Alpine Skiing | my sports thoughts

ANNA TURNEY: WINNING SILVER AND TRAINING IN SERRE CHEVALIER

Posted on January 24th, 2012 by mysportsthoughts

Having won four bronze Europa Cup medals so far this season, I won silver yesterday in the IPCAS Super G race, behind Germany and bronze in the next race in Abtenau, Austria. I am really pleased and progressing towards gold in Sochi 2014.

The weather is warm and wet and today’s Giant Slalom race was cancelled but we are hoping that it will run tomorrow, followed by two Europa Cup Slalom races.

This season I am based mostly in Serre Chevalier, France for training and head back there next week. The Hotel Plein Sud sponsors me and it is a perfect base for training. The atmosphere in the Plein Sud is second to none, the food is delicious, location ideal, there is a swimming pool, stunning views, friendly bar and I feel really well looked after – it’s like home from home.

I will join the team for Europa Cup Downhill and Super G races in Tignes from 7th to 9th Feb… I’m really excited to be racing Downhill in Europe and with some training on the Luc Alphond in Serre Chevalier, I should be well prepared, watch this space.

Posted in Alpine Skiing, Anna Turney, Ski Cross, Skiing, Slalom, Sochi 2014 | Comments Off

TIM FARR: RACES AND THE NEW YEAR

Posted on January 14th, 2012 by mysportsthoughts

Happy New Year everyone. I finished 2011 off with the first Europa Cup races of the season, in Pitztal and Kuhtai, and my first real races since coming back from injury. Training had been going great with perfect conditions and no fresh snow for some eight weeks. Typically the day before the races started the weather changed dramatically with a few feet of powder falling and high winds poor visibility which made the conditions on race day a real challenge.

Having been out for so long my point had dropped which meant that I was starting last person or almost last almost every one which in the soft conditions meant for a bumpy ride. It was frustrating not being able to ski like I had been in training but in those conditions it was all about survival rather than racing!

At the time I was a little disappointed with my results and was a little further off the lead than I had hoped I would be. In Pitztal I ended up just outside the top 10 for most events with an 11th and 12th in the GS’s 14th in Slalom and 15th and 11th in the super G events. Although I may have been off where I wanted to be.

In hindsight it is probably a good reflection of where I am now and how much more work I have to do to equipment and my own skiing. The conditions then got even worse in Kutai and after two very tough days of Slalom crashing on the first day among about 80% of the male sits and finishing 7th the 2nd we decided to pull again with most team from the GS as the weather and pitch were not good.

The most important thing from the races was that I secured my Europa Cup qualification for all my events and now sit just off World Cup qualification which is the next goal. So there were lots of positives to take out of some tough races.

2012 has kicked off to some amazing snow. Europe having only a few weeks ago been in crises with not enough snow it hasn’t really stopped snowing since our races and there is now almost too much in some resorts. This has meant our training has been out of place but we now move from our base in Serre Chevalier to Sestriere for more races before moving up to Abtenau. They should be very competitive races but if I ski like I know I can and have been and the conditions are favourable I should qualify for the World Cups.

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter.. @timfarrski

Posted in Alpine Skiing, Skiing, Slalom, Sochi 2014, Tim Farr | Comments Off

ANNA TURNEY: I AM WORLD CUP QUALIFIED

Posted on January 10th, 2012 by mysportsthoughts

The ski season has started well. In my first race in Pitztal, Austria, I finished 0.9 seconds off gold in Super G, winning a bronze medal and qualifying to race in World Cups (the top level).

So far I have won four bronze Europa Cup medals in Slalom and GS.

We spent the last week training in Serre Chevalier, and are now headed to Sestriere, Italy for Europa Cup races.

What I really mean is:

“Wow, sooo excited… can’t wait for my first World Cup Race in La Molina, Spain on 31st January, bring it on!”

Posted in Alpine Skiing, Anna Turney, Skiing, Slalom, Sochi 2014 | Comments Off

TIM FARR: START OF SEASON 2012

Posted on November 4th, 2011 by mysportsthoughts

Well it is official the start of the season has kicked off. After waiting so long to get back in to the good old Austrian Alps and ski with the team. The time has finally arrived. Our official team camp starts this weekend out in Austria but I couldn’t wait any longer and have been out doing drills and ironing equipment issues out for the last couple of weeks with the Combined Services Disabled Ski Team.

I am really excited about the season now and although I know I have a lot of work to do to get back to where I was, I just can’t wait to get in to gates and see where exactly I am and what I can do. There are also still a lot of things I want to do to sort out equipment but some of it is going to have to wait a little longer and I’m itching to get things going and upping the training with the new coaches of the British Team.

The whole of the last month has been pretty full on as I came out to Austria to get a week’s skiing in again with the CSDST just doing drill and getting back on snow. It was then back home for just a week to attend the ski show. It is always a great place to make an appearance and say hello to the ski world. I have made some great connections over the past couple of years attending and it’s good to catch up with them all and to make a few more that who knows what support may come from them. It is just good to get a chance to be seen and promote myself and the team.

Then it was straight back out to Austria. We have had a couple of days over in Hintertux training with the youth team and the development squad. Although I have been out for a while already now -it doesn’t really feel like I have done that much skiing yet. There has still been lots of training in the gym/barn, teching skis drilling holes and moulding seats as well as changing my car tyres and as always a lot of admin. But once that is all done and dusted I can concentrate on the skiing.

I have a feeling it’s going to be an exciting season with lots of changes to the team so make sure you come back to see how I am doing in races and training.

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter.. @timfarrski

Posted in Alpine Skiing, Ski Cross, Skiing, Slalom, Sochi 2014, Tim Farr | Comments Off

ANNA TURNEY: SKIING FUNDING CRISIS

Posted on October 10th, 2011 by mysportsthoughts

It’s two weeks until I’m back on snow, training for the Europa Cup Races in December.

Can’t wait although almost all funding for skiing has been cut and the funding I was hoping for hasn’t materialised. I have enough money to last until Christmas but if I’m to continue ski racing I need to raise another £10,000 in the next two months.

At the highly informative DKH Negotiating Skills workshop last week, I learned lots of skills which should come in useful for negotiating sponsorship deals but it isn’t easy.

At the beginning of the week the team met up at Bath University for our pre-season camp. It was good to catch up with the British Disabled Ski Team and Development Squad. Great training as always with Nick Ward and Team Bath coaches, as well as fitness, strength and body composition testing.

Now I just need to find the money to get out there, put in the training on snow and win more medals! Please let me know if you have any suggestions or can help.

Posted in Alpine Skiing, Anna Turney, Skiing, Sochi 2014, Winter Olympics | Comments Off

TIM FARR: BACK IN THE RACE START

Posted on September 1st, 2011 by mysportsthoughts

Your heart pounding in your chest, butterflies going crazy in your stomach, mouth drying up, your arms feel light, take a deep breath closing your eyes and you visualise the fast Super G course in front of you one last time. The number of gates, the changes of rhythm then terrain, the hard pack icy snow conditions, keep moving to keep your muscles warm and ready, stretch out your neck, back and arms, Your number is called, a touch of snow on the neck to waken your senses as you move in to the start gate. Another deep breath relax and focus, 10 second beeps on the clock, 5,4,3,2, go.

Before you know it, you’re at the bottom, your body full of adrenalin – this is what I have been missing over the last year. Not just the enjoyment of training and improving but the excitement, exhilaration and adrenalin and nerves (of wanting to do well) of racing. After some mixed training out in Cardrona it was time to head to Queenstown and Corenet Peak for the New Zealand Winter Games.

I think it would be fair to say that despite being out in NZ for almost two months I have never gone into races as under prepared. I had spent the first month getting used to being back on snow and new equipment. The training we then had when the others got out was mixed only getting a few days of actual gates training in. One day back in slalom gates and not even getting a chance to train any speed. However, the races were not my reason for being out there and it was just time on snow and a good way to ease myself back in to it.

My first race in over a year didn’t get off to the best start. The course and conditions were perfect. I was skiing well and was carrying good speed but when I hit a roller I got unexpected air and missed the next blind gate. I was furious but I had been skiing well and Heath, one of the top Americans went and did the exact same as I did (which did make me feel better!)

Slalom was next. With not having much/any slalom training and not having my front leg cover I’m used to I wasn’t expecting much. I slipped in both runs but managed to finish, coming 4th. My second run was better but another mistake cost me getting on the podium. It was then up to Mount Hutt where we had trained back in 2009. We got up a day early so that we could get some runs on the Super G skis. Again, I had not got not training in since my last Super G race in January 2010.

Free skiing had gone well and fast but in the race I let my head effect me too much and didn’t let the ski run the split times show I had a much better bottom section but a little too late to make a difference again finishing 4th.

All in all though, I was happy to be back in the races. I wasn’t expecting much from them but was using them to see where I was at. I know I have a lot to work on with my skiing and still getting my equipment right, but feel that I can make some quick gains to get me back where I want to be. I am now really looking forward to starting next season and training with the team full time again.

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter.. @timfarrski

Posted in Alpine Skiing, Sochi 2014, Tim Farr | Comments Off

ANNA TURNEY: KEEPING BUSY HELPING CHARITIES

Posted on August 21st, 2011 by mysportsthoughts

16 year olds from Witney National Citizens Service near Oxford organised a hugely successful fundraiser for Witney Hospital yesterday.

Everyone wore fancy dress to encourage locals to try their luck in the tombola, enjoy the face painting and crafts table, pin the tail on the donkey and be tempted by tea and cakes made by participants in the local scout hut.

We also enjoyed collecting in the town centre and a whopping £489 was raised, great effort!

The group of young people chose their community project themselves and have spent the last few weeks focussing their energy on making it work. As well as raising money, they will spend next week volunteering in the hospital.

Posted in Alpine Skiing, Anna Turney, Skiing, Winter Olympics | Comments Off

TIM FARR: NEW ZEALAND FLIGHT

Posted on July 4th, 2011 by mysportsthoughts

As I may have mentioned once or twice n my past few blogs, this year has been tough for me. Complications with injury put me out for a lot longer than it should have and it has been a long process of rehab and operations, as well as mentally, knowing my competition was getting the time on snow, training and getting race experience putting in good results at events like the world Champs and just the fact that I wasn’t skiing.

I also want to take this time to thank my sponsors who have stuck with me over the past year. Training is expensive (even when not on snow) and if I want to stay at the top I have to do anything I can to ensure I have done the best to be on the podium. It’s with the help of my sponsors that give me that chance. I know that with government funding cuts the next couple of years are going to be even tougher. Having the continuous support from my sponsors really does keep the dream alive.

Thank you Mars Drinks, TASS, Frederick’s Foundation, Lions Rampant and Get Kids Going.

All that time rehabbing and training in the gym has all been leading to this point – getting back on snow. Having had time off I have been able to concentrate on my fitness and feel in great shape the bone is all healed although not in perfect position but it’s as good as it’s going to get! And most importantly I am well rested and hungry for it. I left London on Thursday and after a couple of days stay in Hong Kong with some friends have made it to New Zealand. It’s time to put everything to good use and make my sponsors proud.

Landing in NZ today there doesn’t appear to be much snow at the moment which is a slight concern as I have just travelled around the world but apparently the snow storm is coming and as I’m out here for two months I have a bit of time to wait. I have had a year off I’m sure I can try and wait a little longer.

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter.. @timfarrski

Posted in Alpine Skiing, Skiing, Tim Farr, Winter Olympics | Comments Off

ANNA TURNEY: NATIONAL CITIZENS SERVICE

Posted on July 1st, 2011 by mysportsthoughts

16 year old school leavers participating in the National Citizens Service, complete the ‘Community Residential’ of their Summer of a Lifetime today.

This third phase of the project involved another week away from home, getting out and helping in the community, from helping out in an Old People’s Home to the Fire Service. I spent the evening, focusing on overcoming challenges and getting involved with evening teamwork activities. We had loads of fun and I was really buzzing as I drove home.

Olympic high jumper, Brendan Reilly, also got involved through the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust. Brendan did a 20 minute talk at the beginning about Dream Goals….to plan…to believe…to succeed. They had a go at a few machines, and did a medicine ball throwing competition which went down well.

This week the young people have had a taste of working in the community and chosen and project to design and implement over the next month.

Since starting the project I have noticed a monumental change in confidence, self-belief and group dynamics, a quarter of the young people have enrolled in college courses. Brendan also spotted a couple of good athletes and is facilitating try out sessions for them in athletics.

The message at Deloitte sponsored CBI West Midlands Summer Banquet, fundraising for Local Disability Sport, was reducing inequality through education. I had the pleasure of hearing World Champion, David Moorcroft speak as well as CBI Director General, John Gridland who highlighted the worsening and educational inequalities in the UK.

Schemes like the NCS and Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust, striving to create life chances for young people, make a real difference and I am very pleased to be involved.

Everyone deserves a shot at success.

Posted in 2012 Paralympics, Alpine Skiing, Anna Turney | Comments Off

ANNA TURNEY: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Posted on June 2nd, 2011 by mysportsthoughts

It’s also been a busy month in terms of career development…

I started with the Athletes Direct Seminar on the delivery of talks in schools, led by Brett Taylor. Great ideas from my teammate and ex-teacher, Talan Skeels-Piggins, and golfer, Louise Davis. The British Olympic Association run the Athlete’s Direct scheme through which schools can apply for high achieving sportspeople to give talks and workshops to pupils. It has given me a good deal of invaluable speaking experience.

This was followed with some exceptional presentation skills training at The Media Group, Nottingham. Alongside other Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust Athletes, I spent a very productive morning being filmed, discussing and learning skills from Keith Daniell who has had many years experience as a TV presenter, speaker and trainer. I have since been practising and am looking forward to putting my new skills to test!

Also had fantastic training at last weeks’ Sporting Champions Recruitment and Training Day in Birmingham. Picked up lots of useful tips on leading sessions and workshops with young people from Tim and Emma of DKH Legacy Trust, as well as numerous experienced and talented athlete mentors including Neil Danns (British and European Skateboarding Champ) and Sara McGreavy (GB hurdler).

And squeezed in time for my first wedding dress fitting (very exciting). Plans are finally coming together!

Yesterday’s National Citizens Service development day for the ‘Summer of a Lifetime’ was also really useful. Here’s to getting stuck in and making a difference in a few lives! They say you should learn from the best and I certainly have been given the opportunities to. Many thanks to the DKH Legacy Trust National Support Programme, The Media Group and the BOA.

Summer of a Lifetime

The project enables 16 to 24 year old school leavers to develop life skills through a series of active and exciting outdoor challenges away from home. Participants will plan, design and deliver social action projects within their local community.

The project launch was presented by two young people, Mo Ahmet and Matt Hutchins (17), who interviewed project coordinators as well as other young leaders, myself, athlete Jenna Downing and Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson in front of 200 people.

The most rewarding aspect of work as a mentor is seeing young people progress and having worked on the 2012 Young Leaders project with Matt and Tanya, I was seriously impressed.

My role as Midlands Team Leader is to work with City of Wolverhampton College and Stoke on Trent YMCA to facilitate elite athletes to ‘create chances for young people’. Athletes will motivate and enable the young adults to develop valuable skills such as teamwork, problem solving, leadership and communication, working alongside.

More than 11,000 young people are offered the chance to get involved and those who seize the opportunity will benefit themselves and local communities and have a lot of fun in the process.

Yesterday I helped develop the scheme with elite athletes involved in the 12 pilot projects, including Olympic swimmers Adam Whitehead and Ross Davenport; boxers Courtney Fry and Dermott Gascoyne; and BMX champion Mike Mullen. I am really looking forward to working alongside these athletes to get to know the young adults and see them develop this summer.

Posted in 2012 Olympics, 2012 Paralympics, Alpine Skiing, Anna Turney | Comments Off