Alone at the top

Courtesy www.owia.org

Courage, loads of ability and a calm mind is required for a skier standing alone in the moguls start gate because the only way is down – at extreme speed, in an extreme environment with knee-punishing risky bumps over a 250 metre-long course at an angle of between 26 and 30 degrees.  

The Australian moguls team, led by Britt Cox and Matt Graham, is back in action for the second World Cup on Whiteface mountain in Lake Placid, USA early on Saturday morning (AEDT).   

Britt Cox claimed a breakthrough victory at the season-opening World Cup in Ruka, Finland in December, winning her first gold medal.

Britt found her rhythm in Finland after having to fight through the qualification round.

“I realised after the first final (in Finland) to stay calm, use breathing and focus on the process and not the outcome because there is still a job to be done,” Britt said after her win.

She will be hoping to emulate that form in Lake Placid, having had two weeks at home for her first Australian Christmas before returning to the snow and her team mates and coaches in Colorado for a pre-comp camp.

Also home for a short summer burst on the NSW Central Coast was 22-year-old Matt Graham, who has heads turning following his impressive growth in consistency that saw him finish last season as second only to Canadian Mikael Kingsbury.

Graham opened his new season in Finland with another silver behind the Canadian, cementing his ranking as a podium athlete before heading home for Christmas.

“It was nice to spend some time with my family and friends before getting back into an intense training block over the past two weeks,” Matt said.
 
“I was able to capitalize on my time at home and have a strong strength and conditioning focus by getting into gym to train with John Marsden.”
 
“I think overall it was very beneficial to give the mind and body a break and also get some good strength and fitness gains. This will make a big difference come World Championships in March.”

Perth born and bred Brodie Summers, is looking for more this season, after placing 36th in Finland following a strong preparation.
 
“I wasn’t pleased with last year’s season at all. My major goals for this season are to compete how I practice and put down a good base,” Brodie said.
 
“The second half of this off-season went well and I want to build on top of that and execute to the best of my ability.”
 
Summers paid tribute to coaches Steve (Des) Desovich and Jerry Grossi.
 
“Des and Jerry have an unbelievable technical knowledge. They see and pick up on minute details, provide good tactical advice and we benefit from that. They are the difference between a good run and an amazing run.”
 
Nicole Parks spent last season rehabilitating a knee injury and is now ready to compete.

Lake Placid marks Nicole's first World Cup for the 2016/17 season. The OWIA athletes have been joined by NSWIS mogul skiers Rohan Chapman Davies (who finished 14th in Ruka, Finland), James Mathieson, Jakara Anthony, Madii Himbury and Claudia Gueli. Also competing in Lake Placid are Krystle Yin (NSW) and Pip Sparrow (VIC)

The World Cup for Moguls in Lake Placid will be held January 13 and 14.