Course Preview: World Cup DH in Meribel

 you should email them! that would be dope.

 Im sure it wont be long till the whole race is covered. Has you seen those drone hele camera's, for about 2k they come with a full giro to keep the picture steady, Ive also seen one that can track a rider/skier/runner you dont even have to fly it!!! get that hooked up for live pictures and were set.

I think like many other people I was pissed at not being able to watch the top ten riders live, but considering redbull do all they do for free you cant fault them really, its great being able to watch the DH, the general coverage is awesome and we dont have to pay a penny.

 The reason they can't cover he hole race is because there are usually 3 racers on the corse at once. They drop in 1 minute intervals.
They won't change the intervals because that would triple to time of broadcasting and triple the cost.
Awesome idea I just don't think it'll ever happen

 Not happening because there are always 2 riders on the track at the same time. Ski downhill is a proper tv sport and the dont have full coverage either.

 A heli is very complicated to have at an event. Aside from the insane cost of running it, and having to stall the event for the heli to refuel, I'm sure there are a ton of regulations they have to abide by.

 They had a heli at Kaprun 2002. Shit was awesome

 @piersonbikes It's 3 minute intervals (hence the name of the movie 3 Minute Gaps)

 Moto now has live GoPro feed during the races, they can jump to it during the race. That for me is the future of DH coverage, top 10 riders get one mounted up so we can see the spots where setting a camera in the woods doesn't work.

 A cable can from top to bottom would be alright as well

 About 10 more cameras on the course would be nice though !

 I hope they step their coverage up

 To counter some points here, the heli would only be filming the top 45-60 seconds of the course, so could get pretty close to making the turnaround back to the top for the next rider at 60 second intervals, once you get to the final 20? or so riders they leave at 3 minute intervals, so plenty of time....

Also, fully fuelled a helicopter could quite easily broadcast non-stop for the entire DH event, theres plenty of machines that can fly for 2 hours continuously, no need for a mid-event fuel stop. Particularly if fuel was available at the event site to keep transit times low. Worst case it's only a 60 second flight to the mountain base, and an engineer can hot-refuel in less than 5 minutes, you might miss a couple of riders while it was refuelling. Not a huge issue.

 Furthermore, I'm not sure how aviation laws work internationally but generally RedBull would likely hold an air operators certificate in most countries around the world these days, they have no doubt got the certification for "aerial filming" or something to that effect already in place, providing the aircraft is operated under their operating certificate the legalities should be relatively easy to deal with, the cost isn't "insane" it's a couple of grand, 5k at absolute most for a really nice machine.

 @hypermoto: Red Bull are experimenting with this. That's why a few of the top 10 guys are coming down with GoPro. Not for them to record their race run, but for Red Bull to experiment and eventually bring on-board footage to the feed. Guess you'd have to have a pretty good wifi mesh running down the course, but hopefully they can do it.

 I'm pretty sure that 2 hours (about one fuel cycle) would be a lot more than 2 grand.... a type 3 helicopter (this is from a fire background) is about 7000 dollars a day even if it doesn't turn a rotor, if the blades are turning it's about 2000 dollars an hour. Figure an average race is 3 hours ish if you include the women, looking at closer to 6000. Cause I assume they wouldn't have to pay a daily rate like a fire does.

 Thats a reasonable price for a casual hire bell 205 or 212 (if you're in the fire game)

philip.greenspun.com/flying/boston-aerial-photography
This company will rent you a Robinson R44 for $600 an hour, then 450 p/h for each subsequent hour.

A bell 206L can be had for around $1100 plus a camera operator.
www.whiteriverhelicopters.ca/category/helicopters

prices will obviously vary by country and will almost certainly be cheaper due to the contacts that a company like RedBull has.

The live stream online is allocated 2hrs, so I can't see why they'd need a helicopter in the air for any longer than that.

 but they probably would only use a small turbine helicopter (relatively) and running costs arent insane, for a small MD 500 its around 400$ hour + rental fee, I cant imagine hauling a camera and a transmitter would be too much of a load...

 Not that the GoPros have WiFi, i am waiting for live POV coverage!

 I had no idea that a helicopter could be had for so cheap! 600 bucks an hour is a steal. I was just thinking that while the live stream is only 2 hours, it isn't actually live right? Aren't the only ones that are "live" the top 40 men?

 @SmashedFungi: Yeah they do: Hero 3 and 3+ have built in wi-fi. gopro.com/cameras

 If RedBull can film with two helis and a plane (Art of Flight) I'm sure they can put one out for world cups. Correct if I'm wrong but I'm sure RedBull owns a heli and have easy access to a cineflex so the only thing they would be paying for is fuel, the pilot, and the crew

 Easiest thing and cheapest would be to have an RC drone with a camera mounted on it. If you have a few rechargeable drones you could have constant footage coming in from them and not have a loud helicopter sitting above the race all day. Also you could probably get a little closer to the action with a drone since they're much smaller. Plus for the price of renting it for a race you could probably get a set up and do every race with it so we could see more sections.

 Why not Red Bull just buy a couple of these and we're good.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/airdog/airdog-worlds-first-auto-follow-action-sports-dron

 They could hire 5 multi-rotor pilots for the day for much cheaper than a chopper with camera man. Aerial shots for relatively cheap.

 I don't think that there will be any flying device. Most likely some long cable cams like they had at the World Cup finals last year

 Looked like Curtis Keene was giving live on board coverage over the peak of his Red Bull peak at Whistler EWS yesterday too. And whilst they're sticking a wifi mesh up there I'd be grateful if they could add real time telemetry so you can see the splits developing over the course rather than over halfway down before split one.

 Problem with the RC multi-rotors is they aren't allowed by the current FAA regulations to be used commercially in the US. So that is why you don't see any in the US based events. As of now Red Bull would have to find someone to fly the multi-rotors for free in which at a later time the operators can only charge for their services of editing the video from the event. This makes providing live footage of a race impossible by means of a multi-rotor. Other countries allows multi-rotor while the US has lame regulators that can't seem to get anything done, or make fair and educated rules that would allow operators to use multi-rotors for such events.

 I think everyone is forgetting that the live HD feed is FREE to watch. That's pretty bloody amazing to begin with. I'm almost positive if you were to implement any of the above ideas this would change, and then could you imagine the amount of whingeing that would go on if they asked for payment to watch the coverage.

 current live feed is good ... add in more camera will be better! ... modify some GoPro to made it possible for live feeding. :p

 Aha! Finally a subject I know a lot about! The real cost of a heli would be a lot higher than people think. First, you'd use an A-star B2 or B3 for about $2500/hr at least (since you need a heli like that for a cineflex). Europe is probably more than that. And lots of heli places have a 3 hour minimum, so you're at $7500 min for a heli. Then, in order to track the riders with any accuracy, you'll need a cineflex. That's $6000 if you can find one locally, and much more than that if you have to get it from further away. Then you're gonna need a very nice long range HD transmitter and receiver, which rents for $2000/day, if you can find it locally. Additionally, you'd want someone from production in the heli helping with spotting and communication, and you'd have someone from production co-ordinating from the ground. $600 for each person per day, plus hotel/food/transportation etc. for everyone. Likely you'd end up paying for at least 2 days on most of the gear. Plus the production company that organizes everything is gonna mark everything up, and make some profit themselves for putting it together. And as for a company like Red Bull getting a deal? The opposite is true. Large companies pay full market price. The total on a watchable heli feed would probably be around $25 000 in the real world. And there's no way you're not gonna get good footage from a handheld camera pointed out of a Robinson.

 Well I'd pay 10 bucks to watch a sick heli feed, get 5,000 other people to do the same and let's get two choppers

 From what I've been told, Red bull gives you wings. Just give the cameraman a couple of cans and up he goes... Problem solved.

 If you were to film any DH race with a drone inside the USA and then attempt to sell the footage, the FAA will literally find you and sue you. mashable.com/2013/10/15/drones-lawsuit 'MERICA!

 A heli would be cool and all that, and yeah, Red Bull have a ton of money, but lets not forget that they don't really 'make' anything from the coverage they provide. I'd be pretty certain that they are already at the maximum of their operating capabilities within their current budget. For sure if the sport grows we will see better coverage in the coming years. Tracks like this are awesome to see.

 @fabdemaere

Only the top 10 riders set off at 3 minute gaps (or "intervals of at least 2 minutes" according to the rules), the rest are at 1 minute (at a minimum) intervals.

 I have a heli ill give to red bull for the day.

 I'm pretty sure RedBull would just buy a helicopter and paint it like they do everything else, renting probably wouldn't even be considered.

 @Blehed so true! I had 3 different drones in the past 6 months. I recently sold them all because of the dumb laws that FAA is trying to pass. So stupid. The FAA tried/or did sue a news reporter recently for filming a wild fire with his drone.

 1st thing I thought; Can't wait to here Claudio coming down

 Will anyone try to follow Claudio on the way down? is anyone up to the task?

I don't think any of his following cameramen have made it down.

 I once tried commentating like Claudio on one of my rides... Worst. Mistake. Ever.

 Looks like Hart territory to me.

 But really though, if they tape it right, this is going to be the best DH course in a long, long time. I cannot wait to see Hill destroy this.

 This course looks freaking awesome. Huge improvement from the last 2 World Cup venues held in France. So many line options and tech gnar everywhere... this has Sam Hill written all over it. Can't wait!!

 yeah its great to see one of the nice hardcore tracks on the circut rather than this bikepark rubbish

 Hart yes, Hill yes, but they'll be behind Ratty

 mtbboy05, have you ridden the Leogang WC track? (I'm assuming that's the "bikepark rubbish" one). Rding quickly through some of the bits is properly hardcore.

 Hill & Hart .. yess!

 If it rains though... Danny will be in his element.

 This looks like some SoCal trail to me. I think gwin will be right at home if it stays dry.

 SoCal... like as in 10 seconds of it? That looks nothing like west coast ripping for the most part...

 Coming from a guy who lives in Utah....Im not talking about the scenery, I'm talking about the dirt, dry, rocky, hard pack.

 Yeah I know what you mean but I don't think this looks anything like what you find in SoCal or Utah.

 BTW you can travel, ya know. You're not stuck to the state you live in, like I'm currently in NH! OMG

 I understand, but considering the fact that I live here makes me feel like I have a better understanding of the terrain in which I live, breath, and ride in. But more power to you

 True but then again, this is just low quality helmet cam footage so either one of our opinions could easily be true.

 And it is beautiful. I'll call him George.

 your comment make me realised how true it is. I was tryin' to tell how kind of track did it look to and didn't found until your comment!

 hope they keep it like this

 Yeah great line options , I like how they filter into single track after in some points , if the splits are in the right places it will really show who made time in the techy , choice filled lines.

 Totally agreed! Doesn't look too techy (from their standpoint not mine) but soooo many places to loose a second and gain a second. I think the the podium will be full of the more creative riders and hopefully Hill or Hart on top!

 Sam with his crazy lines.... this is a course for him.

 i can not wait to watch this race. possibly from the side of the track! it`d be the first wc race ive been to in person. think I chose a good one to start

 Believe me .. i've seen Val di Sole, Schladming and Pila WC races .. it will be awesome

 Remember that Claudio is a former DH WC pro rider… not your "average" DHer…

 My point exactly!

 Makes you realise how long the course is and how hard they are, i'd have to pack a lunch and set of early to make it down most of them

 It will be cool to compare the time of this guys run to the pro's. It will definitely put it in perspective.

 I had no idea he used to be a pro, you learn something everyday.

 Dont think he will have made it over to meribel and do a track preview within 48 hours of windham ending! I mean he is great but not superman haha! In fact I think even superman would struggoe with that!

 what if he's batman ?? ever think of THAT!! He could do it. I have faith in Claudio.

 Batman doesn't fly.... perhaps thor????

 what batman have you been watching, batman will fly if he wants to .

 Batman just falls with style...

alright alright i think i have it.... Ironman?

 Yes Ironman..

 hell yeah everyone wins!

 It's going to be out of control

 I'm so excited I gotta poop

 That almost made me feel sea sick bit was so bouncy, but good to see the taping, thanks. A little narrower than I'd hoped in a couple spots, and looked like some inside/outside lines were taped off for this but hopefully it's pretty open for the WC.

 I've a few friends with small kids who have their house padded up like that

 seriously, haha

 It still blows me away (no pun intended) that there's state-of-the-art everything on their bikes and, somehow, a simple flat tire renders it all useless. This is not something new and has been needing serious addressing by manufacturers. The person that gets that patent will be set for life.

 Im sure from an engineering standpoint its not easy to create a tough carcass, stiff bead, keep it light weight and maintain good tracking formation of the tire all into one package. I do agree with you that its one of the last remaining issues to be reckoned with, Dont forget about Schwalbe's dual chamber system

 Remember its not taped yet, so no one knows if its wide or not yet lol. lots of european tracks are wide but they can tape them pretty narrow. however, with the potential for a wide track/lots of line choice, hopefully they'lle use it and tape it wide

 Aren't there UCI rules on how wide they can tape?

 Not sure to be honest. maybe? what ever way it turns out, it is going to be epic! stoke levels are high!

 Exactly what I was thinking while watching this.

 YouTube's compression kills GoPro uploads :\ Got the same thing with a few videos I uploaded. As for the stabilization.... guess it's just a rough track

 after one practice day, the whole thing will be blown out

 He's looking like he's back to the form he had then as well. I wouldn't be shocked if he nailed it.

 *ruts = roots

 Sam Hill is gonna win here

 Flat ?? dude, we are in the alps .. this is easily the steepest track of the year. Stop judge with a go pro.

 i know i was just messin around. looks too legit

 No prob

 It looks steep even with the gopro, have your eyes checked