New Season New Plan

Working towards the start of the 2019 NZ season with plenty of time spent in the gym building on strength and condition is keeping me busy, thanks to Alpine Health and Fitness. As one journey ends another begins and with funding from NZ Ski Charitable Trust (Hamish Edwards) coming to an end, it’s time to reassess. This season, after five great years of training at Coronet Peak with the Coberger Academy, I feel it is time for a change and am excited to be heading to Cardrona again. This season I will be under the experienced coaching of Osi Inglin and CAST (Cardrona Alpine Ski Team)

Many thanks to the Skeggs Foundation once again for your continued support. For any athlete in the Otago Region, be sure to check out their funding opportunities, click on the link and head on over to their website.

It was great to experience a breath of summer in Thailand and Bali after a tough season in Europe and get a chance to try something different with a bit of surfing in warm water!

It was a much needed break from winter to unwind and move on from what had been a difficult season. While I had some excellent training in Europe and some of my racing improved, results were hard to come by and the pressure was on.  Another season where the elements made for tough conditions with dumpings of fresh snow just before races, or warm wet conditions also adding to the mix.  In amongst all the World Cup races, we also headed up to Sweden to Åre for the World Ski Championships in February where it was another mixed bag of weather and conditions! I picked up second place on the podium for the National champs slalom race in Jasna, Slovakia early March which was a bonus. From Europe after the final World Cup race in Kranjska Gora, Slovakia 9th March, we rushed over to catch the tail end of the NorAm races in Burke, USA on the 12th March for four days of racing.  Not ideal conditions on top of the stress of travel and changing time zones made for a tough end to the season mentally as well as physically. 

National Championships

The first race of the National Championships was to start on the 29th August with a giant slalom however after 10cm of fresh snow overnight, it was postponed to the following day.  Blue skies, frosty morning; warm-up hike to the start gate and we were good to go, racing on Out Wide at Coronet Peak.  A few challenging sections with the new soft snow as well as a definite lack of snow in other parts caused a few problems but I was pleased to take out the National GS Champion trophy with team mates Nick Prebble and Willis Feasey on the podium.

National Champs 30 Aug 13

National Champs 30 Aug 13

The slalom race was on Race Arena which was very challenging.  Over half the field came out in the first run and just 22 of the 67 starters completed the race.  I made a few mistakes and lost a bit of time but managed to pick up the trophy as first New Zealander. Top two at the end of the day where Michael Matt, Austria and Dave Ryding, GBR.

Nick Prebble, Adam, Willis Feasey, Nationals GS

Nick Prebble, Adam Barwood, Willis Feasey National GS

Nick Prebble  U21 GS & SL Adam Barwood Open GS & SL

Winners: Nick Prebble U21 GS & SL. Adam Barwood Open GS & SL

Thanks to all who support and sponsor me and the NZ Team –  Head, POCXTMKomperdellAvocaOne Square MealsJucy RentalsNZSki.com, The Roofbox CompanyWanaka Ski ClubCommunity Trust of SouthlandSkeggs FoundationAlpine Health & FitnessAtlasMerrell and Coberger Academy.