Ski racing is hard. Telemark ski racing is hard. No part of it can be passed off as easy. And today felt like it. I like hard things, but sometimes you get slapped down. It's not as easy as couch sitting... and today there's not much to write about. Partially strategy, partially execution.
Yesterday's jump had a long line to make it. It was perhaps a viable strategy then to skip going for distance, focus on the tele landing, and keep a high line. Reminder that not making the minimum distance line is a 3 second penalty and not tele landing is one. So in discussion last night, we got to don't worry about distance, go for the tele landing.
Today's course had a shorter jump and it wasn't a blind landing. I stuck to the strategy - don't go for it, but try to land and transition to tele instantly. But in hindsight the right strategy was to huck it and go for a tele landing but at least stick an alpine. Without that you're out too much time to be relevant essentially. I thought I did a continuous drop into tele position landing, but must not have as I got dinged for that too. So the jump all in was a 4 second penalty. Ouch.
Secondly I was really focused on a high line and not getting low and crappy. That was fine, but it wasn't a direct enough line, I should have been fighting for a tighter line instead of a a smoother one. I thought I carved ok, but it's just not tight, deep, powerful enough. Ouch two.
Ouch 3 was I got two boot space penalties. I could live with one as a statistical blip. I'm mildly surprised at the 2, as I was trying to really think about it. I have a feeling one was the gate that was just like 3m before the rap. It wasn't a yellow "parallel turn is ok" gate, but given it's entry to the rap maybe I didn't accentuate it enough. Not sure on the other. Ouch three.
Live and learn. In theory mental mistakes are easier to fix, I thought about that after when I watched some guy unstrap a massive high tech knee brace. My mind needs to be better at the "wait forever then be 100% instantly" aspect of ski racing.
Beauty day on the hill and great atmosphere, just didn't squeeze out a good run.
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