Yesterday I watched bib number 60 ski and I knew it could have been me. That was a tough thing to do. Knowing that the hill for the Soelden 2005/06 Olympic season opener was injected and really difficult made it even tougher…. The piste was in my favourite conditions! But at the same time, strangely, I felt satisfied with mine and my coaches’ decision not to race.

Despite being mentally and physically prepared and raring to go after an awesome, long summer of training- both gym wise and on the slopes- we decided to not rush around chasing last minute skiing most resembling the hill in Soelden (our only WC hill of that kind so you are specifically training for just one race as if it the bee-all and end all of the season). I have worked a lot on my timing of starting the turn this summer and having almost got it down to a ‘T’ so we didn’t want to go to Soelden and lose that feeling on the steep pitch. So whilst all the other girls were limiting their training for the past few weeks so that they aren’t fatigued for the race, I was getting in the miles and really tuning the last final technique changes for the long season to come.

Also we found out that the Olympic DH in February has been ‘re-made’ to encompass 3 more jumps, so there will be at least 6 jumps on the hill! That is a lot of airtime which over the last season has been a big problem for me technique wise – often propelling me into the air in the classic Chemmy ‘star-fish.’ So this was an area we really had to address this summer – and I think I can confidently say that I guarantee I have had more airtime than anyone else in the last 6 months (and I am not counting the long to-and-fro flights down to Argentina!) 296 jumps later (approximately 5920m in the air …. To put that in perspective that’s 54.8 football pitches!) And now jumping for me, is like an avid dieter eating their first chocolate bar (every time) – tantalising and exciting – you know exactly how it is going to taste/be but still it excites you. Plus they are always finished too fast! Seriously that is no exaggeration – I really enjoy jumping right now. My control has improved so much that I have been able to really simplify things – I no longer have millions of things to work on when I am on the lip of the jump – it all boils down to one thing – exhaling!

Most likely silly superstition, but in the past few years my results at Soelden have set the scene and almost predetermined how my season ends up – 2 years ago I skied really fast and my season was awesome, last year I struggled and my season turned out to be one battling injury and searching for confidence. So now having no result almost leaves it open for me… the fact that in training I have proved I am fast and that those watching me were surprised about out decision not to race makes me secretly confident and really excited for the first races…..

I feel like a bullet ready to go off….

I just need someone to pull that trigger!!!