Bib 51!!!!!!

Like last year, too many top juniors from the big European nations turn up for the early races; fighting to get their points down in the hope of securing a place at the European Youth Olympics and the World Junior Championships.  In short, because of this glut of top racers, if you can't get into the top 30 after the first run, there is no hope of lowering your World ranking.

I skied well on the first day and after my teeth had stopped chattering (which they did the whole way down the first run and not as a result of the cold, I may add)  I pulled myself together and had an even better second run.

The next day, I decided to throw all caution to the wind and just set off like a house on fire.  My coach said that if I had made it further than the 5^th gate, my split time would have been in the top 15!!!  Personally, I think that if I had made it that far my cat suit would literally have caught fire! 

Anyway, training is going great and I am getting used to my new Volkl skis which do seem to be stiffer than the previous model.

Hopefully, I can get a bib around 40 or lower in my next race which will give me a fairer indication of how I feel I am improving in training.  I definitely feel I am going in the right direction as this time last year in Sulden I scored 181 - so 132 this year in Pfelders is a decent improvement of 49 points.  If I keep on going like that every year I'll have zero points before my 19^th birthday!!

PS:  It was lovely to meet up with my German friend, Ramona who I trained with at TCRA in New Zealand during the summer.