Val D’Isere, France - So today my first day on snow since last Sunday’s race in Beaver Creek and I felt a little rusty so I just kept taking runs. We’re in Val D’Isere, which is a beautiful resort town. Usually I hate racing and being in the French Alps – the food is usually bad, the quarters are painfully tight, the snow is always soft, the people can come off rather rude, and last time I was here I got hurt, but this place is great. We’re in an amazing 5-star hotel and I could easily spend a season right here.

The hill is very steep and the set is very very tight. I ran into Kalle Palander and Marcus Sandell running thru town this evening after the course was set and Kalle said, “I kept thinking those were long turns up there and then I realized they were all single gates. I can’t ski that.” He went on to explain that it looks more like slalom. He won the World Champs Slalom when they were setting slalom gates 13-16 meters from gate to gate and this GS is from 17-25 meters with an average of around 22. Which basically means it’s going to be a war of attrition up there tomorrow. Never give up and keep fighting to the bottom. That’s my plan.

Good night. Hope all is well. w