ADL Saslong Club 5 T-Shirt
ADL Saslong Club 5 T-Shirt is the first in our Club 5 T-shirt series, celebrating all the classic race venues in Europe in partnership with the American Downhillers. Each Saslong T-shirt comes with a personally autographed 8×12 print by Steven Nyman and $10.00 from each sale will be donated to our 2Hammers American Downhiller scholarship fund.
The Saslong course at Val Gardena got it’s start in 1967. The Saslong is about terrain. Every inch of the course challenges racers – including the 26 times your skis will come off the snow. Watch racers’ thighs as they ratchet through the Ciaslat. Are their legs rubbery off the Camels? Look into their eyes. Do you see fear or do you see conviction? There are few places on the alpine tour like Val Gardena. High atop Ciampinoi at the start, the view is mesmerizing. To the east, the rocky massif of the Sella Group juts like an island into the sky. The castle-like rocks of Langkofel form a backdrop to the start. Down below: two miles and two minutes of sheer terror form the Saslong.
What is the Club 5? It is a union of the leading alpine ski race organizers from all over the world. It was founded 1988 upon an idea of worldcup founder and sports journalist Serge Lang. Charter members had been the “Five” downhill classic sites in the alps”. 1988 members:
- Gröden/Val Gardena “Saslong” (ITA)
- Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER)
- Kitzbühel (AUT)
- Wengen (SUI)
- Val d’Isere (FRA)
3x Champion American Downhiller Steven Nyman knows how to ski the Saslong. Val Gardena has been good to him. Only two skiers have bested his three victories – Kristian Ghedina and Franz Klammer, each with four. His tall frame also gives him a nice advantage when it comes to absorbing all the roles, bumps and jumps. He won the race in 2006, 2012 and 2014 and can never be counted out. The rest of the American Downhillers have always loved the Saslong. This season with Nyman recovering from an injury Ryan Cochrane-Siegle came in 2nd, Bryce Bennet 4th and Jared Goldberg 6th. The AD’s history goes back with the most dominating year in 2008 when they got 6 racers in the top 15 –
Bode 2nd, Sullivan 4th, Erik Fisher 7th, Nyman 9th, TJ Lanning 10th and Scotty Macartney 15th!
US Men’s Ski Team Coach Sasha Rearick, who is now the head coach of development, walks us through each shift in terrain and technique on the famed Saslong Classic, nestled in the Dolomites in Val Gardena, Italy. He also highlights why its such a great place to visit. Sasha has been coaching the Dev Team down at Mt Hood the last couple summers and we have spoken to him and coach Scotty Veenis about Val Gardena for a few years. 2021 could be the year we launch our 3rd Club 5 Downhill DreamTrip to Italy (December 9-17th, 2022). Until then you can get a little piece of the place with our limited edition t-shirt and support the future American Downhillers.
