Get In the mood. Here’s an official update on what to expect at the FIS World Championships at Vail this week. Good music (and unexpected too!), tightly edited, spectacular cinematography (how do they get those lean angles) and just the right amount of history and name-dropping to prepare you for the big event. It’s not a long piece but well worth your time to set the scene.
The Fine Print: FIS World Championships February 2015 Update, via YouTube and FIS. All rights belong to their respective rights holders.
The Second Annual Winter Film Festival. The World Cup Downhill in Slow Motion.
Great, short, little film, that will give you some insight into the event a lot of experts believe to be the purest in all of Alpine skiing: the downhill. The concept is simple: get out of the gate and go down the course as fast as you can, testing muscle, nerves, stamina, and technique at very high speeds. When the downhillers wipe out…and they do…it’s always dramatic and dangerous. This film, via YouTube, has a nice combination of great technique and some spectacular wipeouts. It’ll give you a terrific appreciation for the athletes who take on the Downhill Course at Beaver Creek later this week. Dig in and hold on.
The fine print: Film via YouTube. All rights owned by their respective rights holders. No ownership implied or inferred. Soundtrack from Cloud Atlas.
The FIS World Championships ClickPak
Resources, information, and other good things for the World Championship Week at Vail/Beaver Creek.
World Cup Background.
Ski Racing News.
FIS World Championships at Beaver Creek/Vail Event Information.
The U.S. Ski Team World Cup Roster.
Lindsey Vonn World Cup Preview.
Current World Cup Leaders (Men and Women).
FIS Points List for Alpine Skiing.
Bode Miller 2014 Profile.
FIS World Championships TV Schedule.
We will continue to add to the Clickpak throughout the event.
The FIS World Skiing Championships Come to America
It’s the middle of winter and time for skiing–World Cup Skiing to be exact. The FIS World Championships to be even more exact. Last year, at this time, we were headed into the Winter Olympics (the opening ceremony was on 7 February 2014). This year, the Olympics are a memory but the series that keeps skiing in front of the public, keeps the athletes training and the sponsors involved, sets the record books and decides world titles, fills the resorts on event weekends and pops up on TV with some regularity (if you know where to look) is back. World competitive skiing–specifically The World Cup circuit–is administered by FIS (Federation Internationale de Ski–another in a seemingly endless series of sports administrative bodies created and controlled by the French) is bringing the FIS World Championships to America. This is a very big deal. The Wold Cup is to Skiiing what F1 is to automobile racing: the very best ski racers competting at the very best courses in the world. The competition calendar starts in October and runs through March. The most important stop it makes in America in 2014 is this coming week, at Beaver Creek in Vail, for the FIS World Championships. If you’re within driving distance, you should go. If you love to ski and want to see the best in the world test their nerves and technique on world class courses, you should go. The World Championship includes five (5) disciplines: Slalom, Giant Slalom, Downhill, Super-G, and Combined (a combination of times from Downhill and Slalom). Want to go? (Who doesn’t)….Here’s a link to the events at Beaver Creek/Vail. And, to get you completely revved up, we’ll be posting the second edition of the Annual Winter Film Festival over the next few days, which combines a variety of competition and free skiing films, just to get you in the mood. The FIS World Championships at Vail/Beaver Creek. It’s really all downhill from here.
Babe Ruth on Home runs
“Every strike brings me closer to the next home run…”
So You Think You Can Dance…
In the beginning was James Brown, Live at the Apollo. The concert that moved James Brown from a cult figure on the R&B circuit into the mainstream of American Music. But what moved James Brown the most–and the fastest–was a collection of dance moves no one had ever seen before and that we’ve seldom seen since. Almost a decade after his death (25 December 2006), he is still often imitated, never duplicated. Here’s a terrific six minute and change clip from YouTube featuring the one and only JB performing as only he can. The video is very uneven in quality but the dancing is not.
Daytona at Speed
The Rolex 24 at Daytona just concluded (at 2PM ET, today…26 January 2015…). It’s a bit of a hybrid sports car race, combining the high banks of a NASCAR track with a flat, curvy infield section. The race is sometimes to the fastest, but always to the one who finishes but..to give you an idea of what a lap at the Rolex 24 is, here’s a very nice in-car camera feature, from Extreme Speed/Patron Tequila, courtesy of YouTube. Hang on–this one will get your attention.
Ferrari 24 Hours at Daytona – Eleven Hour Report
(Note:This release is provided through the Press Service of Ferrari North America. It covers Ferrari racing activities in both GTLM–the Risi Comp class– and GTD)
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* Pair of Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italias continue to challenge for GT-Daytona lead
* Ferrari challenge in GT-LeMans end after leading class throughout the night
January 25, 2015 (Daytona Beach, Fla.) – As the 24 Hours at Daytona neared its halfway point, the Ferrari challenge for the lead of the GT-Daytona class continued while the Ferrari challenge in the GT-LeMans class came to an end while in the lead.
A furious battle in the GT-LeMans class witnessed Giancarlo Fisichella and Pierre Kaffer steer the no. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia to the lead of the class. However, while leading shortly after midnight, Kaffer pitted the Ferrari for an unscheduled stop before the car was taken behind the wall. The other Ferrari entered in the class, the no. 51 AF Corse Ferrari 458, was retired from the race after an incident in the race’s eighth hour.
In the GT-Daytona class, the pair of Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italias remained a threat for the class victory. After their car went down a lap earlier in the race, Andrea Bertolini and and Marcos Gomes drove the no. 64 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia back on the lead lap and back into contention for the race. Just past 1:00 AM ET, Gomes was leading the GT-Daytona class.
In second position was the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari. Bill Sweedler, Anthony Lazzaro and Jeff Segal kept their Ferrari well within the top-five throughout the night time hours.
Based on the running order at the six-hour mark, Ferrari leads the GT Daytona manufacturer standings in the Patron North American Endurance Cup.
The 24 Hours at Daytona will be streamed live on IMSA.com until 7:00 AM ET. The final hours will be shown on FOX Sports 1 from 7:00 AM – 2:30 PM ET.
Stay up to speed at @FerrariUSA and join the conversation with #FerrariGTRacing and #FerrariChallenge.
About Ferrari North America
Ferrari North America, Inc. is headquartered in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., and is the exclusive North, Central, and South American importer of Ferrari vehicles including the 458 Italia, 458 Spider, 458 Speciale the California and FF Grand Tourers, the F12berlinetta and LaFerrari. The current product line-up comes with the Ferrari complimentary seven-year maintenance program, which covers all factory-scheduled maintenance procedures including labor, related genuine parts and approved lubricants.
RISI COMPETIZIONE 6 HOUR RACE REPORT
The Risi Competizione No. 62 Ferrari F458 Italia started sixth in GTLM class for today’s 53rd Annual Rolex 24 Hours race. Qualifying driver, Pierre Kaffer of Germany
Davide Rigon, third driver of the day, No. 62 Ferrari F458 Italia:
How were you able to battle back and get back in the race?
“To be honest the car is good and the problem is the traffic, which is an issue for everybody. Sometimes you get in with the Prototypes, and you are quicker everywhere and they are quick on the straight, so it is difficult to overtake and you are going to take a big risk. I am happy because we have a good car and we are in a good position. We need to keep this with the car and focus on the last five to six hours and we will be strong.”
How is the track right now?
“With new tires the track is quite good. After about 15 laps you start to have a big drop. I think that is from the temperature but I don’t really know why that happens. It starts to be slippery from the first corner and also the bus stop is tough. It is very easy to make a big mistake and we need to be concentrated and really focused.”
Giancarlo Fisichella, qualifying driver, No. 62 Ferrari F458 Italia:
On his first stint; hours 4 – 5 of race:
“We got on the pace and all of the people are very competitive. The BoP is very balanced and right before turn one I just lost the back of the car and unfortunately we lost our position but we are still on the lap and there is 18 hours left and we are going to fight and its going to be tough, but we are going to do our best.
We got some damage and we had a specific issue on the mirrors and had a vibration. We lost a bit in the straight because of the vibration, but it is not too bad. I’ll get a little bit of rest now then be ready to drive… let’s just keep going and see where we end up.”
Pierre Kaffer, qualifying and starting driver, No. 62 Ferrari F458 Italia:
On hours 1- 3 of race:
“So far, I think it’s been quite an entertaining race, which is something I think we all expected here this year since it’s such a special event. As for the GTLM class, the start and for my first stint everything was settling in. Unfortunately, the LMPC tires were not getting well heated so the cars started dropping back a little while they warmed up. The bus stop (corner)this year is very slippery and since it was the beginning of the race some cars were spinning out there. Because there was a car between us, I could not see the DP that spun out. This was the highlight, you could say, for the team so far. I tried to miss the No. 66 and just touched the mirror which was a bit of luck on our side. The right mirror is not so nice now and it’s tough to drive in the infield and be aware of all the traffic. Our spotter had to tell me everytime the cars
“It was good. I really enjoy the GTLM it’s really a great car to drive, especially the Ferrari and the Risi Competizione team is so perfect in everything. We lost a mirror and came to a pit stop and they got a new mirror on. I don’t know any other team who is able to do this. For them they are really, really, really good. Cross the fingers that for the last 21 hours everything will be perfect.”
6 Hours: Ferrari 24 Hours at Daytona
The Six Hour Report
(Dateline: Daytona International Speedway, 24 January 2015).
Press Release from Ferrari on progress at the Daytona 24 Hour Race.
Ferrari leads in GT-LeMans and GT-Daytona throughout first six hours
Five examples of the 458 Italia lead during opening stages
January 24, 2015 (Daytona Beach, Fla.) – It was Ferraris to the front during the opening hours of the 24 Hours at Daytona. Each of the five Ferrari 458 Italias in the race took a turn at the front of their respective class during the first six hours of the 24-hour contest.
The opening stages of the race saw the no. 51 AF Corse Ferrari 458 with Gianmaria Bruni behind the wheel take the lead in the GT-LeMans class. At the same time, Daniel Serra drove the no. 64 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia to the lead in the GT-Daytona class.
After rebounding from an incident caused by contact with a prototype, the no. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia took a turn at the front of the field. Giancarlo Fisichella battled throughout his stint with several other GT-LeMans class cars.
As the race transitioned from day to night time, the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia and the no. 49 AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia both led the GT-Daytona class – at one point battling for the lead of the race. Driven by Townsend Bell, Bill Sweedler, Anthony Lazzaro and Jeff Segal, the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia was firmly established as the GT-Daytona leader through the sixth hour of the race.
The 24 Hours at Daytona broadcast will continue on FOX Sports 1 at 8:00 PM ET, and will be streamed live on IMSA.com from 10:00 PM – 7:00 AM ET. The final hours will be shown on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, January 25 from 7:00 AM – 2:30 PM ET.
Stay up to speed at @FerrariUSA and join the conversation with #FerrariGTRacing