Slalom, Slalom and more Slalom!

The last time I left off I was in Italy racing europa cups and starting in the back of the pack.Even though the second day in Tarviso Italy didn't go as well as I wanted it too I got the experience I needed to be able to return to that high level of racing with better points and more confidence in the future. I definitley took risks and skied the pitch with no hesitation but near the bottom I took a hairpin off my chin which made me scrub some speed on the flats (which is slow). We then traveled back to austria to meet up with the other girls from Alberta, Ontario and BC for two FIS level slalom races. I wasn't sure what to expect at these races. For some reason I feel like I ski a lot better when its against people that I know are a lot better than me. I guess you could say I rise to the occaction because I like to be challenged. Recently, I feel I've been skiing really well in training and just haven't been able to put it together in the races. Luckly, I did finish one race which helped me to realize that I can finish. It seems as though I've been really unlucky with all the straddling I've been doing in races but with a day off today and yesterday I am feeling less tired and more energized for the next upcoming races.
Yesterday JS who is the prospect womens coach told us that he had gotten VIP passes to the Kitzbuhel Super g race that afternoon so we took a train into town. So far, I've watched the Solden World Cup mens race two years in a row and of course watched Lake Louise live but I always seem to forget the excitement that European people have for this sport. Its amazing to see how many fans come out and cheer on there countries. If only it was like this in Canada... Experiencing a World Cup race is like nothing else; especially in Kitzbuhel as it is explained to be one of the toughest tracks on the World Cup means curcuit. Only 37 people made it down the course yesterday and watching it from the bottom is definitley nerve racking. I don't think you could pay me enough to ski down that icy, bumpy track. It almost seems as though the men are just happy to be alive at the finish. Erik Guay was our best Canadian and placed 11th after a month off due to a back injury. We cheered soo loud for all the Canadians even if they didn't do as well as they wanted. Erik saw us and smiled when he saw how excited we were for him! Maddy, Maddy Irwin and I were definitley the loudest cheers from the VIP box. I even think we might have gotten on TV. Marco Buchel was broadcasting on TV as that is his job after his retiredment last year and I screamed his name and he told me to come talk to him. He gave me a big hug and a kiss on the cheek and said he remembered me from Zermatt! Cool to know people do remember you even if your not on the World Cup.
Today we also had a day off to drive all the way back to Pilla Italy for some europa cup speed events. I'm really excited to get back into the bullet to scare myself a little. My tactics change in speed from tech. In speed I focus on having a clean run and nailing the line I inspected but in tech I usually just go for it. In speed, regardless of my results I have tons of fun skiing fast and just enjoy the oppertunities that are given to me. Well, thats all for now... I gotta go sit in the car for 7 hours! Thanks to Maddy Irwin, the ride wont be as long with her new iPad and all its games.

Here are some pictures JS and Anna Goodman have sent me from europe...

                                                      Top of Kirchberg, Austria!

                                                  JS caught me sleeping on our way to Italy

                            JS took another cool window picture with the reflection of outside

                               The Slalom Team! National team girls and prospect team girls.

                                         The start list from the Fis race in Austria...
-julia

First time to Italy and First Europa Cup!!

Today was an awesome day!
We arrived in Italy after a couple hours of driving from austria and trained some more slalom. We even got to train beside the race hill on a more steep, bullet proof injected surface which was awesome training. I feel myself improving every run and it feels great to be with the National Team! I'm here racing my first europa cups with Anna Goodman, Eve Routhier, Erin, Maddy Irwin, Maddy Mcclesh, Britt Phalen and Eli. It is always good to split off from the original team for a while and get to know some people that are racing in World Cups and living the dream that I am reaching for everyday. I'm starting to realize the importance of having a strong team that surports one another. Observing the National tech team women has been an awesome experience yet again. Coming to europe is always very different and challenging but getting to race amongst 20 world cup girls is definitley the craziest thing I've done yet. Even though I started 97 today out of 102 girls and the course was pretty rough, I skied with confidence and actually felt the front of the boot almost all the way down the pitch! It sounds easy but trust me, when its hard to grip slipping down the course its even harder trying to link turns without being in the back seat a little. Looking back at video I ripped the bottom flats and looked strong. Unlucky for me, with a blink of an eye I straddled the last hairpin seconds before the finish on my first run so I didn't get a second run. In the afternoon Eve, Maddy Irwin and I went skiing on the backside of the mountain where it was actually sunny! The snow was "hero snow" and we had tons of fun just free skiing together. At one point when I was sitting on the chair everything was silent and I found peace with myself. Sometimes I forget and take for granted the beautiful mountains around me. Sometimes I let my emotions get the best of me in racing and it's good to "focus only when you need to, and just have fun when you don't"-Storey
Tomorrow I know I can get a run in the top 60. Well, I have to if I want a second run. The coaches here have been super supportive and I'm excited to get more europa cup experience under my belt.
I start 90 tomorrow! I only have to beat 30 girls to reach my goal.. I think its do able ahaha.
julia!  

Sunny and Relaxing day in Kirchberg, Austria

Hey everyone!
Yesterday we had a day off due to rain and soft snow on the training hill, but today we actually got to free ski gs! I feel like I haven't skied gs in a long time and it felt good to get back on the longer boards again. Although its been really warm and rainy the past few days the snow seems to harden up and today the free skiing was awesome! The sun was out and shining all day too! It was a really laid back, relaxing and fun day! It's always good to just get some time to fool around without any pressure; something we don't ever get to do on ski trips. We were supposed to train gates today on the europa cup race hill but unforunately they told us that we had to stay off it due to shortages of snow. They also are trying to salt it and keep it in good condition for the next two days of mens europa cups! The whole National Team was here today and I even got to see Anna Goodman again! I haven't gotten to see her or talk to her since we were both in the hospital preparing for our knee surgeries. I was surprised she remembered me! She asked me about my knee and we talked about her recent top 15 in the world cup that was just a few days ago. She ripped the second run!!
Also, I was working out at the small gym that we go to everyday and walked straight past Jon Olson who was biking beside me without even noticing! After I realized, I freaked out and immediately txted my brother telling him I was working out beside him. Later I got the courage to talk to him and he told me he was racing in the europa cups here in Kirchberg. If we get back from training tomorrow early enough we might even get to watch the second run. A bunch of Canadian boys from the prospect team are also in the race and I wish them all luck tomorrow!
As for the girls, tomorrow will be an early morning. We are leaving the hotel at 615am to drive an hour to train both gs and slalom. I'm pretty excited to be finally training some gs. I went back and counted that I've only trained 5 days of gs this whole year so it is much needed. The europa cups Maddy and Maddy Irwin are attending on monday were changed from a resort in Germany to one in Italy! I've never been to Italy and I'm pretty excited to start at the back of the pack again (sarcasm). I talked to some of the boys racing tomorrow and they said they were starting with bibs in the 90's and they all have way better points then me. I'm going to have to pull out my riding the rut skills to get a run in the top 60!
Thats all for now!

1 Month goes fast when your having fun!

Hey everyone! Let me just start out by appologizing for not blogging for the last month! It's been such a busy and exciting time for me and I just never got around to writing it all down. I guess the last time I left off was Lake Louise and a lot has gone one since then. We then traveled to Panorama for a Super G, Super Combined, Slalom and GS. The first super g was a lot of fun and I actually managed to break a pole, loose it at the 3rd gate and continue on to place 10th! I think I knew I had to make up some time and just put it all on the line! Something I know I've been getting better at with every race in the past month.

 Falling with my pole half broken! sorry for the blurryness.... (half of the pole is by the right of the pic by the gate)

 There you can really tell my poles broken! Had a fast run though!

 In the super combined I had an awesome slalom run after a 24th placing in the super g run. I then posted the 4th fasted run in the slalom run and this was when it clicked in my mind that I could actually be up there with the top girls in North America. I was told the National team coaches had there eye on me after that run which is really exciting! Unlucky for me, the next day was the slalom and with all my confidence from the last run I went a little too hard and tweeked my surgical knee. I had to ride down on the tobogan and everything and I felt like I was having a deja vu. I took the next 2 days off and headed home early instead of making the trip to Quebec to race 2 slalom and 2 gs with the rest of thet team. It was a really scary time for me. Right when I thought everything felt almost back to normal I felt like I had yet again damaged something in the same knee. I called up Dr. Lichfield as soon as it happened and I was lucky enough to get in to see him a couple days after I arrived home. He checked it out and reasured me that it must have been my hamstring contracting suddenly from the twisting action. Following the appointment I headed to physio where they also told me my muscles were extremely tight as well as my IT Band. I feel like the extra time at home was actually better for me. I had more time to relax with my family and get away from the team for a while. I even got to attend my family xmas parties which I haven't gotten to do in a long time. Christmas traditions such as fondue at xmas eve with the Martins, snow skating behind the Mcconvilles new ATV they got for xmas, and finally getting to ski with both my mom and my dad were definitely some highlights of my holiday. Going to Devils Glen is always fun too. I always forget how many people are watching and supporting me in all my travels and races. Even members at the glen that I dont even know come up to me and congradulate me or ask me about my knee. I feel priviledged to be in such a tight nit "cult" of people that love racing just as much as I do. My best friends are the ones who I've grown up with skiing at the Glen weekend after weekend. I always think that people move on and change while I'm gone but everytime I come back it seems like everythings just the way I left it last. My old coaches are always so excited to talk with me about my experiences and my skiing in the last year or two and it makes me realize how lucky I am to be traveling the world at my age and getting to experience the things I have gotten to. Racing at Craigleith was also a lot of fun. My whole team was together again. Although it was Marissa's last race with us and I was sad to see her leave, at the same time I am really excited for her to follow through on her own feelings and thoughts regardless of what others think. Montana should be lucky to have such an awesome, strong and committed athelete on their team and I hope Marissa kicks some serious butt out there!
I am now writing to you in Kirchberg, Austria; the home base of the Canadian National Team. Nat, Emily and I came out here a couple days ago with Jeff to race in europe. I also qualified for the World Junior Championships and will be competing with Canada against the best under 19 year olds in the world. Pretty cool! We even got new jackets and national team downhill suits! I'm pretty stoked to try it all out! Training here along side the prospect team and some of the best in Canada is an awesome experience as I am everyday being pushed to perform my best. This last slalom block has also been an awesome time to make some changes in my skiing technically. I've been learning to adjust my line on the steeps and tighten it up on the flats. Working with different coaches I seem to get some different feed back that sometimes clicks better than what I am normally told which is awesome! Sometimes it just needs to be said a little differently to really click. Anyways, the time here in Austria so far has been awesome and I'm having a lot of fun the all the girls here! Bye for now! hope all this info at once isn't too overwhelming!!!