Slalom | 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

ANNA TURNEY: BACK ON SNOW

Posted on November 15th, 2011 by mysportsthoughts

The first 2 weeks in Austria has flown by and I’m loving being back on snow, training with GB teammates and the Combined Services Disabled Ski Team again.

Team dynamics have changed as we are working with new coaches from Canada, Rip and Sue and I’m confident they will lead us to medals in Sochi 2014. Three older athletes have retired, but it’s fun to be training alongside Tim Farr and Kelly Gallagher again as well as the military guys and new visually impaired athlete Jade Etherington.

Thanks to CSDST and their military connections (in Blue) for a moving Remembrance Day ‘service’ at the top of the mountain.

Snow conditions on Stubai glacier suit training but there isn’t any snow in the valley. It is very strange to be enjoying the sunshine, and apart from a day cancelled due to wind, training is going well.

Our strength and conditioning coach, Nick Ward, spent the last week with us and gym training is paying off. Swiss ball rugby turned out to be quite a perilous recovery exercise – click here for video link. As a team, we are fit and ready to compete (and have a good laugh!). Nobody was injured in the making of this video.

This season I aim to continue to win Europa Cup podiums and become World Cup qualified. Three weeks until the first Europa Cup Race!

Posted in 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

ELLIE KOYANDER: WHAT SKIERS DO IN THE SUMMER

Posted on July 24th, 2011 by mysportsthoughts

Pretty much as soon as the ski race season is over (end of March time), work starts on next season’s competition product. The cool thing about being a freestyle skier is that the game is always advancing, adapting and moving on to the next level of technical difficulty.

Just as you close the gap and improve, the gap widens again. But that’s what I love about freestyle it’s not just about being the fastest skier on the hill, you have to continually evolve and develop tricks and the bar gets raised every year. I think that moguls is unique as a discipline – I don’t know of any other freestyle, alpine or snowboarding disciplines where you have to race, pulling amazing tricks whilst going flat out to be the fastest on the mountain!

I have been out in the USA training since May, first skiing at Arapahoe Basin in Colorado and water ramp training and trampolining at Steamboat. For July, I am back skiing at Mount Hood. This has been part of my summer skiing training programme since 2006. We have a fantastic jump site and it’s great to ski the bumps and sharpen my airs in the Oregon sunshine with my two coaches tweaking and adjusting the smallest of moves. Training way above the clouds on the Mt Hood glacier is just stunning at times and you can even see the curvature of the planet most days.

After all the strength and conditioning work earlier in the year working with Dave Hembrough and the team at Sheffield Hallam Uni Sports Science Department, it’s really paying off now – as I’m feeling strong and fit! Excellent preparation for Australia, where I head down for the next part of my training for some winter snow for the whole of August. It’s a great chance to take stock of the work achieved to date, apply what has been learnt on the grainy summer glacier snow at Hood and adapt it to the much faster winter snow.

Posted in Ellie Koyander, Ski Cross, Skiing, Slalom, Winter Olympics | Comments Off

DAVID KING: WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS MOVED TO MOSCOW

Posted on May 3rd, 2011 by mysportsthoughts

The week we were supposed to fly to Tokyo the devastating tsunami hit and The World Championships was put on hold. Weeks of discussions passed and was finally announced to take place the end of April in the city of Moscow home of the great skating nation of Russia.

I just think it was so difficult for the International Skating Union to take decisive action after the terrible disaster in Japan. Yes they should always have contingency plans but so close to the event nobody could foresee this kind of thing. Whatever decision ISU could make it was going to upset people, if it’s the skaters, organizers, fans, TV, judges or corporate sponsors each want different things and without one of these the event can’t go ahead.

So that finally draws a conclusion under our season, 2011 we came 17th at the World Championships at the rearranged city of Moscow. Not the result we wanted but it’s been a difficult few weeks and just glad to get back out there again.

As you would expect from Russia, the crowd was amazing! The noise when we took to the ice was immense and when our marks came up we felt disappointed and they actually booed the result. As ever the judges’ decision is final and our remarks are merely whispers in the whole political scheme of things. We love to skate but it’s never simple, we have a lot of real life decisions to make when we get back from our break and with no money options are slim.

As of right this minute though I’m happy to carry on for at least next season, with Europeans in Sheffield next year it would be great to say farewell properly.

After a good break things will seem clearer and we have quite a few events coming up, starting with us attending a show called Cirque de Glace which is an iceskating take on Cirque du Soleil that our friend is starring in.

Then I have a quick blade technician course I’ve been eyeing up for a while then off to Spain to see Stacey’s brother’s family. I’m really looking forward to not only our time off but also getting stuck in to next year’s programs and our new stuff for next season.

All the very best and I will write again soon.

Posted in 2012 Olympics, Alpine Skiing, David King, Skating, Ski Cross, Skiing, Slalom, Stacey Kemp | Comments Off

ANNA TURNEY: ASPIRING MINDS – DAME KELLY HOLMES LEGACY TRUST

Posted on April 18th, 2011 by mysportsthoughts

As an athlete mentor on the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust, I had a fun day on Wednesday in Big Wood School, Nottingham on the ‘Aspiring Minds’ project.

Skills and positive attitude are taught via interactive activities delivered by a team of trained communicators and athletes.

Big Wood School’s Year 9 pupils certainly grasped the opportunity to learn. The Aspiring Minds day is made up of various workshops involving equipment such as batak boards, rowing machines and even equipment that measures how fast you can kick a ball.

We ended the sports psychology lesson learning to juggle – in less than four minutes for the 13 year old volunteer in my group, very impressive!

As an athlete, I am well aware that attitude is central to success. Even though some pupils were shy at first, everyone finished the day with a positive ‘have a go’ attitude and a big smile. I set out to inspire and came away feeling motivated myself – it is amazing how inspirational young people can be.

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

ANNA TURNEY: TWO BRONZE MEDALS AT EUROPA CUP FINALS

Posted on March 26th, 2011 by mysportsthoughts

I’m pleased to have finished the season with two Europa Cup Final bronze medals in GS and Slalom, followed by another bronze in Super G. May I continue to improve and have a successful season next year.

I am now training in Serre Chevalier, sponsored by Hotel Plein Sud. It is great to be back in my favourite resort in the French Alps, where I used to snowboard. Snow conditions are good and the weather has been beautiful, ideal for working on technical aspects of my skiing.

Next week I shall return home, continue my motivational speaking and work with the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust. With government cuts, Winter Sports funding looks likely to be pushed aside.

In order to continue with this sport and pursue my quest to win medals in the 2014 Sochi Paralympic Games I will be working hard to develop relationships and secure sponsorship. Only two full seasons until the 2014 Paralympics and my skiing continues to improve!

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

MAREK BEHNKE: HEADING NORTH TO BRANAS

Posted on March 12th, 2011 by mysportsthoughts

At the beginning of March I headed out to Branas, Sweden for the final Europa Cup races of the season and linked up with the Dutch Ski Cross team, consisting of Yannick Enting and his father as there were no other Brits going.

This time I was flying for a change and I nearly managed to get away without paying excess baggage charges, but with three pairs of skis, full servicing kit and my normal luggage, that was never going to happen.

We met up at Oslo Airport and then drove the two hours from Norway over to Branas. That was a pretty loaded car. When we got to the accommodation which took about 30 minutes from Branas we realised we were the only people staying there and had the entire building to ourselves. It just so happened the rooms were some of the nicest I’d had all season and the entire building had free Wi-Fi result.

The next day we went over to Branas to take a quick look at the course before training the next day and to just have a quick ski around and see what the place was like. Just in case you’re wondering, it’s a pretty small, flat Swedish resort with lots and lots of snow. There are still metres of snow either side and on the roads. It is also an awesome place for spotting moose.

The next day we had training and qualification. Training was going alright, nothing special; just some pretty average runs really. However the course was easily the best course we had had all season long and is by far my favourite course that I have ever skied in my life. During qualification I had some pretty bad mistakes however I ended up finishing the closest to qualifying that I had done all season long and it turned out that I had actually had a reasonable run. I finished in 38th place, my best result yet I managed to get some video of the course.

As one of the Europa Cup races earlier in the season had been cancelled in Germany, it had been rescheduled to be in Branas as well, therefore we had not one but two Europa Cup races to do, making this the last one of the season.

The second day of racing went pretty much the same as the first day with me skiing slightly faster and still, only just missing out on qualifying in 37th place. I really need to work on just having a clean run with minimal or no mistakes and then, I can finally be really fast.

We managed to leave Branas early enough on our way home to stop in Oslo, and had a great few hours looking around. I like Oslo.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Branas especially and all the Europa Cup races this season have been great fun and it’s been a pleasure to take part in them all and link up with guys from all over the world. I hope to see the circuit again next year. I really have to thank VocaLink for their support, this wouldn’t have happened without them. Thanks VocaLink.

Posted in 2012 Olympics, Alpine Skiing, Marek Behnke, Ski Cross, Skiing, Slalom | Leave a comment