My first Europa Cup start in snowboardcross which was also the first time for Latvia to hold the great event. I have to admit that it didn't go quite as well as expected for me due to an unexpected cold I caught on Thursday which forced me to pass the Latvian Youth Olympic Festival with PSL competition on Friday where I would have had great chances of stepping the podium.
However, I decided to rest as much as possible before the important SBX start. I had heard about EC happening in Latvia long before the winter started so there was no way I would let it pass by. As I had already skipped the official training on Friday it was a hard task to learn the slope during the 1 hour on Saturday morning, yet to save power for the qualification runs.
I guess I had quite a big motivation to prove my best while still fighting with the terrible running nose and rising temperature. Both days I had the best qualification time in between the Latvian female riders. On Saturday I ended up 10th, on Sunday I stepped one place higher and came 9th which was right out of the semi-finals. Realising that I had a great chance of going into the semi's made me a bit annoyed. My muscles felt quite well once they had to work down the slope but my hands refused to work during the start pull, which is where I lost my position, following close after the first two girls yet not being able to pass by for the rest of the slope.
Although it wasn't more than 2 minutes doing the quad-races I did gain a lot of new experience which is exactly the thing I'm missing to place better. Extremely small experience in racing with others at the same time.
And just a small Post Scriptum. Already last year I had a feeling that the slope is built more convenient for Goofy riders, also all four female finalists were right foot forward, as well as all my most tough rivals when it was about getting into the semi's. It means just one thing - more practise, luck and better health next season! ;)
Official INFOSKI review (in Latvian): http://www.infoski.lv/snovbords/jaunumi/2010-2011-gada-sezona/ozolkalna-eiropas-kausa-snovbordkrosa-triumfe-sveiciesi/
Official FIS results: http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/1228.html?event_id=29140&cal_suchsector=SB
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| NC. Chasing Smykala (POL) |
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| EC. Wuffli (SUI), Kovaleva (RUS), Ildena (LAT) |
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