I was in Planica with three teammates, as well as one of the Canadian nordic combined skiers, Wes Savill, and the National Training Group. One of the afternoons we were able to take a drive up a beautiful valley into the mountains behind Kranska Gora, Slovenia. The mountains are jaw-dropping. There is nothing like it in the U.S. It is probably my favorite place in Europe. Our final day in Planica, we had a competition. I had a better jump and started 2:30 behind the leader. There is not much roller skiing available in Planica, so we drove just 30 minutes to Villach, Austria for the roller ski race. Villach has one of the nicest venues and an amazing roller ski course. The race went really well. I made up a lot of time and finished with the second fastest time. After the race we drove to Tarvisio, Italy to check out the popular gypsy market. I did not by anything but some people came away with some hats and a classy vest.
The next day we packed up our van and drove to Oberstdorf where we met up with the "A" team. They had been in Ramsau, Austria skiing on the glacier and testing new jump equipment. The next few days we focused mainly on ski jumping. I really started to improve my jumping and started to get more confident. Our last day in Germany, we had another team competition. I had an ok jump but the conditions were very tough. I jumped 80 meters and started the roller ski race 2:32 seconds behind the leader, Todd Lodwick. I skied my best race of the summer and was able to grab the 5th fastest time.
The whole time we were in Europe the weather was amazing and training started to improve. It felt great to finish the trip on a positive note. I couldn't have asked for anything more. I am now back in Park City getting ready for the season and for the snow to start falling. I will keep you updated throughout the fall.