This is always a special time of year. The temps are rising,
the snow is melting, and the vibes are high. For the 2nd year in a
row Ryan and I were getting ready to jump the pond and head over to what we
call “heaven”. Europe to us is a place we’ve always dreamt of going, a place
where skiing is looked at in the same light as American football. We weren’t
sure if our two favorite comps were going to happen this year but when we got
word they were, we knew we had to go.
We spent the first week of our trip at the Absolut Park Spring Battle in Flachauwinkl, Austria.
This competition is like no other. We get 5 days on a course where our coaches
follow us through the jumps helping us film our “dream run”. The dream part,
ends up being weather permitting. We definitely felt that this year. Out of the
5 days we had on the course, only half of one day was sunny and perfect for
sending. Despite the tough conditions, Ryan and I were still able to get a run
down... not quite our dream runs, but still a couple runs we were stoked on!
The second half of the trip took place in Andorra for Total Fight. This is personally my favorite contest of the year.
Andorra is a tiny little country on the border between France and Spain. The
mountain, El Tarter, is a hidden gem in the Pyrenees filled with wide open
terrain and big jumps. The course was a bit tough this year, even on a perfect
day (we didn’t have any of those) it would be very difficult to get speed to
clear all the jumps. In practice, we found ourselves tucking as hard as we
could, trying with all our might to clear the 21 meter gaps. The day of the contest
blessed us with sunshine and Ryan was able to put down a very respectable run
but ended up missing finals by just one spot. I had issues with speed and never
got the opportunity to make it through the entire course. Even with that being
said, it’s still my favorite contest.
Looking back on this trip, we both realized how incredibly
special it really was. Not many get the opportunity to travel the world with their
best friend while doing what they love…skiing. When we were 13 years old
competing against each other on little mountains in New Hampshire, we never knew
where we would end up. All we knew is that we would take skiing far as we could
and never give up on our dreams. We want to thank everyone that has made our
dreams like this a reality.
Cheers to more good times… and more corks!
Athletes:
Nate Miceli
Ryan Mcelmon
