Since arriving home in Queenstown, it’s been back to increasing fitness levels, some labouring work and waiting for the cold weather to set in, in readiness for snow. Coronet Peak is getting ready for opening 9th June although it’s been a bit warm for snow making, the coming week looks promising. My on-snow training will start again on the 15th July with the Treble Cone Race Academy and coach Guenther Birgmann. Looking forward to a great New Zealand season.
My last month in the States was just as busy with many more miles travelled and races completed. I picked up another best result in slalom at Vail scoring 33.64 points as well as five more podium results. Click on 
to check out Snowsports NZ write-up. Towards the end of the season we had quite a few snowfalls with Spring conditions as well as some really warm days which made for some interesting skiing.
A bit of a run down on my season – over 52,000kms travelled (16 round trips to Colorado which is approx 3,200 each trip), took part in 60 races; finished with 14 podium results in FIS open (including 7 gold) plus a number of Junior medals. Lowering my FIS world ranking – not quite reaching my goal but getting there.
A huge THANK YOU to my coach Guenther Birgmann for yet another excellent season - appreciate all your hard work and all the extra you do, and Pete Sprock. Also thanks to my team mates – many miles and small spaces shared for a good part of the year! Thanks to all coaches and staff at Sugar Bowl Academy who help make it work. Thank you to all my sponsors and supporters – my gear has been awesome and I couldn’t do it without your support. To Snowvision Foundation and Formthotics for excellent inserts for all my footwear – it’s made a difference. Head Skis – thanks Ben for all your help. Leki Poles – thanks Brent at Marvelox Christchurch, not a single broken pole this season! POC Aus/NZ – great helmet, goggles and shin guards. World Travellers – thanks Matt, Sally and Team for getting me there and back! Also many thanks to Wanaka Ski Club, Skeggs Foundation, Community Trust of Southland and Lakes Lesiure Gym, Queenstown for your continued support.
Many thanks to the continued support from Community Trust of Southland who have awarded me with a Sport Scholarship. This support makes a huge difference to being able to gain extra training and races in the Northern Hemisphere which helps improve my World Ranking.
Fresh snow at Sugar Bowl Resort, 19 Mar 2012
Life has been hectic the last few months with many miles travelled and a lot of races completed. I am currently back at home base of Truckee, California having a rare few days off – finally had a worthy dump of snow, an incredible 240cm (95 inches) after a very lean season!
Since the last update in February, the team has competed in a further eleven races and covered thousands of miles and I must admit to becoming very tired. After the Wild West Classis FIS races at Snow King we returned to Truckee to attend four days of races at Squaw Valley. Another fairly new mountain, definitely a “home advantage” hill to ski with a few tricky spots, unusual course set and way too many mistakes. Placed third in day two giant slalom but it was a frustrating series for me. Following these races we packed up once again and headed out to Sandpoint, Idaho for the West Region Junior Champs at Schweitzer for six days of races. Unfortunately it wasn’t a race series I was able to make points in, even when I took out first place for the slalom. Schweitzer was a real mix of weather with some really warm days having the second run in slushy conditions to the last day of slalom in heavy snow to finish the series. Really pleased to finish the races and head the thousand miles back to Truckee for a much needed break. A few of us took a trip to San Francisco to get away from the snow for a few days – which was a good thing as the snow storm in Truckee delivered nearly two and a half metres of snow to Sugar Bowl.
Our next series of races will be at Park City in Utah (930km drive) from 26th March and we will do the first couple of days of giant slalom races before travelling on to Winter Park, Colorado to take part in the US National championships from 29th March to 1st April.
WR Junior Champs, Schweitzer. Slalom
click on link and check out one of my slalom runs at Snow King
With team mate Fin Neeson at Schweitzer, Idaho
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Adam Barwood, Dyland Brooks – top juniors GS Park City
After the Snow King series, it was off to Winter Park for a packed few days with mixed results at the Surefoot series. Snow postponed day two of GS so had half day off but then it was two slalom races on the one day at Breckenridge. The following day was the postponed GS race and then this was followed immediately by another GS and SL race for the University of Denver – very tiring as no time off with six days of races straight after 4 days at Snow King. I picked up a bronze for the under 20′s in Surefoot slalom at Breckenridge. I was also third junior for the Uni slalom. As soon as races finished we started the very long drive (1,600km) back to Truckee for a couple of days rest which went way to quickly. As the first lot of snow in a couple of months at Sugar Bowl started, we packed up once again and drove to Park City-Utah, also snowing (incredible lack of snow this season), for a couple of days training before the Western FIS Tech series at Snowbird and Park City 26th – 29th January. I had good first runs in the slaloms at Snowbird but challenging conditions 2nd run. Day one I had a ten minute hold in the start gate in sleet while they removed stones and moved some powder around. Giant slalom at Park city went a little better – second junior day one and taking out top junior day two receiving a very large mug. Packing again to head on to Vail where will get in some training before the next NorAm races, 4th – 10th February.
Top Junior GS, 29 January 2012
A full on four days of racing at Snow King, Jackson Hole Wyoming saw some great results from the Sugar Bowl Academy from 5th – 8th January. Out of a possible 12 podium placings, SBA took out 10! Two days of giant slalom followed by two days of slalom, I had some good results, placing 1st and 2nd in GS followed by 1st and 2nd in the slalom. After presentations on day four with our bags already packed we headed out on the nine-hour drive to Winter Park, Colorado for the next series of races. The latest FIS points list is out and I have lowered slightly in both GS and SL – 33.00 for GS and 35.93 for slalom. Looking forward to getting these lower in the near future! (Photos: G. Birgmann)
