspen had the World Championships that year and FIS prefers to not hold events twice at same venue. That first killington WC was hugely successful, way more so than Aspen, and FIS and Aspen didn’t have the best relationship (since improved, obviously). So it stayed at Killington. Point being, Thanksgiving date is 100% due to the slot that happened to open on the schedule. Killington had no choice, other than to say no.

Those more in the know correct me if my memory is off….

It was all that and Aspen pissed off FIS by not replacing the old, slow FGC out of the base they used for that race. Aspen still has not replaced that chair yet.

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[BurrPondSkiTeam]

IIRC, the WC came to a killington as a one off as Aspen had the World Championships that year and FIS prefers to not hold events twice at same venue. That first killington WC was hugely successful, way more so than Aspen, and FIS and Aspen didn’t have the best relationship (since improved, obviously). So it stayed at Killington. Point being, Thanksgiving date is 100% due to the slot that happened to open on the schedule. Killington had no choice, other than to say no.

Those more in the know correct me if my memory is off….

It was all that and Aspen pissed off FIS by not replacing the old, slow FGC out of the base they used for that race. Aspen still has not replaced that chair yet.

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What you are referring to is the World Cup Finals. The World Championships, a different event, were first in the US at Aspen in 1950, then again at Vail in '89, '99 and 2015 (the lattermost at Beaver Creek).

I was in Aspen for the WC Finals in March of 2017 for four of five days and saw a lot of racing. The best experience was on the weekend, when the men and women both raced two runs (of either SL or GS, depending on gender) on adjoining hills with the same finish, in sequence on each day. So there were 8 runs of GS and SL over two days (SG, DH and dual team events were earlier days that week). Despite it being the WC Finals, the attendance was only about 5,000 to 8,000 each day, if I remember, compared to around 13,000 to 15,000 on the Saturday of the first year at Killington in November of 2016 (was there, too; of note, there were also around 15,000 at the speed events at Beaver Creek when Lindsay and Bode were racing at the World Championships in 2015). I recall thinking that Killington has 40 million people within a seven hour drive, maybe more. Aspen?? A fraction of that. And there was no live pop music between runs...

We spoke with a lot of the athletes after the races near the finish, as unlike at Killington, there were few people around after they did their media commitments. The Italian women, especially, were social and seemed a bit shocked that we were the only people talking with them. Most memorably, we saw Mikaela take the post event stage on Sunday and accept her first overall crystal globe.

As I understand the situation (used to be "3" or "3A"? Now "Shadow Mountain" chair), I recall reading a few articles over the years that the lift had not been replaced, in part, because developers (not the SkiCo) own the land very nearby and may not have been able to obtain approval (or funding) for a large project. There were plans that involved enough space for a new HSQ, but then with others the lift would been moved and a nearby street permanently closed (with a structure then on it)... things such as that, perhaps? I believe there were also lawsuits over a transaction at some point. They involved a longtime local family (with deep roots in the area and in US ski racing), a Russian (or Eastern European?) investor and a flip of the property for a much higher valuation (the latter may not be in the articles, though was told to me).

In any case, as mentioned, the FIS was disappointed that Aspen never replaced the lift before the WC Finals, as apparently promised. Getting World Cup racing closer to "the people" was a goal of both US Skiing and the FIS at the time, and Killington's location and snowmaking ability for fall racing fit the bill perfectly.

[Big Bob]

The ground and the pond are going to be "too warm" right into December if the weather pattern doesn't change. That doesn't mean you can hold off snowmaking forever and wait for ideal conditions on that front. They will need to begin soon albeit less efficiently. Everyone is battling the same issues.

I take it K doesn't have any pre-cooling towers for the main water lines??

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I have not seen any for the water, but over at the Bear compressor farm they have or had some for air. Just finned piping. Does Sunday River still have some near the barker lift or were they removed with the new lift install?

[newpylong1]

Correct, in general Killington's water does not need to be cooled. They just have air chillers at Snowshed, Vale and Bear.

[rogman]

Isn’t there an air cooler up by the top of South Ridge, too?