Villars Killed The Radio Star

It’s been another hectic month with lots of races, training, travelling and I even managed to squeeze in a guest radio appearance!

February has been the busiest month of my season and whilst I was expecting it to be tough and physically demanding when we planned the programme at the start of the season, I never thought it would be as hard as it was. It sounds glamorous but eleven races,  five resorts and three countries all in the space of 20 days is incredibly demanding. However it provided me with ample opportunities to score good points and start kicking my season on to achieve the targets I set out at the start of the year.

The first set of races was located in Combloux, which is just around the corner from our base in Les Houches. The first day was a mixed emotions day for me because I didn’t score any new points, however I skied really well in sections of the course but just made a few too many mistakes on both runs. In retrospect, this was most probably due to losing sight of the game plan that me and Ruslan had drawn up during inspection and me looking to charge at every gate of every run. These mistakes most probably cost me the chance to score good points in the race but, as I have come to realise over this past month, it isn’t about scoring new points all of the time. It is about skiing well, consistently putting yourself in good positions and taking the chances when they come. If you are skiing well then it is likely that the points will follow very quickly.

Blue skies for skiing - perfect 

It can be frustrating for every racer when we ski well but don’t quite hit the jackpot with a new score however by keeping patience and developing my consistency when racing, I know I'm going score at some point in the season.

When we got back to the hotel I had a sit down with Ruslan to look at some video and analyse where I went wrong on the day and how if I had ironed out the silly mistakes how my performances would have improved.

This left me very determined to go out the next day and prove to myself that I could do it. Unfortunately heavy overnight snow meant it was pointless me even going to the races as it would just be a waste of one of my 25 tech starts given the inevitable ruts and bumps that would make it virtually impossible to ski well from the back of the field. Frustrating to the max maybe, but it fired me up to ski well the in the next races in Les Gets.

Early morning in Les Houches

A few days later we were in Les Gets ready to do business down some pretty long GS courses. Les Gets was the perfect race for me; long, lots of rolls and suited to the bigger racers on the circuit. After a dream first run I found myself about 3 seconds out which was a great time from the back of the field. I’d also made the top 30 flip, which meant the next run I'd be going down right at the front of the field. I had an unrutted course and the track should be clean which was perfect. This was the opportunity I’d been waiting for all year. However, never one to do things the easy way, it is very much like me to waste these opportunities and yes, you guessed it, I wasted another. Flying down the course I went over one of the rollers, took air and my ski literally clipped one of the gates which was enough to pre-release the binding and that was the end of that. There's no point in trying to complete the course on one ski. Ouch.

It was really disappointing to see that my recurring nightmare had happened again but it’s something I’ve learned to live with over the year and I know it will continue to happen. I've learned that it’s just about getting through it and focusing on the next set of races. To compound that disappointment again, we turned up the following day to see that the race was cancelled due to high wind and poor visibility. Again the opportunity to make amends for the day before had been snatched away from me, but that’s ski racing for you. It's a completely unpredictable sport that has frustrated skiers a lot better than me, so you just have to live with it and go out racing hard the next time you leave the start gate.

In Villars

I didn't have to wait long however as three days later we were in Villars, Switzerland - a place of absolute nightmares as I will explain shortly. There were three races on offer for us, two GS and one slalom, which was great because we finally got to stay in one place for a while. It was a relief to not be on road every day as all of the traveling does take a toll on you physically.

The first two days in Villars were great for me, scoring my two best scores in Giant Slalom of 86 and 81 which was right on my target of 80 GS points by the end of the season.  I skied really well on both GS days and managed to score the 81 despite making a big mistake on the second run over shooting after going off a small jump and as a result nearly missed the following gate. I decided just to go all out in Villars because the conditions were great and I was psyched for the runs. I just wanted to go out and win, no matter how far back I was in the field. Training the week before had gone really well and I knew that I could get right up there if I skied like I did that week. It was great to see that finally my perseverance and hard work had finally repaid me with some promising scores.

However, the slalom the following day was a disaster! I skied really well again and despite making one hefty mistake on the first run I still had a good time. My second run was clean but whilst not necessarily fast I still scored a 78, which was the best score of the year. It was great to see that I can make a few mistakes and still manage to score my best result of the season in slalom because it means that my skiing had moved up a gear. I was over the moon.

We left Villars incredibly happy after the best week I’d had in a long time, only to realise when checking the FIS website for points earned that I had been disqualified on the last gate. I sunk  through the seat in the van, through the floor and then through the motorway tarmac. I couldn't believe that my best score of the year had been taken away from me. I knew that I hadn't done anything wrong and when we checked the video later it indeed proved that I'd skied clean and hadn't done anything wrong.

Obviously, because we had no issues, we assumed that everything would be OK and left the race before checking protocol in order to get back to Les Houches at a sensible time. We had the English Champs coming up and were transferring to Bormio the following day and needed to rest.

Unfortunately however, it appears that the last gate judge got me confused with someone else, put my number down on his paperwork and I was wrongly disqualified. Having missed protocol we couldn’t protest the decision and frustratingly this result is now gone forever. It's a terrible feeling at the moment, however I know that I’ll be scoring results way below the 78 I lost some time soon and I'll forget all about it. For now though I still need the two scores that will to get my average points down and meet my target I set for the year.

Two days later we were in Bormio for the English Alpine Championships 2014. The English has been a pretty happy hunting ground for me in previous years so I was going in with high hopes and real determination after the events in Villars. However this year wasn't really meant to be. Throughout the week I found myself constantly battling against the conditions at the back of the race and unable to race how I wanted to. I really don't think that it was down to any lack of focus, I just think I was trying too hard to re-score that 78 again and it was completely impossible in those conditions from the back. There is however a pretty good café review ready to write the next report!

Good focus at the start 

The final day in Bormio finally bought a really good day however! 1^st British 1997 and 3^rd under 18 brought me my first medal of the year and - more importantly - also saw the return of some solid race day skiing. The first run I put down in the GS was one of the poorest technical performances I'd produced all season but I was determined to just keep wanting more speed and keep fighting on the line to stay in. All through my mind down that first course was the same line I've heard all season from Ruslan “never agree with situation, always more, ALWAYS MORE! NEVER AGREE!”

It finally hit home the sole meaning of that quote when I got to the bottom after Run 1. It wasn't clean and it wasn't great but I'd blitzed the lads I was really racing. Run 2 was a little bit slower, scrappier and the time wasn't great but the feelings I got from the first run and the trophy I was bringing home was enough to satisfy me for all of the journey from Bormio back to Walsall.

Now I’m back home things have quietened down quite a little and I've had time for some good reflections on the past month. Overall I think it's been a very good month that has taught me a lot about FIS ski racing and the qualities you need to be a good racer at the top end of skiing. It is all about perseverance, keeping focused on the ultimate goal and not being disheartened when the points are raining home for what feels like everyone but you because you know if you keep skiing well then they will follow quickly.

Vicky & Adam at BBC Radio Shropshire

It was also nice to come home to a bit of press! Earlier this week I was swooped over to BBC Radio Shropshire to do an interview about me, my training at BSA, Telford Ski Club and everything to do with skiing. It was really good to talk to Adam Green and Vicki Archer about what I was doing, where I'm hoping to go with skiing and how I am going to get there. It was important to tell people all this information and hopefully I get some replies and maybe some attention from it in the future. It was also good to get my Dad on the radio - especially as he spent the whole journey there trying to spook me over how many people would be listening. We also got some nice plugs in for some of my sponsors, so Head, Velocity Heath & Fitness, Ski Bartlett and Uvex will no doubt be delighted!

For now at least I'm back at school, finding time to keep on top of my A levels and spending some time with my friends and family, which is always nice. It was also great have time to sit back and watch Dave Ryding do so well in Sochi - 17th in the Olympics with a Fellows-esque 2nd run mistake was a great effort from the Rocket.

No doubt it won't be long until I'm looking forward to getting back out to BSA and building up to the season's grand finale, the British Alpine Championships. Wish me luck!

My Tour of Race Piste Cafés ~ Part 1

As the races haven’t been going so well recently I’ve spent a few too many hours in and around cafes waiting for the others to finish racing so we can head back home. My time in the cafe has become a bit of a running joke of late and I’ve had a few requests off of people to “rate the cafes” 

Hopefully my finishing record will improve and by the end of the season I won't be able to tell you where the best cafe is but for now I can help with a few!

San Pellegrino

A great little cafe but the most boring place on Earth after coming out of a slalom race. Hot chocolate was decent but a bit pricy at 3.50 euro and same goes for the food. The cafe was a good distance away from the race course but in a convenient place being right in the finish area. So convenient that I didn’t bother going round to get my kit after the first run and left Laurie to bring it round for me.

One point deducted just for being in San Pellegrino but still a solid 6/10

Pila Gressan

Surprisingly didn’t hit the cafe in this one, however it looked quite toasty from outside.

Chamonix

Small cafe with good service and cheap snacks. Cookies for 1 euro were lovely and the food was great even if it was a bit pricy. As a little extra you could even watch the race from one of the seats in the cafe which was good until everyone cottoned onto the fact and I lost my seat rather dramatically. After a DNF on the first night the heating was great after a cold couple of nights and I would recommend it for any fellow DNF’ers of the ski world.

This is a great cafe with a great view. A solid 8/10

Morzine

Another well situated cafe right at the bottom of the hill however we never really spent that much time in the cafe other than getting food. A 2^nd run DNF on day one & Ruslan pulling us all out on the second day meant cafe time here was minimal however my pasta carbonara was great and the three-cheese toasted bread was pleasant.

However it is hard to rate this one, just for the lack of time spent in there, so ill give it 5/10.

Champery

Yes. It did hurt.

Two of the finest cafes that you will see around the Alps. After crashing both days me and Laurie spent an accumulated 6 hours in the cafe which left us with plenty of time for non-ski related activities. The hot chocolate was little pricy at 4 francs each, however I suppose that given this is Switzerland we can let that one slip. We had a good little game of pool on both days which was good to laugh at Laurie’s great habit of potting the white after every attempted shot. Once it had all settled down we managed to get a rocking chair next to the fire and even watch the race, or more to the point, the last gate because of the terrible visibility. The large mirror in the toilet that offered selfie opportunities of the gate mark I got across my back earns this alpine gem an extra half point. If you're going to DNF a first run, then we heartily recommend you do it here.

We would definitely recommend this cafe and rate it a good 9/10. Clearly this beauty is going to take some beating this year. 

A tough start but signs of improvement

Just over one month into my FIS racing career and it's safe to say it’s been a pretty frustrating start. Finishing only one of the tech races I've done so far isn’t exactly the start I was hoping for. 

I’ve missed a lot of good opportunities to score some good points since the middle of December however there are substantial signs of real improvement in my training and with the English Championships in Bormio on the horizon, I'm certainly not getting down on myself.

I always knew that this would be the toughest year I've experienced, fighting my way through from the back and I haven't been disappointed in that regard. Trying to ski the line I want through a bobsleigh track can be soul destroying, especially when one mistake later you're watching the second run from the warmth of the mountain restaurant. Then you get home, look down the FIS list and see the scores of other athletes you were beating or close to at international races over the last few years. It's very easy to get quickly disheartened.

However, whilst it would be ideal to ski the perfect race every time, every athlete knows that this is impossible. I think this year it is important for me to stay focused, take my chances when they come and not beat myself up when it gets hard and things aren’t going to plan. Those races I competed in at the start of the year in San Pellegrino, Chamonix and Morzine were missed opportunities for me to score good early points in slalom but they're gone now and nothing can change them. 

That said, I have a starter on the board now and with a bit more luck - I've been punished fully for just about every mistake I've made - I'm confident I can make good inroads into my tech FIS points pretty soon. Like everyone, I suppose I’m looking for that one opportunity to ski fast and score big.

More recently the Welsh champs were massively frustratingly. I felt that I was going well in both disciplines until crashing. Being honest, I look at the boys who scored well in these races and know that I can beat or get very close to them. It is also hugely disappointing to miss out on scoring the 60/80 points that they collected.  However they skied well & finished whereas I didn't so for the time being I’m still way back, but I’ve got to keep looking forward, keep focused and ensure that in a position to take my chance next time.

So where exactly did I leave my skis?
Photo - ©Racer-Ready

Probably the biggest frustration at present is not being able to convert my skiing from training into races. Previously I think that the occasion of a race day has been too much for me and the pressure and expectations I have of myself have been too high. Despite all the warnings and discussions I had (and there were lots) it has still proven incredibly hard to evolve from a successful children’s career, where every race is an opportunity to win to trying to change that mentality to one where you're racing your own race, where your success would be failure for more than half the field, where 60th place is a great result and where you're just another tadpole in a sea of sharks.

I knew it was coming, but there's no preparation for what's waiting for you.  That said, I feel I’m closer to completing the mental transition now. I've had some good discussions with Ruslan & Malcolm about this and I know what I need to do to have a successful race. I have set some personal targets for the English Championships and aim to make the most of the races I have scheduled before them.

Moving forward we have some races in Meribel and Courchevel coming up which should be good for me as I know both hills pretty well after skiing on them for the past 5 years at the British Children's Champs. I know the steeps on both hills will be challenging but I’m more than prepared after smashing down a lot of quick runs on some tricky terrain over these past few weeks in Les Houches with the BSA FIS boys and know that we are more than ready to start converting promise into points.

Its been a good month for me barring race results. I’ve been able to get lots of solid training in here and I’m learning more than ever, which has to be positive. I’ve also had the privilege of training with some of Britain’s best in Dave Ryding and TJ Baldwin over the past month. It was great to see some of the lads who have made it into the big time, getting advice off of them and seeing what they do better than me (everything). It was great to just see that it can be done, to remember that they started out just the same as me and admire what they've done to get where I want to be.

Tignes & Les Deux Alpes

For the past two weeks I've been out in France with BSA for some pre winter glacier training. One week in Tignes and one in Les Deux Alpes was just what I needed - the two week break from school being an obvious added bonus!

I was really looking forward to getting back on my skis and finding out how all the hard work over the summer would help my skiing. It was also great to be back with Ruslan and the rest of the team again.

Week 1 - Tignes 

I was very excited for the first week in Tignes. With a small group of 3 athletes I saw it as a excellent opportunity to work with Ruslan and gain a lot of improvement in my skiing. Small groups mean we all get more time and focus with Ruslan than we would normally in a bigger group of racers and I wanted to make the most of the time we had. 

Tignes

Another added bonus was that all three of us were part of the British u18 team which meant there was a high standard throughout the group and Laurie, Jake and I really pushed each other every day both on and off the hill. It was also good to get a close up view of a number of the World Cupper's smashing down courses in their final training sessions ahead of the season opener in Soelden.

The fact that Tignes is a well known European Glacier and it has a reputation to have good quality skiing pre-winter meant that it was very busy when we were there. This ensured that to use our time wisely every run we had needed to be high quality and contain as few mistakes as possible. Over the week I feel that I made some good steps forward and improved my skiing a lot, especially in GS. I honestly never thought that I would feel as comfortable on the new regulation skis as I do this early into the season.

The short term sacrifice of last season where I spent a lot of time on a GS ski that bridged the gap between old and new length and turning radii appears to be rewarding me now. The fact I felt so strong on the ski and mountain also suggests that all the hard work in the gym and over the summer with Ruslan has really paid off.

And whilst Ruslans famous and often repeated quote "Now you have to do this in the races" always hangs over my head, I'm feeling confident going into the minefield of my first season of FIS races. Off the hill we were also working pretty hard. Every day going to the sports centre and either doing some sprinting work, ply-metrics or a lifting session.

Week 2 - Les Deux Alpes

Training Piste Central

I was really looking forward to Deux Alpes because it provided a flatter terrain and was I was interested to see how the new GS skis turned on it. It isn't very often that European Glaciers have lots of flat areas to train on pre-winter and therefore it was a great chance to feel what was happening this early on in the season. With only one addition to last week's small group we would again be getting great focus and attention from Ruslan throughout the week.

It was also good to get the timing gear out and see where I was compared to the other lads. As the standard of juniors at BSA is very high it is equally very easy to be quickest or slowest on any given day. This is great however because we sub consciously react to the start gate and we all push each other forward, the banter flies around everyday and the stakes are always raised. It's great to be with such a great group of lads this season, however coming off the mountain on the wrong end of the timing sheet is an absolute no-no.

The one major issue about Les Deux Alpes is the absolutely horrendous queues each morning to get up the lift. Whilst everything is great when you're up there, having to wait over an hour to get skiing isn't the best thing that has ever happened to me. All week we moved our arrival time forward until were reasonably towards the front, until one day - when we finally were at the very front - and ended up waiting 3 hours in the pouring rain before they decided to close the mountain. Nightmare.

That said, I felt that the time we did get on the mountain over the week was well spent however and I again made some good progress. Overall I felt the two weeks were very successful and I'm looking really forward to getting out to Les Houches in the winter and getting some FIS races under my belt.

Until then? Well there's plenty of time and opportunity to get back into the gym, especially as Velocity Health and Fitness, Walsall are kindly supporting me. It is an absolutely superb facility and I feel really lucky to be involved with them and hugely appreciate their support and belief in me. I hope that over time I can repay their faith and generosity.

It's been a good few weeks... now back to school on Monday.

Another Busy Summer

So after my most recent training camp last month I’ve been taking a few well earned weeks off. Well sort of.

My summer has been really hectic for a change. As many of you know I’m starting my A Levels this year and I had to decide (and agree with my school) what subjects I’m taking over the next two years. School have always been super supportive of what I do so it was great to repay them with a solid set of GCSE results over the summer. A Levels are a whole different ball game however and now I'm sorted with my subjects it's time to make inroads into them before the mountains and snow start calling again.

Last Saturday was the All England Championships. The pinnacle of outdoor racing, it has always been the best race of the outdoor summer circuit in my opinion. The atmosphere at Gloucester has made for some great racing down the years so you knew it would be a great day.

Gloucester was also where I competed in my first ever race,  8 years ago now, so I always find it quite a special and unique place to race at. I’d not touched plastic for almost 12 months prior to the champs so I wasn’t expecting to pull up any trees and sure enough I didn’t. However I’d just like to praise Snowsport England for continually delivering a great race and it was good to see so many senior racers coming back. It’s great to see racers like Georgie Hunt and Jimmy Greenwood returning to the plastic scene and just shows that the event still has plenty of magic and appeal in it.

The main highlight of the day for me however was to pick up the “Most Improved Junior of the Year” award for 2013. I was simply astonished when I received the award and it’s just great to be rewarded with something like this after all the effort that I’ve put in over the last few years. The names on the trophy certainly show how prestigious the award is and read like a who's who of English ski racing over the past 15 years. Dave Ryding, Benn Hall and Brad Morgan are all racers I admire and respect immensely so to have my name on the same trophy as them is a huge boost. I only hope that I can continue their run of talent.

Another big thing over the summer for me was to get all my equipment sorted for the up and coming season. Neil at Racer Ready did me a huge favour over the summer, sorting out an issue I had with my GS skis but over the weekend I’ve managed to get the final pieces together and get my new boots fitted.

I’d like to thank Matt at Head for his & Head's continued support and keeping their faith in what I do, I honestly couldn’t do the sport we all love without you. Another sponsor who I need to thank is Ski Bartlett. The UK’s best ski shop never fail to help out and always do a great job for any racer and I’d like to thank Sally & Terry for their fantastic support, help and advice.

The equipment is in place, all I need to do now is pull some decent results out this season - No pressure!

Away from all the madness I’ve been spending some long hours in the gym and out on the road trying to get as strong as possible for next season. The new season is less than 3 months away and by the time I stand in the start for my first race I want to be in the best shape possible to get the best results I can. That means being fit and strong enough to maximise as many training days as I possibly can. I’ve been following the fitness programme Ruslan set for me very strictly and hopefully we'll can see the benefits next time I go out training in October.