It is feeling a lot more like summer than winter in Wanaka right now with above 20 degree temperatures most days this last week. However, tomorrow, I begin my final Southern Hemisphere prep work with a spring camp at Cardrona for the next 2 weeks focusing on starts before my World Cup tour begins with the departure date locked in being 17th of November.
The New Zealand season has been a great snow year, with some awesome conditions at all the ski areas. This season I have committed to splitting up the elements of Ski Cross to have a more concentrated approach on each element, in amongst off snow time physical training.
Throughout the season I joined in with the NZ National Alpine team boys on various camps, it was great to be involved in a team environment and compare myself against some very talented Alpine skiers on the rise.
With no competitions in my off-season I tried to simulate pressure situations to keep me on my toes. I foreran the Alpine Winter Games at Coronet Peak. My times were fast against a high caliber field, which was both reassuring and reinforced my strength in the alpine elements of Ski Cross.
Following the previous World Cup season, I had identified my jumping abilities still needed improvement and have focused on this a lot this season. I have tweaked my jumping technique and having 8 jump hits per run at Cardrona (with an estimated 1500 hits this season), it has been a great way to get repetition to engrain the positive changes.
My gym workload has been immense since April and the results are showing with a gain of a few extra kilos of body weight and PB’s not just in my strength but all areas in the gym. I hit 200KG squat and broke the power jumping records in the Chch HPSNZ gym.
Everything is in place and I am feeling confident and fired up with the count down on for the World Cup circuit to begin December 5th at Montafon, Austria.
Watch this space!
On a side note, last night was the NZ Snow Sports awards and I was honored to take out the ‘Break through season’ award.
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Enjoy a snapshot of my season with the photos below.
-Ice Hockey on our secrete pond near Queenstown.
My new Vertical Jump record.
Back in the Speed Suit! An awesome looking ONE Studio suit.
SSNZ Awards Night- Breakthrough Season Award.