Ski Racing

After two days of training today was the first day of racing for the boys. We were up early and on the mountain in good time for the 9.30am start. It was a scorching hot day, and we were worried about the conditions of the snow for racing as it was getting very soft very quickly. Standing below the racing pistes in a valley, the temperature must have risen to about 20C which caused all the spectators to strip off ski jackets and layers as it was so hot. By the end of the racing I was feeling very sunburnt and had a headache from staring into the sun all morning.

Thomas was racing in the U14 category and was up against much bigger and stronger boys, so we were not expecting great result, especially when half the entrants are registered racers with professional clubs. All I wanted was for him to get through the slalom course without falling or an injury. The course set was a very tight and difficult slalom course, and of the 63 boys entered in the U14 category (boys and girls race in separate categories) 20 boys had either crashed or been disqualified after the first run, which indicates just how tricky the course was. Thomas finished in a very good time and was lying in 13th position after the first run – but then we found out he had missed a gate and so was disqualified. He was very upset! They set a different course for the second run as they realised that the first course had been so tight, and Thomas skied a perfect race and got a very good time – but it did not help as he was out the competition from being DSQ in the first run. All the same, a good experience for him and we were pleased with his good times and how well he had skied.

This is Thomas racing, as he is about to turn at one of the gates.

Tomorrow they are racing GS (giant slalom – here the gates are further apart but the course is straighter and faster). Then there is a mad scramble after the racing to get down off the mountain and back to the airport for our flight home again tomorrow evening.