Saturday was quite a day for Team Sputnik, with me placing 3rd and Alise Balode 2nd in the over 16 women’s category at the Gap Nation comp at Hemel Snow Centre, well done to Faye Young for beating us both though.
It was good to get the season started with a podium finish, especially as I wasn’t expecting it. To be honest I didn’t have that great a session, while it was great catching up with so many riders (& parents) that I hadn’t seen for ages, I just didn’t enjoy the comp that much. Whether it was the conditions (at times it felt more like boardercross with all the moguls) or the fact that I dislike having no wiggle room for speed checks at all on kickers (being forced to straight line or die doesn’t sit well with me) I’m not sure but I almost packed up and went home. Instead I had a bit of a mess about on one of the lovely Mr Fuller‘s Salomon Gypsies, just so he didn’t feel like he’d dragged all his shiny new kit to the slope for no reason.
It was a really fun board, with plenty of pop & flex and even handled the icy choppiness without too much trouble…no mean feat given that I was on a 147 and probably way over its weight range. I did have a massive bail on the gas pipe at one point, wrapping myself around it at speed leading to winding but thankfully no rib injuries. I don’t think it was the board’s fault though! Check one out if you get a chance.
Next up is the British Indoor Championships at Castleford. With less than a month to go I’m waiting with baited breath to find out what this year’s exciting new format is (I’m guessing last year’s exciting new format didn’t work out!), so that I know what I should be focusing my practice on. I have 2 work trips to Munich & Madrid on the horizon which means I’ll be missing at least one session at the slope, so hopefully it won’t be anything too weird and wacky! Mind you as long as they don’t take Hemel’s concept of combined boardercross-style then I’ll (probably) be happy!