And today I raced...

I had a lot riding on today’s 10k - It was my first Super Tour of the season after missing the first 5 and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t anxious for it.

Arriving the night before, I was tired but mentally ready. I shut out the 24 hours of poor rest and training leading up to the race and focused on the present – there is no reason to dwell on things past.

I woke up this morning to a perfect day. The track was hard, the boards were fast (thanks Hallsey) and my result was a good one -5th (13.5 seconds out). My season has begun!

I have been healthy for over a week now, knock on wood, and I am starting to absorb the intensity training. I am coming around and I am recharged mentally.

US Nationals is next – the first race is the 1st of the New Year and they are the final World Cup qualifying races. I think that I have cut myself out of skiing in Canada this year (World Cups) due to missing the first 5 qualifiers, but I could pull it off with the right results at Nationals (those races count double). If I am skiing fast enough, I will make it. I will leave it at that and stop trying to calculate my chances.

In other, but similar news…my teammates rocked it this weekend! For full results (both days) click HERE. To read the Fischer-Craft athlete blogs, click HERE.

Saturday's Classic Sprint highlights: Women's

3rd - Laura Valaas, ITA
6th - Nicole De Yong, Sun Valley / Fischer-Craft
8th - Mali Noyes, Sun Valley junior! and was just accepted to Middlebury College, GO MALI!!!

Men's Sprint highlights:

2nd - Reid Pletcher, Sun Valley JUNIOR!!! Yeah boy!
9th - Colin Rodgers, Sun Valley / Fischer-Craft

Sunday's Freestyle 10k mass start:

1st - Morgan Arritola, US Ski Team / Sun Valley
2nd - Taz Mannix, US Ski Team
3rd - Laura Valaas, US Ski Team / ITA
4th - Kate Arduser
5th - Kate Whitcomb, Sun Valley / Fischer-Craft / ITA
6. Evelyn Dong
7. Kristina Strandberg
8. Karin Camenisch
9. Nicole De Yong, Sun Valley / Fischer-Craft
10. Mali Noyes, Sun Valley / Middlebury bound

12. Kate Underwood, Sun Valley

15k Mass, mens:

1. Babikov
2. Kuzzy
3.Zimmerman (pictured above)
4. Chamberlain
5. Noah Hoffman, Sun Valley
6. Andrew Johnson, Fischer-Craft
7. Colin Rodgers, Sun Valley / Fischer-Craft
8. Gregg
9. Southam
10. Knight

13. Reid Pletcher, Sun Valley (junior)
14. Mikey Sinnott, Sun Valley
16. Zach Violett, Fischer-Craft
17. Brayton Osgood, Fischer-Craft
30. Ben True, Sun Valley
31. Taylor Sundali, Sun Valley (junior)
47. Scott Krankkala, Sun Valley (junior)