Archive for January, 2012
Planes, Trains, and Race Cars?
It has been an amazing three weeks. My adventure started in Revelstoke for the first stop of the Freeride World Tour. As soon as I arrived in Revelstoke, the snow began to fall. I didn’t see the sun for ten days. I was starting to wonder if it was possible to see the sun in Revelstoke. I finally asked a local on the chairlift and he said, “I think we saw the sun a couple times at the end of the season last year.” It was looking like we might not get the finals off for the Freeskiing Competition, but on the very last possible competition day, I woke to a beautiful beam of sunlight.
The day was amazing. Mount Olympus is one of the most picturesque venues I have ever competed on. The day couldn’t have been more perfect. A heli shuttled us to the top of the venue, a knife edge peak. The venue was stunning and the feeling at the top of the mountain was powerful. It was one of those moments when I felt incredibly lucky to be a professional skier. I skied my line exactly how I had planned and came flyin into third place.
Riding my high from the day, I returned to my hotel room to receive a text message on my iphone: Jess can you be in Telluride on sunday. Sorry for the short notice, but it is the only time Regan Smith and his team have time this month. It was thursday. My plan was to drive the 15 hours back to Jackson, recharge my batteries, and fly to Chamonix on the following thursday. It felt like a quick turn around without a trip to Telluride, but it’s not every day you get an opportunity to ride in Regan’s Furniture Row Race Car. So, yes of course, I can squeeze a quick trip to Telluride before I fly to Chamonix.
I can’t begin to describe the feeling of sitting in a race car. The feel of the engine is powerful. As soon as Regan started his engine, my heart rate jumped to 170 and that was before we went 200mph. I have never thought of myself as a motor head. And I never thought I would watch a Nascar Race. Never say never. After spending two days with Regan and his team I found myself watching Nascar on my flight over to Chamonix. And I can’t wait to go to my first Race.
It started to snow as soon as we arrived in Chamonix for the second stop of the Freeride World Tour. My timing couldn’t have been better. It snowed so hard the first night I arrived that the mountain didn’t open the next day. Luckily, the competition was postponed because as soon as I arrived in Chamonix I came down with the stomach flu. I was my first time catching the stomach flu and I never ever want to have the stomoach flu again. Thirty hours of sleep later, I emerged from hotel room feeling like I had been hit by a truck and “ready” to compete.
Chamonix Competition Venue 2012
I have to admit, I wasn’t feeling my best, but I rallied to the top for my competition run. I chose a winning line, but it wasn’t my day. I choked when I arrived at my biggest feature. Why did I choke? I wish I knew. What I do know is that I don’t like fourth place. It’s time to head back to Jackson, recharge, and get ready to kick some ass!
Paaso Wins Chamonix
Jacqui Passo killed it today! I am incredibly happy for her. She skied the same line as I did, only skied the way I wanted to. The comp didn’t go quite as I had hoped. I chose the winning line, but didn’t quite ski it as I had envisioned. I skied well enough for a fourth place finish. Congrats Paaso!
1 Meter of Snow in Chamonix – Competition Monday?
It has been puking snow since I arrived in Chamonix. I don’t know if I have ever seen flakes so big. There was so much snow that the mountain did not open yesterday. Due to high Avalanche danger the competition face has been changed. The photo below is pre-storm.
Competition Venue for Chamonix 2012
The venue should look great with a meter of fresh snow on it. Today will be the first time we are able to inspect the venue. I was lucky enough to draw the very last bib and will be the last competitor on the venue. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and we will compete on monday. Wish me luck!
Chamonix 2012 – Freeride World Tour
I am so excited to be boarding a plane for Chamonix. If there was a year to go to Chamonix, it’s 2012. The competition is scheduled for Saturday, but the weather forecast is calling for heavy snow through the weekend. The first clear da
Revelstoke Finals 2012
The Revelstoke event was one of the best competitions I have ever been to. Drew Tabke would call it “historical” and I would have to agree. It was historical for so many reasons: the venue, the best athletes from both tours, and the day itself. Everything went off like clock work. The face was beautiful, blanketed in a foot of fresh snow, the sun was actually shining in Revelstoke, and athletes brought their best to the competition. For me it was historical for one more reason. It has been a over a year since I have crossed the finish line in a competition. It took a lot of hard work, patience, and time to recover from my injury. I may have been happier to finish in third place than Angel was to win. Truly I was the happiest girl on the podium. Thanks to everyone who helped me recover and believing in me. I’m back!
Stoked in Revelstoke!
Stoked in Revelstoke!
It has been a 15 months since I have crossed the finish line in a Freeskiing Competition. In the last 15 months, I have worked hard to recover from my injury. I have also had time to reflect on life. It has been a long road, but one thing remains constant. I absolutely love skiing.
I have been competing for 7 years. In the world of Freeskiing that is a long time. I have had many people ask me why I am still competing. I have had so many people ask me why that I started to ask myself the same question. As my stomach was rumbling with the nerves the morning of the competition, I couldn’t help but ask myself, ”Why am I still doing this.” Truth be told, as I stood in the starting gate, I wasn’t sure. It became clear to me half way down my competition run. I had just landed a descent size air and was flying down a super fun straight line when all of the sudden I started to laugh. I was having an absolute blast! So the answer to everyone’s question, “Why am I still competing?” Because I love it!
After day 1, I am sitting in fourth place. It is exactly where I like to be. It is hard to handle the pressure of being in the lead Day 1. It always feels like you have everything to loose. I like to enter into Day 2 a little hungry and fired up. I will need that fire for the Day 2 venue.
Mac Daddy Face - Day 2 Venue
Mac Daddy Face is a big step up from the North Bowl Venue of Day 1. It’s time to put my game face on. Definitely not a face to be giggling down. The face is beautiful and at the same time intimidating. I have not been able to see the face in person because the clouds have covered the peaks of Revelstoke for the last three days.
The competition is officially postponed. We are hoping to compete on Monday, but the weather forecast looks like monday will also be socked in. If the weather forecast is correct, the first clear day will be tuesday. So in the mean time, I will staring at the photo of the venue envisioning myself ripping down the face. Reguardless what happens next, I know why I am still competing. Because I love it!
