Last weekend was spent in Tarvisio, Italy were I almost had
a taste of the podium again but unfortunately it was not to be and I had to
finish the weekend with a 15th in the DH, 12th in the SG
and 20th in the Combined.
The conditions were great for racing and it was so nice to compete under
blue skies and sunshine. Having been on
the podium in Tarvisio a couple of years ago, I had high expectations but it
was not to be and I must continue to strive and fight for the top. I feel like
I have my race gear back and I am excited that there are quite a few more races
left in this season.
Yesterday, after almost 12 hours of travel, we arrived in
Bansko, Bulgaria and our next World Cup competition. I didn’t really have any expectations coming
here but was definitely surprised by what I saw. We flew over the most spectacular mountain
range and landed on the plains that surround Sofia, the capital. Unfortunately, it was near dusk by the time
we set off in our little convoy of buses with a nice little police escort. What I do know is that we were driving down
some streets that I would never have thought a bus could make it through, drove
beside random luxury car dealerships covered by decrepit buildings, and sign
posts that I couldn’t even begin to pronounce.
I wish that our route had taken us through the capital as I have heard
that it is beautiful. From the airport we drove around the outskirts of Sofia
and then ventured into rural Bulgaria and then back into the mountains. When we arrived in Bansko it was dark so my
first impression wasn’t until this morning.
My first impression of Bansko was amazement. I didn’t expect
such big and beautiful mountains and such a big resort. There are nice hotels, a
lot of developments in the works and you can see that Bansko is really trying
to become a world class resort. Having said that, I can imagine that what I am
seeing is not the reality of most of the country and that is unfortunately that
harsh reality of what I do and see most of the time. There were a lot of people skiing and I have
never seen so many volunteers and workers for a World Cup; the people here are
really passionate about putting on a great race and showing the ski community what
they can offer. The track is technical and challenging and I am really excited
for the upcoming races. I am sure that
this is going to be an experience of a life time and I hope to make the most of
it. I will bring my camera with tomorrow and take some pictures to show off
Bansko.
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