Before I write about the race, I just have to say congratulations to Mitch and Elli! They both really skied like in training and dominated the hill, it was really exciting to watch. But watching is not what I want to be doing!! Unfortunately, my pole snapped in half at the top of the race. The really unfortunate thing is, is that it’s happened before – last time I raced Levi!!! Weird and unlucky coincidences aside, I still left Levi with many positives. My (still going) 48 hour travel day is starting to just be annoying, but the training and racing this weekend were very valuable to me.
Skiing: I am feeling amazing. The snow in Levi is seriously what I live to race for. Every training run was super fun and I felt strong and fast. Obviously it doesn’t show in my result, but my half-pole skiing skills are far from stellar.
Skis: I love my setup. I am getting better with the tuning machine and Martin seemed impressed with my edges! Martin and Marco, the Canadian Ski Team technicians, have been super helpful and supportive towards me and my tuning escapades.
The Race: It was probably obvious to spectators that this was not the average race. Girls were not just qualifying from the back of the pack, but throwing down top ten runs. It was an easy course with amazing snow and some random winds.
Anyway, I didn’t actually set out to write that much, but despite the time and money it took to go all the way to Finland for a race in which my pole broke, I still think it was totally worth it and I gained a lot from going. Lesson learned: update your poles – often. Especially when skiing above the arctic circle.
I feel back at home with the team and fast and confident on my skis! I’ll be taking a break to catch up on school and get somewhat organized before the winter, but the next races will be the first week of December in Loveland for the Nor-Ams! I am already excited!!!
Once again, I am so thankful to everyone who helped me get here and I know things can only get better!
