Europa Cup Vogel

Photo: Uroš Rojc

I spent my first day back home, learning for some exams in the next days. On thursday i went to Krvavec, very hyped for skiing, but when i came to the snowpark i lost all the hype i had before, cause the park wasn't shaped well and my only wish was to go home as soon as possible. I came back to Krvavec on saturday, feeling great and it was really good day. On sunday i went to Vogel mtn. with a photographer Uroš Rojc. Thanks to Park Vogel i had a private kicker session till 5pm and also thanks to Uroš for great shots.

Almost finished kicker

End of the day

When photobombing goes well

On tuesday we went to Vogel, but not to train, cause we had some work to do with first kicker and we finished around 5 pm. On wednesday we set the first and the last rail, but it took us almost a whole day. Finally on thursday, the course was ready and we couldn't wait to go on the mountain and shred. Training went pretty good for me, i did all the tricks i wanted to put in my run for the competition. On friday, the first competition day i was a bit tired, feeling no pressure in the morning, but when i came to the slope i was alive, more than ready for the competition. Just before my start i became as nervours as never before, but luckily, when i started it all disapeared and i enjoyed in my run. I stomped it and i was really happy, cause i knew, that my result should. For the second run i could be totally relaxed, but i saw my father down there by the side and in the moment i wanted to upgrade my run, but i wanted to much, so i fell on the first jump. At the end, when i heard, that i was 15th with a score 58,33 for a clean run: sw 270 on to sw, sw 900 high safety, right side 540 japan and sw on 270 off, i was, i don't know, stunned, angry, disappointed, however i was raped by the judges without lubricant. After the competition i heard, that judges were looking just for over head spins, not for grabs, creativity and for spins in both directions. So i was forced to change my plan for the next day and i changed it well.
On saturday, second day of the competition, the wind was blowing preety hard, landings were icy, we had only 4 or 5 runs of training, so all the terms for FIS competition were met. I stomped both runs, with easy tricks and huge amplitude on the second kicker, where i jumped over the whole landing straight to the flat, but i landed it clean. After the competition, i was waiting for results and it happened exactly what we were joking around about. I was 11th with a score 65,33 with run: sw on 270 off, sw cork 5 safety, flat 3 double japan and again 270 off, so now please tell me how is it possible to get such a big score for this shitty run?! Even headjudge Matthias said that, specially one judge didn't have any idea what was he doing, but it's kinda logical cause he was moguls rider before, but however that isn't the reason for not knowing grabs and tricks. We have wait for few more years to get newschool judges and things will get better. Days on Vogel were awesome for me, even if i didn't got the result i wanted, but i met new, great people and some new experiences.

Sw cork 5

Second kicker

Results from Friday

Results from Saturday

On monday we came to Valmalenco for Juniror World Championships. Today we had the first official training and i can't wait for another one tomorrow.

View from the top

Absolut park, see you soon!

Me with Luka Plevnik and Marko Bauman

I woke up on Friday expecting a lot of new snow, but when i looked through the window i realized that we got just around 10cm of new snow, but me and Žiga went to Zauchensee and it was a really nice surprise when we came to the top of the mountain and saw about 40 centimeters of new snow. For the first time this year i was on my powder skis made by Sense, but it was a prototype and unfortunately i didn't took it as easy as i should cause the skis are super light and i broke one ski, so i was forced to change them for my elan puzzle tbt's. Of curse i jumped over every cliff with them and once when i fell i broke my gopro mount. Right after that i found two lines of the day. We found some nice lines at the end of the day and for the next time we know exactly where to go first. However, it was one of the best powder days in my life.

Looking back 

From the top

My point of view on friday

On Saturday me and Nik went to Freestyle Jam Kope, which was organized very well and had a great vibe so i hope that more events in Slovenia will be like that. The organizators decided to make this jam without judges, so we had "rider judge rider" method of assessment and i thougt that me and Nik don't stand a chance against the locals, but surprisingly all riders judged objectively and it was great. Nik was third, local boy Damijan Gobec made it on the second place and i took the win. After that i thought that it's the end, but they had two more awards "best fail" and "best run". Luka Plevnik got an award for best fail and i got a cup and an award for the best run.

Sw 180 

On Sunday we came back to the Absolut park, due to some problems on our way we came to the slope pretty late, so i just got used to the new perfectly shaped kickers for spring battle. Monday went through fast and Tuesday came to quick. Those two months in Flachauwinkl ended so damn quick, i still can't believe it's over. However, tuesday was our last day of those two months in Absolut park, and for me it was a good one, cause i did a lot of new tricks, i did a sw 1080 for the first time and i think that now i know that you should never go for the last run, cause in this last run a lot of things can happens. For the last run i went to step down rail with close out and i wanted to do a blind 270 off with nose tapping the close out, but i fell off the rail only a bit to fast and consequently close out bounced me backwards on my back/neck and when i landed i hit the snow with my head pretty hard, but luckly i'm allright now.

I'll miss everyday shreding in Absolut Park

 But I'll be back soon!

Freestyle Cele Rail Jam

Flat3 over Skoda Yeti

                           

After sunny spring days at Absolut park, temperatures dropped and we got a nice package of powder. For the first time, since we're skiing in Flachauwinkl, we hiked to the top of the mountain. It was one of the most steep terrains i have ever  hiked with my skis, but it was totally worth it. Skiing my own line down the mountain in almost waist deep snow was awesome.

Pow days

                           

On saturday me, Tom, Anja and Nik went to ski slope "Celjska koča" for a rail jam. They have only 10 centimeters of snow, but they prepared a really fun course to ride and however, so big respect to organizators and to everyone who made this event possible iin such bad snow conditions. The course started with a straight box, flat-down tube, than a down rail next to the flat-down box and a small kicker with gap for a car on the end. First we had two qulification runs, i did my run with sw 270 on/blind 270 off straight box, lip slide frontside sw up to sw on down tube, sw on/frontside 450 off downrail and than flat3 with double japan grab on the kicker. First eight riders from qualies advanced to the next part of the contest, which was a head to head battle. Cause i qualified as first i drew lots first and i raffled off Damijan Gobec. I won and for the next opponent i got Luka Plevnik. He had some bad luck in both runs, so i simply managed it to finals with my friend Tom Krznar. I screwed my first run in finals, Tom did it great and it was 1:0 for him. I landed my second run perfectly and it was a tie. Because the judges didn't score any of our runs in finals, we had to go back up and do another run. Tom started first, he did 540 on first box, sw lip on down tube, 270 on down rail and 540 with mute grab on the kicker and because of this i simply chose the "safe" run, without 450 off down rail, cause i thought, it will be enough for the win. But at the end judges made a decision that Tom was better and i ended up on the 2nd place. Congrats to Anja and Tom for the 1st place, to Nik for the 3rd place and as well to all other riders that came to the event. Contest was great, i got a lot of new experiences and now i know that i have to show my best run everytime if i'm going for win or good result.

Flat down tube

                                  

First box

                                  

Down rail & flat down box

                                 

On sunday came out the third webisode of Spaced Out, so click on this LINK and check it out.
Last time i unfortunately haven't checked the weather forecast before we headed to Flachauwinkl and i left my powder skis, made by Sense at home, but now i'm back here in our "base" with these skis and i can't wait for the new package of fresh powder in next days.

Shot from Planai Plan P
Foto: Roland Haschka

                         

From the top

                       

Yesterday i mounted my new Elan Puzzle TBT skis