Race Report: Val Thorens 4th December 2013

Race Report: Val Thorens 4th December 2013

First week of training and race preparation in Val Thorens

featured in Snow report Author Cara Brown - Ski Racer, Guest Reporter Updated 6 October 2017

Cara Brown is a British Ski Racer who we'll be following around this winter, reporting on her training & races. This week she's been in Val Thorens getting ready for the first few races of this season. Here's the first installment of her reports..

This week has been a really good training week. I’ve done two days of Giant Slalom and three days of Slalom. We’ve been training in Val Thorens as they’ve got really great snow coverage and we get to ski the Stade which is where I’ll be racing next weekend.

Training is going really well so far, I’m happy with the way I’m skiing so I’m excited to see what will happen in the races next weekend. On the Giant Slalom training days we managed to set a course down the whole race piste; after two runs my legs were on fire! It gives me a big advantage though to have skied the race piste before everybody else.

In Giant Slalom I’m working on making my turns more even on both sides as my right footed turns don’t seem to be as quick as my left footers. Things are starting to come together though, and I’ve seen a big difference in my skiing just after a week. In slalom I’m working on trying to get my feet closer to the gates in combinations (gates which don’t turn across the hill but are set vertical) and working on moving forward at the end of the turn instead of being pushed back by the gate.

The races start tomorrow [5th December] in Val Thorens. There’s been a change in our plans for next week so now I’m racing Thursday, Friday and Saturday then on Sunday we’re travelling down south to Valberg and Isola 2000, to do another four races. It means I will miss one of the slaloms in Val Thorens on Sunday but I gain another two next week.

By the time we get back, Meribel should be open and we’ll be training up on the Stade. Feel free to come by and say hi if you’re up skiing as well!

I’m also very happy to say that AMS and AMS Rentals are helping me fund my ski season here in France. Thank you very much! Hamish Brown from AMS has successfully decorated his whole office with my pictures in Les Allues…!

I was up in Meribel the other day to see my parents and everything is getting ready to go for the season there. All the shops are starting to open up and the Christmas lights are all lit! I can’t believe it’s already December…where has 2013 gone!? I’ve got my advent calendar and I’m already counting down the days until Christmas…

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You can follow Cara's race results here, and if you're in VT this weekend there are races taking place from Thursday to Sunday, so get along and show your support!