I always start skiing blogs with a note of thanks! Whichever way I look at it, the chance to express myself in skiing is a blessing. So for this platform to write to you I am thankful! To the organisers of the FWQ a huge thank you for putting on an incredible format of event! And to all of my sponsors, thank you for the support and making the equipment that makes what I do possible and enjoyable.
The real reason I was motivated to write this blog is to help clear my head following a big crash I took in round 3 of the Verbier Freeride Week on the 20/01/2017. For me its really important to spend time rationalising and internalising what happened, trying to get a genuine perception of the mistakes I made and how it can be avoided in the future.
To help understand the scenario I am sharing this with the video and will use the seconds in the film to link what I am writing with what happened. At 40 seconds into the video I am just taking off for my 3rd and final air of the run. (I had backslapped on the second cliff and this run was worth very little by this point). This is the last moment at which I have any control of my speed or line until I come to a dead stop in a tree maybe 25 vertical metres below.
One of the first things I said to a friend at the end of the run was ‘I can never get that lucky again!’. I think it is easy to think that as I raise my arms after hitting the tree, I am a young fool who thinks he is invincible. For sure the level of emotion I had as I take my last look at the tree before the big hip check in the snow that saved me (43 seconds); tells me I am aware of my vulnerability.
So having experienced that level of fear, and being aware that on any other day I might well be dead, or most certainly at the end of my skiing and canoeing careers. How do I move forward? How do I make myself comfortable in similar scenarios in the future? How to I approach the same level of risk but ensure my skill level is high enough to prevent the dangerous outcome?
Fortunately for me the answer mostly lies in going skiing with my friends as much as possible. They are all motivated to push their limits, yet they are all very knowledgeable about where their and my limits are and they all care about each others health. This for me is the most important influence in my skiing.
There is an incredibly important moment when you take to the air. As you see your landing you start making calculations about your height and speed and the condition of the snow. You will either truly understand what needs to be done to create a successful outcome or you wont. Your understanding of what needs to be done and your faith in your ability to do that is generated by your experience. You jump 10000 times and you start connect the position that works and the strength that’s required with you skiing away.
The complication for me this season and what I really need to learn from and fast, is that we have had no snow, this run is about my 7th run in powder since March 2016. Therefore whilst I believe in my ability to take on these risks and perform the skills well enough to negate them. I need to be very realistic about where my skiing is right now.
So back to the drawing board. I am going to take onboard some good advice from experienced riders around me and take a few weeks doing smaller stuff, with low consequences, but in similarly choppy snow and with a big range of steepness for the landing. I am teaching for next couple of weeks and always find it really useful for thinking through the skills that make the higher levels of skiing possible. Hopefully by the next contests in February I’ll have my head back together and I can find a good level of confidence. Confidence can never be artificial. It comes through action and experience. Fortunately action and experience on skis is one of the most rewarding factors in my life and it is going to be no chore to go and get it!
