Paddy Field reports on the Club trip to Livigno in December 2011

Some anxious moments

We were due to travel to Livigno in mid-December for a week’s early season training, culminating in the La Sgambeda series of races, 21 or 42 kms Classic or Free Technique.  As the trip drew near, we anxiously scanned the www.yr.no website (far and away the best site for cross-country weather forecasts, as it both tells and predicts snow conditions at track level, rather than at 3,000 metres). 

There was little snow, although some was forecast to arrive during our stay.  A practice loop of 3 km had been groomed, but no more.  Then, just before we left London, the organizers announced that the races would be cancelled and I had promised everybody that this never happens in Livigno!

Training under expert eyes

As it turned out, this may actually have been to our advantage. Unable to indulge in the usual British pastime of chasing kilometres, 20 of us spent our time on the training loop, under the watchful and expert eyes of our two coaches, Peter Moysey and Soren Milas.  How lucky we are to have their services.  Two very different characters, with their own individual approaches, but both extremely knowledgeable, up to date and able to put their knowledge across to others. We also had the opportunity to watch some of the world’s leading marathon ski racers at very close quarters

Progress and red wine

The training loop was excellent, including all of the elements that go to make up a good cross-country course.  One session would be skating and the next classical; nothing was left to chance.  The technical progress was noticeable amongst beginners and the more experienced alike.  When training was over, our hotel was convivial and the food was excellent and the nearby restaurant kept us topped up at lunchtime with enormous pizzas and, for the less abstemious, litres of red wine.  Evenings were spent relaxing, or participating in the now statutory team quiz or the laser biathlon competition (research showed that the best results came before the red wine, rather than afterwards).

Race time

Towards the end of the week we held our own LRNSC local championships, in the form of a Handicap Pursuit race around the 3 km loop.  There was an individual tussle at the front between Soren and Peter, followed at a distance by our ‘winners’ Lorraine Field and Tim Wilks.  This was however just a prelude to the official race on the Sunday.  We had come out to race a minimum of 21 kms.  Our ‘Short Race’ turned out to be a 3 km Sprint with 30 second interval starts. 

Most of our group took part, perhaps influenced by the fact that the entry fee of Euros 10 included the gift of a ski bag worth at least Euros 25.  Hard luck on Cheryl though.  Seeing the ski bags and having just purchased some new skis, she rushed to the Race Office to put in a late entry, only to find that Des Goff had beaten her to the draw and had just snaffled the last ski bag.  Cheryl did look very fetching in her free dressing gown though.

See you in Livigno in 2012?

Even in a year of limited snow, Livigno is a lovely place to be and already there is a quorum planning to be back next year, not least because they have been able to carry over their La Sgambeda entry fees until 2012.  If you have never been there, why not think about joining them.  And if Livigno does not take your fancy, then look at one of the other trips that the Club will be putting on.  As one of our members, probably still under the influence of the red wine, has written:  “It is a marvellous Club with very friendly members and excellent coaching”.   What more could one ask?  Watch the newsletter and the website for further details.

"Well it's a long way to travel on my own."   "I can put you in contact with a lady to travel with" he offered.   "But I haven't done more than 15K in a day before and you’re doing over!"   "It's OK, we take all day, and stop for coffee and regroup along the way," he retorted undeterred.

Did Pauline survive the tour?  Read what happened [please be patient this is a large Word document with pictures that takes a few moments to download] on this LRNSC roller ski weekend.

Find out what you missed in this report by Paddy Field and Christopher Richards.