Toria’s First Hand Account of Europa Cup Racing and Coming 5th in Italy

Photo by Mitch Gunn – http://sportsphotographer.spitfirephoto.com/

"Tarvisio was pretty sweet. The track was super fun, but pretty short. They cut off the top part of the downhill from the earlier World Cup race. Partly to allow public on the hill, and partly because we were running 2 runs a day on the DH track, plus a night SL the first night after the training runs. 2 DH training runs and 2 DH races all compressed into only 2 days, and with a slalom for super combined in there too! It was a pretty crazy schedule, but it was good too. It got it all done, and the busy schedule kept us off our jet lag too!

We had 3 jumps, and a couple of other spots we got decent air, and a couple more to get light on, or float over. There was one side hill bank-turn roll that definitely kicked you, and it was right before a jump, and I was getting more air off the roll than the jump. It would have been an awesome DH from the top. You could still see the dye lines from the World Cup and could follow them. There was a couple of rolls before the jump and if you tucked straight off the pitch (me) then you flew! Then there was a big bank turn. Would have been very fun. Also would have added a couple jumps to the track.

I think my couple of days training GS at Nakiska before coming over here really helped me move forward in my skiing. Just figuring some things out and getting some more training in. But what it really seems to come down to is inspection, focus, and skiing smart. Mozy (my coach, Chris Mosaed) has been telling me I need to take longer to inspect, especially in key sections, and he is completely right. If you know where you’re going then it’s all good. You can be way more confident with your line and then with everything else – tucking, going for it, anticipating terrain and the course…

Anyway, coming 5th was cool, but it would have been way nicer if I was 8 hundredths faster (2nd), or 3 tenths faster especially (1st). But still, it was good.

We drive to Garmisch tomorrow after training, then free ski the first day over there, and races start on the 1st with SL (not me!) and the GS on the 2nd. Then speed after that. I’m stoked!"