neil sunday

I was the first one, the second pic is my assistant coach on the Snowboard Race Team- His name is Sam Bashore. We were riding together that day and the photographer must've liked it! Happy New Year!

Greg- If you saw us Tuesday, it was my snowboard team. That was the second day of Christams Camp. I coach the team there... Check us out on Monday or Wednesday nights we practice from 6 until 9 pm on Exhibition. Stop by and intorduce yourself. We're practicing MOnday night for the race at Camleback coming up... Is Marion still at Blue? Later- Neil

Who says Alpine is Dead? Our mountain Loves It!!!! Here's a photo of me on our homepage! www.skiroundtop.com

rek and spy- i'm questionong bruce as to the waist width right now, and he's looking it up for me... it was custom built, so i wasnt concerned about the specifics of the board.. as soon as my buddy gets me the digi camera i'll post pics. sorry guys for the delay. i'll try to have them real soon..

I'll email you the pics directly.. I'll shoot them today. I'm looking to part ways with my beauty for $250.00.

Hello All, Here are the specs: COILER 186 Pure Race World Cup Construction / Tornsion Plus Laminate / Micrograin Graphite Base 6.9 Flex Pattern On Bruce's Scale Base is in perfect "race shape" condition with plenty of edge material left for your own base grinding. The only reason i'm getting rid of it is because I need a board that rails FIS style PGS courses. It's a little too long for the current PGS format. For Regualr GS format it is perfect. This has been my race board for three seasons, very well taken care of, 100's of dollars of wax have caressed this beauty. I just finished 2nd in USASA Master's Men GS on it... Top sheet has slight wear due to training, and Bruce's famous "faded black topsheet!"... Built for riders between 175- 200 pounds that can get on it... Contact: Neil Sunday Head Coach, Ski Roundtop Race Club 717.503.1168 neilsunday@aol.com

After racing for the last 13 years, and coaching-competing since 1999-2000, I attending Klug's Camp in 2002-2003. Let me tell you this. In three days of riding with Anton Pogue and Ben Fairchild I fixed alot of problems I had with Upperbody alignment, edge pressure and line in the gates. This year was my best year competing, and I finally made it to the podium in the Master Men's Giant Slalom at the USASA Nationals-- largley in part to the training I received last year at Klug's Camp. If you get a chance, go to it without any reservation. Great Coaching, Relaxed environment, and you get to ride some great groomers in the morning at Buttermilk before training on perfect race courses. Anton is patient, and really focuses on your strengths to help you achieve your best. Ben should come out of retirement, as he was on top of his game and only getting better.

Mike, The Poconos can handle up to a 186 GS board.. Come out to any Mid Atlantic Snowboard Series Race, and there will be plenty of alpine riders you can chat with. I'd start out with something in the low 170's for all-around carving. You've got the weight and heighth to throw it around. Have fun, ride fast-take chances...

i'd be cautious of base grinding more than once or twwice max per season.. especially if you want to hang onto a board for two or three seasons. they claim a board that's waxed turns 30% easier. i'm in total agreement with that, as i have found the more you wax, the better shape the p-tex stays in. it seems like it stays soft- or should i say wet, as in the ability of the base to accept and HOLD wax. once a week does it for me- that's about 4-5 of riding, unless you see edge burn, which i would recomend using a colder temp wax on the edges, as colder wax is harder and does not wear off as easily. deburring stones, (diamond, ceramic and gummy stones ) in that order will keep your edges smooth, which is more important for a clean carve than sharp. a burless edge is better at griping th snow as well. files can be used maybe four times a season. but lightly though, as you can remove some serious edge material if you're not careful- especially the side edge.

Julian, I coach a team at Ski Roundtop-- and we have had three of our kids between the ages of 10 and 13 make the switch to hard boot setups. All of these kids were very proficient at turning their soft boot setups. The problem, or issue came when they moved onto their alpine setups. What I have found is a tendency to skid due to their legs being straight. Another issue that would concren me, is how much time has the kid been freeriding with that setups outside of the gates. You can learn very little in the race course about riding. Sure, there's timing, edge pressure and line to be taught in the course, but not a clean race turn or a carved turn, that should be left for the open trail. Make sure you kid is comfortable carving first before throwing him into the course. I would venture on to say your son is probably "swinging" his upper body to make the alpine setup turn. It's a natural reaction when placed on a stiffer setup. I would have him do drills that prevent "swinging." For instance, he could do a drill Phil Fell talked about by riding with his hands on his hips. I have used this to show the kids jsut how much they are swinging their turns instead of pressuring the tongue of the boot and driving with the lower body. Additionally, I would have them ride with the left hand on the left side of the board, and the right hand on the right side of the board. this will help square up the shoulders and make sure alignment is correct. A drill that works is have the kids ride with ski poles for a run or two. I try not to keep them on poles all night, as they become co-dependent on them, but again it helps with alignent and even timing if you have him reach forward with his arm and pole plant like a skier would... Once alignment is proper, you can move to angulating with the knees, and hips while maintaing an athletic stance with the arms out, and straighter back to prevent bending at the waist. Finally, I think your problem will be alleviated as "junior" grows a little more and is able to decamber his stick, thus allowing a carved turn more. A drill I have our kids do is a compreession and extension drill... ride across the hill on the uphill edge, then at the moment of turning, pressure the nose of the board, and compress to decamber the board. As the turn is completed, have thme stand tall to help "unweight" the board allowing the next traverse to begin. Repeat until you've logged many miles- kinda like this reply. All the while, you can be checking body positioning - arms, shoulders, angulation, etc. I have some of our riders hit a slight mogul of snow pile to do and edge change, as they become slightly air-borne. this seems to allow the feeling of a decambered board and allow them to feel how a weightless (as in decamber) board will feel as it cross under the bod y for the next turn. it usually starts from toeside to landing heelside and proceeding witht he turn. this air-borne turn helps when landing for the kids to generate a little more weight and force into their heelside turn and bend the board. I hope this helps. feel free to email me if you need any more ideas. neilsunday@aol.com Good Luck, and don't worry. he's 12- by the time he's matured, he'll be ready for the world cup!

Maciek, I'd love to see the video, I'll pay for it if you can ship it to me.. Give me a call at 717-503-1168. Thanks....

the GIRO FUSE is the most comfortable helmet i've used in the last couple of years. i've also skulled on it in a race course and it saved my head. i'd highly suggest at least trying it on... plus you can slide ear phones into the soft ears of the helmet- an added bonus for getting aggro on the stick.

Allen, I seriuosly doubt the weight change would have that much of an effect on the shovel of your board washing out. The problem most likely is the starightneing of your front leg on a board that doesn't have near the edge contact of your FP 178. Your slalom board would require a more upright riding technique, and will punish you by sliding out should you try to carve hard without staying centered over the board with your hips creating and driving pressure to the edge. Another option may be the board is not tuned and detuned properly. The nose washing out could need a little sharpening, I doubt this is the real issue, as more than likely any proper form can compensate for the "wash-out." I wouldnt focus too much on moving your body too far forward or backward on a board that is only 157cm long, instead I would focus on weight distribution on the front foot vs. mid and aft presure to the back foot, evenly throughout the phases of the turn. I hope this helps, as heelside wash-out has plagued us all at some point...