April Randomness

In march I skied my last international races of the season in France but my national race season wasn’t finished yet. This season they added an adaptive category to some of the national races in the indoor circuit. The first race I managed to win, which wasn’t that big of a deal considering a lack of competition but still nice.

Sunday we ski the second race and the third race is in May which I won’t ski…. Because in May I’ll be in Canada! This summer I’ll be interning in Vancouver general hospital for my scientific training period (as it’s called at the university) for more information about that see www.annikainvancouver.blogspot.com

But interning won’t be all I do when I’m in Canada, because off course I arranged for some ski training and I’ll be doing lots of other stuff. But this is the skiing blog J

I have arranged for ski training at the Whistler mountain ski club, they have 4 day summer camps during the weekends, I will do the one in May and 2 or 3 in July. Hopefully I can stay with a family during those weekends, that would be very nice.

These camps off course aren’t cheap so I’m happy to announce that I got the funding for these camp from a great organization in the Netherlands. They are called Topsport met zonder handicap, which means top sport with(out) disability. The foundation is founded by Marije Smits she used to be active in para-athletics and she is also a med student. Marije competed in 3 paralympic games (Athens, Beijing and London), and she has founded her own foundation to encourage talents with ambitions and goals. Just take a look at their website (it’s in Dutch) www.topsportmetzonderhandicap.nl

I’m also still training at the indoor slope in Landgraaf before I leave for Canada. Saturday I had a very good training, my skiing felt so much better, much easier in slalom, I have struggled a bit in slalom lately but things seem to go a lot better. I got a big help with this improvement because I was bootfitted by Patrick Rademakers from ski center edelweiss. He adjusted my boots so my feet are in a more natural position which means I can turn the ski easier, it takes less strength.

Well that’s it for now, will check back later!

My first Whistler camp is May 17-20

March: Chamrousse French nationals

March 18-21 I went to Chamrousse France for the open French national championships. On Sunday, March 17, I flew from Rotterdam to Grenoble where I was picked up by the team. They had trained two days in Tignes. That night it snowed a lot, more than 60 cm of fresh snow. Monday we started with a slalom race. The first run wasn’t great, the circumstances were heavy with the fresh snow, still I finished 2^nd with a big lead over number 3 and 4, my direct competitors. Marie Bochet from France was far a head in first place, she is also the number 1 in the world. The second run was much better for me and I was able to expand my lead and finished second in the first race. 

 playing in the gym

The second day we skied slalom again, this time I had some bad luck in the first run, there was a Snowboarder next to me all the trainers were shouting at him and I lost my concentration.  I finished third for that run but I wasn’t that far behind. Second run I made a big mistake on the flat part my shin guards sort of got stuck together and I almost crashed. Ultimately I came in third. But despite that my gap with nr1 was smaller than the day before.

After slalom it was time for 2 days of GS.  Due to the soft conditions, the giant slalom race moved to the slope where we skied slalom. This initiated a short giant slalom with a flat start and steep hanging finish. On Wednesday the first part was set pretty fast and I was able to tuck the whole flat part. In the middle part I came a little bit late in my line a few times, but I had a good first run. I finished 2^nd with a lead of a second over number 3. The second run was better than the first run and I finished in second. I finished second overall that day so I was faster than women in the other categories (blind and sitting respectively), they use a factor to compare all the different categories that’s needed to calculate the race penalty. Finishing second overall was  a decent performance especially since I was ranked 7^th in that field. 

And then it was time for the last race of the season. Unfortunately the race calendar was somewhat limited for me this year because I did not qualify for worldcup (yet). I could have gone to Switzerland after these races for the Swiss championships, actually I should have done it for my GS points, unfortunately it wasn’t logistically possible.

The last race, again giant slalom after my good feeling of the day before I wanted to repeat that. Although I didn’t made any big mistakes, I was just slow, the GS was a lot more turny with a tight line, it was a bit difficult for me. After the first run I sat in second with 0.15 seconds lead over number 3 and 0.5 sec lead over number 4, my direct competitors. Unfortunately I could not hold on to my lead during second run and I finished fourth, just 0.25 seconds off the podium. 

Marie Bochet won all the races with a big lead but behind her we had  a fight for the podium. After the race I went back to Grenoble airport, Airport Security and I reached a new low, not only did I had to remove my pants (I consider that normal now) but now I also had to remove my orthotic and they put it in the scanner. But my leg continued to beep at the metal detector so they wanted to see some x-rays after a little discussion they let me trough just in time for my flight. I prefer the body scan that saves a lot of time. After all I arrived home at 6pm, tight schedule but great that it worked out.

February: Dutch Nationals

The Dutch nationals abled body where held February 16-23 in Zauchensee Austria. On Sunday we trained GS in Zauchensee. It was a good training day and I definitely felt a lot stronger than in December. On Monday the first race was scheduled, a GS point race, in the abled body field I finished 5^th. Tuesday it was time for the national championships Giant Slalom. I was fore running this race, I had the chance to run 4 times, both runs from the youth start and bot runs from the adult start. It was nice to have the chance to do a run twice with race circumstances.

This week we got lots of fresh snow and powder! We free skied the powder on Wednesday instead of slalom training. I had a lot of fun playing in the powder. Later that day most tracks got ruined a bit with big humps, I crashed over a hump and I heard a nasty snap. I was sitting in the snow checking myself when I realized what caused the snap,  my orthotic was broken otherwise I was fine.

I was disappointed thinking I wasn’t able to ski anymore that week. I got a ride down on a ski doo and my leg was checked by the event doctor, removing the rest of my orthotic. After that I made a call to my orthopedic technicians’ office to see if there was a possibility to fix my orthotic in Austria, I got an address of an orthopedic technician in Salzburg. The next day I drove to Salzburg and Tappe fixed my orthotic that day! I was so happy I could ski again.

Friday it was time for the national championships slalom. I was forerunning again, now with the opportunity to ski 6 runs, this is because the youngest athletes ski a stubby slalom with short gates. Six runs was a bit too much, the schedule would have been to tight, so with other forerunners we divided the runs. I did the stubby slalom and the long run in the adult slalom. The stubby slalom was very tight and challenging that way, the kids have shorter ski’s. It was a lot of fun especially with the kids who requested me to forerun their slalom, they were very spontaneous asking lots of questions about my leg and orthotic.

The adult slalom had a nice first run, it was fast and a bit strait just the way I like. The second run was a lot rounder which made it more challenging. It was a good ‘race’ day. After 8 years it was great to be back at the Dutch nationals.

January: back in training

January was a bit different because I didn’t had any races on my schedule. There were only world cup races in January for which I’m not qualified yet. It was a bit disappointing not to ski in January but it also gave an unique opportunity to get some extra dry land training in. Time to look back at the beginning of the season and to make a little training schedule to do even better in the second part of the season, stronger, better, faster. All in all my season has been ok thus far especially considering the circumstances; ‘On September 20 I had done gym training in the morning and I felt fine training went very well nothing to be worried about. I went to a couple of lectures in the afternoon and I started to ache a bit, sore muscles? When I got home I felt a bit tired and my back hurted.

Well long story short in 5 hours I went from normal to seriously ill. I was admitted to the hospital that night with a high fever and a very sore back. It turned out I had an acute urinary tract infection which has spread to my kidneys in just hours. I stayed in the hospital,l got antibiotics and started to feel better quick. Five days later I went to Austria with the team, well needless to say skiing didn’t go well, I pushed for it and I really shouldn’t have… I got some more antibiotics and then some more again because this was one stubborn infection, just like me honestly. Well I much needed rest and so I did I took the full 6 weeks of rest that was needed to get rid of the stupid bug. I missed out on all the other training weeks in Austria but I did start some light gym training with my physical therapist. It was a long road and still is I’m not fit yet but getting stronger and back on ski’s.’ This was the situation at the Landgraaf races, I did got fitter for the races in December but still was missing some basis. So with the opportunity to train for 6 weeks I could cover the basis better.

December: Pitztal and Lenk races

Ohw damn I have been neglecting this blog so badly, sorry guys, time to catch up month by month.

In the beginning of December I took a trip to Pitztal for IPCAS races Super G (2x) en Giant Slalom, Pitztal was so damn cold -30 brrr. I drove the 1000km to Pitztal alone, which was a bit a challenge considering the blizzards and traffic jams but I made it safe. Nick and Thomas where already there. The first day we trained some Super G, I hadn’t been on my Super long Super G ski’s for almost a year. The next day we had two Super G races scheduled, the first race I was slow, holding back and not attacking. A result of a lack of training and with that a lack of confidence. The next race was a lot, and a LOT better, I climbed one spot and was a lot faster (something like 24 seconds…). In that race I skied my best Super G result 277,78 points.

The next day it was GS time, first run I made a big mistake which cost me some valuable time, second run was pretty good. All in all I was happy with the races in Pitztal, I drove home after the GS race and stayed home for 5 days before leaving for Lenk.

In Lenk I skied my first European Cup races. I arrived in Lenk on December 15, celebrated my birthday the next day on ski’s. December 17^th was the first race day, we started with 2 days of GS, since I’m not GS EC qualified yet I couldn’t race. The first race I was able to be a forerunner, it was a challenging course and I was glad with this opportunity. The next day I did some free skiing on my  own. On December 19^th I skied my first EC slalom, this course was a lot more challenging then IPCAS races, it was much longer and steeper. Unfortunately I straddled a gate in my first run, so no second run for me, I used this time to get some extra training in. The next day a new chance I had a so so first run, bit slow not attacking, I finished 11^th . The second run was much better I started attacking more and I finished 8^th for the run 9^th in the race. After that it was time for Christmas! The Lenk races where a lot of fun, we watched the night slalom races on TV in the lobby of our hotel with the other athletes.

First slalom finish and qualified for European Cup Slalom!

Thursday and Friday, November 22^nd en 23^rd I started the first slalom races of the new ski season. The races where held in snowworld Landgraaf and we had a big field, 120 athletes from 25 countries.

Thursday I was a bit nervous, probably the demon of not finishing any of my previous slalom races in the IPC circuit. After a descent first run my nerves where mostly gone and I really enjoyed it again. First run I finished 4^th with a 0,25 second lead over number 5 the Swiss girl that’s around the same level as I am, the podium was pretty far away with all World Cup racers ranked in the top 10, so fourth was the best I could do, it was winning for me.

After second run I was still sitting in 4^th place but I had built out my lead  to 0,82 seconds.

Because these where indoor races we had 3 runs to cover the minimum vertical drop needed to make this an official international race. After third run I finished the race in fourth place with a 1,75 second lead over number 5, this result earned me my first slalom points, 157,92 and this was an European Cup qualifying result (<240 points). I was so happy!

And Anna Jochemsen from the Netherlands won the race in the women standing category.

In the afternoon I watched the para-snowboarders who had a challenging indoor snowboard cross. And off course I had to prep my ski’s again because we had another slalom on Friday.

Friday I was a lot less nervous with nothing to lose I wanted to go all in and charge the course. First run was pretty good I started a lot more aggressive compared to Thursday.

I finished in 5^th place after first run with a 1,5 second lead over the Swiss girl. One of the girls in front of me, also a top 10 ranked racer, was disqualified the day before for using a pole. If an athlete has an arm impaired which means he or she can’t hold a pole using a pole is not allowed, and she used a prosthetic with an attached pole pretty clever but illegal in her class.

Well second run was pretty difficult it was very icy and I struggled to stay in, I still finished in 5^th place but I had given a second away. Third run again was icy and again I struggled to stay in so in the end the Swiss girl has beaten me, she earned it, she skied a lot better on the ice.

All though I off course wasn’t happy I gave away the 5th place it was a lot of fun and exciting to have a fight for 5^th place. The race over all was exciting, the podium had changed over three runs and Anna won again. In the end I earned 186 points.

Over all the Dutch team with 14 athletes, national team and development team, had some very good results and it earned the coach a third place in the nations cup after Russia (1) and Germany (2).

The day ended with champagne for me to celebrate my results.

My next races are within 2 weeks in Pitztal Austria, I will have a GS and a Super Combined.

Landgraaf training and re-classification for IPCAS races

Sorry guys it has been way too long since my last update.

Since my last update I have done summer training and back to snow training in Landgraaf and in Austria. And I have been very busy with my studies and also I have been ill, much more then I realized at the time…

On September 20 I had done gym training in the morning and I felt fine training went very well nothing to be worried about. I went to a couple of lectures in the afternoon and I started to ache a bit, sore muscles? When I got home I felt a bit tired and my back hurted.

Well long story short in 5 hours I went from normal to seriously ill.

I was admitted to the hospital that night with a high fever and a very sore back.

It turned out I had an acute urinary tract infection which has spread to my kidneys in just hours. I stayed in the hospita,l got antibiotics and started to feel better quick.

Five days later I went to Austria with the team, well needless to say skiing didn’t go well, I pushed for it and I really shouldn’t have… I got some more antibiotics and the some more because this was one stubborn infection, just like me honestly.

Well I much needed rest and so I did I took the full 6 weeks of rest that was needed to get rid of the stupid bug.

I missed out on all the other training weeks in Austria but I did start some light gym training with my physical therapist. It was a long road and still is I’m not fit yet but getting stronger and back on ski’s.

Yesterday I arrived in Landgraaf, because it is that time of the year again, the season opening races in Landgraaf, the first IPCAS race of the season. I have trained today and things are getting better I feel good on my ski’s again, so ready to race? Maybe we will see.

There are a lot of athletes racing, 120 from 25 countries all over the world, from Korea to Rusland and Canada to Australia I even heard South Africa, and off course lots of European athletes.

New this year is that there are para-snowboard cross races as well, to race in the afternoon.

On another note I got re-classified today, as explained earlier classification is used to make this a fair race with athletes with all kinds of impairments. There are different groups (classes) with a similar impairment all those classes have a factor which is used to calculate the times. So we can race against each other.

I’m now in LW3 and I’m really happy about that this is a much more fair class for me.

Tomorrow we have another day of training and racing starts Thursday.

Some pictures J

 GS in Hintertux September-October 2012

With Tina Maze in Hintertux 

With a new helmet and goggles ready for the races ;)