2017/2018 season review
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Hello, so finally I found some time thinking about my last season and writing a smaller summary for the public as well. The season did not start the ideal, resp. I would say it started catastrophic ... The Ski Association had blocked all the finances and I did not have it either. coach. I first got to the skis in early October, which is too late. I did the first training with the paralympics, and then I managed to arrange training with the Czech skicross team, which of course is a big thank you.
I gradually started to receive information about the Australian team. I have learned that no official team will be, but that my two teammates from previous seasons will ride. So they started looking for a coach and did not look very promising as it was the end of October. Luckily, everything happened well and we got Austrian Fritz, our legend. :) The boys arrived in Europe only in the second half of November, a few days before the first race on the Pitztal glacier. So I have already raced this race with the Czech team and from the beginning of December I joined the boys and Fritz.
Pitztal races are every year, it's more like a test where everyone can check on how it is because there is always a big part of the world cup. At this race I did not qualify for the final but the times and my feeling were very good. I was waiting for another 2 weeks of training with a new coach and then the sharp beginning of the season is traditionally in Val Thorens, France, where my track is made. I knew, however, that the beginning of the season was weaker and I wanted to break it. In France I qualified in both European cups, but I always got the shank in the first round. The last day we had FIS races and after good qualifications I felt very good. In the first round, however, he fired me to a French rider from the first place and was not punished by the judges. Of course I was very nervous, but it's just sport;)
They followed Christmas, a little respite, cakes and back to the race. In 2018, I started the FIS races at the Reiteralm in Austria, but we had a training session because we were waiting for 3 weeks of traveling on European cups. In Reitralme I managed to leave 11th and 15th place, which was a level of competition solid. Subsequently, we moved to Idre Fjall in Sweden, which we know very well. This has complicated our weather, so we raced on a shortened track in very tough conditions. The first day I totally failed to qualify and I did not score, the next day I qualified to the final, but again I got the stop in the first round.
From Sweden, we traveled directly to the Swiss Lenk Resort. This is one of my less popular races, because the track is very weak every year and there is a different format of races - no qualifier. I managed to go through the first round in both European races, but I always got the stop in the second round. We also started at the FIS race in Lenk, where I finished on the 18th of May. Still significantly for my expectation ...
We traveled from St. Lenk to St. Francis. Francois Longchamp, where the organizers have made the toughest track I've been to this year. I confess I was quite exhausted, but mainly mentally after the previous results. I wanted to pack and go home immediately ... After talking with the coach I decided that I was still acquiring. In St. Francois has not been doing so every year, and it has not been this year. I blew up in both qualifications and I was on the day. The last day we have just finished the FIS race, where I finished on a weak 21st.
After a month on the road we went home and needed skiing. I was very exhausted both mentally and physically. For 10 days, I was doing my own training only at home and I tried to restart again. The invitation to the exotic Georgia came to us. The organizer pays everything except the ticket, so why would not we go? Finally, there were 2 great FIS races, where I finished 2x on the 5th. These results finally kicked me a bit, finally something positive! :)
They followed the European Cups in the German Grasgehren and Mittenwald. But as usual, it is a fall. In Grasgehrene I had very good qualifications in strong competition (since the race was going through OH) but I could not pass the first round. Followed by Mittenwald, 2 evening racing events. Here I burned and literally. I did not qualify and after the start-up errors I was out in the first round in both races. I knew something had to be changed.
I have been working with a sports psychologist. We only had 2 sessions and we were already racing for Sweden. We decided to go for the points we needed and skipped the European Cup final in Reiteralm. We were waiting for a crazy road to the north and I have to say that never more cars :) The first stop was in Idre Fjall, where we had European cups in January. The weather has been excellent for us this time and the track was relatively simple, so I knew there was a lot of fights and contacts. So it was, but let me say that I left very decent race when I ended up on the 4th day. On the first day I was a bit sorry, because during the whole final race I was on the 3rd mieste a bit before the target rider made the mistake and only paid for it.
Still, I was not happy because the goal was clear, getting over 100 points. To explain how points and rankings work. The ranking of the 2 best scores for the last 12 months is considered. So when I wanted to get over 100 points I needed, for example, 120 and 80 points from two races. We were waiting for the last race in the north of Sweden in Skelleftea. It was crazy because we traveled hundreds of kilometers just for one single start, but we knew there would be great competition and great points. So it was, the winner took 360 points and you know what? And it finally knocked me! In the 6th place I took 144 points and my second best score was 65 points from Idre.
I sincerely say that after qualifying I was nervous like never. I knew I had to, and I was putting too much pressure on myself. But it finally came out and I was extremely happy, and that's because my teammates also scored over 100 points this season. Also MISSION COMPLETE :) we were waiting for another 28 hour journey home by car, but we can not even speak about it, because until now I was the whole person :)
In the beginning of April, I have just finished 2 races in Lofsdalen, Sweden, and I have managed to improve points by 6th place for 96 points. So, in the new season, I go with my personal maximum of 120 points and a place in the world cup.
I think it's time to thank all the partners without whom it would certainly not be possible:
- Slovak Ski Association
- P'art of Heart - my stylish coach Stevo, whom many times I can not come to name :)
- UVEX Slovakia - protect my big head
- TODOS - for a super good
- MEDANTE - where they always give me together when it comes to health problems
- Slavia Agrofert - the best place for training
- Imunovital - where they treat my nurses
Of course, it is a huge thanks to my girlfriend that she can handle the whole winter alone and still supports me, family, Fritz, psychologist, team mate etc. etc ... It's you, but you know;) I believe the next season will be even better , such as the last one (or as a conclusion). Better said, I hope it will be at all, because it does not look good anyway ...
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