Kick back, relax, and take in the views! Latest video edit....

Welcome to Winter Down South - NZ Spring Camp Part 1- Katya Crema

from Katya Crema on Vimeo.

Back to Basics

This week has definitely been a week of firsts and new experiences.

Five days of skiing, five different resorts in New Zealand.

The idea behind this weeks’ training was to experience skiing in a new way. We visited the Club Fields of New Zealand’s Southern Alps, all located within two hours drive of Christchurch.

The Club Fields are renowned for their incredible off-piste terrain and for their local skiing enthusiasts. You have to really love the sport of skiing to spend a day up here, and the level of difficulty involved in all aspects being on the mountain means that there is not one beginner in site. There is no grooming, no chairlifts, no cafes or bars. It’s like skiing back in the 60s. Mum always tells me about how she first learnt to ski at Mount Mawson in Tassie. “You have it so easy these days,” she says. “When I learnt to ski in Tassie we used a leather belt, a nutcracker and a pulley system to get up the mountain…” Mum would do run after run on the one ski slope using the rope toes. Maybe this is where I inherited my passion for skiing from?!  

Day 1: Mount Olympus

The pulley system was definitely more difficult than I anticipated. You’ve got a small window of opportunity to latch your nutcracker onto the rope whilst you’re still on the flat. After a few trial and errors, I slowly started to figure out how best to avoid having your arm wrenched from the socket as you get dragged up the hill. Best part of the day was hiking to the summit, taking in the view, and skiing the soft spring snow all the way to the bottom.

Made it to the summit after a solid hike.

My best friend for the next four days; the nutcracker.

Day 2: Broken River

The day started with a ride up a vintage self-operated tram carriage designed by New Zealand engineering students. A little sketchy but we managed to get up in one piece. We did a full day’s skiing followed by a long walk all the way to the bottom. The tram has limited opening hours (obviously everyone is obviously out skiing!)

Broken River tramway.

The scenic walk all the way to the bottom.

Day 3: Craigieburn

After two days of warm spring skiing, we were lucky enough to wake up to 27cm of fresh winter snow. My first powder day in a while! And it just so happened to be bluebird.... Craigieburn had some amazing terrain to offer; steep chutes and couloirs, large open bowls, and even a few small cliffs to jump. Deep snow, blue skies and a whole new mountain to explore… my idea of fun!

No friends on a powder day!

Anton and Jamie making some fresh turns through the chute.

Who sees the scary ghost man climbing through the mountains?

Day 4: Temple Basin

The toughest day of all! Before we even contemplated putting our skis on, the day started with a 50 minute strenuous hike from the car park to the day lodge. We climbed over 2000 vertical feet (approx 600m) over a 3km track. Trekking on a rocky path, with warm temperatures and arid vegetation, I felt like I was somewhere in the Himalayas. Once we finally arrived to the day lodge, we had another 20 minute hike with skis and boots before we reached the Temple Basin ski area. Once again, incredible terrain, amazing views, and a great adventure experience.

Another hike

Himalayas style hiking to the top.

Day 5: Mount Hutt

Groomers on fast, sharp race skis and a high-speed 6-seater chairlift at Mount Hutt felt like a piece of cake after the past four days roughing it on crud, icy moguls, steep uneven terrain and rope toes!

We are now training super G and GS at Mount Hutt for the next five days. I might even pull out the old alpine lycra race suit if I’m feeling game! Next stop on this New Zealand Spring training camp is Lake Tekapo, three hours south of where we currently are; Methven.

I’ll be sure to keep you posted with all of my adventures over the next three weeks.

Soon to come is a video blog from the past week of skiing...

Enjoy!

A succesful short competition season in Australia

I am happy to report that the past three weeks of racing have been extremely successful.

Kicking off the competition season was Thredbo’s famous “Top 2 Bottom” race; a Chinese downhill from, as the title suggests, the top of Thredbo to the bottom. The race starts with a head-to-head sprint for about 60m, skis and poles in hand. Once you reach the first gate, it’s skis on as fast as you possibly can, and a head-to-head downhill race to the bottom. Similar to ski cross but without the jumps! This event is about the only excuse we ex-Alpine now ski cross racers have to put a downhill suit back on! And it feels oh so good….

I finished the sprint in third, and managed to make two passes in the downhill part of the race and take out the win.

To witness what the hectic race was like from my perspective, take a look at the head cam footage….

 
Thredbo Top2Bottom 2013- Katya Crema from Katya Crema on Vimeo.

Sami and I racing Top 2 Bottom at Thredbo for the win...

To more recent news, the SSA Ski Cross National Championships were held this weekend at Mount Hotham. The plan was to hold two races, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Unfortunately the weather didn’t quite go to plan…

On Saturday we raced two qualification races. I won both races, securing two qualification wins coming into finals. Today’s double race finals were unfortunately cancelled due to gale force winds, fog and fresh snow. The race was decided on qualification times which makes me National Ski Champion for 2013 which is great. Definitely not the way I would have liked to win; head-to-head competition is always more fun!  But I’ll take the win none the less.

Well done to teammate Sami Kennedy Sim who took third place is both races.

 Quatchi (the Vancouver mascot that now lives on my backpack) took a beating in the wintery Hotham weather!

Australian National Ski Cross Champion, 2013

On Sunday I will travel to New Zealand with the Australian Ski Cross Team for a four and a half week training camp. We will be based at Mt Hutt for the first two weeks, then Cardrona for the last two and a half weeks. Joining us on a ski cross track will be the Canadian Ski Cross team, as well as the Australian Border Cross team, and a bunch of other athletes.

I am very much looking forward to training on a full-length technical ski cross course. Hopefully it is ideal prep for Sochi!

A big two weeks at Perisher

I have just completed a massive two week on-snow training camp in Perisher, NSW. Rain, hail, shine, wind, snow.... we've had it all. Nevertheless, it's been a very positive block of training. The focus for the past two weeks has been jumping and starts. The Perisher Front Valley terrain park, where the likes of Russ Henshaw and Anna Segal have been training (Olympic Gold hopefuls), has been the ideal place to practise big air and aerodynamics. Whilst the start gate set up which we shared with the border cross team was perfect for training start technique and movement over jumps and rollers.

Highlights from the past two weeks would have to be my birthday celebrations (thanks Belle and Dan for the delicious birthday muffins!), my exciting weekend trip to Canberra to check out the sites, and the beautiful sunrises at 6:30am from up at the mountain.

Next weekend we have the Australian National Ski Cross Championships at Mt Hotham, then in late August we are off to New Zealand for our main southern winter training block: five weeks in the South Island (Mt Hutt and Cardrona). Conditions are great over there this season with tonnes of snow, so its a trip I am very much looking forward to!

Have a look at the latest Ski and Snowboard Cross training video put together by SSA TV. Gives you a good idea of the type of training we have been doing!

Enjoy

Start section at Blue Cow, Perisher

Lacking a little snow earlier in the week! Belle Brockoff, Australian Womens BX Team.

Birthday Muffins! Benefits of being an athlete; we train so much you burn everything off!

Parliament House, Canberra

Battling the weather

Anton Grimus, the Mountain Man

 Beautiful afternoon at Lake Jindabyne.

Out for a ride in Jindabyne on a sunny afternoon. Thanks Garmin for the goods!

Back on snow in NZ!

I've just had my first week back on snow in Cardrona, New Zealand. It's been three months since I had my last ski day, and it feels like forever!

Along with teammate Scott Kneller and Coach Matt, we had 6 solid days of free skiing, technical drills, and park time. We managed to get lucky with the weather too.... 5 out of 6 bluebird days. Not bad!

It was amazing to be back on snow again. All the hard yards in the gym over the past few months is totally worth it for this! I really do miss skiing between seasons...!

Tomorrow I head to Sydney's Northern Beaches for two weeks of intense physical training with coach John Marsden. Then it's back on snow in Perisher, NSW.

Hello New Zealand!!!

A cold and windy day in Cardrona...

Lake Wanaka.... Always a spectacular sunset.

Land Before Time? 

Gotta Love New Zealand's quality gravel roads....

Back to my Primary School

Last week as apart of the VIS ambassadors program, I returned to Middle Park Primary in Melbourne, my old school. Since I left Middle Park over 16 years ago now, things have changed a little as you can imagine! One thing remained; the enthusiasm kids have at that age for sport.

I brought with me some 2010 Olympic uniform jackets for the kids to try on, showed some videos and talked about what its like to be an elite athlete competing for Australia. I had a great time meeting a lively group of students who were fascinated by the sport of ski cross. Hopefully in a few years some of these kids will have the opportunity to represent Australia in a sport that they love.

Video Blog Episode 4

A bunch of new experiences; Audi ice driving in Sweden, teh Freestyle World Championships in Voss, and the Olympic World Cup Test Event in Sochi, Russia....

Enjoy!

Episode 4- Winter 2013- Katya Crema from Katya Crema on Vimeo.

Episode 4- Winter 2013- Katya Crema from Katya Crema on Vimeo.