PBs on PBs on PBs

As you can probably guess from the title, this week was filled with PBs. After last week, where I didn't ski too good, both in results as in style, it wasn't hard to redeem myself after a change of scenery. I drove down to Magic Lakes in Nemours to train with Anthony. Last year at the end of the season I also trained in here hoping that he could give me just the tips to run 14 in the competition I would ski after. However, there wasn't just 1 tip, I needed to change some things in my style, and that takes time. I've had time to work on having a better style and stance and Vincent already noticed a difference when I was skiing with him. Technically I had improved a lot and the bouys would come. With a better style, it was also easier to work with the tips Anthony was giving me troughout the week. When he told me to change the angle at which I tilt my head in my turns, I actually had the time in the turn to think about this and adjust accordingly. This helped me a lot and I was skiing really well. Looking at the videos of my sets, I was really happy with how it looked. Throughout the week, the main goal was to get 14 steady and be confident that I could run it. We did ski on 13 a couple of times, but I needed to get to trusting myself at 14 first. Then on Friday, we skied competition style, this means shortening the rope after each pass I run. I ran 18, 16, 14 and skied 3 at 13. Then we went back to 14 to get it in for the competition, and since I ran it we did 1 more 13. I was told to just turn 1 to go to 2 and then turn 2 to go to 3, etc. Because if I turn 1 to run it, I would most likely go too hard. To my surprise, I kept turning bouys to go to the next one, until I was turning 6 to get back through the gate. I couldn't believe it, but I had ran my first pass at 13! I had to tripple check the colour of the rope to see if it was really green, but I had really ran 13 and it felt good!! 

The post PB smile

Though I was super happy to have this new training PB, the ultimate goal for this week was to get a new competition PB. I had to run that 14, because it is becoming such an issue mentally as well. Luckily in my first tournament pass I was already able to do this. I got through 18 without any problems and this warmed me up for the 16 meter pass. I made a small mistake here, but told myself to stay calm and ski bouy after bouy and I would run it. After this pass I took a couple of deep breaths an remembered everything Anthony told me. The technical tips, but also to just go and ski like I would in training and not ski more reserved than usual. I wouldn't regret it if I missed it, but went for it 100%, but I would regret it if I skied reserved and missed it (true, because this is what happened in some competitions before...) I went out for the gate and committed fully, barely made any mistakes and ran 14 like I never did any different. I was super stoked but tried to stay calm for the 13 meter pass, because now it was PB time. I did 2 at 13, which I was really happy with, but also eager to ski more. The following 2 rounds I did 4 and 3.5 at 14, which was hard on my mindset. I had to talk myself out of it and go for it in the last set. Both other Dutch team skiers, Hugo and Klaske Julsing, skied a PB just before me in the last round, so I couldn't be the only one who didn't. Again 18 and 16 went smooth and warmed me up for the coming pass. However, I made a mistake on 14 and was really late. I told myself, it was the last set at this lake, last round of the competition, I had to run 14, no matter what. I just kept turning and skiing to the next bouy, no matter how late I arrived. I barely got through the end gate and neither me, the boat driver or the boat judge could believe I ran that pass. The boat driver said it doesn't matter how I did it, it was 6 bouys and the time was OK, we all laughed and I got ready to ski another PB. I had nothing to lose so skied with 110% commitment. I had a great gate, 1 and 2. Sadly I made a small mistake at 3, so I couldn't get to 5. My score was 4@13, which is almost an entire pass above my previous PB, so I can't be anything but happy with the results this week!