The Turning Point

Ski Racing Championships

Ted Ligety #1 in World (Park City local)

I am not only a Park City teen that screws around with friends on the weekends but a lot of my time is also spent on the ski slopes or the gym trying to be as fast as I can going down the race course.  I have ski raced for my whole life and the sport of ski racing has been passed down the generations.  I am going to tell you a story about most likely one of my highest achievements I have reached.  Last year was the record-breaking season for me and I am going to tell you about the last race I was in that led me to the big leagues for my age.

I woke up very early in the morning, around 5 or 5:30 so I could get a good breakfast, stretch, and try to get my head in the right place to win.  Once I got the breakfast down and felt mentally/physically prepared I got in the car and went up to my team room to put the ski clothes on.  When I arrived I was greeted and told what my bib number was.  I made sure to put in my music so no one approached me before my run.  I like to do this because it keeps me from messing around and also keeps my focus on my run.  After all of my ski clothes were on and my skis were prepped I made my way up to the lifts for inspection. Before every run ski racers side slip down the run to inspect what the terrain of the run is offering and to plan their line for the run.  This only takes 30 to 45 minutes and after that I either go in to the lodge to warm up or I ski around the resort to try to get in some turns before my run.

Super-G Run #1

Racer Ready? Three... Two... One... GO!  I pull out of the start gate as hard as I can, get in as many skates as I can before the first gate comes.  Building up speed getting into my tuck trying to find as much speed as possible coming around the first couple gates to build up speeds for the upcoming flats that get so many people.  I cross the flats rolling over a bump coming onto the next pitch.  I have to get my direction so I don't miss the next gate and once again prepare for another long flats.  I nail it I am carrying more speed than I have ever!  Transferring my weight ever so slightly so I can keep this speed going.  I am almost at the bottom one more pitch to go and I am home free.  I shoot over the last pitch getting out of my tuck and arching down the last face.  I can feel my skis bending around each gate perfectly.  2 gates to go, grabbing my tuck once more and crossing the finish line.  I throw my ski sideways to stop in the finish line.  I try to listen closely over all of the screaming parents and skiers for my time and if I was in first or not.  A couple second later I hear, "Ben Lawson coming through the finish a second and half ahead of the second place finisher!"  In the ski racing world a second and a half is a life time.  I was so completely exhilarated and happy with my finish but that was not the end.  I still had to GS and Slalom to do in the following days of the race.

                                                                 Ted Ligety Super G Run

To Be Continued