World Cup Racing and Beyond...

The World Cup in Alberta was an amazing week. I have skied several world cups in the past but only sprints. As my focus has changed the past few years, these were my first distance starts...

My first race was the 30k pursuit, a mass start event. I started the race comfortably and made it to the top of the course within the pack and without having to over exert myself. I was really happy about where I was sitting until we started back down the hill where I shot straight out the back of the field. My skis were terribly slow. I didn't have my usual technician at the race and this served to be a bit of an issue on this day. My skis were over-waxed a bit and that is not OK at the world cup level... I skied a lonely race, picking off other skiers that had fallen off the pace as the race went on. I managed to pass a few, some dropped out but I managed to finish. I had worked to hard to get to that race to just give up. It was a tough day but a great learning experience. Just skiing in the pack with the best skiers in the world for 10 minutes was awesome. Click here to read a story from my technician and friend, Nathan, with some outside perpective on my skis.

i'm not really smiling, just looks like it... Pursuit in Canmore.

My next race was the 15k skate race, an individual start race. I started fairly conservatively as the courses in Canmore are the hardest in the world... not some of the hardest - THE hardest. I pushed through the first lap and started to pick up the pace fairly drastically on the second. I was moving up well into the field and at one point was skiing around 40th place. I had hoped to be able to really turn it on in the final lap but on this particular day I just didn't have it and faded back to 47th. On paper it looks rough but this race was probably good enough for a top 5 result at nationals. There is little room for error or an off day at the WC. My second two laps i was able to ski around many skiers who were starting later in the field, skiing their first or second laps. Watching these guys and trying to keep up with them, I learned a ton. It made it very clear to me where exactly I am and where I need to be if i want to be a full time world cup skier... The experience was very exciting and envigorating... I can't wait to start training again and tackle this next step in my career.

taking strides towards World Championships and Olympics

After the WC I headed back to Park City for less than a day before driving to Sun Valley for the Boulder Mountain Tour, a race that I have won in the past and one of the most competitive races in the country. As always, the pack was tight and it was difficult to shed anyone from the group. At the end 3 of us got just enough separation from the main group to protect ourselves from a sprint. It was up to the few of us... I lined it up just as I have in the past, coming into the stretch in 2nd and ready to slingshot around with a head of steam but when we hit the lanes I couldn't muster the speed to claim the victory. The two who beat me were also at the WC in Canmore and in addition to skiing distance very well this season, have been sprinting very fast. I would have loved to win but I just didn't have the speed on this day... something to regain for the future.

boulder mountain tour men's pack
thats me on the far right...

After the race in Sun Valley we tried to drive home but the highway was closed, so we got stuck for almost 24hrs in central idaho before an alternate route opened up. We drove almost 4 hours out of the way to get home. I had hoped to get a day at home but instead that day was spent in Burley, Idaho... We got home at about 7pm. I unpacked my bags and did some laundry. I rewax skis for testing and repacked everything... I left the next morning around 10am to Aspen, CO.

As of now I am in Aspen getting ready for the Owl Creek Chase which I have won once and was second last year by a few inches. I'm looking for a good race and afterwards, looking forward to heading home and spending some time at home...