Junior Worlds 2012: Living with Limits

Definitely not something we worry about back home. 

Today's start was pretty brutal: I rolled out of bed at 6 AM. Still rubbing the sleep from my eyes, we were on site by 7:00, to be on the water shortly after. It was a fast-paced morning, and we had to keep things moving. Down and back. Only a couple passes for each of us, just to get one last feel for the lake, before skiing back in.

Our lakeside view from our hotel.

The two Colombian girls on the team are looking good and gaining confidence. Everything's looking upwards, the wind is on point, and the sun's giving us a few hours of brisk weather, before scorching our already sun-burnt skin. They each go out and nail it. Less than four passes each, and back in. I prepare for my last slalom set before the tournament begins. I'm a bit sore and tired from the past couple days of skiing, but I need to finish strong. This was my goal, my strategy, to peak for this week. After all, I knew my choices were limited. Skiing the past few months, through the Miami "winter" and heaps of college applications, was not exactly a breeze. Juggling skiing and school has been a skill I've been forced to embrace. 

Enjoying some early morning rays while waiting for the boat.

Standing on the dock, anticipating my last set, it's easy to get caught up in the rush of the moment. To let myself drift and worry and stress that I didn't play my cards right, that it's all a farce, and there's no way I'm ready for this tournament. And that's why my dad, my coach, is here to slap those thoughts out of my head with a shove into the lake. Less than twenty seconds later, and 400 horsepower is pulling me into the course. Turning one ball, I pick my line and let the boat do the work. I make it back out of the exit gates. A couple passes later and I pull into the dock, satisfied.

My official tournament bib—and a couple other goodies for the skiers. 

An hour later, and the Colombian team switches to the next lake for our next time slot. The two girls go out again, for their last practice sets. I finish off with a few jumps but something's not right. My setups are good, but the results aren't. Frustrations and tensions rise, but I force them down for now. Only later would I find out that this set was my first with the tournament boat, equipped with the stronger engine. Other issues arise too, however. I'm peaking too soon. My legs are starting to reach their limit, after being put through straight-through training, a day-long flight, and another training week. All I can do though, is rest, and prepare for tomorrow's official start to the tournament. It's something I have to accept as part of the sport. It works. It doesn't. It comes and goes. And there's not much I can do about it.

An advantage to our early morning, we're done skiing by 11:00AM. Some of us head back to the hotel, some stick around the site. I take the opportunity to grab some lunch and catch up on some schoolwork. Later, sitting around the table with friends, trading stories and jokes, I'm reminded of how much I love this sport. Reconnecting with friends from all over the world, conjoined by one interest, there's nothing like it. Like I've said before, it's an indescribable feeling to be constantly surrounded by people who are so talented at what they do. These tournaments bring together only the best from around the world, and being able to take part in it all keeps me humble. 

HQ, and where we'll be ending our tournament parade through the
streets of Mulwala tomorrow afternoon.

We finish off our day with a great meal. Curry rice and chicken, pretty much all around. We keep it an early one. A solid eight hours tonight is as good as gold. With that in mind, I get back to my room while my dad triple checks the ski gear. I upload some photos, chat with Sasha, write up this blog post, and am out cold as soon as I touch the pillow.

Tomorrow is Day 1 of the tournament. I hope you'll join me.