Cross-country skiing has developed to become one of the most competitive winter sports, where a skier can win by fractions of seconds. Joint efforts between ski technicians and scientist have allowed the development of methodologies to prepare the ski surface, yet much of the knowledge up to date is based on the experience of the technicians.  In this sense, much attention is focused on the ski base, given that the friction at the base is an important factor that will define how fast a ski can glide. Ski base preparation is an extensive procedure, due to the several parameters that have to be taken into account. Much disagreement has risen regarding the best way to optimize the base. Thus, a complete characterization of the ski base can help to provide some clarity on the factors that affect friction.   This work presents the results of the characterization of the ski base through the preparation process by observing and measuring different aspects, using characterization techniques such as LOM, optical profilometry, contact angle, DSC and XCT. The results suggest that the mechanical machining of the surface can influence wax retention and hydrophobicity. Furthermore, it is seen that wax is present after the first waxing step, despite the constant brushing and scraping. No major changes were observed for the crystallinity. Finally, the amount of graphite on the surface was quantified. This is hoped to be helpful for ski technicians and athletes alike to improve the performance of their skis.

Mémoire (M.P.M.O)-- Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, 1991. / Bibliogr.: f. 116-118. Document électronique également accessible en format PDF. CaQCU

Studien ämnade utifrån en kundlojalitetsmodell baserad på det teoretiska ramverket undersöka om ett arbetssätt för att uppnå sann kundlojalitet kunde vara en förklaring till goda resultat i Svenskt Kvalitetsindex (SKI) bankstudier. Syftet med studien var att undersöka om det fanns en dissonans i resultatet från undersökningen med kundlojalitetsmodellen och resultaten från SKI. Studien genomfördes med en kvalitativ undersökning där rådgivare och kontorschef på ett lokalt Handelsbankenkontor intervjuades angående sitt arbetssätt för att uppnå kundlojalitet. Resultatet från intervjuerna visade att Handelsbankens arbetssätt behandlar alla påverkningsfaktorer för kundlojalitet enligt kundlojalitetsmodellen, vilket innebär att de arbetar för både sann kundlojalitet och inaktiv kundlojalitet. Dock antogs det att det inte är bankens avsikt att skapa inaktiv kundlojalitet men att arbetssättet skulle kunna resultera i det. Slutsatserna som drogs utifrån undersökningen var det inte kunde bevisas att de goda resultaten var en konsekvens av ett arbetssätt för att uppnå sann kundlojalitet och att det fanns en dissonans i de jämförda resultaten.

Ce mémoire présente le processus de conception d'une nouvelle luge pour le fondeur paralympique.Ce nouvel équipement vise à améliorer les performances de l'athlète pratiquant le ski de fond sur luge. L'athlète en ski de fond paralympique est classé selon la gravité de son handicap des membres inférieurs et le sport est régi par les règlements établis par le Comité international paralympique (IPC) . L'athlète utilise des bâtons, des skis et une luge. Les objectifs de conception ont été établis avec l'aide des entraîneurs et des athlètes. Ils consistent à améliorer la performance du skieur durant les virages, à permettre aux skis de s'adapter plus facilement aux défauts de la piste, à positionner l'athlète à genou et à concevoir un siège permettant un meilleur couplage entre l'athlète et la luge. La conception de la luge présente différents systèmes répondant à ces objectifs : un système de génération de force centripète, un système d'angulation des skis, un châssis et un siège. La validation de ces systèmes constituant la luge a été faite soit en laboratoire soit sur le terrain. Le prototype final servant à la majorité des tests de validation a été conçu pour une athlète spécifique, soit Colette Bourgonje.

The design of alpine touring ski bindings has remained relatively static for the past fifteen years. During this period, the lack of innovative breakthroughs has become obvious through the number of customers who are currently unsatisfied by the products available on the market. This observation has presented a significant commercial opportunity to satisfy these users, plus many more non-consumers, with an innovative binding design. The objective of this project was to design a low profile alpine touring binding with the aim of satisfying the needs of these users. The resulting design followed a full year of research and development in the field of alpine touring bindings. Not only were concepts formed from completely untethered and open minded thinking, but they were also formed from reviewing various designs that already existed. These designs ranged from previous alpine touring bindings that either failed or succeeded in the market for various reasons, to completely unrelated mechanisms and designs forms. Through this process, several well formed and feasible design concepts were obtained which potentially met the design specification requirements of both high performing alpine touring bindings and downhill bindings. Detailed design and analysis followed, along with the manufacture of a fully functional prototype. This was then tested and evaluated to determine the project as a success. This project can be grouped only with a small amount of research ever conducted on the topic of alpine touring bindings. The findings, discussion and results of this work can therefore be used as a benchmark for future study into this field. Through the meticulous research conducted on skiing and ski bindings and the thorough design work carried out towards producing a prototype, this thesis presents the complete process of designing a new and innovative ski binding.

Enacting environmentally sustainable practices among ski resort areas within the U.S. has become an issue of mounting concern and attention. The state of Utah generates seven billion dollars a year from its tourism industry, with the majority coming from visitation to Utah’s fourteen ski resort areas. The state of Utah is highly tourism dependent and deems this sector as a central factor in the state’s economy. Thus, good environmental practices among these ski resort areas is not only important in their daily operations, but also to local community businesses and stakeholders who depend on a consistent influx of tourism dollars to remain economically viable. The ski resort areas of Utah vary in their level of implementation, reporting, and marketing of their specific environmental practices, and initiatives. This has led to gaps in reporting by each ski resort area and a lack of understanding among local business owners and community members in regards to what current environmental efforts are being undertaken by these resort areas, as well as their plans for the future. A qualitative study aimed at exploring the current level and future plans for the implementation of environmentally sustainable practices among Utah’s ski resort areas should help to create a more in-depth understanding of what each resort is doing to address this issue. It also serves to create a baseline summary report of the state of Utah’s ski resort area environmental practices as a whole. Fifteen key informant interviews were conducted throughout the ski resort areas of Utah with resort employees ranging from sustainability coordinators and marketing managers, to operations and budget directors. Methodologies used for the study and some of the preliminary findings are presented. These findings will focus on the current and future implementation of environmentally sustainable practices at each Utah ski resort area. Results from this study are intended to bridge the lack of communication amongst ski resort areas and local community members and businesses. This can help in creating a more interdisciplinary approach to this issue and generate new ideas and angles in approaching environmental sustainability among ski resort areas.

When looking into pedagogic process which is based on teaching and learning, it is not difficult to perceive that some children understand and master new material quickly while the others lag behind them. The latter need additional explanation of new things, repetition in order to absorb and memorize them. It is no secret that a teaching paradigm for a behindhand child deprives the teacher of the possibility to give more attention to a child having learning abilities. As far as I have noticed, the conception of a child having learning abilities which has recently appeared in psychological and pedagogic literature has not been explicated and given reasoned explanation yet. Everything is presented on the level of definitions and conceptions. This concept is even less used in education reality. Thus a student who is eager to learn, learns much, has a learning strategy of his/her own and always achieves good results is considered a child having learning abilities. No research which would help to solve problems how to teach children having learning abilities in primary classes has been done in Lithuania so far. The tendency to carry out researches on gifted children still prevails. But the number of students having learning abilities is not large. Thus when we speak about teaching students who have learning abilities, we speak about teaching a minority distinguished according to the level of intellectual powers. Children having learning abilities constitute a comparatively small... [to full text]

The purpose with this study was to investigate the effect of a carbohydrate (CHO) mouth rinse protocol on simulated cross country (XC) sprint. The primaryaim was to investigate ifa 10 secCHO solutionmouth rinsingprotocolimprovedthe finish timein a simulated cross country (XC) sprint(800 meters for female and 1000 meters for male) compared with control (CON).The second aim was to examif post-finish blood lactateconcentrationwouldbe lowercompared with CONwith mouth rinsing. Seven participants(four males and three females)completed four simulated sprints, two CON and two experimentalrinse protocols, CHO solution and placebo (PLA).Time to completion was not different with CHO compared with CON or PLA (203.0 ±16.5 sec, 202.3 ± 15.7 sec, 203.3 ± 14.6respectively.p >.05).Mean power output was CON 264 ± 73, PLA 258 ± 65, CHO 261± 70.Blood lactateat 15 minweresimilar between CHO, CON and and PLA(9.9 ± 3.9 mmol 7.6 ± 4.0 mmol, 10.1 ± 3.7 mmol respectively.p >.05).We concludethat mouth rinsing a CHO solutionfor 10 sechave no effect on high intensity exercise with duration lasting between 3 and 4 minutes.

Res. Project (M.R.M.) - Simon Fraser University, 2004. / Theses (School of Resource and Environmental Management) / Simon Fraser University.

Techn. Universiẗat, Diss., 2005--München.