Post GoPro Competition

As I sit here in the Sitzmark Hotel in the middle of Vail Colorado I am very disappointed. Disappointed at working very hard only to end up in much lower placing than I expected. Disappointed in my abilities. Disappointed in my outlook on kayaking. 

This is a hard blog for me to write. I don't have photos, I don't have video. Just thoughts, thoughts that are spilling out onto this page as fast as I can think about them. 

Maybe I try to balance too much. I'm back in college, still trying to train in creek boating, still trying to train in freestyle. I also try to work as much as I can. I can't kayak when I am working. I don't make money if I don't work. I don't get paid to kayak. I go massively into debt to train and compete in competitions. The only way to make money when I am not working is to win. I have not been winning. 

Maybe I lost my edge. I haven't won a creek race since my best friend died last year. This is always on the top of my head. 

Maybe I can't take the pressure anymore. I used to be able to come from behind and go for it but that's not happening anymore. 

I'm competing against people who kayak all the time, year round, as a job. They travel all over the world to train on the best features and creeks. They eat, sleep, and breathe kayaking. They have coaches that train them day in and day out. They have a team of paddlers who they train with. They get paid to go kayaking. How can I win against that?? 

I won't. 

So now what? 

I applied to Nursing school at USC Upstate in SC. I won't know if I got in until August. I have a hard time justifying doing the Colorado/Freestyle tour if I only find disappointment out of it. Who know's what the next year will bring. I'm not even sure what I'm going to be doing in 6 weeks. 

I know one thing, I am so lucky to have the loving boyfriend and the amazing family that I was born into. I also am honored to have my sponsors who have all become like family to me. 

Liquid Logic Kayaks, Kokatat Watersports Wear, Werner Paddles, Shred Ready Helmets, and Bomber Gear skirts. 

I'm also thankful for my friend Haley Mills, my 5x5 team mate. I have a lot to be thankful for. Kayaking is just kayaking in the end of the day. I want to go way further in my life than being a professional kayaker. I want to be a wife, a mother, a successful woman. I feel like I am digging that track right now. 

Thanks for listening, sorry it was boring. My next blog post will be much better!! 

GoPro Mountain Games 2013

Entering the "Bird Bath"

 As always, the GoPro Mountain Games (formerly the Teva Mountain Games), starts off with a bang at Homestake Creek in Colorado. We are about 30 minutes outside of Vail in a town called Red Cliff and theres a roadside section of river that drops 450 feet per mile. Its an amazing stretch of whitewater and this year it actually had some water in it! My runs didn't go as well as I had hoped and I ended up in 3rd place behind Martina Wegman and Natalie Anderson.

Setting up for something huge!!

My mom and dad were at the Games this year so it was awesome to be able to see both of them for the weekend also. Going into the freestyle I was worried this year because it was a big cut for the females. We were also competing agains the juniors, who are better than most of us!! We cut 50%, from 12 to 6. I (luckily) ended up 6th!! We cut straight to finals for Saturday afternoon so most of Saturday I spent packing for Idaho and making sure I got my hair cut!

Before

 As some of you know, I did a pretty massive fundraiser for First Descents. I wanted to raise awareness of the organization and at the same time do something that people would ask about.  I wanted to be able to give back what I was doing, so I decided to shave all of my hair off.

Check out my page, even though I made my goal, every dollar counts and if you have some change feel free to keep donating to this amazing cause. My page will stay open until the end of the year.

http://teamfd.firstdescents.org/2013/fd/shaveQuickie/

So, I shaved my head at the Games right before my finals run. I felt like I was at least 10 lbs lighter!

After

I then had to compete in finals in a stacked line up. Sage, Haley Mills, Courtney Kerin, Rowan Stuart, Emily Jackson, and myself. I revealed my new hair cut to the crowd and I got a huge, very empowering, cheer from everyone watching. 

Proud of Sage Donnely for having a great ride

 I knew it was going to be tight to get into 5th place, for the money so I had learned how to McNasty the day before the competition, with some help from Dustin Urban. I doubted that I would stick one in this feature, I was watching the men wash out trying them, but I didn't care. I had a relatively good ride and I decided to let it all hang out. I went for it, and stuck my first ever McNasty in competition. 

So stoked on sticking it!

 I didn't care that I ended up 5th place, I had done a move that no other women did in the competition and to me, that was winning. 

Huge huge loop!!!

This spot was also giving out some massive loops, which are my favorite thing to do! Always a fun move to stick.

Cartwheels

 All in all, I was happy with where I ended up in the competition and I was happy that I learned a new move. The GoPro Mountain Games were great this year and I hope to be a part of them for many years to come. 

I also got the chance to meet the owner of Jati Suits, Burton Falk and he hooked Haley Mills and I up as the newest team members/ambassadors!!

http://www.jationepiece.com/

Check out their suits online, they are super warm and so comfy I have been living in mine as of late. 

I also got to spend time with an amazing family during the weekend. My little buddy Campbell and his whole family, known to me as the Arizona Fan Club, this family comes up every year to watch the athletes at the Games. They are an inspiring family and also have an amazing story to tell. If you get a chance check them out on Facebook, Campbells Crew. 

Campbell and I 

A quick huge thanks to everyone who supports my habits!! Thanks for reading. I headed to Idaho the day after the GoPro Games for a big adventure. See what it was coming up next!!!!

Special thanks to the photos: Campbells Crew, my mom, Stephanie Viselli, and Phillip Robert

Burton and my new Jati Suit