As it turns out going straight and trying to cut off the line does not work in World Cup injection starting 47. Ted gave Tommy Ford and me a good course report just before we went out of the gate. He explained how much time there was to gain on the top flat by skating for the first three gates. I arrived at the start when Zamansky – bib 30 – was in the gate, which is where they changed the intervals from one minute 15 seconds to 40 seconds. After a short warm up, I was ready to get in my skis. Hubert, the Head boot guru, clipped me in and tightened the bolts in my boots. I was psyched and fired up to get after it. I rolled into the gate, rubbed my knees (which were already warm because it was awful hot up there), pounded my firsts together, and pushed out as hard as I could.

I went for Ted’s skating strategy, but wasn’t quite on the rhythm out of the gate. I came into the first break over a little straight, but was able to keep things going. On the first pitch, I started stiviting (sliding my skis at the top of the turn and then engaging them half way thru the turn). It’s pretty much the only strategy on some turns on the pitch, but the real key is to arc out of them and have your pressure in the fall line. With the bumpy track, I wasn’t able to do that with my attacking straight line and before I knew it, it caught up to me. Haft way down the insanely steep pitch I found myself just too low and was forced to hammer on the breaks to stay in the course. I got some composure back coming onto the flats, but it was too late. One of the most important cues for me in recent days has been looking ahead, which I was never able to do. When you’re struggling to stay in the course you focus all your attention on each gate at that moment rather than anticipating what is to come. Yesterday, I couldn’t look ahead until the very bottom of the course, which was far too late.

Either way, it was a great experience and a pleasure to be racing again. In the finish, my father, Jeff, Anne, Heidi, and Ilana were there to keep a smile on my face. We watched Ted crush the second run. He skied exceptionally well on the pitch, but just didn’t have the gliding skills of Cuche on the bottom flat. It was a good start of the season for him.

Other impressive skiing was done by fellow Team Maximum Velocity racer, Lief Kristian Haugen. He had a great second run except for a mistake on the pitch to finish 25th. Not bad for a college skier. He currently skis for DU. Tommy Ford put together some great turns and got a little twisted up on the pitch and finished the first run in 32nd just behind Jitloff in 31st. Only the top 30 get a second run in World Cup so they were both skiing well, but just not quite good enough.

Hope all is well. I’m flying home tomorrow so that’ll be a nice. It’s time to do a little reevaluating and get ready for Finland. Take care, w