Canadian Championships and Lake Placid...again

Well I am finally writing from the comfort of my own home, and have finally completed (what seemed like) the neverending season... Not that I'm complaining because it has been quite and awesome rollercoaster ride, and I would not have expected it to have turned out so great!

Last time I wrote I was heading off to Whistler for Canadian Championships. We had two weeks out there of training and then the final day was the race for all the marbles. Training had been going very well as I was having the fastest times of the women (and some of the men ;-), and I feel like I have really started to figure out this very tricky and fast track. It seems like every time we go out to Whistler the track crew finds some way to make the track go faster and this time was no exception. During the World Cup in January the top speed during the race I had reached was 143.5km/hr. This time on just a routine training day without race preparing my equipment I was the fastest female going 147.3km/hr!!!!

There was a slight problem lurking for me however, because I was asked after World Champs in Lake Placid if I did not mind keeping my sled there for the America's Cup race in March and driving my older heavier sled for Canadians in Whistler. I had reminded the coaches I would not be able to make weight in this older sled but was assured something would be worked out for the race so Shelley and I did not have to starve again. During this time the jury for our race was contemplating bending the rules for me because of the situation with the sled, but the day before the race decided they did not want to do it. This left me with no real time to lose the weight needed for race but the Canadian federation still wanted me to participate knowing Shelley and I would be disqualified. I was very frustrated with this situation as I would have done the work needed to make weight knowing this would be the jury's decision.

As upset as I was I decided to go out and really lay down some amazing runs and prove I could be Canadian Champ. I was very happy with the race as Shelley and I had pushed some very fast times and I had put together two of my very best runs. We were in first place after the first heat by 17/100's of a second, and I was looking to increase my lead on the second heat. The second run was even better and I was in first by 51/100's of a second winning the race by a total of 68/100's of a second!!! Considering races are won by 1/100 of a second, and that I have not beat my top Canadian teammates in awhile this was a huge win for me. I did get to celebrate for a few minutes before the jury got a hold of me and I ended up being disqualified (as I had known would happen) by 2kg!! It was pretty disappointing as I have never been crowned Canadian Champ but the federation told me they were really impressed with my race and that it showed I can compete with anyone on the team and am looking strong for an Olympic spot on the team next season.

Then for the final races of the season I headed back out to Lake Placid for the America's Cup, and to see if I could better my World Championship runs as we were having back to back races just like the World Champs format. Again training was going well and I was looking to win both races and sweep the competition. Shelley and I ended up pushing some amazing times....even faster than in the World Championships and were neck and neck with the American sled who had finished one spot better than me in Worlds. The Amercian had ended up beating me by only 5/100's of a second on day one but I knew day two would be different. With a little extra gusto to win Shelley and I laid it down and ended up winning the race by 21/100's. It was great to finish the season on a high note by getting to sing the Canadian anthem on top of the podium again!

So now is the time to relax and recoup. The team has about one month off from physical training to rehab all of the nagging injuries from the season, and reset the nervous system. I think this off season is going to be great as I will be training full time for the first time in order to properly prepare for Olympic qualifications next October. I am going to start planning this year's fundraising golf tournament and I hope you can all join me again this July for a fun filled day out on the course.

Your motivational as well as financial support this season has been so amazing and I am truly blessed to have such a great group of people backing my dream. Thanks again, and I will be in touch soon. Take care,

Amanda