The first slalom competitions for this season is this Saturday and Sunday in Levi, Finland. We asked Sara a few questions to see how she has been training.

What does the training look like before a slalom competition compared to a giant slalom competition?

As I don’t practice slalom as much as giant slalom, my focus is even more on trying to get simple, good repetitions. We have had the opportunity to practice in Levi and get a few days in the race slope, then I had a restday and then some giant slalom practice. After that we went to Storklinten in Sweden to focus on slalom in similar competition conditions, so it feels like training and skiing have been good.

What are you focusing extra on in slalom?

I don’t have as many slalom days in my legs as I do in giant slalom. I try to focus on getting good turns and keep the training basic. I test less in terms of materials, instead I focus on finding a good feeling in my skiing.

It is important for me to be active in the start of every turn and for that to happen it’s a has to do a lot about timing but also to have a good position on the skis. When I move from giant slalom practice to slalom practice I find myself being in a sitting position on my skis, so I try to focus on a more upright position (with my hips) so I can stand strong but still keep it simple.

What more can you tell us regarding the upcoming races this weekend?

The conditions in Levi are really good. We had good training and good skiing and I feel that my body responds well and that I am in great shape. The whole team is looking forward to race this weekend. We are a strong team and we look foreward to do our best!

We wish Sara the best of luck in this weekend’s competitions!

Written by,
/Beata and Jonas Gold, GoldLife