These aren't really secrets but things that you can do that most people don't that help win races. Whether your racing gates in the deep cold or charging a banked slalom in the sprint slush these tips will ensure you glide to victory.
- Use equipment you are use to. You are better riding your daily rider rather than a new race board if you have never rode it before. (Don’t break out some new gear for the race unless it’s specially made for the race you’re doing.)
- Get your equipment to a professional tuner with a stone grind machine. Use their knowledge for which grind to apply and edge work. You might want to add structure (grooves in the ptex) or beveled edge depending on the race and conditions.
- Once your equipment is home with a fresh base grind it's now time to start waxing. First get your 4WD Base Prep wax out and wax, scrape and brush your base at least three times. This gets the base well impregnated with wax. Each time you heat the base up the wax slowly seeps into all the porous microscopes holes in the Ptex. Then with the scraper and brush you push more wax into the base. Over and over.
- Wax with X-Wax with Mineral Speed Additives a couple times to get the additives into the newly ground base.
- Check all your hardware on your straps and mounting bolts. Just make sure all your screws are snug.
- Pack a spare buckle in your pack and your driver tool. You might not be the one that ends up needing it. But having it can save your day or someone else's that forgot to tighten their buckle. Be the hero.
- Get used to the equipment on the hill and then store it for race day. (Mark where your binding are located with a sharpie. You can trace out your baseplates so you know exact angles and stance width.
Prepare for race day.
- Wax the base with 4WD Base Prep two times, scrape and brush out.
- Educated yourself on what the snow temperature is for Raceday in the slowest part of the race course. Use a thermometer.
- Wax accordingly with X-Wax instructions. Wax for 15-20 minutes and leave a thick coat along the edges.
- Don’t scrape until you are ready to take your run that morning.
- In your backpack carry the following.
- Lunch, chocolate, candy, water, extra layers, extra jacket, extra gloves, extra goggles, spare buckle and driver tool.
- Tuning equipment to bring. Deburing stone, Rub-on additive wax, new sharp scrapers, Horse Hair brush.
- At the top of the hill by the start shack do the following.
- Scrape the base, edges, and sidewalls.
- Brush out throughly with Horse Hair Brush
- Apply X-Wax Rub-on with (MSA) additives
- Cork, scrape, and brush out heavily with a horse hair brush
- Put the base next to the snow on an angle.
- When your run is coming up. Check the base and edges for ice build up.
- With a Horse Hair brush, brush out the base again.
- When your run is coming up. Get on your gear and glide the snow back and forth as you're in the gate.
- LET IT RIP!