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