I’ll admit, it has been a disappointing couple of weeks.

By nature, ski racing is always a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs. I suppose I should not be entirely surprised that I’ve slipped into a brief slump—especially considering my limited training—but that doesn’t make my sub-par results any easier to swallow.

Although I didn’t qualify for second run in the GS in Maribor (35th), it was easy to brush off the disappointment because it was practically impossible to move into the top-30 that day. Conditions were really poor and only two girls starting outside the top-30, broke into the top-30. Thirtieth place was almost six seconds out! I skied well and was pleased to have a mistake-free run on a challenging course.

Me racing in Maribor. Photo credit: Zoom Agence

After Maribor, I had a really productive three-day training block in Reinswald, Italy. I can’t tell you how nice it was to finally have a few days to focus on my skiing away from a competitive setting. The Super G training went really well and it was encouraging to see that my times were just as fast as Lindsey’s. I also figured a few things out with my equipment setup… Basically, I made gains with my skiing and equipment that I normally would have been making in October or November. I finally felt like I found a level of skiing that felt solid and competitive.

Cortina at its best

Unfortunately, I didn’t do a very good job at translating that feeling to my racing. Albeit, my 29th in the Downhill in Cortina wasn’t a bad result for me—especially on such a glider’s course—but my finishes in the Super G races were definitely a letdown. In the first Super G I was too hard on my edges in the soft snow, and I had a couple of uncharacteristic bobbles. I was crushed that I got 35th place in what I consider “my” event.

The next day I was determined to be more aggressive with my line, softer on my edges, and more relaxed with my approach. I actually did all of these things… Then I went out of the course. My aggressive tactics eventually caught up to me when I hit some bumps, and missed a gate. Game over. I don’t remember the last time I DNF’d a Super G. I never do that. I was bummed, but at least I went out going for it, which was at least better than the day before.

Haffey and me on an epic powder day in Cortina. I love my Katanas!!

The next weekend I raced GS in Ofterschwang, Germany. I started number 30, which was such an exciting position to be in! I have worked so hard to be a world-class GS skier, and just having that bib on at the start made me feel like, “oh my gosh, I am one of them.” Pretty cool feeling. Anyway, I didn’t exactly ski like a world-class GS skier in my run, making a significant mistake in the middle of the top flat, and I failed to qualify for second run. Another big disappointment, but the way I look at it, is that was basically my first bad GS race of the season. And I think everyone is entitled to have a bad day.

Well, no on can accuse me of lacking consistency in GS right now! Although I am ready to punch through and get into the top-15 for the first time this season, I am still really pleased with my consistent top-25 finishes.

My first run in Lienz last week, I charged into 19th place from starting 41st. My coaches were psyched with my skiing and I was relieved to prove that Panorama wasn’t just a fluke… The course second run was very unrhythmical and I over-skied the straight sections pretty badly. To me, the error really just demonstrated that I hadn’t faced a single course set both in, and out, of the fall line all season, and I basically didn’t know how to approach it. Regardless, I ended up in 22nd place for the day.

Christmas in Kitzbuhel. Stacey, me, and Lindsey
After a very quick—but very needed—trip home to Seattle over the new year, I returned to Europe to race GS in Spindleruv, Czech Republic. My body was a little stiff and sluggish after all of the travel, but I somehow managed to qualify for second run, coming in 27th position after first run. I felt lucky to have made second run after a not-so-good first run, but I guess it proves that I must be doing something right!

I skied a really solid, aggressive second run—one that I felt was my best GS run of the season so far… And my time proved it. I was 14th fastest for the run and moved up to 25th place overall for the race. I was hoping to move up more than that, but just posting a top-15 single run really made me feel like I am making great progress.

I am really pleased with my GS right now. I mean, I just scored top-25 results in three consecutive World Cups. I have never scored in two consecutive GS’s before, let alone two in the same season. I am proving that I am a contender with the best GS skiers in the World, and I have SO much more left in the tank! I’m not even 100% yet, nor have I really found my “groove…”

I am looking forward to training some GS this week so that I can iron out some kinks before my race next weekend in Maribor, Slovenia. I really think that after all of this consistent GS skiing, I am due for a “breakthrough.” I truly think that when it does come, it is going to be huge!