News at last

Games Time!

Greetings to all.  It’s official, I am in for Vancouver! Selections were made last week by the NZOC, and I have been selected to race the Super-G.  My team mate Ben Griffin has been selected to race the Super-G and the Giant Slalom, and Mitchey Greig, one of my oldest friends from Queenstown was a shoe-in for Skier-X selection.  The Skeleton, Nordic and Ice Skating teams have been announced too, with Biathlon and Snowboard Halfpipe awaiting final quota allocation from the powers that be.  You can check out the team on http://www.winterolympics.co.nz/ As you can imagine there is a prevailing feeling of excitement within the team at the moment!  We are flying to Vancouver on the 4th of February for a few weeks training and getting used to the Olympic environment. The Super-G is on the 19th of February and the GS on the 21st.  I can’t wait to represent NZ at the highest level.

Less Interesting Stuff

Since the last update we have had a string of races from Slovenia, through Austria, Italy and Switzerland.  Race results have been mixed, with an improving progression, despite the fact that I am skiing incredibly well in training.  Nils (coach) and I have been working on getting a mental approach to racing which allows me to ski aggressively from the first gate of the first run.  Our work seems to be paying off; my skiing is getting better run by run in races.  Last week in Switzerland I skied to my points in GS despite a few mistakes.

At the moment we are back at the Dutch Ski Team base in Austria, a pretty sweet facility where we have been basing ourselves for most of this winter.  We are training a few days GS on very icy water injected snow in the next few days, then heading south to Slovenia on Wednesday.  The plan is to race the World Cup GS in Kranjska Gora, since the Olympics will be of a similar level.  This will be my first World Cup, after hoping to race the Val d’Isere World Cups both this year and last year.  It is a very long and technical GS, with one of the steepest finishes on the World Cup circuit…Good thing steep and icy is a breeze for a Coronet veteran!

The Thank You List

I have to thank absolutely everyone for their support…the list is long, and chances are if you are receiving this message you deserve to be on it!

Mum and Dad

Jack’s Point – Head Sponsor and great supporters of ski racing! (John Darby and Richard Hanson)

Browns Ski Shop – What can I say?  Been with me since day 1.  And working hard to make racing cool again. Cheers Guys

Joe’s Garage Queenstown – Great supporters.  Doug tells me he wants to make it the hub for watching the Winter Olympics *hint hint*

Bruce Grant Trust – Combined with Queenstown Winter Festival put on the best fundraising breakfast of the year!  Thanks guys.

Brinkley Resort, Methven – The place to stay in Methven

Formthotics – Great supporters (and their product did make me faster, even though I was skeptical…a touch embarassing…). EVERYONE should use them.

Gravity Sports NZ – Geoff and Rebecca at Volkl, Marker, Tecnica NZ have been behind me all the way.
Guenther Raedler

Southern Alpine Recreation – Coronet, Remarks and Mt Hutt.  Enough said.

Wakatipu Ski Club & Queenstown Alpine Ski Team – my roots!

Snowvision and Fiona Stevens

Skeggs Foundation

Community Trust of Southland

Snow Sports NZ and Ski Racing NZ

John Martin
Margot Hutchison
George Pinckney
Murray and Claire Doyle
Paddy Strain
Harry & Cathy Taylor
Chris and Wendy Stagg
Michael and Kaye Parker
Eion Edgar
Bonnie and Nev Teat
Spider and Natalie McKeown
Buck
Tha Aussie Cafes

My little sister, Annie
Sue Lyons
James Lazor
And many, many more, especially my coach, Nils Coberger

Contact During the Games

There are very specific rules regarding sponsors and logos during the Olympics.  I am reviewing them at the moment to see what is best – I may have to remove all sponsors from my website and have it as a blog where I would post every few days.  Or, alternatively, I may use one of the NZOC blogs to stay in touch.  Either way, I will let you know as soon as I know, and will be giving regular updates throughout the games.

Tim