That's a wrap!

We've just finished the Australia/New Zealand Continental Cup Finals here in Mt Hutt, New Zealand and that means the Australia/New Zealand domestic season for 2013 is done!

I had some great results here to finish off a dream comeback season. It was a huge schedule with 10 days straight of racing. 4 DH days (which I foreran for the men), 3 Super G, 1 Super Combined and 1 Slalom.

Forerunning the Men's Downhill Races

In the Super G, I finished with a 2nd place and a PB result in Super G of 55.50 FIS points. I also placed 3rd in the other Super G and 3rd in the Super Combined.

Super G podium. 1st place Barbara Kantorova of Slovakia (middle), 2nd place Lavinia Chrystal of Australia (left), 3rd place Greta Small of Australia (right)

ANC Cup Super G course, Mt Hutt, New Zealand

The Slalom was also a great race for me. I narrowly missed the podium, but my skiing was great and I made a 2nd PB result of 30.95. Congratulations to Barbara Kantorova of Slovakia (1st), Charlotte Guest of Great Britain (2nd) and Mandy Dirkzwager of The Netherlands (3rd).

Results - ANC Cup Slalom 

Whilst the conditions at the start of the week were perfect, unfortunately the final Giant Slalom race had to be cancelled due to dangerous snow and weather conditions. Although this was a shame, the silver lining is that I hung on to the AUS/NZ GS bib that I had carried throughout the season. This title means that I have my own personal spot in North American and European Cups and will start no worse than bib 31. It's very handy to have (especially in an Olympic year) and I'm very proud to have won it for the second time in my career.

Australia/New Zealand Continental Cup Giant Slalom title 2013

All in all it has been a fantastic season. I couldn't have imagined a better return to competitive season after 18 months off with my knee injury. I'm just so happy and proud of all I have achieved this year:

Australian National Slalom Champion
Australia/New Zealand Continental Cup Giant Slalom title
5 Podium results
A PB FIS point result in every discipline!!
Currently ranked 2nd in Australia for every discipline.

Naturally there are many people to thank for my success.

Thanks to my coach for his hard work, dedication, patience and belief in getting me back to my best.
Thanks also to my team mates for making my return to skiing easy and fun.
Thank you to my physio at The Sports Clinic, and my trainers and support staff at Sydney Uni Sport and Fitness for getting me back to my best physical condition to achieve my goals and dreams. I owe you!

Finally, thanks to my family, friends and supporters for backing me and cheering me on every step of the way. Particularly my wonderful parents. I would be nowhere without you!

My beautiful parents. The best supporters in the world!

It's time to head back home to Sydney now. We've got 1 week off to relax and unwind before getting back into training in the gym. It's going to be a busy 6 weeks back at home with a mixture of intense gym sessions, some fun media things, and catch ups with family and friends.

All my love,

Lav xoxo

National Champion!

It's been a massive few weeks of travel and competition with some great results that I am really proud of!

On Thursday August 8, I flew home to Sydney for one night, before driving to Thredbo the next day for the Suzuki Australian National Championships. Before flying home, it had already been decided that, due to lack of snow cover, the races in Thredbo would consist of 4 Slalom events - 1 National Junior and 1 National Championship, and 2 Australia/New Zealand Continental Cup races.

However, before these competitions kicked off, I competed in the Thredbo Senior Interclub race on Saturday August 10, representing my ski club, The Ski Club of Australia. In a very tight contest, we were narrowly defeated by our long-term rivals Southern Alps Ski Club. It was a really fun day, and I was delighted to win the individual female race, ahead of Jenny Owens and Toni Hodkinson.

AUS team members at Thredbo Senior Interclub (L to R) Tom Lewis, Toni Hodkinson, Scott Kneller, Sami Kennedy-Sim, Lavinia Chrystal and Jenny Owens

The Suzuki Australian National Championships were scheduled to start on Monday August 12, but due to heavy rainfall, Monday's racing was postponed. Monday night saw temps drop and the rain turn to snow, so Tuesday was all go for the Australian National Junior Slalom Championships. Unfortunately, it was not my day, and I straddled a gate early in the first run. However, there's always a silver lining, and this meant I could dash across to the other side of the mountain to compete in the Ski Club of Australia club championships - something which holds a very special place in my heart.

At the bottom of The Ski Club of Australia club championships

Wednesday's FIS race was postponed due to unfavourable weather, but Thursday August 15 saw Thredbo pull off 2 races in one day! First, we competed in the first race of the Australia/New Zealand Continental Cup. I drew bib 11 and had a fairly ordinary first run. After sitting in 6th place after the first run, I had a stormer of a 2nd run and moved up to 4th position. I was really happy with this run as it was the 2nd fastest time on the second run. This gave me a lot of confidence going into the second race of the day, which was the Suzuki Australian National Championship. This time I had bib 15, and again wasn't especially pleased with my first run. Sitting in 5th place overall (and 3rd of the Aussies), I had another brilliant 2nd run and ended up winning the race outright, and also the national title. The victory was extra special because my parents and many of my friends and supporters from The Ski Club of Australia were there cheering me on.

Thanks to my parents and SCA supporters!

Congratulations to Poland's Katazyna Wasek and Denmark's Charlotte Lemgart who were 2nd and 3rd, and also to Jess Haslau (pictured below) from Australia who was runner-up in the national title.

Congratulations must also go to Mike Rishworth (pictured with me below) for winning the men's national title.

Although this is my 3rd open national slalom title, I would have to say that this one means the most to me. I couldn't have imagined a better return to racing after 18 months off with a serious knee injury. To my parents, loved ones, friends, sponsors and supporters - this one is for you! Click here to read the media release from Ski and Snowboard Australia and click here for a youtube video wrap-up of the National Champs and an interview with me at 1:55mins!

Australian National Slalom Champion 2013

Friday August 16 saw the final day of the series in Thredbo, with the last day of the Australia/New Zealand Continental Cup. I drew bib 1 and had a great first run to be placed 3rd. My second run wasn't so flash, but I was pleased to finish in 4th place, feeling confident I would soon start to put 2 good runs together.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Kosciuszko Thredbo, Thredbo Ski Racing Club and the Race Organising Committee for their hard work and dedication in ensuring these races went ahead.

After Thredbo, I had one night at home before flying back to New Zealand on Sunday August 18 for the next races.

On Tuesday August 20, I competed at Coronet Peak in the Giant Slalom event of the Audi Quattro Winter Games/Australia-New Zealand Continental Cup. It was a very competitive field of World Cup and European Cup teams from Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, Japan, Norway, United States, Canada and Great Britain to name just a few.

Having fun with friends from the German, Austrian and Japanese Ski Teams at the Audi Quattro Winter Games in Coronet Peak, New Zealand

The temperatures in New Zealand have been warm, which made for soft and bumpy conditions. We even got down to grass on a few gates! Starting from bib 53 was a challenge (especially when my Aussie teammates had bibs 1 and 3), but I had an amazing first run and skied into 17th place. I finally managed to put together 2 good runs, and finished the day in 18th place, scoring a career personal best result in Giant Slalom of 33 FIS points! I was also the top placed Australian/New Zealand competitor, which now places me in the lead for the Aussie/Kiwis of the Australia/New Zealand Continental Cup Giant Slalom standings.

View from the GS start looking over Queenstown, New Zealand

The following day we raced the Slalom race of the Audi Quattro Winter Games/Australia-New Zealand Continental Cup. Given my great results in the ANC slaloms in Thredbo, I was able to start with number 5 in this race. It was another great day at the office, scoring a career personal best in Slalom of 29 FIS points. Again, I finished as the top placed Australian/New Zealand competitor.

Competing in the Slalom at the 2013 Audi Quattro Winter Games/Australia-New Zealand Continental Cup

I'm so proud of these results, and know that I have more work to do, but it's a great indication not only to myself, but also to the Olympic selectors, that I am back at the top of my game!

After these races, I had a few days rest, before getting back into training which consisted of Super G at Cardrona with the Swiss and German European Cup women's teams.

Sunrise at Cardrona for Super G training :)

I'm now in Queenstown for a few days to compete in the New Zealand National Championships. It's one Giant Slalom and one Slalom race and the fields are going to be world class again, so I'm really looking forward to seeing what I can produce! After that, we will compete in two Slalom races at Treble Cone, before having one last training block ahead of the Australia/New Zealand Continental Cup finals in Mt Hutt in mid September.

It's a busy program over here, but I hope to update again soon.

All my love,

Lav xoxo

New Zealand and back to racing!

I've been over in New Zealand now for about 5 weeks and it has been really great so far. The best start to the season I have seen in years! Just a shame that the resorts back home are struggling..really praying they get some good snowfalls soon.

I spent the first 2 weeks of my season skiing with my regular coach at Cardrona resort in New Zealand's South Island. With perfect early season conditions we were able to get straight into gates, skiing long days of often 2 ski sessions and then a gym session in the late afternoon. Tiring, but after such a long injury I need the mileage! 

Cardrona Alpine Resort, Wanaka, NZ - my training hill for the next few months

It's never easy living in a foreign country, but I have been so lucky to stay with some wonderful families. Thank you to the Andrews family for having mum and I to stay for a few nights at their beautiful resort, Tin Tub Luxury Lodge, in Wanaka. Check out their website here. It is absolutely stunning and Trish is a killer cook!

When mum left, I went to stay with Richard and Di Somerville. They are old friends of my parents, and their son, Will, went to school with my brother when they lived in Sydney. I can't thank them enough for their love and support. They've taken such good care of me and really made me feel like a member of the family. Really going to miss them! They are also die-hard sports fans, so as you can imagine it's been a match made in heaven! They're even sponsoring the 100% pure New Zealand Winter Games through their vineyard Two Degrees

The Somerville's beautiful home on lake Wanaka

View from the Somerville's home looking over the lake across to Treble Cone Resort

After my first training block in Cardrona, I moved over to Queenstown for a 12 day National Team camp at Coronet Peak. It was the first real time we have all trained together as a national team, so it was really great to get to know my fellow team mates. There were 10 of us in total (3 women and 7 men), along with our national team director, and the probable Olympic coach. It was an intense camp - double ski sessions, followed by a gym session every afternoon and only 2 days off - but I made some great improvements in my skiing. All in all, it was a great camp and I look forward to the second camp in late September/October. 

National Team camp in Coronet Peak, Queenstown, NZ - thanks to Anne Barwood for the great photo!

View from the gym in Queenstown - not bad!

Some GS and SL training footage from the team camp in Queenstown.

A massive thanks to Coco Plaskitt for having mum and I to stay with her during the camp in Queenstown. You're a star! I'm so lucky to have such wonderful friends (especially those from my SCA family). Coco is busy starting up her own new business - a ski and travel site. Check it out here.  

View over Queenstown from the Plaskitt's beautiful holiday home

After the camp in Queenstown, we were initially scheduled to return to Aus to compete at Mt Hotham in the Australia New Zealand Continental Cup (ANC) series. However, these were unfortunately cancelled this year due to the poor snow conditions at home. This meant that most of our team stayed in New Zealand to compete in the Wanaka Ski Club FIS series. This was actually quite a blessing for me, as it meant I was able to compete in my first comps in 18 months on my home training hill at Cardrona.

Cardrona held 2 GS races and Treble Cone held 2 SL races. The SL races at Treble Cone were first and it was a very tough hill to make my return from injury. The conditions were very steep and icy, and to top things off I had bib number 1! That was pretty nerve-racking! Spending 18 months off is a long time, but I am really happy with how it went. I ended up in 6th place with a score of 52 FIS points on the first day, and unfortunately did not finish on the 2nd day of SL. Then I competed in the 2 days of GS races at Cardrona. Both days of racing I had great first runs but struggled with nerves on the second runs. This aside, I still had some great results, scoring my second best ever FIS points result in GS (35 FIS points). Even though I was disappointed that I dropped from 3rd place to 6th place on the 2nd day, I am happy that there is some good, fast skiing in me and I know I am going to put 2 fast runs together soon! For detailed race results, check out my FIS biography here.

The National Team men had some great results, with a 3rd place to Dominic Demschar on Day 2 of the GS at Cardrona. Awesome Dom! Congrats also to great friends of mine in the women's field - Alex Tilley (1st & 3rd place, GBR), Charley Guest (3rd & 2nd place, GBR), Mandy Dirkzwager (2nd place, NED) and Piera Hudson (2 FIS points PB's, NZL). Super stoked for you guys.

AUS National Team-mate Dom Demschar 3rd place GS Cardrona!

GS race at Cardrona

Happy to be back racing after 18 months out from injury! Thanks to ACE for the great shots!

I'm currently enjoying a much needed 2 days off, before starting a 4 day block of training tomorrow. On thursday I am flying back home for 10 days to compete in the Australian National Championships in Thredbo. Really looking forward to racing in my home mountain of Thredbo again. It's been a while...

I'll be sure to update again after the next race series.

Much love,

Lav xoxo

New Year, New Knee

I'm back! It's been forever since I have posted and that is due to a few reasons, but the main reason is because I have spent the past year rehabilitating my left knee after surgery last April.

2012 was a frustrating year for me because my surgery on April 2 was on the same injury that I sustained in August 2011. Unfortunately this injury put me out of training and competing for effectively 2 northern and 1 southern seasons. However, I've done the hard yards in the gym and in rehab, and I am happy to say that I recently returned to snow for 7 weeks training. As frustrating as 2012 was for me, it's all in the past now, and it's time to look onwards and upwards. But first, a trip down memory lane...

Spot the difference? My knee - 1 month post-op (left) and 9 months post-op (right)

Thanks to Stu and his team at The Sports Clinic for handling my rehab :)

Thanks to Keith and his team at #Niagara for the awesome sponsorship of these 'Cycloid Vibration Therapy' machines. The Portable Hand Unit and the Thermo Cyclo Pad were instrumental in my recovery process. 

My best friends for 4 months. Thanks to a bloodclot, I had to inject these blood thinners into my stomach everyday for 4 months. Certainly cured my phobia of needles!

My knee brace for 4 months. Still had to carry out my patrol captain responsibilities. Although, I'm not sure what SLSA would have to say about this...

At 4 months, the brace came off and I was back in the gym.

In fairness, 2012 wasn't all bad. The time rehabilitating my knee also gave me an opportunity to explore some other things - mainly the elusive contents of my university books. That's right folks, I've finally done it! Proud to say that after 5 long years, I successfully completed my Bachelor's degree in Economic and Social Sciences (major in Government and International Relations) from The University of Sydney. My graduation ceremony is this friday so I'll be sure to post some photos up from the big day soon!

Looking forward to my graduation this week!

Celebrating after my last exam with my brother, Lachie

Moving on...
I've just returned home from 8 weeks in Europe where I successfully completed my return to snow program. I was lucky to enjoy 2 weeks at the end of Feb freeskiing with my parents. After a bit of a mishap on the first day of our holiday (we were crashed into by a drunk driver), the rest of the time with them was incredible.

Our rental car was destroyed by a drunk driver. Luckily no-one was injured. He blew 0.16 at 10.30am. Big night mate?

Celebrating my birthday skiing with mum and dad

After mum and dad left, I joined my coach at the Dutch training centre in Zell and See, Austria, for the remaining 6 weeks of my trip. This is where the Dutch, Great Britain and New Zealand national teams are based. The facilities are great, with an in-house cook, large ski room and gym, and plenty of world class training areas within 5-20 minutes drive. It's also great to be able to share a house with friends and other athletes.

Here I eased into drills and gates. With physio and careful management, I'm pleased to say that my knee handled things well and I was even able to have time adjusting to the new ski regulations which are coming into effect this year. After a long time out from competitive skiing, it was too soon to start any races this trip, but I'm certainly hungry to get back into competition come July.

Picking up my new skis for this season from the factory in Altenmarkt. Thanks #Atomic!

This year is going to be huge. I've just been named in the Olympic Squad for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. The real team will be chosen from this squad, so it is the first step, in a very long process, but exciting nonetheless. There are some really talented girls in contention for the team, but I'm going to work hard and ski my fastest and see where it takes me! I'm in Melbourne this week for a Sochi 2014 Team Assembly and the Ski and Snowboard Australia Awards Night. I'm already back in the gym training harder than ever. In a funny way, my injury has changed me. If anything, I think it has made me a better, more focussed athlete, more determined to fulfil my potential and chase my goals and dreams.

Photos from the #A.S.P.I.R.EtoSochi team assembly today. 

#Sochi2014 Team Assembly. Uniform fitting, team briefings, medical exams, media photos & interviews and even an impromptu visit from #ASADA for a drug test. 

There are a number of people I owe a great deal of thanks and gratitude to. Firstly, thanks to my parents, other loved ones and friends for putting up with me the past year. Secondly, thanks to my coach Jonny Rice. We've had 7 great years together. Looking forward to more!

Thanks also to the many people who helped in my rehab and come back. Thanks to Dr Tan, my surgeon, and Stu Pavely, my physio. To the fabulous Will Procter and Tim Leahy - my strength and conditioning coaches - you guys are awesome. Your dedication to not only myself, but all your athletes, is incredible.

Thanks to Leonie, Nick, Anika, Debbie and other staff at SUSF EAP program for your continued encouragement and support.

Finally, thanks to my sponsors, and also my number one fan club at the Ski Club of Australia for your continued friendship and support.

Until next time...

All my love,

Lav xoxo

PS - Check out these videos from training. Hope you enjoy them!

GS training in Leogang 

GS training in Maiskogel-Kaprun

GS freeskiing on the new ski in Maiskogel-Kaprun