Hometown: Tutukaka Coast
Skiing Disciplines: Giant Slalom, Slalom Ski race and Super G
How did you first get into ski racing?
My parents loved skiing and had my brother and I skiing from a young age. When I was 8 my parents took me out of school for the winter term to ski at Treble cone all season. They decided they’d rather us be in the race program than in ski school.
Can you remember the moment you realised you wanted to take it seriously?
When I was 13 (first year under 14) I decided I wanted to go to Whistler Cup (an international children’s race in whistler, Canada). I had never done well in competitions before u14, meaning I had to improve a lot in a year if I wanted to qualify for whistler cup. It was through this decision, and the hard work it took me to eventually qualify, that made me realise how thrilling it was to take competition seriously and not just want to win but work to win.
What does a typical training day look like for you in the NZ season?
I value sleeping well and tend to leave little time for getting ready before we have to drive to the mountain (our training lane usually starts around 730, which means leaving the house around 640). Before I put my gear on I always warm up my body with a short or long activation depending on how much time I have. Once on the snow I would do a few freeski warm up runs followed by course inspection. Once the timing is set up and the course is clear we’d run the course between 5-12 runs, less if there’s a race the following day.
Post training to get rid of any lactic acid, and to keep aerobically fit, I would do a light-med spin on a stationary bike coupled with core exercises. Depending on the day I may also have a lift, I do much less in the season but if we have a day off or a light day the next day it’s good to maintain strength.
If I’ve got any time left over in the afternoon I’d likely be on a disc golf course.
Do you have a favourite race or course you've competed on?
There’s a small T-bar lift at the top of Sud-Tirol in Italy with a run that is just beautiful to ski Slalom on. It runs right next to the lift and starts out super steep, around 58 degrees of angle, and ends with a short flat. The races are such a spectacle for athletes and viewers so there’s always a big crowd in the finish area.
"Hard work beats talent that doesn't work hard. It's a bit of a cliche line, but I feel it applies to both ski racing and life".
What Sweet gear are you racing in, and what different does it make when in your performance?
In GS I use Sweet Protection's Volata 2Vi Mips Helmet and in Slalom the Trooper 2Vi Helmet. I’ve taken some heavy head impacts in crashes while in both helmets and haven’t had any complaints or head injuries. My head is also quite round and I’ve struggled to find helmets that fit perfectly and both these helmets are super comfortable.
Ski racing is fast and intense - what do you look for most in protective gear?
Durability and comfort. When you’re training you could be in your gear for most of the day so it’s important that it’s comfortable. Durability is important for obvious reasons but also because gear can be hard to replace, if your gear breaks and it takes a while to find a replacement you could miss out on training or racing.
"My Sweet Helmet and Goggles are both excellent for all conditions, but because weather is variable here in NZ, it's especially nice that it's so easy to change lenses on the goggles. I absolutely love my low light lens, it's probably my most used lens, it's great for NZ because it's not fully clear and has a slight tint which helps in fog or very low light- conditions that are common at Mt Hutt or Coronet Peak".
What have been your main goals for this season, and how's it all going?
My main goal this year is to focus more on training until the later part of the season in February and March, for the World Junior Championships in Norway. I’ve already started my season skiing at Mt Hutt, preparing for the Australia New Zealand Cup races and National Championships in late August.
What's on the horizon for next season?
Next season will be a big season for me as I aim to be competing full time on the European Cup tour by then. In between Europa cup races I will be preparing for the World Championships in Crans Montana Switzerland.
Away from the fields, what would we find you doing?
I live on the North east coast of the north island so when I’m home I try to spend as much time as I can in the ocean, be that fishing, kayaking or surfing. Other than the hours I spend on a bike or training in the gym, I also use the time at home on the off season to catch up on university if I’ve gotten behind though out the season.
