Danie's Website

For some reason I thought would be less busy with me not racing this year but that is not the case at all!

Back at the start of December I was given the ok to start slowly skiing. I only skied 5 days in December with being busy with my class and it wasn’t the plan so I just did a couple of days for the soul.

For Christmas we went back to Winnipeg to spend it with my grandpa P and visit family. I came home Christmas day to spend it with Chance’s family, which was nice as this was the first time I was able to do so. From there I headed to Fernie for a few days of skiing.

We had bought World Jr hockey tickets so I came home to watch the New Years game til the final. The New Years eve game was awesome it was such a good game! First time in years I was able to stay awake for the New Years count down. It was a great memory! I spent the next week sitting in my little chair in the hockey rink with my team Canada jersey on cheering!! It was really sad when Canada lost to Russia in the semis but they sure made it exciting with the almost come back! The Swedish team dominated the Russians in the finals to win the tournament.

So now that I watched more hockey in one week then I ever had it was back to Fernie for more on snow training with Rod. It was great we went back to the basics no pole short skis and this is why I was taking the whole season off so I could relearn to ski the right way cause with all my knee issues the past few seasons I had messed up my skiing and I needed to get back. We skied on everything from ice to super soft snow and even powder. After a 10 day block of being in Fernie I headed back to Calgary for a few school talks and weekend with the family and in the process of this I missed a 75 cm dump and most amazing snow in years I was told. I almost cried. But I have had some great snow and good free skiing so far this winter myself. I have only found one type of snow situation that bugs my knee and that makes me very excited.

Its so nice to be back on my skis training. There isn’t a day that I don’t have a smile on my face while I am training. All my worries about if I could ever ski again have long surpassed. As of today I don’t see anything stopping me from reaching my goals of returning and being stronger and faster then ever. I am so thankful for the support my mom, dad, sister and amazing soonish to be husband have given me and Kent the worlds BEST physio and Dr. Heard for doing an amazing job to physically make the pain stop and give me the chance to do what I love again.

I am in Toronto this week to watch the world cup and I’m really excited to watch the race and to have that fire in my gut fueled even more about returning stronger faster fitter hungrier.

We started off this trip with Ski Cross week in Switzerland and it was warm and sunny unlike home was for those two weeks. The views in these two Swiss towns are some of the prettiest I think in Europe.

The first stop was in Grindelwald where last year we swept the podium and I was on top of the world with my first podium of my ski cross career. The coarse had been moved this year to the lower part of the mountain and all I can tell you it was like seeing thru the farmers fields it was really funny. When we raced they flew us around in the helicopter if you made each round. This track was fast and a lot like a super g I loved it. I made a few mistakes in qualifying but was racing. In the race I had a solid start but got pinched out and was trying really hard at the bottom to make a double pass I was on my way to doing this but flew to far off one of the jumps and it didn’t happen for me but it was best qualifying of the year and my best finish so far.

We headed over to Meiringen for the 2nd of the two Swiss races. This track is fun it was a lot like last years. They tried to build a wootang and that didn’t go so well everyone had to throw snow plows in and it was a mess. I thought I had it down pat and I was ready to race. I didn’t put a big enough plow in and missed all of the landing and then was too nice and left the door open and ended up 4th in my heat but since I had a better qualifying time I finally had a top 10 result. Things were looking up.

We then headed up to Sweden to Branass. Here is where I finally broke thru and got out of the first round. It felt so good to finally move on. I had a few issues the next round got tangled with some skis but at least I knew I could still do it. It was a great feeling. In the end I finished 8th nothing amazing, amazing but a great step in the right direction.

We then headed to Voss Norway a good 10 hour drive from where we were an another place in the middle of know where and the valley is called the Dark Valley in English but you never would have known this on race day it was super sunny and warm a great way to finish the season. They had a wootang and I was nailing it in all our training. We had no qualifying as it was World Cup finals and we get seated off of World Cup standings. I had a tough first hear with Ophie from France (former number 1) Fanny from Switzerland, and the Polish girl who had been doing well this season. I was the last pick but I knew my starts were strong and that gave me a chance. I had a great start and got out in front but I didn’t cut over hard enough and left the door wide open and all three passed me. I tried but it didn’t work out.

This season has taught me a lot. After last season where I had many great results and was moving up in the world. This year was a fight and really tested me. The results weren’t what I was hoping for this season but there were many things I was really happy. Overall my starts have become much stronger and faster and much more consistent when I got into the start I knew what I was going to do this year and my shoulder felt really good. That was a great feeling. My skiing overall was better I just made to many mistakes when it came to qualifying which hurt me but I was happy with the skiing itself. I felt great going into the season the change in the dry land program was really good for me.

I look forward to seeing what this off season holds for me in that department and see where I can push myself now that I have my assume sorted out and under control. I want to make sure that I have a start gate set up in Calgary so I can continue to work on my starts and make them better for next year. I hope we will get some more time on snow so I can go back to basics which I really like doing to work on the simple things that make you a better skier and racer. These are just a few of the many things on my summer list to help me be a better racer next year and today is the first day towards that goal I have set for myself to reach when the snow starts falling again and the starter is calling us to the gate.

I want to thank everyone who has stood behind me and supported me thru the good times and the tough times. To all my sponsors who have helped me and continue to support me I look forward to representing you and your product in the future.

Thank you all for following my season and me and I’ll try my best to send a few blogs thur the summer this time!

Enjoy the last of the snow then get those clubs out and lets play some golf!!!

So this year I have been really bad at writing blogs. I don’t really know why but I am starting to think it has to do with me not performing the way I wanted to this year and not having anything super exciting to blog about other then the same old results. And that is I keep going out first round and I’m frustrated about it as nothing is working for me. So I stopped blogging because I don’t think anyone wants to hear me talk about the same thing each race.

But we did spend a day in Zurich and went to the Zoo. That was a lot of fun to see all the animals and to get away from it all while in Europe. We just traveled up to Sweden to race in Branas again. Its still winter up here and after the warm weather of Switzerland it’s a bit of a shock to the system.

After Branas we head over to Voss Norway to finish off the season at finals and then home for Nationals.

I hope I can get something going these last two races and have good feelings going into the summer months.

So I am sorry for the bad blogging this year I plan on taking a class on websites and plan on redoing mine over the summer. Its part of a long list of to do this summers like plan mine and Chance’s wedding and other things!

Thank you for always supporting me and standing with me thru the good races with exciting blogs and the bad times where I don’t write anything because I don’t have anything to say.

You are the best!!

After a short break at home we headed to Aspen for X Games. I was lucky to have Chance and our friend Devan join me at the race. The track is always bigger then any other world cup and this years was no difference the finish line jump was about 2 stories tall. It sent you higher then the landing for the big air comp jump. Since only 3 girls hit the jump they made a smaller one for us.

I skied well in quail and finished 5th. Because so many girls got hurt and pulled out of the race we only had 8 girls racing. I skied well made a pass got passed back and ended up in the finals. I skied well and finished 4th. Kelsey won and had a major crash over the finish line.

It was so nice to have the boys there supporting me and cheering me on. It was awesome to have them there. So thank you boys for coming and cheering me on!!

We headed straight over to World Championships in Deer Valley Utah. We had two days of training on the track they might have been the coldest days I have ever skied in. After skiing X Games everything seems so small.

I finished 10th after quail I wasn’t happy about the result but I knew it was a solid start. I ended up with Julia in my first round. I spent some time in warm up working on my start and had it dialed in was keeping it low off the first jump so I would be first to the ground and be able to control what was happening if ahead or even be able to have time to react if need be. The first heat I nailed the start and lead from start to finish I was pumped. In quarters I was first out of the gate first off the ramp of the jump but didn’t nail the jump and landed before the landing ramp. I went from first to 4th and hoped something would happened ahead of me so I could pass and move on. That didn’t happen for me and my day was done I finished 13th.

On the other hand Kelsey was able to get enough physio and massages over the last few days to allow her to move again and she ended up winning. Julia took 2nd and Del won for the men. I am so happy and excited for my teammates and so frustrated and sad at that I can’t get anything going this year so far. Everyone tells me it will come but its hard to see but I will keep the faith and I do hope things do turn around.

Now its off to Blue Mountain Canada!!! Home soil here we come!!
Keep your figures crossed for me that my racing turns around!

Til Next Time!!!

On January 22nd my old club held its first ever ski cross. It was a blast to watch the kids wanting to race and ski the track all day. They were sad when the track was closed down at the end of the day and I saw some kids who one day might very well be come the new face of ski cross when they grow up.

Its really nice to see the sport start to reach our youth and have them take to it and want to try it and having so much fun doing it. All the smiles the kids as big as there goggles!

I hope they are able to keep the track and have more races in the future!

We flew back to Europe on the 1st of January for our first race of the new year. It was in St Johanne Austria. The best thing about Austria is they love there snow sports. (all of them) It is a night race so we get more fans out and they do an amazing job. They have a stage with a band and seating for people. It’s our biggest race of the year and its a fun race!

I was starting well and skiing well. I qualified in 10th and was ready to race. It was a straight start into a 180 degree turn but with a jump. I was right in there and going off the jump. I’m not sure if my tails got clipped or I over turned but either way I landed and almost crashed and was out of the race. I ended up 13th. I wasn’t happy because I was right in there and knew I was close.

We next headed over to France Alpe D’Huez where the Tour de France has there crazy climb stage. It’s nuts how steep it is and how fast they can climb it.
The track was looking great. It snowed over 20cm the night before training so the track was running a bit slow first run. I give a bit of a pop on the first roll of a set of 5 and I missed the landing on the 2nd roller and had one of my biggest crashes in a very long time. I broke my skis lost a pole I was sore but walked it off and finished training.

For qualifying the track was running much better and had a nice flow to it. I skied well and was 6th time wise so I got 2nd pick of lanes in the heat. I was ready to race. For the first time in my life I wasn’t the highest off a jump I kept low and was in 2nd place. The two girls behind me tangled a bit and off the roller took the tails of my skis out and I crashed. Once I did a quick body test I realized that they were down as well I got up and started to ski. But since Ophie was higher up the hill then me she was able to carry more speed and pass me. She went on to finish in 2nd place in the heat. I was really disappointed because I had no control over what happened. Yes, it is my sport but it is disappointing to know your skiing well, starting well and nothing is going your way.

Its like the old saying when it rains it pours. That’s how it is with my bad luck right now. My body doesn’t like me much right now I’m sore but nothing some advil doesn’t solve.

Maybe in Les Contamines my luck with change, if not Ill go home recover and get ready for X Games.

At least I am skiing well and starting well hopefully the rest will fall into place!

First off Happy New Years! I know this is late but I have a good excuse keep reading and you will find out why. I was planning on writing this Blog when I got home but… Keep reading and you will find out why its delayed!

So we have had our first two races of the year. I was feeling great on my skis and starting well. We were only going to qualify 16 girls. I was ready to rock. I went out and thought I skied awesome and fast. I qualified 10th. I was ready to race and see if all my hard work over the summer had paid off. Well since its ski cross it didn’t go as planned. I had a good start then got tangled with one of the girls. We were elbow fighting a bit and she got a push off me. I ended up on the tails of her skis and as I was trying to get my balance I smoked the girl beside me in the head. Then they said I tried to block her off the jump, a jump I went the wrong way off of since I wasn’t going the right way. It didn’t make sense. But it happened I understand why they did what they did. I got disqualified. It sucked as I lost all those world cup points. I was upset with myself for what I did even though I wasn’t trying to do anything terribly wrong. Oh well it is what it is.

I refocused and was going to do better the next day since it was a double race. I skied faster and was closer to the leader but I moved back to 11th after qualification. I wasn’t happy but I was ready to rock. I drew a hard heat I had Anna from Sweden ,who won everything here the year before and won the race the day before, the French gal who had finished 3rd in the Olympics and Julia from my team. I didn’t have as strong start and I was 4th into the first turn Julia and someone tangled in the air and I moved into 3rd. I tried to stay closed but I messed up a turn and burnt some speed so I didn’t pass. I ended up 3rd for that heat and 12th overall. It wasn’t the start to the season I wanted but it was a better results then last year.

We headed home for Christmas break. I had a date night with Chance. It was a surprise he took me ice skating downtown Calgary. AS we were skating he asked me to marry him. I said yes so now we are engaged and spent the Holidays telling our family and enjoying some time in Fernie skiing. It only snowed the one day but it was great snow and a lot of fun. I received for Christmas a head cam so we set it up and had a blast taking video and watching it later. It was the best Christmas break I have ever had. I got to spend time with my sister, my parents and my future in-laws. It was truly the best Christmas I have ever had. I look forward to many more memorable Christmas’

It is now time to get back to work and have fun racing and seeing if I can turn my great skiing and starts into results.

HAPPY NEW YEARS to all and all the best wishes to everyone in the New Year!!

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World Cups start this weekend so keep checking back for an update on how they go!

As per Caitlin’s bbm request I am updating my blog. I haven’t written in a really long time. I am sorry. For some reason I didn’t feel like anything exciting had happened lately so I didn’t blog but Caitlin has rightfully asked me for a blog so here it is.

This fall we went to Saas Fee in Switzerland. It had been years since I had been there. It is a amazing and cute town. It is one expensive place they even charge you for tap water at restaurants. It’s crazy!

When we showed up in Saas Fee it was very warm. We could do dry land in shorts and t-shirts. When the weather system moved in we lost a day of skiing due to high winds over 100 km/h. It was snowing! Winter was coming! We had some really good sessions on the hill training. They had a small track that allowed us to work on some of the skills. When we left it snowed a good half a foot and it was coming down hard and fast.

We headed home for a good dry land block before everyone came to Calgary for testing. We were supposed to head off to Pano for pre- season training and then northern BC but it wasn’t snowing in either place so the camps got cancelled and everyone headed home for about 2 weeks. I was lucky. I trained with various teams including the Canadian Alpine and BC women’s team. Speedy allowed me to ski a few days with them which was a big help.

We then headed to Europe and went to a place called Hintertux I hadn’t been there in ages. Once there we had some issues with wind and snow but we got a good couple of days of skiing in before we headed to Jerzens Austria for the season opening Europa Cup race.

There were 26 girls there and a whopping 110 men. We only qualified 16 girls and a full 32 men. I didn’t qualify amazing but I was ok with that (8th). Come race day I was feeling very good. I started really well my first heat and won it. I was really happy with how I started and how I skied. I had no complaints at all.

The next heat because of my qualifying time I had the outside lane and unless you had the start of your life or people messed up you didn’t really have much of a chance unless you wanted to end up in the fence. Which I didn’t want to so I started hard tried my best to make a move before the turn but it didn’t work out so I just cruised in the back as the track. It was rough and had the course had a few holes in it so I didn’t want to get hurt. The same happened in the small final. But I was ok with that because I felt really good and strong out of the start and I am happy with how I am skiing.
I look forward to where this season might take me. In less then a week our world cup season will start .I am excited to see what I can do. I have a game plan for this season and if I can do that I think it could be an amazing season.

Look for the Opening WC race blog to let you know how they go!

After a long break away from the hill we headed down to Chapelco Argentina for our first camp. It had been awhile since we all had been on snow. It was a great place to get our ski feet back. We spent the first part of the camp just free skiing, doing drills and training GS.

In the middle of the camp we raced the first ever South American Cup Ski Cross races. There were racers from Canada, Great Britain and South America participating. We had two races the one day and I finished 2nd in both of them. My teammate Kelsey Serwa won them both. We followed the races up by training on the track for the rest of the camp working on basics skills both on and off the track.

It was great to get back to basics. I really think it’s an important part of the summer training. I feel if your skiing fast in August it doesn’t mean much if you haven’t got your basics back in shape because when it comes to pressure time you will crack and ski slower. Basics and fundamentals are important in all sports. Whether it be golf, skiing or soccer one must have the basic building blocks to start from.

It really was a great camp. It certainly got me starting to think about the up coming winter and what I want to accomplish.

Once our camp was over we went home for 3 weeks of good solid dry land training before heading off to Switzerland. In those weeks at home it was Thanksgiving and my sister came home for it. It was great to see her. It had been a few months and it was nice to catch up on stuff. We celebrated her birthday and went and saw Kooza. It was an amazing show. We had so much fun with our parents and the boys (Chance and Stefan). Seeing the show has made me want to go to Vegas and see the big show there!

I’m in Switzerland right now and will send off the blog about this camp when it’s over! Til then enjoy.