Nick- World Champs tech

A very disappointing tech series for me at Schladming. However (without trying to make a bad series sound too glamorous) still a good learning experience.

The GS quali race I started bib 12. It was a race I really should have been shooting for the podium. But... the whole situation of having to finish inside the top 25 to make the main race got to me way too much! I skied stiff and on the back foot and eventually paid the price, crashing out 4 gates till the finish on my second run. I was guttered.

The Slalom qualification ended up being a short day for me coming out on the top pitch. A good couple of turns at the top but obviously that is not enough.

It was great to watch the main races and see Ted Shred arc the crap out of the GS! He is the man.

Ted Ligety, WINS!!!

Austrian lad sending it hard.

Parent support crew for the Quali races at Reiteralm

Alpine World Ski Champs Super-G

Serious face shots- Nick on the right,  Jamie Left

Jamie joined us for our last few days of preparations before World Alpine Champs... However....They did not quite go as planned with the heavens opening up and dumping half a metre of snow on us, so instead we enjoyed an epic powder at Leogang before heading to Schladming in the afternoon.

Opening Ceremony

We arrived in Schladming to a vibrant town and we joined a packed stadium for the opening ceremony. It was a great show and we were all buzzing to get out on snow the following day to see what challenges would face us on the super-g track.

The next day we were allowed 2 free skiing runs down the super-g track to get the feel of the terrain in the course. In both runs we had dense fog which obviously made it difficult to see where the hell to go.

That night we spent hours trying to file down the edges on our skis so they would comply with the maximum width regulations. The amount of rules and regulations we had to fulfil to make sure we didn’t get disqualified was a new experience for us. From ski heights and widths right down to the minor issues of logos on helmets and goggle straps being too big. It was endless!

Race day. Getting to the finish area in itself was a challenge but both Jamie and I got there. I finished a respectable 42^nd, however I was not super stoked with my skiing. Jamie was happy to get down and placed 63^rd (not bad for his limited time on Super-G skis).

Nick- Finish area

Finish Stadium- 30 000 people

Jamie- During inspection, hard to understand the steepness/ icy-ness

Dropping into the final pitch with the crowd looming in the horizon was definitely the most amazing experience in my life. Your legs were starting to scream at you by this stage, the toughest section of the course was approaching and the snow was super slick and bumpy. You just had to grit your teeth and fight to the finish line.

Finish Stadium during inspection- is built moulded around the hill

It was an amazing experience and was great to have our Kiwi support crew in the finish arena (Mum, Dad, Sam, and the World Ski connection crew and a few drunk Austrians).

For Jamie, he heads off to Sochi, Russia, for the Ski Cross World Cup test event.

For Nick, it is a week’s training before the qualification race for the GS at the World Champs.

Eating dinner behind a live podium TV broadcast. Mum, Nick, Sam

We got swarmed by spectators trying to find our parents after the race, wanting photos/ Signatures .

Nick- The Countdown

The countdown is on! Only 5 sleeps till the World Alpine Champs Super-G in Schladming, Austria.

We are trying to get 3 quality days of Super-G before we head to Schladming, however the weather has not been permitting so far...

Since my last post we had 2xGS races at Maria Alm, AUT. The first run on the second day was a great tactical break through for me in GS, resulting in placing me first for the run. In the 2nd run I went out trying to hold my lead however could not find the rhythm in the tight 22m set and finished up in a disappointing 4th. However a step in the right direction!

From there we moved into a Slalom block where I continued my great form in training. I was pumped to show off my newly found Slalom talent in races in Slovenia and Hinterstoder, AUT, Fair to say, I choked... I skied stiff and tentative. One of my biggest ethics in skiing is, 'there is no point skiing better in training than how you do in a race' because racing is where the skiing counts. I was extremely disappointed with how I performed and am determined to fix this in the next Slalom race.


We have just come back from 2xSG in Brigels, SUI. The race track there is an awesome fun track. Reasonably flat with excessive amounts of terrain and a decent floater of a jump in the middle. The 2nd day I tuned up my skiing from the first day and placed a reasonable 11th palce, scoring a 38 pointer. I was happy with the result, but need to improve the precision in the execution.

Next stop World Champs!

Maria Alm

Tuning set up at the Central Austria training centre in Hinterstoder

The gym at the training centre in Hinterstoder

A spin and the Aussie Open. Not bad..

The top of Brigels with aussie teammate Robo

Brigels Super-G

Mountain bike jump line on snow- Leogang.

Jamie- Europa Cup Result!

I am super happy with my 11th place at a European Cup race in Lenk- Switzerland. It was a strong field with 16 different nations represented. 

Final jump at Lenk- Me on the left in 1st.

After making it through qualifications, in the first round of finals, I won my first race after a solid run. In the second round I had a duel with two other Swiss skiers and got squeezed out on a jump feature, I then managed to fend off a Russian, having to settle for third.

Lenk EC Course

It feels great to be heading in the right direction and making some changes to my skiing- with the results starting to show. 

I am now in Grasgehren- Germany for the next World Cup SX and the weather gods are really not playing ball. 
We lost our official training day yesterday and Qualifications were suppose to be held today but have been delayed a day. It rained a heap and now has turned to snow, causing carnage to the track. We are suppose to have 2 races here but it is currently looking very unlikely.....fingers crossed.

No action today, Just groomers and TV Camera's waiting

Special thanks to Leki for my new gear!

After the Germany WC I drive straight to Leogang- Austria to get in some brief alpine Super G training  before the huge event of Alpine World Champs in Schladming where they expect over 30,000 fans to the event each day (is 2 weeks long).

Then it is straight off to Russia- Sochi for the test Olympic event, a SX World Cup race. It is a full on few weeks and I am extremely excited for the challenges and experiences.

Russian Vissa- Slight mission to get

Start training Switzerland

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