As One Season Ends Another Begins
This past year has been an incredible roller coaster ride. With some really exciting high points and some very sad low points. Thus making the journey exceptionally interesting. My year began and ended with bang. I kicked things off with some early season NorAm (North American) Cup Series top tens in Lake Louise, Canada in December. Which were some very strong results for someone only 18 years old. The season then rounded off at the end with a trip to Norway in March for World Juniors, where I snagged 3 top twenties. I still have two more years a junior and next season we will be traveling to Sochi! Following that I had the great experience of coming back to my hometown ski resort, Sugarloaf, to finish off my season with NorAm Finals along with US Nationals. I placed well in both of these race series coming in 9th in the US Nationals Downhill and 3rd for Juniors in the US Nationals Super Combined.
In the middle of the season came some low points. In January my team flew to Europe to train and race for a month. Upon arriving in Solden, Austria we were knocked down by a terrible accident. We lost two of our teammates in an avalanche. The next month brought about times of grief as well as an appreciation to be alive. As a team we are still dealing with the aftermath of such an accident and will continue for years. It truly made me realize that I need to cherish every small moment as if it were my last. Below is a heart warming shot of my father and I out skiing, this is one of those special moments that I have learned to cherish so much more.
Upon ending my season I took a much need break from this sport of ski racing and went on a road trip with a few of my good buddies to Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Here we took on some iconic south east rivers in our kayaks. Whitewater kayaking being my second biggest passion besides skiing at the moment. We kayaked sections of The New, Gauley, Cheat, Tygart, and Yough Rivers. Nothing gets your blood pumping like charging off a waterfall. From here I continued driving west to Utah to kick start my summer training at the Center Of Excellence in Park City, Utah. This meant I needed to bring everything I would need for the summer on this road trip. Packing my van for this adventure was an adventure in itself, but sure enough we got it all to fit.
Like every good kayaker must have, I did indeed rock a sweet mullet on this epic trip. Even with much disapproval from the adults around me, it was great feeling to have that long free flowing mane in the back but not have to worry about getting hair in your face. The whole trip was truly an experience I will never forget.
I have since cut my hair back to my tradition crew cut look and have been working out and training vigorously with the US Ski Team. I have spent the last several months getting into prime shape again and working off that winter coat. I have suffered a little hiccup in training this summer however, I recently had to get a scope down on my right knee to clean up some meniscus damage. This was a relatively un-invasive surgery and I should be back up and at them in 6 weeks. My next time on snow is going to be in September when we travel down to Chile for some pre-season skiing in South America. Tell next time, keep wax running! #toko=speed
Sam Morse
