2014 Sponsors - Thanks

A huge thank you for the ongoing support from my 2014 Sponsors Outside Sports Queenstown, Bobo Products New Zealand, Dynastar New Zealand, Dalbello Italy and Atlas Beer Cafe Queenstown.

NZ Winter Training Underway

Three weeks into winter here in NZ and training is going well, although we could definitely do with some more snow!
I'm working hard and enjoying being part of the QAST U16 Team this season, our coaches Igor and Tim are amazing and I'm learning a lot from them both.
I'm loving my new Dynastar Race Skis, the move to an adult ski from a junior ski is fantastic and has totally changed my skiing!
Telemark training tomorrow will be interesting....
AndieG❄️

Japanese Camp

Finally back home in Queenstown after 26 hours of non stop travel!
The camp was great fun, with great coaching and great company.
We mainly focused on G.S training with both technical skiing, gate training and daily video sessions.
I was happy with my early season progress and have identified what I need to work on and have set my goals for the fast approaching NZ winter season.
Thanks Simon, Thanks Japan :)

Japanese Camp

We've had two great days of technical free skiing supported by video sessions at a small resort called Akita Hachimantai in the Hachimantai National Park in the far north of Japan's main island of Honshu.

There's just the one chairlift and two long, moderately steep runs which are perfect for training :)

There's no one here except us and the snow is perfect allowing us to ski hard and fast all day without getting into trouble!

We've spent the days training until early afternoon followed by some Dryland training and a bike ride in afternoon then a swim in the icy Lake Towada ( Which by the way has ice on the surface ), it's freezing but so much fun!

We're having a day off today to visit one of the nearby cities ( Towada City ) to do some shopping before we start four days of gate training tomorrow.

I'm loving my new Dynastar SL and G.S Skis ( Thanks Gerald and Bobo Sports NZ ).

My new race skis are totally different to my previous junior race ski, far more precise edge to edge, more stable under foot and powerful out of the turn, I'm looking forward to getting into a course with them over the next few days.

More to come, stay tuned...

Japanese Camp

So amped to be heading to Japan in mid April for a two week training camp with my Dynastar buddy Prue Lange.

It's going to be a great experience and my first trip away on my own :)

Back Home, Back To School, Bring On Winter...

Well I'm back home, back to school ( Wakatipu High School ) and back to being a regular kid :)
Looking forward to getting my Training Schedule sorted out with Braden at Fight Science Queenstown and the coming NZ Winter Race Season :)
Stay posted for regular updates as our NZ Winter draws nearer... :)

Sochi Winter Olympics

Two days until the 2014 Winter Olympic in Sochi open, I can wait to see all my idols compete!

USSA U14 Far West North Series Dual Slalom Races

Another amazing race day today at Alpine Meadows here in Lake Tahoe C.A.

A very competitive field of 87 of the best U14 Girls in the Western United States raced a Dual Slalom in near perfect weather, sunny clear skies and warm temperatures.

I posted the fastest time of the morning on the Blue Course and then the 6th fastest time on the slower Red Course in the afternoon finishing 4th overall, an OK result and I achieved my goal of a top five finish :)

Tomorrow my goal is a top three podium before heading home on Monday...

 

Back On The G.S Skis

After a long drive back from Utah yesterday and a bit more shopping in Reno on the way through it was time to put the fat skis away and get back onto the good old G.S Skis :)
Training today at Alpine Meadows was awesome, only a few of us there as most of the local kids were in school, the snow was dry and chalky and we skied hard in the gates until late afternoon.
It's so nice to be training in a race suit and hoodie, working on the goggle tan and making small technical changes to my technique. Looking forward to another great day tomorrow - Thanks SVST

Bigtruck Hats Truckee CA

What a great day off!
We went across to Truckee for some shopping and a late lunch, we ate at a really cool retro diner called Jax on the Trax and then looked around the shops in Downtown Historic Truckee, Mum and Dad bought me a pretty snowflake necklace ( which I love ) for doing well in my races over the weekend at Sugar Bowl which was really cool!
We then decided to try and find the Bigtruck Hat Factory and after some clever use of free Wifi here and there, Google Maps and some sleuthing about we managed to located it.
We entered the warehouse factory to be greeted by both Galen and Kelsen the two really cool guys that created the now very famous Bigtruck Hat Company a few years back and a brand now worn by many well respected athletes including my inspirational idol and Truckee local Julia Mancuso!
So what was really just supposed to be a quick drive by of the Bigtruck base in Truckee turned out to be so much more...
The guys were stoked that we had travelled all the way from Queenstown, New Zealand and had made the effort to call by their warehouse and say hi that they gave us a full tour of their operation showing us each stage of the design phase and how they make their wicked hats, after which Galen says "So Andie how about you design your very own one off Custom Bigtruck Hat" - I'm like speechless and grinning from ear to ear!!!
Then Kelsen rummages about in a drawer and produces a really cool Goggle Patch and says "Andie, you can be the very first person to use the new and yet to be released 2014 Bigtruck Goggle Patch".
I'm like wow, that's way cool, thanks guys!
So I spend the next 45 minutes with the guys in the factory choosing my hat, thread colour, custom flags and then I watch as Kelsen hand stitches it together right there in front of me, my very own one off, custom designed AndieG Bigtruck Hat, I'm so stoked, thanks guys :)
So then we are about to leave and Galen goes, so Andie I think you should have this pair of really cool KOSS Headphones just like Jules wears and oh, here's a Julia Mancuso Olympic Hoodie too...
I'm now totally blown away, a Custom Bigtruck Hat, Koss Headphones and a Julia Hoodie - Simply the best day off I could have hoped for!

Thanks guys, thanks Bigtruck!

U.S Training

Training is going well here at Lake Tahoe, California.
The majority of my training so far has been my favourite discipline Slalom, we've been training gates four days a week on the Alpine Meadows Race Arena, a great facility closed to the public.
Snow conditions are lacking as far as free skiing goes but are perfect, hard and fast for Slalom Training, just the way I like it :)

New Boots / Thanks Dalbello

I trained G.S today at Squaw Valley breaking out my new Dalbello Scorpion Boots care of a Race Department Sponsorship direct from the factory in Italy.

The difference is amazing, they are much quicker edge to edge with a very precise fit and much closer contact to the ski.

I then headed over to the Start Haus in Truckee for a custom footbed fitting this afternoon and can't wait to head out again tomorrow to see the improvements.

Merry Christmas everyone, be sure to make some turns on Christmas Day :)

Training In The U.S

We arrived in the U.S on Friday afternoon and after a reasonably uneventful drive from San Francisco across to Tahoe City we settled in and got some rest.

I've been training SL at Alpine Meadows for the past two days, conditions are perfect with hard packed snow, two courses set one after another in the shade and a dedicated chairlift just for the race course!

I've made some new friends and worked hard over the past couple of days so I'm feeling happy with where I'm at after three months away from the snow.

We're training G.S  at Squaw Valley tomorrow then a couple of days off for Christmas, I'm looking forward to skiing with the family on Christmas Day :)

Thanks Dalbello

I'm stoked with my new Dalbello Boot Sponsorship direct from the Race Department at the factory in Italy.

It will be interesting to feel the difference skiing in a full blown race boot once I get to Squaw Valley in a couple of weeks time.

Thanks Reno, Ivan and the Race Dept Team at Dalbello :)

The Daniel Keys Foundation

Wow, I'm so proud to be the recipient of the 2013 Daniel Keys Foundation Grant, I've been awarded funding by the Foundation to help out with my training costs in the U.S this summer.
The Daniel Keys Foundation is a Charitable Trust that supports and encourages young people throughout New Zealand, motivating them to push the limits of ones capability, achieve personal goals and chase their dreams!

Audi FIS World Cup 2013/14

Wow it was so cool to see the first Audi World Cup Race from Soelden last night, so inspiring, can't wait to be back on snow...

Squaw Valley

Eight weeks and counting until I head away to Squaw Valley, California for the Summer.
Really looking forward to a White Christmas, training in a new environment, racing in the U.S and making some new friends :)

Spring Training

Now that all racing has wound up for the NZ season and I've had a good weeks rest it's back into the gym twice a week with my amazing trainer Braden Lee mixed up with some cardio and core classes with my Mum.
So cool to be training alongside my Mum :)

Mikaela Shiffrin

So cool to have met Mikaela Shiffrin earlier in the season when she was training SL right beside us at Coronet Peak.
Thanks for your inspirational advice and encouragement Mikaela, you'd have to say it certainly paid off!

2013 Sponsors

I want to say a big thank you to my 2013 Sponsors - Gerald from Bobo Sports / Dynastar New Zealand, Ivan from Outside Sports Queenstown, Davey from Atlas Cafe Queenstown and of course my Parents ( MAP Productions Queenstown ) for always being there to support me and drive me forward :)
Your support and belief in me has been both awesome and inspiring allowing me to achieve my goals and perform to the best of my ability throughout the season.
Here's hoping your generosity extends into 2014 and beyond.