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Laura Donaldson, ex-Meribel resort worker, is competing for
Britain on Saturday in the Ladies Moguls at Deer Valley Resort.
1. What is the atmosphere like out there
now?
It is pretty charged, the weather is great, the sun is shining,
the people are incredibly friendly and going out of their
way to help out...in that all American way. It is good.
2. What is the snow quality like?
The snow is the best quality I have come across all season.
It dumped a week ago and covered the place with about 4 feet,
which is perfect.
3. Are you still practicing loads or chilling out in the
build-up?
Practicing loads, and trying to chill out as much as poss.
Due to my last minute qualification, we only just got my coach
accredited and we have been doing some fairly intensive work
4. Could you describe a typical day (e.g. what time do
you get up / training etc)
Waking up far too early due to jet lag, that is a good thing
but can be annoying when I know I need the extra kip. I wake
up at 5am every morning without fail and try to chill until
it's really time to get up. A lot is whizzing around in my
head at the moment; sometimes I find it hard to sleep. I get
a shower and head over to the food hall for breakfast where
we can eat and don't have to pay, which is always nice.
We get a trailblazer organised by the organisers and jump
in that, head up to Snowbird or tomorrow we are headed to
Deer Valley. We train on the flats first, fixing up technique
a bit and then go to the mogul course. Today we jumped; I
worked on my two tricks, moguls tricks are uprights and are
to be clean, disciplined and high. I practiced double twisters
and twister-spreads for the morning then we quit at 1pm.
Back in the Trailblaser and back to the Olympic Village, where
I got refused entry by the army officials on the gate...I
had my all important accreditation tag around my neck while
skiing, it must have dropped off somewhere. So we had to go
back through the official areas, get my passport bussed out
to me - what a hassle, the security around the village is
incredible. There are police in volunteer uniforms, there
are secret service-men in cop uniforms, and everything is
scanned like at an airport when you arrive, there are electric
fences and you cannot get very far without your accreditation
- as I discovered today.
I have a TV in my room with 60 channels, there
are also Internet cafes, coffee shops, cinema, a relax area
with play Station 2 etc...all the good stuff, and we pay nothing.
There are volunteers around 24/7 who will do anything for
you...within reason. There's a stage where bands play during
the day and at night. It's all designed to look after the
athletes as much as possible! I speak to a sports psychologist
about my day's training and get a massage from the team physio,
have supper and go to bed.
5. Are you on a special diet?
A healthy diet, we eat pretty well, you can ask for anything
to be prepared for you, however you want. When I get in from
training the first thing to do is eat, they get it ready pretty
quick and there is nothing for me to really do, which is such
a great thing - no chopping/no cooking/no dishes, none of
that boring stuff
6. What is your favourite food?
Hmmm....I should say something healthy at this point, I know
I should but I can't help saying ice cream - there is no ice
cream at the food hall. I have heard though, that there is
a Macdonald's in the other restaurant and it's open 24hrs.
I guess I need to visit the other restaurant
7. Who are your sponsors?
Salomon, Fat Face clothing, Convert, Bolle eyewear, equipment
and clothing is covered, currently negotiating with a cash
sponsor - sorting these things out while I am abroad all the
time is difficult
8. Who is your trainer / coach?
David Speirs, who was born in Scotland and lives in Australia,
a number of us from the British team were coached by him in
Oz this summer. He is a professional mogul skiing perfectionist.
Useful Links:
Salt Lake City 2002: Schedule of Events
Official Site
Special Salt Lake Update
(February 2002)
British Alpine Team (February 2002)
Soccer
at Winter Olympics? (December 2001)
Security
increase at Salt Lake City (November 2001)
Salt
Lake games to go ahead (September 2001)
No booze at Olympics? (March 2001)
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