2015 USTSA Sunlight Nationals

Be sure to check out my updated results page for my results from US Nationals at Sunlight Resort, CO.

It was a great weekend of sunny, warm weather, great skiing, and most importantly some great racing. The hill was perfect-filled with interesting features such as a “toilet bowl” that we got to set some gates through, steep pitches, and rollers- not to mention a deceivingly big jump, and a winding skate section. Wouldn’t mind ending up at Sunlight Resort again.

Some more details on the racing: I had a slow start on Friday, maybe due to altitude but also due to the added mental pressure of racing with bib number 1- I had to (got to?) open the whole event! So I took fourth in the first Sprint Classic, not too bad after sliding and scrubbing some speed off the jump. The second classic that day went better- although the snow was softer due to the beautiful weather (a blessing now that I am back here in the cold in the East), I took third. It was a slight disappointment that we were unable to run a Parallel Sprint on Saturday due to a miscommunication in timing- because I believe that the excitement of the head-to-head racing is the future of my sport, not to mention that I love being able to be indirect competition with my teammates- but alas we ran another (shorter) Sprint Classic. I had my best finish of the weekend, and took second. Sunday was the last and final day of racing, and was the day of telemark racings most grueling race, the Classic. With each race being only one run, I knew I had to lay everything down, one run and done as they say. I was pleased with my times of the first Classic (the one that went into calculating National Champion), and was able to have fun during the second Classic of the day. But even more than just me being able to relax, it was incredible to see everyone else relaxing as well- we had people dressed up in costumes, and dressed down in no shirt/bathing suit combinations. After my final run I went back up to slip the course for the remaining male competitors, and as I came over the final knoll and the finish came into view I saw a dozen US Telemark athletes lined up at the finish cheering the citizen racers on in the skate. What other sport do the elite athletes stick around after 3 days of National competition to cheer on the citizen competitors? Only telemark skiing comes to mind.

Stoked to see team-mate Madi McKinstry back up on the podium as repeat National Champion, and to see all my other female (and male) teammates skiing at their very best.