World Cup - 1st half recap

Happy New Year!

With racing stress, busy training schedules, work, travel, and unreliable (read: horrible) Internet access in Europe, my blog has been neglected. I have blog posts drafted for La Plagne, France and Winterberg, Germany, however haven't been able to upload photos and videos for them!

Those posts will come, soon hopefully!

But now that I'm back in Europe (and have Internet again after a web-diet for the last week in Altenberg, Germany, a town so far east it's practically in the Czech Republic), I figured an update was due. Even if only a text update.

• Igls, Austria, December 2-3, 2011 - I got a post up about it. In short, a dismal race. 20th place.

• La Plagne, France, December 4-10, 2011 - pretty sweet. Still not an amazing finish, but I was excited to learn a new track. I'll write about it later in a separate post, but in short it was a great track, beautiful location, fun racing, and I ended up in 16th place.

• Winterberg, Germany, December 11-18, 2011 - by this point, I was pretty frustrated to say the least. The weather also didn't cooperate, and we ended up with a one-heat race. I came in 17th...which is still better than my 19th there last year. I tried to stay positive - not easy, but at least I tried!

Then it was home for the holidays, woohoo!!! It was AMAZING to spend time with Brad, have a normal schedule, recover, decompress, put the first half behind me, and just relax.

I also slid at the Utah Olympic Park a few times, which was pretty funny since I had to be pushed off the start with a broom to let my hamstring heal (see La Plagne post later for the story). While home, I figured some things out with my new sled....

.....and.....

.....and things are going pretty well on second half! An Altenberg race post will come later as well, but I had my best finish of the season there this weekend, and sliding is finally feeling comfortable! I'm starting to trust the sled, relax, and have confidence. Which feels amazing after the struggles of first half.

Now we are in Königssee, Germany, the track that's special to Brad and I - from our first trip sliding Europe together, to World Championships and getting engaged here, to Brad's 3rd place Europa Cup finish in December. So wish me - and the whole US team - luck for the races this coming Friday and Saturday! (January 13 & 14, 2012).

Check my Facebook for links to watch the races live (should you have the crazy need to be up in the middle of the night) or to watch a replay afterward (when you wake up).

Cheers all, and thanks for the support and encouragement!