Andrea Dupont

Baby Steps and Giant Leaps

You want the big races to be breakthrough performances but the reality is they rarely are. I took some giant leaps this year at Olympic trials and was hoping to take another leap at the World Cup in Canmore. Instead I took some baby steps. Baby steps aren’t bad, they are just not as exciting as the leaps. I had the opportunity to race against some of the best skiers in the world at the time when they are peaking for some of the most important races of their lives (ie. the Olympics starting in a couple of days). And on a really tough sprint course I was only a couple of seconds off of making the heats. I was 43rd in a good World Cup field, which is probably a better result than my previous best of 41st in a weak field. Not quite fast enough to make the heats this time, but a few more baby steps and the heats will be within grasp.

I have now had the opportunity to race 4 world cups and this was the first one that I felt comfortable leading into. I felt completely relaxed on the start line, maybe even a little too relaxed. But it was the first time I felt like I belonged on a World Cup start line. And maybe that is more than just a baby step!

Full results are available here:

http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/610.html?sector=CC&raceid=16204

canmore-world-cup-2010.jpg

No comments yet. Be the first.

Leave a reply

  boinkme