Merry Christmas! - St Moritz

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!!

I simply cannot properly express how much I love this time of year. I love the festive feeling in the air, the time with family, the food, and the general good cheer all around. It’s even snowing here in Chilliwack today, a true white and Canadian Christmas. It is because of my love for the Holidays that the final races before Christmas are my favourite. I’m lucky enough that I will be home for Christmas and New Year’s! (In our world it’s a rare for a North American to be home at all during the Holidays) I will be in Chilliwack, Victoria and (powder) skiing in the mountains over the holidays.

Since Lake Louise we have been in St. Moritz. I always loving being in St.Moritz because I have a sense of home and belonging there. Many of you know Peter Bassin (my coach growing up), well he grew up in the village next to St. Moritz. This has always made me feel some kinship with the valley and a strong pull to my roots as a ski racer. Normally I get to Madulain to visit Peter’s Aunt, but I sadly didn’t get there this year. I didn’t want to show up with my big arm…(explanation to follow)..and during the race week things just got going in a hurry.

So, about the big arm. Well, the night after the SG in Lake Louise I up scratching my arm. Assuming it was an allergic reaction to the fish I’d eaten the night before I didn’t think much of it. I simply took lots of Benadryl and iced down my arm as it started to swell. Unfortunately, the arm simply continued to swell more and more…to the point that I ended up in the hospital in St. Mortiz Wednesday evening. As it turned out my arm somehow got a bacteria in it (with no cuts this was extremely bizarre…). So, I was on a high dose of Antibiotics and after a few days the swelling started to come down. I had some side effects to the drugs, but otherwise I was ok! I was thankful I didn’t need to race that week.

The start of the season has been a challenging one, with no summer training, crashing in Lake Louise, a bizarre infection in my arm, and more than enough snow for us all to say enough! Still, I’m feeling extremely strong on my skis and I’m working towards that level where my feeling and creativity can come out in my skiing. We’ve gotten three speed races in so far and we’ve had two cancelled. I’m feeling strong on my skis and my training runs and splits show the podium potential is still there! I’ll now have to hold my excitement in for a while since I won’t be racing again until later in January…hard to do when I’m just itching to go!

For now, I’m going to enjoy this break since I’ve been on the road nearly the whole time since September 15th. Turkey, gravy, cinnamon buns, and powder skiing here I come!!!!

As for the painting on E-bay, the painting raised over $500 for Right to Play and is going to an avid ski racing fan from Ontario! Thanks to everyone who bid!

Best Wishes to you all this season and throughout the New Year.

I’ll keep in touch!

With Smiles,
Kelly







Our coach Brett was ready to play hockey! The coaches has some exciting scrimmages happening on the beautiful outdoor rinks in St. Mortiz. Us girls got out one afternoon on our skates as well – we had so much fun!



















Britt Janyk held Canada up in the Super G with an 8th place finish. Emily Brydon, Larisa Yurkiw and I were DNF’s while Sherry and Emile failed to make the top 30. Emily and Larisa both had strong results the day earlier in the Super Combined – Emilie Desforges was a DNF in that race.

Lake Louise 2008

Hello Everyone,

The first races are now finished and I’m once again back in the airport leaving for Europe. I certainly was excited and enjoyed racing in Lake Louise once again. I simply love to race in Canada – there’s nothing like it.

Looking back on the weekend I’m happy with the solid performances and the clear indicators that I’m getting closer to the podium more consistently. With the challenges heading into the week of; no summer training; changing of boots a week and a half before the race; adverse weather conditions; and finally crashing on the first training run I certainly had a great opportunity to practice being mentally tough. My goal heading into this season was to do just that, to strengthen my resolve and to learn how to overcome challenges, no matter how big. I left the weekend knowing I was extremely fast in sections and that my SG is back! I really wanted a podium this Sunday and came just short of that. After the race I saw the splits and I was leading coming onto the flats. Unfortunately I made a few errors in line and got pushed into the soft snow a bit…costly on the flats. However, I was happy with how I raced, charged, and that I can still turn my skis! I was also excited to see Emily, Britt, and myself have such strong finishes in the first weekend of racing. We’re all in the mix which makes it loads of fun. Larisa Yurkiw also had her first ever top 30 result in the DH with a tie for 29th! We might have a new Speed Queen in the midst!!!

If you’re curious and want to check out my crash from the first training run I’ve attached the You Tube link for the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rpl2MsfX5I

On a side note, be sure to check out my website, there are some new updates with videos, speed queens t-shirt links, schedules, etc, etc.

Take Care Everyone!

Kelly

Auction for Right to Play

Looking for a Last Minute Christmas Gift?....

On December 5th, at noon sharp, the online auction for this painting done by Rossland artist Stephanie Gauvin will officially open. I have attach images of the painting…although I swear nothing is better than seeing it in real life. 100% of the money raised from the auction will go to Right to Play.

What You Need to Know:

- Auction opens December 5th at Noon
- Link: www.ebay.com/righttoplay
- This is a Right to Play Holiday campaign, so there will be other items up for bid
- Each item will have its own individual Page
- Auction will be open for 10 days
- If you win the item, it will be shipped to you before Christmas
- Painting Dimensions are: 24" in height and 30" in length
- Feel free to learn more about the artist at: http://www.artiststephaniegauvin.com/
- Bids over 1 million dollars will include a free ski day with me and a free Kelly VanderBeek go to Joe Mug!! :)….

The image is of me racing at the Whistler World Cup in February 2008.

Let’s join together and help raise money for Right to Play!!!! To learn more about this wonderful organization please visit: http://www.righttoplay.ca/.

Please pass along this e-mail to anyone who may be interested!

Best Wishes,

Kelly

Heading to Lake Louise

The season is about to begin! The world is showing up in Canada, looking for snow and rearing to go. (Yes, that rhymed…corny I knowJ) The men’s races in Lake Louise are under way and we’re cheering loudly as we await our turn. I’m currently in Panorama finishing off our final training block before the race season kicks off next week.

Since leaving home on November 5th we’ve been busy with fitness testing in Calgary, meetings, 5 days in Nakiska, 5 days in Lake Louise, and now Panorama. It’s been a lot of moving around as we tried to make the best of what little snow was available. Since arriving in Panorama though we’ve had some great SG and even DH training. The whole CPAST (our paralympic counterparts) team was also here training earlier this week. I was completely blown away by their abilities and willingly kicked myself in the butt – if they can ski that well I’d better get in gear!

As other world cup teams arrived in Panorama for training we got a chance to see a glimpse of how we stacked up against other countries. As a whole, we are all skiing stronger, faster, and there is a much smaller margin of error allowable if you want to be in the mix! Britt has been extremely fast, and consistently fast – usually leading the charge out of all the countries. Another girl who’s stepped up this last week was Larisa Yurkiw (a fellow Ontario racer). I was strong and right in there, but it usually took me a few runs to get in there. (Oddly my GS was my fastest out of the block!) I’ve made a move to a new model in the Lange boot – I’m excited about the change and I’m learning this boots’ limits as I go. This boot has a higher end performance and I’m extremely fast when I get it!

I’m extremely excited about racing next week, and putting on a show for Canada!

There’s a lot happening this coming week so keep you’re eyes and ears open!

Many Smiles,

Kelly

Engagement, T-Shirts, Fitness Testing

As always this time of year is a whirlwind of activity that is always fraught with emotion as we head into another race season. Upon my arrival home from Europe I had a life changing surprise awaiting me. David asked me to marry him…and I said Yes!!!

Therefore, on top of the regular whirlwind of gala and media events in Ontario, Vancouver, and Calgary I was enjoying extraordinary moments with my family and friends to help celebrate this wonderful news. It was great timing for me, so I could share such happy news with so many people.

I’m now back with my teammates in Calgary and looking forward to getting back on snow. We’ve just completed this fall’s fitness testing, and from what we’ve heard so far the whole team is moving forward and reaching new heights. I was extremely excited to see that I was fitter on the bike and in the power tests than ever before, even with the lost time because of the knee injury. Now it’s just about translating that fitness into fast skiing!

We’ll be training in Nakiska and Panorama over the next three weeks leading up to the Lake Louise world cup. It’s been warm here so there isn’t much snow, but their now making lots during the evenings as the temperatures are starting to drop.

As for what I have on the go, The Speed Queens have some new t-shirts! (This is a picture of David and I with our t-shirts on from the Vancouver Gala)

The shirts will be sold for $20 and all the proceeds will be going to Right to Play. They’ll be sold at the World Cup in Lake Louise and we’re sorting out a way to get orders in for individuals as well. If a group wants to order 20 or more shirts, send me an e-mail with the order and I’ll get it through! The shirts come in Black, White, and Pink! (Pink is my favourite!)

Another fundraising initiative that I’m working on has been in the works for several months. A local artist from Rossland, Stephanie Gauvin, painted a wonderful action shot of me from the Whistler World Cup. This painting will be auctioned off to the highest bidder on an online site. More details to come…

Best Wishes to Everyone,
Kelly

Training in Solden

Well, one month and 19 days of skiing later I’m on my way back home to Canada. I’ve truly enjoyed my training camp and return to snow program. This camp (after a 4 days in Calgary) began with 3 days in Passo Stelvio, Italy (which was a throw back to my days on the development team), and 16 days of training in Solden, Austria. I’m now set to board the plane and begin my journey back to my own bed where I’ll rest my head for a short break before the racing season kicks off.

During this camp I spent most of my time on getting my skiing back to a place where I was comfortable to push my limits again. This consisted of a lot of drills to help organize my skiing body from the feet up. Although we didn’t have any intense speed training, I did get a good number of days of my SG skis and one day of DH ski testing. We tried some new ideas with my boots (that unfortunately went terribly awry) however, we did learn a few things in the process.

In many respects, October training reminds me of the first week back to school. Running into old faces, revisiting friendships, seeing what retired athlete’s have moved onto, catching up on summertime gossip, and generally enjoying the excited air around the hill. I’m happy to be back.

I also spent 8 days with our Development girls before my team arrived. I really enjoyed getting to know these girls better and was impressed with their work ethic. We had a lot of fun both on and off the hill.

I also caught up with our Men’s Teck team – most notable was seeing Thomas Grandi again (he spent the last year in retirement). It was great to catch up with him and see him back on the hill representing Canada as well as ever.

The World Cup opening race in Solden is happening this weekend, so be sure to tune in and cheer the Canadians on! Racing for the girls’ side will be Gen Simard and MP Préfontaine.

As far as my knee goes, it’s still not 100% but I pushed it pretty hard and it held up quite well. Otherwise, I’m feeling great and look forward to the upcoming season.

Till next time,

Kelly

Back On Snow

Well, I certainly have been avoiding my blog, mostly because I wanted to wait until I had something positive to write...and now I do! I’m in Europe after a few days in Calgary where I was given the go ahead to ski. As many of you already know, my knee wasn’t good enough to go skiing in Chile so I missed that camp entirely. I heard it was great training and I was sad to miss it, although, I know the physiotherapists and doctors made the right call.

I’m now close to 100% and I’ve been skiing the last two days. The knee held up well and I’m adding volume each day as things progress. I was happy to see that I hadn’t forgot how to ski!

Since my crash in New Zealand (and my last blog) I have been busy with physio, staying in shape and rebuilding my right leg. I’m now back physically and feeling nervous and excited about getting back on skis. It’s such an odd feeling to be a ‘ski racer’ yet be away from my skis for such a long time.

During my time at home, I was able to watch a lot of the Beijing Olympics, spend time with David, take little vacation, and attend my sister’s spectacular wedding. All and all, life is good and moving forward.

I'll be in touch again soon with another Blog!!

Smiles,

Kelly

Little Hiccup

Sadly, my training camp in New Zealand was cut short due to a crash in GS training. Although the tumble wasn’t a severe fall, it was awkward and twisty. My right knee was forced into hyper extension while it twisted. From my experience last year in Chile with a very similar fall, I was quite sure I hadn’t torn any ligaments but had once again suffered a bone bruise to my tibia plateau. It didn’t feel too bad though, so we waited a few days to see if it would settle down.

Unfortunately, the swelling actually increased in that time frame so the team’s doctors and physios made the call. I was sent home to recover because the likelihood me skiing by the end of the camp in New Zealand was slim. I was on crutches once again with instructions to have no weight on the injured leg. The most difficult part of this injury was the timing, this injury meant I wasn’t skiing and I wasn’t with David in Beijing. It was a double hit on to the emotions.

A week after my crash I was in for an MRI at a private clinic in Abbotsford, BC. The results came back as expected, a bone bruise to the tibia plateau. It is less severe than the bone bruise I suffered in Chile last year which is good news. Therefore, I’ll be back ready for our next camp in Chile which begins at the end of August.

I am now off crutches and back doing as much training as possible working around the injury. I expect to be back with full weight bearing lifting & twisting by the end of next week.

Hey, it wouldn’t be skiing without a little injury here and there to keep you on your toes! They didn’t call them the Crazy Canucks for nothing!

I hope the West is enjoying this amazing hot summer weather and that the East is surviving the rain!

From The Heart

As a winter Olympian, and long time girlfriend of a summer Olympian, my take on the Olympic journey is, well, intimately connected to everything I am. In Torino I wasn’t an Olympic medal hopeful, yet I finished 4th, a mere 3 hundredths of a second from a podium. Now, I’m working towards 2010. When I’m competing I’m in control, I accept the challenges I face and I dive in head first. Yet, the hardest and most rewarding role I’ve ever had to play is that of a fan, that of being part of a support network to a fellow Olympian.


David Ford, my partner for the last 6 years, was in Beijing representing Canada after battling through overwhelming adversity to get there. Yet is was a quiet battle, fought daily, internally, and fought with class.


I know I’ll never be able to truly convey the emotion involved in David’s journey, the struggle, and the drive that kept him going through endless training session, battles, and setbacks. Sadly, I am simply not a skilled enough writer to articulate the passion I see in David, and the utter respect and pride I feel for him and his journey.




Last year, a few months after David’s 40th birthday, and in the final stretch to the Olympics, the Road to Excellence fun cut his $75,000 funding to nothing. David received a total funding support of $1,500 in the year leading up to Beijing. Once David heard he was cut, he weighed his options. He had come this far, he had to see it through. The changes he was making to his paddling were starting to show and he knew by Beijing he would be ‘in the mix’ for a medal. This decision meant he forked out over $50,000 of his money to carry him through the months leading up to and during Beijing. Unfortunately, he had to cut some corners and sacrifice due to the reality of money constraints.

The loss of funding was a hit to pocket book but it was more than that. It was the emotion and the message that came with it. ‘Too old, sport’s not culturally significant enough, not considered a medal hopefully…’ He felt his country had abandoned him; that they no longer believed in him. This hit was likely more severe than any financial penalty.

I watched David face his demons and doubts head on. I watched him day in and day out be completely committed to his goals. I watched him sacrifice more than I’ve seen anyone do because he believed in himself, and at the end of the day he had to see his story through. I loved him for it, I loved him for every challenge he faced, for every time he picked himself up. He was very much alone on this quest, and he held his own. He kept his head down, did his work, and every step was taken with the intention of moving towards winning a medal in Beijing.

To define if a result is a success or not, one must understand the sport and the dynamics that come into play. In the pool or on the track it’s measure by personal bests and world records. In gymnastics the experts guess the results with are around 90% accuracy. These sports, not to undermine the difficulty or challenges they face, are more predictable. Usually there are around 4 or 5 medal hopefuls, the rest are participants working towards their goals of someday reaching that elusive podium.













Then there are two sports who’s dynamics are sorely misunderstood; alpine ski racing, and whitewater kayaking. There are not 4 or 5 medal hopefuls, there are 15 – 18 medal hopefuls (out of the 21 Olympians participating). These athlete’s also not only medal hopefuls, but in the eyes of their country they will have failed should they not bring home the hardware. Beyond just the medal hopefuls, there were 10 athletes with Olympic Gold medal potential. This means a lot of athletes will go home being considered disappointments – this saddens me because it simply shows a lack of understanding of this unique sport.

Because of the dynamics of the water, nature, and the extreme environment that this race is run in, it is virtually impossible to guarantee a medal. All an athlete can do, is set themselves up to be in the mix, to be one of those gold medal hopefuls. David did that, he was in the mix.

A prime example of the dynamics that exist in whitewater kayaking is in Fabien Lefevre story. Fabien finished 2nd in Beijing, yet he didn’t even qualify as one of France’s top three paddlers last year. This means that the year before the Olympics Fabien didn’t even make his National team. Yet this didn’t mean he wasn’t a great paddler, as he showed in his Beijing performance. He went from being a World Cup medalist ‘06, to not making the national team ‘07, to an Olympic medal ‘08 – this is the sport of whitewater.

Yet David’s 4th at the Pre-Olympics, and 6th in the overall World Series (with an injured right elbow), a 5 time Olympian, and 4th in Athens Olympics, was not enough to secure him any funding according to Canada’s Road to Excellence fund in the year leading up to Beijing.

Now it’s over, this 4 year block where the total focus has been on development and working towards Beijing has run its course. The results are in. David finished 6th with a mysterious 2 second penalty which knocked him out of 4th place. No, David didn’t win a medal, but he did so much more than that. He continued moving forward when everything was pushing him backwards. No one was closer to him than I was through this journey, and no one will ever know how much of himself he put out there. He’s proud to be Canadian, and wanted nothing more than to make his country proud, and in the process fulfill his dream of standing on the Olympic podium.

If this had been Hollywood David would have won that medal. In my eyes, he did so much more than that. He has set new heights in his sport, blasted boundaries, and proven you can hold your head high after an Olympic 6th place finish. He was in the mix for a medal in Beijing, in whitewater kayak that’s all you can ever do.

David, I'm proud of you.

Opening Ceremonies

Goosebumps, every time I watch, I get goosebumps.

It’s the Olympic Opening Ceremonies, and Canada has just walked in. Ever since I can remember watching the Olympics it was this moment that filled me with excitement, anticipation, and pride. I’m lucky enough to call myself and Olympian, and even luckier to have been one who was in the hunt for a medal (sadly missing a third place finish in Torino by 3 hundredths of a second.)

I often ask myself what it means to be an Olympian and why the Olympics represents such grandeur in my (and the worlds’) eyes. I suppose its the chance to achieve an ideal, a level of excellence, the chance to inspire a nation, and the chance to rise above politics, war, and discrimination, to a playing field that comes down to hard work, dedication, and a pure connection to the moment and movement that is sport.

Sadly, this is the real world where very real problems and challenges face the Olympic ideals head on. There has been no more obvious an example where the world’s politics and Olympics have collided than in Beijing. Yet, when the gun goes off, the countdown begins, or the music starts, nothing else matters but the athlete’s performance, the moment. It is then, and only then, that true Olympic ideals are reached. It is my hope that those brief moments in time will extend beyond short-lived performances and reach the forgotten corners of society, like Darfur. It is my hope that the equality reached between races, religions, and countries on the playing field that is the Olympics, will someday reach every gym and playground around the world.

Sport has a way or bringing people together. It can unite a community, teach tolerance, and be used as a tool to enlighten our spirits. The opening ceremonies unite a world in one march, one celebration. I love its simplicity, its tradition, and the hope it gives me as I dream of a brighter future for everyone.

Winter's Coming!

I should apologize, I hope I didn't scare anyone with the subject line in this e-mail. Winter is coming, but only if you're about to head onto a plane, fly 22 hours, to find yourself on the South Island in New Zealand. If that's the case, then yes, winter is coming!

I have caught myself saying things like, 'It's been a nice summer'. And people keep looking at me sideways and ask, 'What do you mean? Summer's just getting going.' I then explain that I'll be spending the next 3 weeks in New Zealand, with a short break at home before a 3 week block in Chile as well.

I have to say, I have enjoyed a wonderful summer. I'm not sure if it's because of Beijing and David's final preparations for the Games, but I certainly sense a shift in my daily motivation levels and my attention to details. 2010 is only 1 1/2 years away, I want to win, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes.

The last month has been filled with travelling for training. I spent two weeks in Calgary with my team training, then one week in Ottawa training. My last week I was happy to spend at home with David before seeing him off to Beijing then hoping on a plane myself to head Down Under.

I'm looking forward to getting on the snow again, although it still feels unreal that I'll be skiing soon. This will be my first trip to New Zealand, so I look forward to seeing this part of the world that I've heard so much about.

Here are a few images to showcase what I've been up to this last month:

Emily Brydon and I petting to horses during the Calgary Stampede.











Jumping off the bridge after some waterskiing and wake boarding in Calgary with the Brewington's and friends.















My parent's in Ottawa when they came up to visit me for the weekend.












The group (and Terry Orlick) about to spend an afternoon climbing trees!











David on the Rutherford - the first race was held last weekend on The Rutherford, Canada's first artificial whitewater course. Check out the You Tube video I made showcasing this event: http://youtube.com/watch?v=0Fo242trjSQ

I volunteered for the Brunch For Books event held at the Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver. I read a new book called, Jazlyn J to the kids then signed them afterwards.

I did some work with Play it Cool this last month. Encouraging BC's people to put their $100 climate change dividend towards going Carbon Neutral, and through an interview with Global National (which aired Sunday, July 27th). The Global National piece showcased Adam van Koeverden and I working with Play it Cool and the programs initiatives.

That's about it from my end. My next entry will be filled with skiing images and snow!!!!

Wishing you many Smiles,

Kelly

Why I joined Team Darfur

Growing up in Kitchener, Ontario I was blessed with an amazing family, stability, and support. It was through this amazing support network that I was introduced to a different world, a rough world that kids face everyday. When I was in Grade 7, my teacher Mr. Covey who is also an activist, showed a bunch of 13year old kids that their voices had power. We learned about child labour, mostly focused in the Philippines. In that class, we formed a coalition against Child Labour, one of my classmates made it all the way to Parliament to speak on behalf of this group. Our voices were heard, awareness was raised, and pressure for change turned into action.

Since that time I have always known I wanted to be a part of positive change in the world. As an Olympic Athlete I have been given an opportunity to inspire and lead in Canada and around the world. Last year I joined Right to Play as an Ambassador and I am extremely excited about that relationship. Teaching the world’s children how to play and learn through sport is a simple, pure, and perfect initiative, one that I am proud to be a part of.

However, I felt there was more I could do. It was then that I was approached by Team Darfur to ask if I would be interested in joining their cause. Team Darfur is an international coalition of athletes committed to raising awareness about and bringing an end to the crisis in Darfur, Sudan. I am extremely excited to represent this movement. Team Darfur have affiliations with Right to Play so I spoke with Right to Play to get a better sense of this organization. Obviously, I was impressed with Team Darfur’s mission and the people running it.

I have been told Darfur is a political issue and therefore I’ve seen people back away from this cause. Often organizations and individuals back away from topics of a politically-motivated nature. However, when I thought about what a politically motivated topic was, I usually fell on issues where both sides made valid points. However, with regards to Darfur the issues are simple. You are either for or against genocide.

Like many people I had a vague understanding about the Darfur Crisis. From the news, the Oprah special, etc. I had a generalized picture of what was going on in Darfur. The ethnic based violence began in 2003, and it’s still happening. It is estimated that 400,000 people have been killed as a result of this conflict and 2.5 million have been pushed out of their homes. Sadly, causes come in and out of popularity with the public, my hope is too help keep Darfur in the public eye, giving this cause voice and strength.

The mantra of Team Darfur is to Learn, Fight, Lead, and Unite. Currently they are working towards influencing the Chinese government to put pressure on Sudan and evoke real and lasting change for Darfur. China purchases two thirds of Sudan’s oil and sells weapons to them. China has a lot of pull in Sudan, and hopefully in the spirit of Olympic Ideals China will use their weight to evoke lasting change in Darfur. If you are interested in supporting an Olympic Truce for Darfur sign this letter at:

http://teamdarfur.org/truce

I believe in the power of one, I believe in the power of voice, and I hope the addition of my voice will help this coalition of athletes move towards peace in Darfur.

Summer Training and Adventures

Summer training is now well underway with many hours already logged on the bike, in the gym, and jumping around. I enjoyed May because I got a chance to get into a regular routine at home. Although I wasn't there all month, it was a great block of time to unwind. I loved the change of pace and the chance to just be home. Amazingly, it took me two weeks just to get over feeling like I had to leave soon. Once I finally realized I was truly home for a block of time I settled in beautifully.

Near the end of May I made a quick visit to Ontario for my sister's Bachelorette party which was amazing! It's not often I get to be a part of big events with my family and friends, so I really cherished getting to share this evening with my sister. It was also a surprise for Laura, she didn't know I was coming for the weekend's festivities! Other than the bachelorette party my weekend in Kitchener was full of family and a few close friends. I enjoyed an amazing dinner with my brother and their girlfriends, a rare chance to connect with them and just hang out. The weekend finished with a wedding shower that was held by Laura's soon to be mother in law - Jean Lanktree. They were a fun group of women, I'm sure the wedding will be amazing!

After my time in Ontario I got another solid week in of training before hitting the road again, this time to Beijing with David. We stayed in a district called Shunyi which is about 45min from downtown Beijing. It's a quiet area that is very 'westernized' and rather wealthy. We were lucky enough to be invited to two local BBQ's with people living in the villas around the hotel. This was a rare opportunity to talk with extremely worldly people about their experiences living in Beijing. An interesting insight into their worlds and different aspects of China.

Our time in Beijing was mostly spent training. I helped David out at the river as much as I could and did my training in the hotel gym (which was fully equipped - a huge bonus that made my life easy). We were using town bikes to get around our area and to go to and from the river. We fit right into the Chinese culture - although I think many of the locals found us quite humorous on our bikes! The venue David will be racing on is spectacular. The club house is massive, the river is monstrous, and the stands that were being built will create the most amazing amphitheatre for the Games. Sadly I will be unable to join David at the games since my team's training camps recently got changed which put me in New Zealand during his competitions. Still, having been there I know he's in good hands and my heart will be with him for every stroke.

Other than training, we did get in a few adventures. We visited the Silk/Pearl Market in Downtown Beijing (pictures below). This was quite an experience to see the pollution in Beijing, barter for deals at the market, and eat dinner out in town. It wasn't the China I had expected though, the city wasn't a sea of bicycles, rather, it was a modern core with a typical flow of beautiful cars (most of them brand new since many were likely bought in the last 5 to 10 years). However, if you looked closely enough you'd see another side of China, for example, in the horrible lodging conditions for the construction workers on building sites.

Another adventure was my trip to the Great Wall. This truly was a highlight in my life, it was spectacular. There aren't many tourist attractions that you can experience, touch, climb, and feel alive on. We hiked for just under 2 hours, much of it running because we were so excited and into the experience. The way up and down from the wall in Mutianyu were interesting as well, with a chairlift ride up and a luge ride down! I was in my element on the chairlift and with the speed going back down! Heading back to the hotel I found myself once again in my element as we checked out the indoor ski hill! I had just bought a massive fur hat in the markets, so I sported that for an impromptu photoshoot...lots of laughs I can assure you.

I'm now back home for a short stay since I leave on Sunday for a training camp in Calgary. The next four weeks will be busy since three of them will be spent travelling to lift weights in a gym as a team in either Calgary or Ottawa.

I'll keep you up to date as the summer continues.

Many Smiles,

Kelly

Still Skiing Lots

Although my racing season ended several weeks ago, the ski season is still in full swing! Since my last race I've had a two week training camp in Whistler, traveled to Rossland, and I am currently Heli Skiing at Mike Wiegele's! (Yes, this is the fun part of my job!)

The training camp in Whistler was amazing since we got to train on the Olympic run. Although we didn't do the top section of the DH, we did full length of every other discipline. The snow was softer than it was for racing, but the conditions were picturesque for this time of year and the work we were doing. The quality time with this run was special and loads of fun for all of us. Training
started at 7am but finished at 10am, so although we were up early we enjoyed relaxing days.


After this camp I went to Trail, Rossland, and Red Mountain for two days. Teck Cominco organized to have me there and help out at a local FIS race. I met lots of the local racers and many invaluable Teck Cominco employees. I really enjoyed this weekend, it was relaxed and filled with amazing people. I'm sure I'll be returning to that area again soon!

After visiting Red Mountain, I went home for a day then packed up and drove to Mike Wiegele's for 3 days of epic Heli Skiing.....yes, life it rough! Mike was kind enough to host 10 guests from the National Ski Team for 3 full days of powder skiing. It has been a great few days with temperatures cold enough to give us winter conditions. Our best runs were definitely in the trees where we played and laughed like big kids. Of course pushing our limits, we had many crashes in the group but we all skied away laughing.

On another note, I'm trying my luck as a brunette! I've been a blond my whole life but wanted to try something different, so I finally bit the bullet and went dark brown (with a hint of red). So far the reviews have been favourable, although I'm only starting to feel like I'm not wearing a wig!

Up next I'll be heading to Charlotte, NC with David for his Olympic trials. I'm really looking forward to having some time with him and helping out with whatever I can around the river! From Charlotte, I'll be going straight to Whistler for another training camp up on Peak chair. If last year is any indication, it will be an amazing camp up there in Whistler's version of heaven.

Till next time,

Kelly

Year End - Bormio, Italy

Another World Cup season has come to a close and this year it ended in Bormio. It was a great week that, some days, felt more like a vacation than a race week! We enjoyed some wonderful days of sunshine but unfortunately that meant the course was unfit to race speed events and therefore the Men's and Women's final Downhill race was cancelled. One of those off days turned out to be extremely memorable after we decided to go to the Bagni di Vecchi Spa. It's an old natural spa built into the mountainside. I couldn't have dreamt of a better natural spa experience! It was amazing.


Luckily the warm weather put some moisture in the snow, and the night brought cold enough temperatures to set it up. The next day the men's and womens' Super G races went off. It was a fun course that I was excited to run. I was on that day but sadly I went too straight at one gate near the bottom that definitely cost me a top five and potentially a podium. Still, I finished with a 9th position which is a strong result and a reminder that I'm still very much in the mix in Super G.

Although exhausted and really looking forward to time at home, I'm sad to see the racing season end. I love racing and I look forward to next year. Looking ahead, I have many months of training camps and hours in the gym. All this time will be spent working towards the goal of being better and faster next year! I can't wait!

I'm now heading to Quebec City for the national Championships then I'll be in Whistler for a two week speed camp. I'll then have some time off before another training camp in Whistler at the end of April.

I finished this year ranked 5th in Downhill and with the most overall World Cup points I've collected yet, 445 (last year I collected 367). It was such a strong season for my whole team and the atmosphere is healthy and hardworking. Watching the crystal globes (they go the overall champions in each discipline) get handed out in Bormio was a great experience. It ignited that passion inside me that's kept me going all these years, I can't wait for next year!

Many Smiles,

Kelly

Crans Montana, 12th

After a few tough training days I was able to collect myself and turn out my best run of the week on race day. Although 12th isn't what I'm looking for I was happy to have a solid run, making all the gates, and finishing without the adrenaline rush from a near crash experience!

I came to Europe for the final World Cup races of the season full of desire to be on the podium, wanting to claw my way onto the overall World Cup podium. My focus became far too output oriented and I started to loose my touch and finesse, I was trying to force a great result. I was trying to be perfect to get that win, however it's letting go of that need for perfection that will ensure a good result, and someday that elusive win. It's unfortunately we have to keep learning these lessons, but that's life!

Otherwise I am well, feeling healthy, and surprisingly strong for the end of the season. Emily, Britt, and I will be heading to Bormio, Italy next for the World Cup finals. Things start quickly with the training runs on Monday and Tuesday and the Downhill race on Wednesday. I'm looking forward to getting on this track with the men, it's sure to be exciting!

Many Smiles,

Kelly

Whistler - The Olympic Track

Great news, I LOVE the Olympic track! Bad news, so do all the other athletes!

Seriously though, the track was great fun with lots of terrain, jumps, and it was technical from top to bottom. You simply never stop turning in the 1min 45sec Downhill. I was lucky enough to have a few days off at home before heading up to Whistler for the big week. I took this time to get my body ready both physically and mentally. As excited as I was to race in Whistler it didn't change the day to day tasks of getting prepared.

I had many supporters out to watch the event which made it that much more special. My family was out in full force along with Walt Graziani and others. There were also many of my good girl friends out from Ontario but (other than speeding by them while I was racing) I didn't get to see them. It was sad to have so many people at the event who meant so much to me but be unable to see them all. There were many events I was required to attend and just the regular day to day activities involved with racing World Cup took up nearly all of my time. Someday I'll be the spectator and able to join in all the festivities, but for now I'm loving being the athlete and racing my heart out.

Still, with this schedule, I did get a few meals in with my family which was great! Also, after the racing I drove with my sister back to Chilliwack for some time together (and we did a bit of her wedding preparations together) before getting her to the airport. It was nice to spend some time with my sister.

During the week David came down with a tough Aussi bug that he couldn't shake (he had just returned from a 7 week camp in Australia the day before joining me in Whistler). This sent him home after the Downhill for some R&R. I was amazed how he didn't complain and played the perfect supporting boyfriend while I got set to race in the Downhill. He's feeling better now though, back training as he gets set for Beijing this August.


The weather was picturesque for Whistler and the week went off without a hitch. We had two training runs in which I finished 4th, and 14th. Race day was extremely exciting and I was happy to finally race. I was full of excitement and nerves. The good kind of nerves, the kind that feel like butterflies full of excitement. I just wanted at the course. I wanted to race.

I finished in 9th position 0.59sec from 1st and only 0.2sec from 4th position. It was a tight race and I made some errors that meant I wasn't on the podium. I am, and always will be, happy when I'm in the top ten in the world. Still, I wanted a podium more than anything and in 2010 that's where all my focus will be.

I'm leaving Whistler with many good lessons, a sound understanding of the hill, and a complete commitment to the steps I'll need to take to better prepare for my next race here...the Olympics.


With all my excitement and passion,

Kelly

2nd in Sestriere!

I finally got my podium in Sestriere! Although it was two years after the Olympics, and on the Men's track, it certainly was bitter sweet to see the Canadian flag finally raised during the awards ceremony. It had a certain sense of completion, I knew I'd hit the podium there eventually (and two times I came oh so close) but on Saturday I finally did it. I finished 2nd, behind Lindsay Von and notably fellow Speed Queen Britt Janyk finished in 7th. It felt great to stand on the podium again....I could get addicted to this! (I also think I like the mens' tracks....St. Anton, Sestriere...)

- This image is of Britt and I dancing in the finish area before the awards! Many, many laughs all around.

I came into this week with a sense of excitement and determination. So far this year both Emily and Britt have gotten their first World Cup victories, I've been told it's now my turn. And believe me, I want it more than anything. This week was filled with the kind of work that will get me to that top step, and I won't let up. In warm up and training I was skiing in a way that will get me the podiums I desire. I felt dominant, in control, and enjoying the feeling of racing.

Saturday was a very full day. After the race we had Super G freeskiing, I had a press conference, and finally I returned back to the hotel for some lunch at 3:30pm. I got to my room at 4pm and I had lots left to do; bike, conference call, meetings, awards, bib draw, interviews, video, etc. However, I think I did a good job sticking to the things that would help prepare me for the Super G the next day. Coming into the weekend I was most excited about the SG, I thought that was where I was going to shine. (So my podium in the DH felt like a great set up for Sunday!)

Going to bed that night I was full of excitement after the podium, nervous energy for the Super G, and total exhaustion. However, as tired as I was, I couldn't sleep. I was lying in bed awake till 1am and woke at 5am. Still, I knew this would only affect my performance in the Super G if I let it. So I focused on each step in front of me. Inspection was good, and warm up was great. Before I went there were several holds and I started feel doubts about sections of the course. Still, I started out well and was leading after the top technical, rolly section. However, I lost a lot of time from there to the finish. I felt 'ok' but looking back I realize I was just a bit to rigid because I lacked trust in myself and my abilities. I finished 18th.

Again and again I'm learning the lesson that I can win when I just ski and trust myself. Moving forward I will have to be diligent and tough with my mental approach, facing the fears that lead to my doubts. No excuses, just go, race hard, and see what happens.


After the SG we promptly hit the road since we had a 6 hour drive to Zurich. We are all very excited to get back to Canada, sleep in our own beds for a few nights, and more than anything, we can't wait to see the new Olympic track! I'm extremely excited to be going to Whistler feeling strong and ready to race.

Whistler here we come!

Big Smiles,

Kelly

St Moritz

Well, St. Moritz was an interesting weekend! I was struggling a bit during the DH training runs to get a full run together but I was pretty positive with the majority of my splits. The final training run was cancelled due to fog and high winds. This prompted the 'Speed Queens' to go for a little sleigh ride! Crowns and All! We had a lot of laughs as we got some funny looks from people around us.

The DH race turned out to be a tough day as conditions drastically changed moment to moment until finally it cleared up and a tail wind carried the final athletes to the finish line. The athletes around Britt and I all had our year's worst results and had trouble explaining why exactly. Then the tides turned and nearly anyone who finished after the top 30 ended up in the top 10. With bib 47, Tina Maze, won the race and bib 34, a young swiss girl, finished 3rd with a crash through the finish line. (The first 30 bib numbers go to the top 30 athletes based on world ranking, it is unusual to have someone outside the top 30 finish in the top 10) Unfortunately these girls bumped my teammate Emily Brydon off the podium. It was hard to see but we all know luck goes both ways in this sport.

Emily came back the next day with the best answer possible by winning the Super G! It was so exciting for everyone and we sang the National anthem with pride! I started 4th and came down into first where I sat for a while until I finished up in 9th position. It was an extremely close race and a picture perfect day. I made one large mistake near the top of the course on two turns that caught many people off guard and having an early start number simply meant I didn't know about it. My splits were, 29th, 4th, and 2nd. I skied well and I felt great. This was my best Super G result this season and my skiing filled me with renewed confidence.

This weekend I also cracked out a new Helmet that I designed with the Teck Cominco colours. It's always fun to have a new helmet! I've been told this helmet looks 'meaner' and 'faster' than some I've had in the past. We shall see!

On my way out of St. Moritz I stopped to visit my old coach Peter Bassins' Aunt who still lives in that valley. She looked amazing and through broken German and English we did our best to communicate. She is a sweetheart and it was great to see her.

The next day we drove the 5 1/2 hours to Pragelato (just outside of Sestriere) where we'll stay for our upcoming world cup. We are staying in an amazing Kempinski hotel that is set up like a small village of wood cabins. It's certainly the most beautiful place we've stayed at this season, and certainly the best we've ever had in Europe. Only Britt Janyk, Emily Brydon, and I will be competing in this world cup since the rest of Canada will be competing at our National Championships in Whistler.

Here in Sestriere we'll be racing on the Men's Olympic track so it will be new for nearly the whole field. From here we'll get a few days at home before heading to Whistler for the first World Cup on the Olympic Track!!!! We are all Extremely excited to be racing there!

Big Smiles and Cheers,

Kelly

Cortina & 25th Birthday

2008 certainly started out with a bang for the Speed Queens with 3 girls in the top 6 in Cortina's Downhill! This was followed by all three of us remaining in the top 15 in the next two Super G's as well.

After two days of Downhill training run cancellations because of too much snow, the racing finally got going on Friday. Sadly I got sick with a virus that was brought over by a few Canadian girls, so I was happy to have the days off. I knew I was quite sick when I chose to stay in bed rather than ski epic powder with the girls on the second day of cancellations! It sounded amazing, but I needed the rest and knew even powder couldn't get me out of bed. The race had to be my priority.

Finally the first training run got going on Friday with a planned start of 10am. The start was slowly moved to noon as they realized more work had to be done to the track. Finally, the forerunners were on course and I made the way up to the start. As I took my final step to the start hut, I was told I should turn around since there would be another hold on course. This time for an avalanche that took out some nets! That was a new one for all of us! After this, the training run really did get underway. After all the delays I was pretty tired and ready to crawl back into bed. I finished 22nd.

The next day was race day. The Canadian Speed Queens came out to race! We finished 3rd - Emily Brydon, 4th - Myself, and 6th - Britt Janyk. The other Canadian girls had a bit of trouble with this new track but came away with some positive experience. It wasn't easy for them with only one training run.

Up next were two Super G's. I haven't been as strong in this event this year and I haven't trained it much lately. Although I knew I was skiing well and I was on my game so this gave me confidence. I simply tried to relax and focus on 'just skiing'. I was worried about the sickness in my lungs being a factor but I knew I could do nothing about it, so I chose to ignored it. I focused on the fact that I only had to perform for less than 2 minutes. You can do anything for 2 minutes!

In the first SG I finished 15th with one big mistake that I was happy to recover from and avoid a crash. (I caught an edge in the soft snow and nearly went down). My splits were very positive placing 2nd at the top, 38th where I made my mistake, then 11th and 4th. Even though the final result wasn't there, I was happy with my day and attitude. Emily finished 4th and Britt 6th. Another good day for the Canadians.

I was excited for the next Super G, plus it was my birthday!

Unfortunately the course was almost exactly the same set, and I once again drew a late number (it was warm so the snow wasn't holding up as well as it usually does). I was still skiing well but felt some anxiety in wanting it so badly and being attached the how it felt yesterday. Finally, I was ok, just in the section where I made my mistake yesterday I was very slow - I was trying to control everything. The top section, I killed it once again coming 1st in that section. I finished the run in 13th position, really a solid finish, but far below what I'm capable of. However, I came away from this weekend with new found confidence in Super G.

After the race I found out that the television announcers here in Europe were really taking notice of the Canadians. They kept saying, as the race unfolded, that nothing was over until the last Canadian (in the top 30) came down. Lately the congratulations between athletes and coaches start after number 22 has finished the course (that means the top 15 racers were down). However, no one congratulated anyone till I was down with bib 27. This was a huge compliment and it has filled me with more confidence. The Canadian Girls are getting noticed.

After the race we packed up and got set to leave for Mals for a few days off and then a training block before heading to St. Moritz for our next World Cup. Before we hit the road we had lunch and the staff of the hotel got together and brought me an amazing birthday cake! It was very sweet. We then hit the road and made our way to Hotel Gerda in Burgeis where I had another birthday cake awaiting me. I hit the hay pretty early feeling exhausted after a very full day and looking forward to a couple days off, hoping to get over this cold.

All and all I had a wonderful Birthday, although I really missed David who's in Australia and my family back in Canada.

Take care and I look forward to seeing many of you again soon during the Whistler World Cup! I'll be racing the DH there on February 22nd!!!!

Back in Europe

Time certainly passes quickly! Christmas break is over and 2008 is in full swing. I just arrived back in Europe, currently staying in Altenmarkt Austria, and today was my first day of training. Pretty easy first day with some GS gates then freeskiing once it got too busy as the public took over the course. Otherwise, I'm doing well, feeling healthy, excited get back racing, and looking forward to all that 2008 has to offer.

My Christmas holidays were wonderful! I spent Christmas day with David's family in Victoria, then we enjoyed time at home before heading up to Whistler for some training/powder/Olympic track inspection. The new women's race hill looks exciting, tough, and fast. I look forward to running it this February for the World Cup that's being held there on February 22nd.

Take care and I'll update you as the season unfolds!