Gearing Up for The World Championships

Took me a minute to realize why there was a Japanese flag on my name tag. I forgot they had asked us what languages we could speak last January when we filled out applications to work the Worlds.

The holiday tourists are gone, nice to have some room to move on the mountain. But the Vail Valley now is now one week away from the 2015 World Ski Championships. With 70 countries and over 700 athletes entered, we're basically reproducing the skiing part of the Olympics with a full 2 weeks with both men and women and all the alpine disciplines: Downhill, Giant Slalom, Super G, Combined and Slalom. The FIS (International Ski Federation) World Championships are held every other year and  have been held 43 times. This will be the 6th time on US soil. But proudly it is the 3rd time here in the Vail Valley. No ski resort besides us has ever hosted it more than one time! It was here in '89 and '99.  You can even download a "2015" app that will give realtime race results, maps and schedules of events and since I finally traded my old flip phone in for an IPhone I'm enjoying those features.

I've been to 2 security/anti terrorist training sessions recently as will over 2000 other volunteers. My job will be similar to what I did for World Cup which is part of the world renowned Talon Crew(really, it gets huge kudos from the FIS for the race courses here) building and maintaining the race course. And these courses are considered among the best in the World.

My "uniform" pieces and parts.

Today I picked up my red white and blue uniform & I feel like I just made the Olympic team! Two jackets, an under layer, ski pants, and hat,  goggles, & Talon Crew bib.  Other swag included name tag, 15er pin, water bottle and eating utensils and of course my security credentials. They hope to reduce waste by not using disposable silverware for the volunteers that's why they gave us our own utensils to stick in our packs.This for committing at least 6 days of work during the Championships. I will get a text the night before a scheduled work day telling me what time to load the lift to head up onto the course to rake, shovel and install safety fencing. This coming pre event week I have committed Mon, Fri and Sat to help course building before the event actually starts on Feb 2 after which I will work on some of the event days.

I will expect security to be "Olympic like" and much tighter than "just" the World Cup weekend I worked in December.  Whenever we are up working on the course we'll be expected to wear our supplied uniform as well as a credential with photo and scan code. Part of getting on the team included a background check early last year. Our credentials are scanned "in" the morning and "out" again in the afternoon.

With Lindsay Vonn recently proving that "she's baaaaaack" and earning her 63rd win on the World Cup to be named number one female of all time on that circuit the excitement is heating up around town. This is home turf for not only Vonn but for 19 year old 2014 Olympic golden girl Mikaela Shiffrin who has also made the podium in GS on the ladies course here last year.  Personally I'm holding out for Bode Miller to heal from his back surgery and show up here, win the downhill and grant me an autograph and photo.  I've yet to see him ski and he's probably getting near hanging up his racing boards. Tedd Liggity just plain does well whenever he skis here and won the World Cup giant slalom on this course just a few weeks ago.

Come the 2nd of February we'll enjoy 2 weeks of ski racing, events, concerts and beer--all of it for free! Stay tuned I'm sure I'll have lots to tell.