Since my last update, I've spent around 25 hours driving in a car between Adelboden, Wengen (Switzerland), Donnersbachwald (Austria), Zurich (Switzerland), Val d’Isere (France) and now back to Innsbruck (Austria).
Its been an ok spell, but fairly frustrating with the weather. In Wengen, the 1st training run was cancelled because of the warm temperatures. We managed to get a training run the next day which was my first time down the legendary Lauberhorn course, the longest downhill in the world by a long way!
When you push out of the start it’s like you are heading off on an adventure and I was just hoping I could remember all of the turns that would be coming at me for the next two and a half minutes at around 70mph.
I eventually made it down safely with my legs burning like they have never burned before in the finish area! The next morning the weather turned warm again and they decided to cancel the combined event. With that decision we jumped in the car and headed to some Europa Cup Slaloms at Donnersbachwald in Styria, Austria.
In the middle of our journey we heard they had changed their mind in Wengen and they rescheduled the combined for Sunday and had cancelled the slalom. However the races in Austria went ok. I placed 19th and 21st from numbers in the 40's. I managed to pick up quite a bad cold in Wengen so considering that I was fairly satisfied with the races.
Next we made our way to Val d’Isere stopping off in Zurich for a rest day trying to get over my cold. We arrived in Val d’Isere and I was quire surprised by the amount of snow they had. Definitely the most I've seen in Europe so far this year.
Unfortunately the weather wasn't so much on our side again we got a shortened training run off in foggy conditions which was tricky for me learning another new course in bad visibility. I took the decision to race the downhill to get more experience for the combined the next day. I felt like I skied well, but just not attacking the course enough kind of too tidy and safe not really pushing my limits, but all great training and experience on another world cup downhill track. Combined cancelled again! Bad visibility, adding to the difficulties of getting races off for the organisers and we had plenty of snow in Val d’Isere too!
I'd like to say a big thank you to all the British fans who hung around even for me starting at the back in the downhill, it was great to have such a big cheer when I came into the finish!!
Now I'm in Innsbruck having a rest day together with Finlay. We might play some tennis later. Next on the schedule should be Kitzbühel, but I will have to try to win my spot again to start in the two slaloms there (DH has been cancelled). Then Schladming and after that I will fly up to Sweden for the start of the World Championships, where I will start in combined, slalom and maybe giant slalom.
Bye for now
Noelie
Its been an ok spell, but fairly frustrating with the weather. In Wengen, the 1st training run was cancelled because of the warm temperatures. We managed to get a training run the next day which was my first time down the legendary Lauberhorn course, the longest downhill in the world by a long way!
When you push out of the start it’s like you are heading off on an adventure and I was just hoping I could remember all of the turns that would be coming at me for the next two and a half minutes at around 70mph.
I eventually made it down safely with my legs burning like they have never burned before in the finish area! The next morning the weather turned warm again and they decided to cancel the combined event. With that decision we jumped in the car and headed to some Europa Cup Slaloms at Donnersbachwald in Styria, Austria.
In the middle of our journey we heard they had changed their mind in Wengen and they rescheduled the combined for Sunday and had cancelled the slalom. However the races in Austria went ok. I placed 19th and 21st from numbers in the 40's. I managed to pick up quite a bad cold in Wengen so considering that I was fairly satisfied with the races.
Next we made our way to Val d’Isere stopping off in Zurich for a rest day trying to get over my cold. We arrived in Val d’Isere and I was quire surprised by the amount of snow they had. Definitely the most I've seen in Europe so far this year.
Unfortunately the weather wasn't so much on our side again we got a shortened training run off in foggy conditions which was tricky for me learning another new course in bad visibility. I took the decision to race the downhill to get more experience for the combined the next day. I felt like I skied well, but just not attacking the course enough kind of too tidy and safe not really pushing my limits, but all great training and experience on another world cup downhill track. Combined cancelled again! Bad visibility, adding to the difficulties of getting races off for the organisers and we had plenty of snow in Val d’Isere too!
I'd like to say a big thank you to all the British fans who hung around even for me starting at the back in the downhill, it was great to have such a big cheer when I came into the finish!!
Now I'm in Innsbruck having a rest day together with Finlay. We might play some tennis later. Next on the schedule should be Kitzbühel, but I will have to try to win my spot again to start in the two slaloms there (DH has been cancelled). Then Schladming and after that I will fly up to Sweden for the start of the World Championships, where I will start in combined, slalom and maybe giant slalom.
Bye for now
Noelie
