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Swedish for Fast Skiing
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Race Reports
Below are reports for some of the races in Canada. For World Cup races and races in Europe please refer to the Race Reports at The Vallatester (Skigo Sweden).
Many times the recommendation matches exactly to the Race Waxing Table. That's a good thing because it validates the table as a good guide for all skiers. We do test a wide range of underlayers and top coats and kick waxes to be sure what is the best.
Reports 2010/11 Season
| Race | Event | Waxes | Snow | Temps °C | Notes |
| NorAm #1 | Training Day | Glide: Green HF + C105 Grip: HF Violet | aged snow | Temp: -4° to -2°C, RH: 75-95% | Many underlayers running very close in tests. Lots of sublimation in the snow. This altitude (lower pressure) fools with RH readings. C44 fluid close in tests best C105 powder (or solid) still better. Tested C22 solid over C105 which ran slightly better when the sun was out raising snow pack humidity, but no effect when cloudy. |
| NorAm #1 | Day #1 (classic sprints) | Glide: Green HF + C105 powder (+ C22 solid topper when sun out) Grip: HF Violet (3 layers long) | aged with light dew snow | Temp: -5.5°C, RH: 90% | Snow base thinner than last year and aged. Need to wax kick long (forward) for grip because the vertical strength of the snow pack is weak. Kick alternates used by some teams were HF Blue and HF Red covered by HF Blue for Juv skiers. |
| NorAm #1 | Day #2 (Distance) | Glide: Orange HF + C105 powder + C105 solid Grip: N/A | new snow | Temp: -4°..-3°C, RH: 85% | New snow for 20-30cm overnight. Trail very soft. Wind 15km. Snow small and almost fine, but C105 still better than C55/99 fluid. Orange HF the recommended underlayer but Blue HF close enough that it is an excellent choice once C105 on top. |
| Ontario Cup #1, 2010 | Training Day | Glide: Blue HF + C105 powder or solid Grip: N/A | new snow | Temp: -4° to -2°C, RH: 85% | A lot of new snow (double to triple Sov. Lk.). Prep bases with Skigo Graphite LF to harden the base for new snow (all days, it will help more than Graphite XC). |
| Ontario Cup #1, 2010 | Day 1 | Glide: Blue HF + C105 powder or solid Grip: N/A | new snow | Temp: -6° to -3°C, RH: 85% | Snow was drier than the air giving keeping broken crystal very sharp because the new snow pack is drawning moisture down. |
| Ontario Cup #1, 2010 | Day 2 | Glide: Blue HF mixed with Green HF (3:1) + C105 powder or solid Grip: N/A | new snow | Temp: -7° to -3°C, RH: 85% | Snow was drier than the air giving keeping broken crystal very sharp. |
| NorAm #3 | Day Training #1 | Glide: testing Grip: HF Blue or HF Violet | mixed | Temp: -11°C, RH: 82% | Lots of teams getting ready. Exciting races about to being for U23 and Jr Nat'l team sleections along with CWG selections. |
| NorAm #3 | Day 1 (pursuit) | Glide: HF Green + C380 Grip: HF Violet | 1cm new snow groomed in | Temp: -16°C, RH: 50% | Air @ 7:00 -18° but snow -16°. Snow to -15° by 11:00. Track hard/firm set with some loose between tracks. HF Violet kick recommended to deal with any loose snow when changing tracks. HF Blue kick very close but HF Violet has a bit more glide/freeness. Alternate kick choices: HF Blue or HF Red covered by HF Blue (younger skiers). |
| NorAm #3 / OCup #2 | Training Day | Glide: LF Graphite + C75 + C105 powder Grip: testing | Fresh | Temp: -13°C, RH: 75% | Warmer than yesterday and windy as the day progressed. Making the ski base very hard showed noticable glide improvements. |
| NorAm #3 / OCup #2 | Day 2 (Sprints) | Glide: LF Graphite + C75 early; add 105 solid later Grip: HF Blue cover with HF Violet | Mixed/newish | Temp: -19°C, RH: 65% | -19° snow at 6:30 to 10:30. C105 solid top later heats. Track very firm for classic. Alternate kick HF Blue alone. Alternate glide C380 instead of C75. |
| NorAm #3 / OCup #2 | Day 3 (distance skate) | Glide: LF Graphite + C380 (or C75) + C105 powder Grip: N/A | Aged | Temp: -17°C, RH: 85% | Overnight/morning not as cold as predicted. Humidity rose as start of race approached. The very hard base theme continued. Race delayed to 11 start at 15sec intervals. Day warmed up nicely. Post comments: one coach noticed flat skis testing different then edged skis (uphills) showing hard base important because of older/harder snow under the surface. |
| NorAm #4 | Day 1 | Glide: Orange/Green HF (1:1) + C22 fluid Grip: HF Red (2) + Hf Blue (2 layers) | aged, thin and tilled | Temp: -1°C, RH: very high% | Early morning testing had C44 powder best, but prologue started at 14h. The very high humidity let C22 be the best at it's colder end. |
| NorAm #4 / QCup #2 | Day 2 | Glide: Orange/Green HF (1:1) + C22 fluid Grip: HF Violet (feathered thick) | old snow with some light snow falling | Temp: -4°C at 9:15, -2°C at 10:30, RH: 92%+ | The extreme humidity in the air and the snow allowed C22 fluid to work colder than the suggested range earlier than expected (-4°). Of course as it warmed C22 kept working. As an interesting note: very early testing at -7°/95% still had C22 fluid as the leader. The Orange/Green HF underlayer worked better than just Green HF alone. HF Violet was the best for grip and glide without any question -- adding more HF Violet if you needed more grip did not harm the glide. For skiers starting later (12:00) the kickwax shifted to HF Red. |
| NorAm #4/ QCup #2 | Day 3 | Glide: Green HF + C105 Grip: N/A | Old and cold | Temp: -10°C at 10:00, -4.5°C at 11:30, RH: 80%+ | Overnight low was much colder than forecast with a thin snowbase meant the temperature went deep into the snowbase. But the day warmed up to a warmer temperature than forecast too. Testing between C105 fluid and C105 powder gave results very much the same, so use whichever you have. |
| NorAm #5 (Western Canadian Championships) | Day 1 | Glide: Yellow/C242 HF + C22 fluid Grip: N/A | Slightly aged | Temp: +5°C high, RH: 75% | C22 powder was a good second choice particularly as the day warmed, but C22 fluid still lead. |
| NorAm #5 (Westerns) | Day 2 | Glide: Graphite LF + Orange/Blue HF (3:1) + C44/7 fluid Grip: HF Yellow + thin HF Violet cover; later HF Red cover as it warmed. | Aging, but keeping structure quite well | Temp: +5°C, RH: 80% | The HF Yellow kickwax with HF Red over gave a wonderful combination of grip and super glide. Snow and warm days in BC love C44/7 fluid (aka C107 tester at CV WC in 2009). |
| NorAm #5 (Westerns) | Day 3 | Glide:Graphite LF +Orange/Yellow HF (mixed) + C105 powder Grip: N/A | New snow falling | Temp: -1..-4°C, RH: 60% | New snow falling during the race with a total of 10cm by the end of the race. |
| NorAm #6 (Eastern Canadians Championships) | Day 1 | Glide: Green/Orange HF (1:1) + C105 fluid Grip: N/A | Aged snow | Temp: -10°C, RH: XXXX% | Early in the morning C380 was running best at -14°C. As it warmed up to race time C105f moved up the test list progressively. C380 remained a good choice (#2) for teams watching their budget with younger skiers. |
| NorAm #6 (Easterns) | Day 2 | Glide: Quals Blue HF + C105 powder; Heats Orange HF + CM10 (alt C22 powder) Grip: N/A | aged snow with new snow falling | Temp: -1°C during heats, RH: 80% | Temperatures warmed up from the qualifiers to the heats significantly. C105 powder was still running well for the heats, but CM10 and C22 powder were both better. CM10 and C22 powder were close in the test results, but CM10 edged ahead. Relative humidity was normal in the morning but changed to high to very high by the heats. |
| NorAm #6 (Easterns) | Day 3 | Glide: HF Green + C105 fluid Grip: Thin XC Violet klister ironed as a base binder then HF Red + HF Blue cover | Aged and agressive | Temp: -5°C, RH: 85% | While a significant amount of new snow had fallen Saturday the groomer tilled the top 8-10cm a lot to set a hard classic track causing the snow to be very aged and agressive. This allowed HF Red to move below the labeled temperature again. The HF Blue cover was for a small amount of fresh snow falling and for folks wanting a bit more glide. Early morning temp was -12°C (air) but most racing was -8° to -5°. C380 came tops at the -12° with C105f close. The C105f was best during the races. Several racers reported back about outgliding others on the downhills (mass start for non-Open events). Note: Green HF chosen as the underlayer in the morning because of the cold overnight and agressive snow; An alternative would be Violet HF with races happening later. |
| Ontario Cup #4 | Day 1 | Glide: Green LF + C44/7 fluid Grip: HF Blue | Old to icy in track | Temp: -9°C, RH: 60% | HF Blue kickwax could be covered with HF Violet if more glide was wanted (and some teams did this). If more last minute grip was needed HF Red could be applied in the short pocket (no icing worries; see Day 2 notes). |
| Ontario Cup #4 | Day 2 | Glide: Green LF + C380 Grip: N/A | Old snow with new dusting during race | Temp: -9°C, RH: 70% | The groomer dug mixing in the small amount of new snow with old snow. If the pattern followed the previous day then C44/7 fluid would move into the top spot. A bit of light snowfall over the track with a higher humidity did appear allowing C44/7 fluid and C105 to both be good choices late in the morning. But for the early races it was C380.For experimental purposes we tried (on this non-classic day) HF Red at -14 versus HF Blue and HF Violet. While HF Blue was the choice, HF Red did not ice or clump snow at all -- it was a big slow for glide, but the testing showed it as a safe choice for last minute extra grip. |
Reports 2009/10 Season
Some reports from last season for your comparison.
| Race | Event | Waxes | Snow | Temps °C | Notes |
| Canada Cup #1, Sovereign Lake | Training Day | Glide: Green HF + C380 (top) Grip: N/A | fine with plates, some new snow but well groomed | Temp: -10°C, RH: 65% (@0930h to 1300h) | RH early in the morning, 0700h, was at 40% indicating early on that C380 would be a good choice. |
| Canada Cup #1, Sovereign Lake | Training Day | Glide: Green HF + C75 (top) Grip: N/A | fine with plates, some new snow but well groomed | Temp: -7°C, RH: 70% (@1300h to 1600h) | The rising RH is what moved C75 ahead of C380 at this time. |
| Canada Cup #1, Sovereign Lake | Day 1 (early) | Glide: Green HF + C55/99 fluid (top) Grip: N/A | fine with plates, some new snow but well groomed | Temp: -8.5°C, RH: 86% (@0930h) | Early in the morning, 0815h, C75 and C380 at RH 75% where running even for #1. Rising temp and humidity and snow type finally lead to C55/99 fluid. |
| Canada Cup #1, Sovereign Lake | Day 1 (later) | Glide: Green HF + C44 powder (top) Grip: N/A | fine with plates, well groomed and well skied | Temp: -6°C, RH: 85% (@1300h) | |
| Canada Cup #1, Sovereign Lake | Day 2 (trials) | Glide: Green HF + C55/99 fluid (top) (alt: C105 powder or solid) Grip: N/A | fine with plates, some new snow falling during trials, windy | Temp: -10°C, RH: 68% (@0900h) | 2cm of snow overnight but well groomed in. Total accumulation was 1/2cm over 2h. |
| Canada Cup #1, Sovereign Lake | Day 2 (heats) | Glide: Green HF + C105 powder or solid (top) Grip: N/A | fine with plates (new snow well skied in) | Temp: -12°C, RH: 63% | C105 solid top showed significant improvement for speed as evidensed by who made it to the A-final. |
| Canada Cup #3, Valcartier | Training Day 1 | Glide: Blue HF + C105 powder Grip: HF Blue, or HF Blue covered with HF Violet | new snow (significant) | Temp: -6°C | There had been rain forming a crust over aged snow earlier in the week which had been well-groomed in before the 10cm of new snow on Friday. |
| Canada Cup #3, Valcartier | Day 1 (early) | Glide: Blue HF + C44 fluid Grip: HF Blue | new snow (well groomed) | Temp: -8°C, RH: 76% | Some covered the HF Blue kick with HF Violet; one report of HF Violet kick on very thick. Very early (0700h @-10°C) C105 was #1, but C44 fluid became #1 as the temperature rose. |
| Canada Cup #3, Valcartier | Day 1 (later) | Glide: Blue HF + C44 fluid Grip: HF Red covered by HF Blue | new snow (groomed & well skied) | Temp: -3°C | HF Red kickwax was used by some teams straight at this point |
| Canada Cup #3, Valcartier | Day 1 (post; @1600h) | Glide: HF Yellow Grip: N/A | new snow | Temp: -2°C. RH: 83% | This was testing for next day with some small flake snow falling. |
| Canada Cup #3, Valcartier | Day 2 (Trials) | Glide: Yellow HF + C44 fluid & C105 solid top Grip: N/A | New snow (4 cm overnight) | Temp: +2.5°C, RH: 95% | Recommended W75 Speedy Rill for structure. Small amount of snow falling during parts of the trials. |
| Canada Cup #3, Valcartier | Day 2 (heats) | Glide: Yellow HF + C44 powder Grip: N/A | new snow well skied and aging | Temp: +3°C, RH: 91% | No snow falling during heats. |
| Canada Cup #3, Valcartier | Training Day 2 | Glide: Yellow/Red HF (mix 2:1) + C44 powder Grip: HF Yellow (thick) covered by HF Blue | aged snow | Temp: -5° to -1°C | Air temperature rose to +6°C by the end of the day. The HF Yellow with HF Blue cover worked excellently over this entire time (0800h-1400h). Other kickwaxes worked too but had to keep changing as the temperature went up and this mix just kept on working. |
| Canada Cup #3, Valcartier | Day 3 | Glide: Red HF + C44 fluid Grip: HF Red with thin HF Violet cover | aged snow | Temp: -3°C, RH: 86% | Significantl;y colder than the training day. Hard track with 1cm of fine new snow. Overnight low of -5°C (air). Reports of teams using HF Blue straight also. Overall CC#3 note: C22 fluid very close on many of the tests over the 5 days. |
| Ontario Winter Games, Huntsville ON | Training Day | Glide: HF Yellow + C22 solid (alt C44 fluid earlier) Grip: HF Violet Klister | Old snow | Temp: -0.5°C, RH: 75% | Recommended XC Base or XC Blue Klister ironed as kick binder |
| Ontario Winter Games, Huntsville ON | Day 1 | Glide: Graphite LF then Orange/Violet HF (1:1) + C22 solid Grip: N/A | Old snow | Temp: 0°C, RH: 85% | The Graphite LF glider made a big difference for keeping the skis clean and for improving glide |
| Ontario Winter Games, Huntsville ON | Day 2 | Glide: Graphite LF then Orange/Violet HF (1:2) + C44 fluid Grip: HF Violet klister (short) cover with HF Blue or HF Violet | Old snow | Temp: -2°C, RH: 90% | Kick wax alternates: HF Red (older) over whole pocket or HF Blue over whole pocket. HF Violet klister short recommended #1 for course profile. |
| Eastern Canadians, Gatineau | Day 1 (morning) | Glide: HF Green + C380 Grip: N/A | Old snow. Temperatures started very cold (-26°C @ 0700h) | Temp: -16°C @ 1000h, RH: high% | Very cold overnight temperature kept the snow very cold throughout the course and day. C380 durability extremely good versus others (C380 still on the skis at the end of the races) in snow that was also abrasive. |
| Eatern Canadians, Gatineau | Day 2 (morning) | Glide: LF Violet + P16 (alt: LF Violet) Grip: thin binder of Skigo Violet Klister then HF Red (alt add HF Blue cover) | Very old, coarse snow. | Temp: -11°C @ 0900h, RH: high% | Temperature more moderate overnight, but thin snow after cold, skiing and grooming very coarse. These conditions allowed HF Red kickwax to work well below labeled range at race start (0900) and continue working (grip & glide) through until the end of races at -2°C. LF Violet + P16 was superb, but LF Violet by itself for glide bested most other possibilities. |
| Gatineau Loppet | Day 1 (morning) | Glide: HF Red + C44 fluid Grip: HF Red over thin violet klister ironed | Old snow with a little bit of new snow | Temp: -3° to 0°C, RH: 93% | The thin violet klister base binder was for durability because of the underlying hard ice. HF Red kickwax was outstanding for the 49km for fast skiers and slower skiers (4h times) because HF Red worked over this entire time and at all altitudes when most other waxes worked only in the lower parts. |
| Gatineau Loppet | Day 1 (afternoon) | Glide: HF Orange Grip: HF Red or XC Orange | Old snow | Temp: +1°C, RH: 95+% | The afternoon short races were a lot warmer. |
| Gatineau Loppet | Day 2 | Glide: HF Orange/Green (1:1) + C44 fluid Grip: HF Red (2 layers) cover with HF Blue (2 layers) | Old snow plus some light falling snow | Temp: -5° to -3°C, RH: 75% | The kick recommendation is for skiers choosing not to skate. |
| OFSAA 2010 | Day Training | Glide: HF/LF Yellow Grip: N/A | Old snow with small amt of new snow | Temp: 0°C, RH: 80% | This is a forecast for the training day. |