Back at the U!

Its been, well, all summer and most of spring since my last post, so I'll throw out the readers digest version of my summer.  It was busy.....but really it was crazzyyy.  Ski season ended, I skied Tuckermans ravine a couple times, soak up some sun, relaxed a little bit after a long season.  I flocked flamingos for a couple weeks, then things started to get wild.  I started my Anatomy summer class two days a week in Nashua, NH.  Then I started working five days a week.  So for about a month and a half I did nothing but school and work.  It was crazy.  But i did have a pretty rockin' job so it wasn't all bad.  I was a canopy tour guide at the Bretton Woods Adventure Center.  Pretty much my job entailed zip lining all day...and getting paid.  So it wasn't all bad.  When August rolled around, I finished my class, and started working 6 days a week.  It was pretty wild.  I did a triathlon, no comment on the those results, then the end of the summer rolled around and I find myself back at UNH!  Somehow in the midst of all that I found time to do some pretty good training in there!  Anyway I am living in Newmarket, NH, off campus thank goodness and I'm getting super pumped for another EPIC season of TELEMARK RACING!

Home!

What a perfect homecoming!  I went up to Cannon today to find the snow in perfect condition!  It was like January skiing all over again!  The spring skiing is going to be EPIC!

2011 Nationals!!

Its been a wild ride here in the 'Boat!  The first race, the sprint classic could not have gone better!  No penalties and fast skiing led to a victory for yours truly on the opening race, after laying down the fastest second run!  The Dual Pro Slalom, in which I was the defending champion, led to a third place finish.  The elimination style knockout rounds were just a bit too much skiing for me.  The classic was my worst race of the series, a 4th place finish was less than ideal, but still okay.  I skied fast, but little mistakes on the pitch of see me led to one penalty and the second fastest time, annnnnd 4th place.  Today was the final race of the series, and the season, and although it did not end up as I had hoped, it was still a good day!  I laid down the fastest first run, no penalties, but I pulled a little slide on the snow one ski in the air one ski carving action, which is definitely not fast, and also earned me a nice little penalty, and a sub-par second run, as in not smooth, but clean, led to a second place finish by a measly .12 seconds, with a penalty.  So it could have been a win instead of a second place, but if I took away the penalty it would have been a dnf....so I am happy with the results, but not satisfied.  But if  you are ever satisfied with the results how are you ever going to get better!  2012 here we come!!

So Long Norway!

Well today was a bust...taking a squat in the wrap in the first run left me starting 39th....and a conservative second run left me 33rd...But On the bright side I am leaving Norway having made 5/6 jump lines here in Rjukan, a 10th in the GS, and some really really brilliant skiing.  So tomorrow we start the trek back to steamboat for Nationals...then...I...finally...get...to....go...hooommee! :)

ohhh ski racing...

All it took today was one little mistake yesterday and I am six or seven seconds out and in 22nd place.  The classic gs hill is so so sooo flat that one little slide out on the one and only steep section at the top of the course and thats all she wrote.  I missed the jump line, skated okay...but without the full speed coming of the top pitch I never really stood a chance.  So not my day but thats ski racing.  The field being as tight as it has been on a not so difficult course, you can't make mistakes.  Today we have a day off so I will just work on my skis and relax, maybe do a few free runs this afternoon, and watch the demo race scheduled for this afternoon, the Dual Sprint!  Shane is the lone US starter so I get to play coach for the day!  Saturday is the final race, the sprint classic, that can once again be seen live on Eurosport 2, or on the free link online shown bellow!!

Allmoosstt there!

Had a great race today, coming in 10th in the world championships GS!!  My best result this season in the biggest races this year!  It felt really good to lay down two good fast runs.  3 penalties total, but none on either jump so at least I know I can huck my meat now!  The times were all super tight, and my skiing was fast enough to be top 5....I just need to drop a few penalties tomorrow and things should be pretty sweet!  Tomorrows classic should be a long one so I'm prepping the lungs already!  Tomorrows race can again be viewed live on eurosport2, or one a variety of other places online.

www.fromsportcom.com, and its FREE!!

Rjukan!

Well, world junior champs was kind of a let down...4th in the GS.  I was kind of bummed because the speed was there in all the races, I was just getting a few too many penalties.  But I can take the good skiing away and bring it here to world championships.  We did some training on the sprint hill this morning, and free skiing and jump training on the gs/classic hill this afternoon.  Not much snow on the classic hill, but they have been trucking snow in so hopefully they can till it this evening and it will set up nicely for tomorrows GS.  The hill is super flat and rolly, so making smooth arcing turns is going to be key to win this one!