Whooooooeeee! That was a big, big end to the season with 8 races right in a row like that! I won’t recap each race, but here are some highlights from the tour…things that really stood out for me. I’ll be letting the photos tell most of the story.
There isn’t any way for me to possibly say “thank you” enough to the coaches, wax staff, volunteers and team supporters that have worked so hard all year to give us our best chance in each and every race…but I’m going to try. Especially to the crew that travels with us all winter long, hopping from country to country and living out of a suitcase, putting their lives on hold so that they can coach us and wax our skis (often doing both things simultaneously, because budgets). That’s no small thing. On race day they get up before the athletes do, and they’re out testing skis, working so hard to find us the best possible wax combination so that we have a chance at competing against the best in the world. Then after we race and have headed back to the hotel to shower and rest up and get a hot meal, they’re still out at the wax cabins prepping skis for the next race, or packing up the wax boxes to put back in the cargo van and drive to the next venue. They are the most under-appreciated, hardworking people in the world, because when a race goes badly so many athletes seem to think it’s ok to blame their techs, and never think to thank the wax techs when they have a good race. But they’re out there working hard every day, even when they never get enough credit for the work they do! These guys are in it for the love of the sport, and I am so honored to have the staff that we do on our team. Thanks you guys!