What's
up
here?

WHAT TO EXPECT

  

    An adventure. As the site kicks off, I want to bring us up to speed on where the strongest veterans stand after the 2023 campaign, and their prospects for 2024. Speculating which lower-ranked A-team athletes may improve, or even break out (have an excellent season), may be the most intriguing and tricky exercise. Scouting B- and perhaps C-team racers is also tempting; I will do this as able, probably later in the summer. (This can quickly turn from decisions to guesses, to be avoided.) Several retired racers will also have Features—folks whose exploits must be appreciated. And I have a few “What Ifs” in mind to relieve the nitty-gritty.

    The FEATURES section offers WAWC’s primary content.  My aim is to post four new Features weekly, focusing mostly upon specific athletes, National teams, and intra-disciplinary competition, so we'll have plenty to chew/amalgamate when the season begins. Once the campaign kicks off late October, I’ll review each race based upon watching the US feed. I may offer predictions if I’m feeling arrogant/confident. Tracking athletes’ performances against my earlier evaluations; seeing lesser achievers excel and stalwarts slip; rivalries intensifying; racers coming back after last season’s injury; ripping neck-and-neck for Discipline and Overall globes—it’s gonna be fun!

(Note: I work weekend days in the Mountain Time zone. I can watch Friday’s European races live; Saturday and Sunday are replayed early at the office. Killington and Mt. Tremblant I’ll see live, at least.)

    We may consider tangential subjects—perhaps training, gear, sponsors, injury rehab—depending upon available time and upon my research skill. Politics run rampant on many levels in World Cup racing. I’ve not the connections, multi-lingual skills, nor burning interest to engage this.

    I’m very aware that I’m one man within an infinite set conjecturing about women. (See EXPLANATION for my explanation of this.) Women’s Alpine ski racing coaches are mostly male, overwhelmingly so at the elite level. So too are the sport’s governing organizations. How/if this affects a single or many racing performances and thus the statistics informing this site, I won’t guess. Racers have opinions about gender imbalance and patriarchal influence within the sport; search if you’re interested. This is a good one, but link is squirrely. https://www.nbcsports.com/onherturf/news/alpine-skiing-gender-equity-winter-olympics. Perhaps searching nbc.onherturf will work. Google "gender equity in alpine skiing" and you'll find articles. 

    I want WAWC’s primary content to be as objective and non-partisan as possible, considering I’m presenting my own impressions/opinions. That said, if compelled to editorialize I will, in closely-defined posts. Elephants inhabit ski racing’s room. Perhaps WAWC will occasionally hear their trumpets, ideally with your help.

    Via Comments and Chat I intend to open WAWC to your knowledge and opinions, criticism and critique. Please comment on the Features; email me with concerns, questions, etc. about the site which you’d prefer to not post. I’ll schedule Chats when I sense worthy topics. Make suggestions. Post-race forums, perhaps live, may be feasible. I’ll consider any option re reader engagement; my time will be spent mostly on 4 x weekly new Features, so I must be careful. I’m easily distracted and will talk until the sloths reach Mars.