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For the past eight years the start of the ski season has kicked off with one of my unique pleasures. Humbly setting me back to my roots of ski racing, and all the while enhancing my respect for those that have perfected the art of glissading down ice at unfathomable speeds, the Birds of Prey World Cup is a spectacle that has to be seen in order to understand. Watching the world’s best ski racers tear down a mountain at speeds only imaginable through the use of motorized assistance, the race not only inspires me to wear a helmet, but also inspires me to respect the fearless gladiators of the sport.

The Birds of Prey takes place in Beaver Creek, CO and is the only American stop of the International World Cup Tour. Taking place at the start of December each year, the race not only signifies the start of the season, but also offers a glimpse into the actions of the true warriors of skiing. With the opportunity to get on the course and slip the track during the race, I can attest to the seriousness for the sport that TV cameras may not capture. The track is prepped for days before the race with thanks to many volunteers and the local Ski Club Vail. Much like washing your car will make it rain, planning a race in Beaver Creek will make it snow. Therefore, hours are spent removing snow and preparing the sheet of ice they call the track. Hundreds of man hours go into the icing down of the entire slope through the use of hydro injected water cannons, along with the hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of fencing and safety nets that are set in place and suspended along the length of the course. Banners and TV cameras line the course, sponsor and VIP tents fill the finish area, while bleachers stand proudly saluting the massive TV screen awaiting the brilliant athletic display from the world’s best skiers.

The atmosphere in the finish area is anxious with spectators, media, and race personnel from around the world. For two minutes at 70MPH, in a game of millimeters the athletes race at freeway speeds protected by a thin plastic shell on their heads and a spandex suit on their bodies. This event keeps you on your toes, if not because they are cold, but for the thrill of watching athletes battle gravity, pure focus, and milliseconds. However, the situation at the start is totally different. Athletes roam lethargically trying to shake their nerves while stretching and visualizing the race with TV cameras stuffed in their faces documenting their every move. Coaches meticulously prep and tend to their athlete’s skis like mothers giving their baby a first bath. As the beep of the starting timer ticks through the start list the tension builds towards each racers moment of glory when they step in the gate and see the finish between their tips 2000ft below.

With the icy conditions, slipping the course was difficult to slip, which made it hard to imagine racing down it at the fastest speed possible. The firm snow was not only difficult to turn on, but with my Big Mountain skis, which are slightly less then “race” ready, the task was more of a challenge then I expected. The ice was so firm that skates would have been more appropriate for the task. After seeing some of the crashes up close however, I could only imagine how relentless the ice had to be on the body. For those who crashed at high speeds, the icy surface offered no cushion for the fall and appeared as if their momentum did not slow until they hit a fence. Scary for most, thrilling for others, the race is more then an event but a way of life for many and provides a brief look at the European winter sport of choice. America’s misunderstanding of the sport is clear when you talk to those in the south about skiing, but the race in Beaver Creek can be inspiring even to those who have never put ski boots on before. No engines, just muscle and heart drive the racers to experience the same forces and similar consequences of a Nascar driver. Sounds incredible, but you have to see it to understand.

Ted Leighty, on his way to a 2nd in the GS.

At the end of the weekend one man came out victorious above the others, but furthermore over his own adversities. Aksel Lund Svindal won both the DH and SG after being evacuated from the same hill with major injuries just one year prior. His performance at Beaver Creek exemplifies the power and perseverance of the mind. In an athletic event or the tribulations of life, the mind is what carries the body and heart to do great things and Aksel proved it in Beaver Creek. He obviously set his sights and goals on returning to the world cup with vengeance, but dominating on the hill that almost took his leg was not only a comeuppance, but a feat of mental domination.

Needless to say the event went off without a hitch. The parties and events in the village put on buy Universal Sports and others were a great opportunity to meet some of the athletes and socialize with some of the coaches and crew. However, now that this experience has passed and the winter has officially begun, it is time to embark on winter activities of our own. The snow is falling and the temperature has dropped low enough that even some natives have run south of the boarder to escape the cold. That must mean it is time to start skiing.