So I competed in the first world cup if the season last week and I got my best result for 2 ½ years!

See below for all the details…

On the first qualifying run I got 100m out of the gate before 2 guys with flags stopped me saying the girl in front had fallen. As a result I had to hike back up and start again, not really a problem but it does mess with your head a bit. My first for real run was ok, a couple of mistakes but nothing bad. That put me into 9th place. I usually mess up my first run completely and have to rely on my second one to qualify so it was a nice change to get into the top 16 on my first run for once.

My second run was better but the snow had softened by then so the time was actually a little slower. By the end of it all I had qualified in 12th.

First heat. Got into the first burm in second and stayed there. I almost hit the girl in front over the penultimate just but didn’t thankfully. We got across way in front of the other 2 so I was now through to the next round!

Second heat. I was the underdog so to speak in this heat as I had the slowest qualifying time and consequently the last lane choice. I was also incredibly nervous! In all my world cups last year I had collided with someone in my first heat so this was the first time I had been in the second round for ages. This heat didn’t go well, I messed up the rollers at the start and then almost bailed on 2 of the kickers! I didn’t get through that round which meant I was in the small final.

Small Final. I had managed to calm myself down a bit so I had stopped shaking at least. I got into the first burm first! Unfortunately to get there I had to cut in front of the other girls and lost some speed doing that., I was then in second. I thought we were both going down in the second burm but didn’t. Then it was a job of holding my line and fending off the girls behind me. I managed it. All the way down to take 6th.

So I finished 6th. Not a bad start to the season. We have anther comp tomorrow so I have heaps of confidence going into that one. Plus I also have the line on the 3rd burm down to a tea so that should help in qualifying.

Oh yeah, and I am now ranked 6th in the world!

Zoe