IS - Wednesday, Rock show rolis PAGE 33 NEWS photo Nell Lucente SPEED SKIERS (left to right) Ross Milenchuk, Paul Williams, John Chilton and Adam Farle (on car) teave today for Oregon for the first of a series of races in North America and Europe. In training, the skiers perfect their techniques and condition their equipment by simulating race ‘conditions atop moving cars. THEIR PASSION is speed; their sport is speed skiing. Spectators marvel at their feats as the skiers strive to break the magical and elusive 200 kph barrier. “} think rock climbing is nuts. I think parachuting is nuts — those are two things I’d never do,’ says North Shore speed ‘skier Adam Earle, who with other local speed skiers starts to- day a host of European and North American races. ‘It seems crazy to people because of the speeds we do,’’ adds Earle, 21, But despite the perception of craziness, participants of this growing sport — said to be safer than downhill skiing — say it isa feeling like no other, “More comfortable on my skis than on my feet,’’?. Earle has clocked a personal top speed of 181.74 kph, a speed at which “your whole mind and body has to be centred. Your mind is completely empty -—— you’re just looking at the track." Using a collection of aerodynamically designed gear — helmcis, airtight suits and extra- long skis — speed skiing is a combination of technology and skill. Casual spectators might observe that anybody can ski fast in a straight line, but the skiers just invite detractors to try the. sport for themselves. RICHMOND INVITATIONAL Gymnast wins gold WEST VANCOUVER gymnast Ralph Grossling won the gold all- round in the Richmond Invita- tional tournament recently. Competing against boys from Alberta, Saskatchewan, ‘Washington State and B.C., Grossling placed first on floor, rings and pommels; second on highbar; and third on vault in the cadet age category. In the open men’s age group, Keith Lockitch placed fcurth all- round. First-time competitor Ryan Sakiofsky and team-mate Ross Cooper had commendable _per- formances, with the West Van- couver team placing third overall. On the training side of competi- tion, the West Vancouver Recre- ation Department offers boys gymnastics programs and is the only North Shore club offering competitive boys classes. With the addition of two new male staff members and 65 boys presently participating in various level programs, the centre is expec- ting to continue showing well competition, For spring program information and registration, contact the coor- dinator at 926-3266, “There’s a lot ‘of technical stuff and (you need) the skill to hang on after the 180 (kph) wall,’’ says local speed skier Ross Milenchuk, 25. At speeds approaching 180 kph, ‘‘your skis start to float a little bit'’; the racer experiences changes in how the skis respond and the control he has. Joining Milenchuk and Earle on the race circuit will be locals Joho Chilton and Paul Wiltiams. Together they are the Ron Zalko/Serac Speed Ski Team. When a team of aerospace engineers analysed the sport, 200 kph was the top speed, a barrier that could supposedly not be broken. Now, a handful of skiers — including West Vancouver's Kent Wills -—— have smashed through that barrier. Recorded last year at the NORTH Shore curler Linda Moore...beat West Germany 4-3. season finale in Portillo, Chile, the world record speed is a whopping 217.68 kph; Wills was Ith, clocked at 204.56 kph. During a run, there is no room for thoughts of falling, although “it comes into your mind and goes out again,’’ says Earle, a skier for 18 years. Coming close to crashing once, Milenchuk was for a while slow- ed down by the experience, but tries to put the possibility out of his mind. ‘Jf 1 crash, I crash," he says. ‘‘It’s safer than downhill — there are fewer injuries.”’ To perfect their tuck, skiers will strap themselves to the top of a car; for physical conditioning and toning, it is weight training that fits the bill. “} haven’t gone fast enough where | say I'm going too fast,’’ says Earle. February 17, 1988 — North Share News detailed THE SPORTS that will be Tepresented at the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary are as follows: °Ski Jumping. with points awarded on jumping style and distance; * Nordic Combined Skiing, an event that combines points earned in ski jumping with those earned in cross country ski race; *Alpine Skiing, including downhill, alpine combination, giant slalom, super G and slalom; * Cross Country Skiing, both individual and relay races; * Ice Hockey, which will consist of daily games, with intradivision- sal play, and the top six teams competing against each other in a play-off medal round; ¢ Speed Skating, consisting of sprint and distance races of varied lengths; © Figure Skating, incorporating a myriad of events, including men’s and women’s singles — compulsory figures, short pro- gram, free skating — ice dancing and pairs, short program, free skating. : © Bobsled, featuring two-man and four-man team competitions; © Luge, in which racers lying on their backs use shoulders and feet to steer an open sled down an icy course, offering both singles and doubles competitions; ° Biathlon, individual and relay races, combining target shooting and cross country skiing. In addition, curling will be a demonstration sport. Demonstra- tioa events will include indoor short track speed skating, and freestyle skiing with acrials, ballet and moguls. Rounding out the program will be exhibitions of disabled alpine skiing and cross country skiing. Moore wins Olympic curling demo match NORTH VANCOUVER'S Linda Moore got off to a good start in Olympic curling Sunday, beating West Germany in a close 4-3 con- test. The North Shore Winter Club curler finished the match-up with the advantage of the last rock, and after the West German skip's last throw went far, Moore did not have to use her own last rock. A demonstration sport at the Calgary Winter Olympics, curling has drawn full houses at the 2,140-seat Max Bell Arena. Canadian women and men have dominated curling over the years. On the ladies’ side, Canada has won five of the nine world title championships since 1979, with Moore figuring prominently in the honors. On the men’s side, Canadian teams took home every World Curling Championship except two from 1959 to 1972. Since 1980, Canada has taken top honors six times. Moore is scheduled to face Sweden and Norway today.