I can’t think of the last time I allowed a day to go by without thinking of the perfect ski turn. I just love closing my eyes and daydreaming about the feeling of entering a turn powerful, balanced and confident. While a smile comes across my face as I let the power of the ski shoot me down the fall line. Is it out there? Will I ever find this perfect turn?

There have been countless moments throughout the last few years that I felt like I have been living in a childhood day dream. The world seems to always wake you up from those moments though, and soon that daydream turns into an amazing memory. I was able to make some amazing lifelong memories from all over the world last year. Throughout all the good and bad runs that I made last season, there are two runs that I think about and compare the most. Not because the outcome of the runs were so different, but because the mindset and feeling within the run felt so similar. 

As I cross the finish of the downhill portion of the olympic super combined, something just felt right( maybe it was because I acutely finished the corse for the first time all week, training runs included). That good feeling stayed with me all the way threw the finish of the slalom run. And within that run of slalom I raced at the level that I always new I could ski at. It was the feeling of having the confidence within myself to let go of everything else and ski as fast as I could, that was the most rewarding. Its a feeling that I strive to achieve every race. 

Over a month after that I found myself in another slalom starting gate. This time on the  east side of north America in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire. It was the last NorAm race of the year and I was in 2nd after the first run. As the race unfolded and by the time I pushed out of the starting gate for my second run, all I had to do was come down in 28th to win the NorAm overall title. During the first 10 gates I skied like all I wanted was 28th, but then something clicked in my head, and I started to ski to win. I started to take risks, and fifteen gates from the finish, I was upside down hoping I didn’t just DNF(did not finish) the NorAm overall away. I did. 

When people talk to me about the Olympic super combined slalom run the mood seems to always be light, fun and enjoyable. But when someone talks to me about the Waterville slalom run its always in a down tone with the same question being asked, “why didn't you back off and finish.?” To me, they do not feel all that different. I felt nervous in both and skied to win in both. In both runs I made one really bad turn, in the olympics, I recovered, In Waterville, I ended up on my head. The Olympic moment was one of the happiest in my skiing career and Waterville Valley was one of the worst. But one without the other would not have left as big of an impact.

  There is a big difference between skiing fearless and reckless, and for some reason I like to make turns down both sides of the fine line that separates them. But I think the more training and experience I get, the more I will find myself skiing on the right side of the line. Achieving a balance between having tactical skiing and just letting it rip, is the big step I need to take in becoming a more consistent skier. 

Over the last few months I have also learned that my perfect turn may not exist in most peoples eyes. But that I have all ready made millions of them in mine. Yes, MY perfect turn is out there. It just may not be anything like yours...and isn’t that what makes skiing, and life, so unique and amazing?

Find your perfect turn, and keep it Smooth

Will