Season Update 2013/14

Three years ago I told my dad i wanted to go the Olympics I thought he would just laugh at me but instead he said ‘well then we need a plan’. He came back and said the plan is simple – create a path that leads to an outcome – Olympic qualification!  He told me there is no greater honour than to represent your country and to be selected to compete at an Olympics would be awesome and realistically by the time I was 18 just competing would be enough – but what he also said was; 

“Lets have a plan to have a crack at the Gold, if you do the hard work in the gym and the snow and keep working constantly in the right direction over time you would get to the point of having the opportunity to achieve your goal” 

He worked out the path and every step or race he has been there to navigate the path with me. There have been a few challenges along the way (mostly of my creation) but what he did was believe in me – always, he had trust in me – always, he fought for me – always, he managed the system – always, he has managed politics of my sport for me – always, he created a support structure around me that means I had the best coaches for me, and every year everything was fine tuned. It wasn’t luck that I have had coaches like Peter Baff, Lu Prem Cody Brown, Graham Watanabe and of course Jon Casson – Dad made sure that I only had people around me that believed in me and supported the plan we had. He made sure they understood how I could achieve my goal – I do remember the meeting in Barcelona after winning the Silver medal at Junior World in Sierra Nevada. Dad was sitting with Jon Casson having a beer (he does that) and explaining to Jon what the plan was – Jon was mid beer when Dad said;

"the plan is for Jarryd to go to the 2014 Olympics"

We all got a spray and taste of Jon's beer as he laughed and said ‘WHAT’. But after explaining some of the details of the plan – Jon said ‘Can you afford this?” We will work it out dad said – we will have to make sacrifices, Jon said to me ‘is that what you really want to do”? I said yes – Jon just turned to Dad and said this gonna be one hell of a ride and from that point there has been no question of the plan. This will be my fourth year of being coached by Jon Casson and I am extremely lucky because he has had to make sacrifices so that I could achieve MY goal but every year the program around me just got better. The level of trust and support between Jon, Me and Dad is huge.

Last year seemed to be a tough year, I did my ACL in Russia at the test event, I got boardercrossed out of a lot of races with only a couple of decent results, the goal stayed the same but the program needed to be fine tuned. Dad convinced Jon that we needed more support at World Cups - we needed another coach and a wax tech – Jon was doing everything, coaching, video review, waxing, driving and literally burning the candle at both ends. Jon sorted out the additional coach and dad sorted out the wax tech with the help of NSWIS. – The results speak for themselves this season. Even though doing my ACL was tough - it gave me the opportunity to improve my strength and conditioning. I accessed the best of the resources and facilities of NSWIS as part of my NSWIS scholarship, my Sport Scientist Tom Carter from Sydney University/HumanPerformance and my physio Tim Needham.

I flew into Sochi as a member of the Australian Olympic Team on the 6^th February, proud in the knowledge that I earn’t my spot based on my hard work, the results I had achieved and the wonderful support network that I have. 

I have some incredible memories from Sochi

Arrival at Sochi

Opening Ceremony

Supporting my Team Mates

Race Day #1 (postponed due to fog)

Race Day

Well The Result at the Olympics may not have been what I was looking for with 17th, but I come out of the experience knowing that I was competitive, I did my best on the day and proud of my achievement as an Australian Olympian and I learnt a lot about the responsibility of being an Australian Olympian and inspired to have another crack at the Gold

Congratulations to the Winners, Pierre Vaultier - France, Nikolay Olyunin Russia, Alex Diebold USA

This was my first Olympics and as rookie I did not think it appropriate that I make any comments to the media, some might think that “No Comment” is inappropriate but I think dignified silence is sometimes a better option. So a couple of #nocomment responses;

     1.   I have been fortunate to receive funding support;

a.     From the NSW Institute of Sport in the last 2 years which partly funded the costs of my US coach Jon Casson and especially the last 12 months where in addition Jeff Sadis was funded as a shared wax tech between Belle Brochhoff, Daniel Morrissy and me at World Cup up to and including the Olympics

b.     From the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) via the Direct Athlete Support Program (DAS) over the last 2 years. This is facilitated by Ski and Snowboard Australia and is based on my results from the previous season.

At no stage have I made any public comment or comment to the press that I was unhappy about the level of funding I have received as I believe it was appropriate based on my level of performance in the previous 12 months. I was given KPI’s by OWIA to achieve an OWIA scholarship in 2012/2013 – I did not achieve these. My best result was 11^th at World Championships in 2013 and I needed to achieve top 10 or a podium at World Cup.

I recognise that a number of World Class and developing Australian Athletes receive little or no funding and I want to make it clear that I appreciate the funding support that I have received.

2.    Alex Pullin is an athlete that I respect but the reality is that when you get to a Professional level in this sport – it is not a team sport.  We are in different programs, have separate coaches, we do not hang out on tour and we have to compete head to head in a fight to the finish. Whatever Chumpy has got – he has earn’t based on his success as a Dual World Champion and one of the most successful Boardercross athletes in the history of our sport – his time will come to win a Medal at the Olympics. Hey it took Pierre Vaultier 3 Olympics!

3.    My parents are my platinum sponsors who have supported me with my snowboarding and made all the sacrifices financially and personally to enable me to achieve my goals. My father is my Program Manager who has worked with me, guided me, created and coordinated my program with Jon Casson to the level that I have won a World Cup, worn the Yellow Jersey as the youngest ever World #1, qualified for the Olympics, and finished my second full World Cup Season as World #4 all this in a sport where the average age is 25yo. 

Junior World Championships Valmalenco Italy

Junior World Championships for Snowboardcross is 19 years and under so I was able to compete this year and will get another crack next season. Two years ago I won Silver at Junior Worlds and last year I could not compete due to my knee injury. I went to Valmaleno, Italy confident I could go one better this year. Things were going well, in the first heat I finished 2^nd, in the next heat I won it and moved into the semi final. I was up against some pretty tough competition with last year’s winner Lucas Equibar, a Russian and another up and coming Aussie, Matty Thomas.  Unfortunately over the second jump I got Boardercrossed by the Russian Aleksander Guzachev, Matty finished 3^rd and me 4^th. We both made it through to the Small final which I eventually won to get 5^th place and Matty Thomas 8^th overall. Congratulations to the Winner Daniil Dilman from Russia who raced very well all day, Lucas Equibar who finished 2^nd and another up an coming rider from France Ken Vaugnoux 3^rd. Congratulations also to the Aussie ladies who both qualified for the brackets with Georgia Baff 21^st and Elise Turner 32^nd.  Also a special mention to Andrew Richardson who is an Aussie who converted to Great Britain this season who finished 35^th

For the first time FIS ran a team event at these Junior Worlds and after our results from the individual event Matt Thomas and I were ranked 3^rd and felt pretty confident we could do well. We decided that Matt would go first and I would be the second rider. In the first heat Matt started well but got clipped near the finish, luckily he could get up and finished the leg, I was pretty peeved that I was in 4^th so had nothing to loose so just unloaded – we ended up winning the heat. In the semi final Matt got off to a good start, he got passed by a couple of riders but finished the leg in 3^rd, I took off and again we won the heat. You would think a few of the teams might have changed their strategy, Matt was competitive in the first leg and I chased down whoever in the second. In reality no one was going to beat us that day. In the final it was more of the same, Matt had a great start and finished the leg in 3^rd and I was able to mow the field down to win over the line. (Click below to check the race out!)

What a feeling to be in a team and win! A huge congrats to Matt Thomas who showed his class up against a number of World Cup athletes. Also congrats to the Aussie ladies who finished in 8^th.  FIS are working to get the Team event into the next Olympics and if it does it will be an awesome addition to Snowboarding at the Olympics!

The Aussie Team of Elise Turner, Matty Thomas, Me and Georgia Baff

Paralympic Snowboardcross Team

This season I had the opportunity to work and train with the Australian Paralympic Snowboardcross Team. This was initially to help my little buddy Ben Tudhope but led to me spending a week with them at the IPC World Cup at Copper Mountain. To work with these guys was inspirational; the level of camaraderie between the Aussie team and all the athletes who compete was wonderful. Matty Robinson was the only one of the Aussie athletes who was competing in the upper limb disability category and he immediately made an impact on me. This was a guy who was involved with getting Para Snowboardcross into the Paralympics but was bot going to compete as the IPC was only including Lower Body Disability athletes at the Paralympics in Sochi. You knew Matty was special just due to the level of respect he had amongst all the athletes and coaches from around the World. Even though he was not going to the Paralympics he was supporting everyone and not holding back with his riding – he was absolutely smashing it (and himself along the way). He was also cheeky, naughty, funny but most of all a great bloke with an outlook on life that meant you had nothing to complain about.

Matty Robinson

Some people would know that Matty passed away just before the Paralympics as a result of an accident he had in the finish area at the La Molina World Cup. Sadly he did not see his beloved event make it’s debut at the Paralympics but he would have been very proud of the event and especially proud of his little protégé Ben Tudhope who rode three perfect runs to finish an incredible 10^th as the youngest ever Winter Paralympian and was also given the honour of carrying the Australian Flag in the Closing Ceremony.

Personally I wanted to win the World #1 Title at the last World Cup in La Molina and dedicate it to Matty, but I did not realize how it would affect me riding in La Molina and I think I went a little too hard and then crashed out in the time trial and for the very first time missed the brackets at a World Cup ending my quest for the end of year title of World #1 – I finished 4^th overall which I am still extremely proud of.

Matty I might not have won the title for you but I gave it a pretty good nudge!

Montafon World Cup – 8^th

Lake Louis World Cup – 1^st

Andorra World Cup #1 – 9th

Andorra World Cup #2 – 11th

Olympic Games – 17^th

Veysonnaz World Cup – 11th

La Molina World Cup – 44^th

Overall World Cup Season - 4th

Junior World Championships Individual – 5th

Junior world Championships Team Event – 1st

I am sure Matty is looking down from heaven with a smile on his face and would be saying in his typical cheeky way

“Well you better bloody go harder next year”

(And I will)

Finally, I would like to thank everyone who has believed in me, supported me and helped me over the last 4 years.

My Mum and Dad, Jon Casson who has been with me for 4 years through the good and the bad, Lu Prem, Cody Brown, Graham Watanabe, Jeff Sadis (Wax Bear), my Team mates Jenna Feldman, Mick Dierdorff, Torah Bright, Ben Bright, Belle Brockhoff , Scotty James, my idols Seth Wescott, Nick Baumgartner, Pierre Vaultier, my support team Hagan McCreath, Tom Carter, Tim Lahey, Tim Needham,  Peter Baff, Abbi Nyberg, Beth Banning, Chloe Banning, Ferry Lee, my Grandparents and my extended family and supporters.

Wow Lake Louise Alberta Canada. You are AWESOME!

What can I say, my head is still swirling but the realization that I just won a FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup, well that really hasn’t hit home yet.

After the Montafon World Cup I knew that I was close to making a World Cup Final, it really encouraged me that I could compete with the more experienced guys on the tour – I was hungry.

In Montafon I really got inspiration from US Rider, Nick Baumgartner, he actually sat down with me and my dad to give me some advice – the key message was all the riders know you are good enough make a final and get on the World Cup Podium soon – but keep your head about you and just focus, be yourself but have FUN. Nick is the sort of guy who goofs around and is really loud, but he knows his stuff and I really respect him and appreciate him taking the time to give me some advice and encouragement. He might be regretting it now as I beat him over the line in the semi final to get into the Final at Lake Louise.

Leading up to the Lake Louise World Cup I spent a week at the Tudhope's House in Salt Lake City which is the 'Half Way House for Lost and Lonely Snowboarders'. My knee had flared up in Montafon so I just wanted to take it easy. I had a day riding with the Team Utah Boardercross crew at Canyons, but other than that I just hung out with my dad.

We made the trip from Salt Lake to Calgary and then the drive to Lake Louise, I didn’t know what to expect but when you drive up to Lake Louise it is incredible, even more incredible was the accommodation that had been booked by the event organisers – The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is without a doubt the most majestic hotel I have ever stayed in. It is an easy drive to the Lake Louise Ski Resort but well worth it. The view from the room I shared with my teamate Mick Dierdorff was panoramic the room itself was amazing!

Lake Louise Resort

The next morning we awoke to fresh 10cm of POW – no race boards/no friends just POW! Seth Wescott brought out the Burton Family Tree Swallowtail and everyone was just stoked to mix up the POW with some training.

The next day was training day and our first chance to get a look at the course. This was the first time that Lake Louise Resort had hosted a Boardercross World Cup so everyone was not sure what to expect, but when you get Nick Roma and Johnny Balfour on the job you know they are gonna do their best for the riders with the terrain they are given. Most World Cup courses are built for six racers on course, which is the Olympic Format, but this course was built for four on the course. They delivered!

On training day we got to run the course at speed and you got the feeling that the course was fast tight, technical and that there would not be a lot of opportunity for passing – so you were going to need to be quick if you wanted to make it through qualification and do well in the brackets.

Time Trials

I was the 31^st starter in the time trial and on my first run qualified in 7^th place, in Boardercross with four on the course the top 16 riders after the first run don’t need to do a second run so my job was done for the day – except that my team mates were still running so I wanted to cheer them on. Mick Dierdorff from the US qualified in his second run in 18^th position so we were both through and we wanted to see how Jenna Feldman and Torah Bright went. Torah has started BX this season with the goal of qualifying in three disciplines at the Sochi Olympics, Half Pipe, Slopestyle and Boardercross and Jenna is trying to qualify for the US Team. It is tough for the girls as with 4 on a course only the top 16 ladies qualify into the brackets. Torah and Jenna just missed qualification with Jenna finishing in 31st and Torah finishing in 23rd.

To get me in the right frame of mind for racing Torah gave me the Champion dance!

Race Day

With a good time trial under my belt I felt great until I got the bracket draw. My first bracket was up against two of the all time greatest Snowboardcross athletes, Australian World Chumpian Alex Pullin and Frenchman Pierre Vaultier, between them they have nearly 100 World Cup starts, 20 World Cup Podiums and 19 World Cup wins oh yeah and two World Championships. This was my 8^th World Cup Start!! 

In the first heat I was the fastest qualifier so I had 1st gate choice so I took gate 3 (middle right). Out of the gates I was positioned well and knew I had to be patient and look for the right opportunity to get into a good position, I was in 3^rd sitting in the draft and saw the opportunity to go inside both Chumpy and Pierre, as I did this Chumpy clipped Pierre and they were out – I was in front and won the heat! Pierre got the worst of the crash being taken down the mountain in the banana boat but Chumpy the Champion he is walked it off down the course – later that night I found out both were OK with no major injuries.

The first Round with Chumpy and Pierre in mid air - ouch!

Things happen so fast in the brackets, after the race you get shoved in front of the TV camera to get your head on TV with the result and then you get dragged to a Skidoo to get taken back up as quickly as possible for the next heat.

Back to the top I had time to talk to my coaches Jon Casson and Cody Brown as well as a quick discussion with the Waxing Bear, Jeff Sadis to make a choice about what board/wax combo was working. The Bear had it dialed so there was not a lot of discussion.

Into the round of 16 athletes and you just get into the gates, I had the Green bib on which meant I was the second fastest from qualification. Schad, Leoni and Cheever. Out of the gates I got a good start – note to Nick Roma – your Wootang is awesome! By the time I got to the bottom I had finished in 2^nd place and into the semi finals. At the bottom of the course I had my support team of Ben Bright, Torah Bright, my dad on the radio, Mick Dierdorff and Jenna Feldman. Now without putting too fine a point on it but one of Torah’s Roxy Team Mates is surfer Sally Fitzgibbons who I have named one of my Kesslers after. So Torah organized an encouragement message from Sally on the phone in the finish area– needless to Sally said gave me plenty of motivation to do well ☺

Torah giving me my motivating message from Sally Fitzgibbons!!

The Semi Final

Semi final time and I knew this was gonna be tough, in my seven World Cup starts I have been in three semi finals but never through to the final – I was feeling good. Baumgartner was in the semi with Schad, and Douschan. It was a blur but as we came towards the finish I was in 2^nd but I could feel Baumgartner breathing over my neck – holy crap! He was sitting in my draft just waiting to get me over the line. I hit the last feature worked it for as much speed as possible and BAM I had just qualified for my first FINAL!

The Final

The semi was a blur but in the final everything slowed down, out of the gates I was in 2^nd, a bit of contact with Konsti reminded me to sit patiently to wait for the opportunity and in turn 6 I saw the opportunity and I took the low line inside Konsti, over the next feature and I was in front, I kept working every feature pumping for speed over the last roller and I WON – My first World Cup Podium – a FIS Snowboard World Cup Gold Medal! It wasn’t a surprise that the first person to greet and congratulate me was Dual Olympic Gold Medallist Seth Wescott, - this guy is a legend and then Nick Baumgartner who just said ‘that’s the way you do it! With a clip over the ear for good measure! After this I got embraced by our team, Torah, Ben Bright, Jenna Feldman, Mick Dierdorff and my Dad with my mum on the phone – "Mum I just won my first World Cup" after this, things went crazy. I was waiting for my coach Jon Casson who has been with me through everything over the last 3  - 4 years, interviews slaps on the back and finally Jon finally got down with Cody and it was pretty emotional for all of us, there is a belief amongst our team that we have something good that is working the means good things are gonna happen, it was just gonna take time.

My Coach Jon Casson with Nick Roma in the background

Team Utah Boardercross - from Left Cody Brown, Jenna Feldman, Torah Bright, (Lauren Eagle), Me, Mick Dierdorff and Jon Casson

Being led onto the podium by the Big Chief in his traditional headset was memorable, but having my name called out as the WINNER of the Lake Louise FIS Snowboard World Cup is imprinted in my head forever! Somehow I got the Yellow jersey for World Cup Tour Leader, which is pretty amazing (but I will take it)

I want to thank everyone involved in the event, Tim and his team from Canada Snowboard who always put on a great World Cup Boardercross event, The Lake Louise Resort for committing to host the event, the event sponsors, Sport Check (you make great Trucker Caps), Mazda, the course design and build Team, Jeff Ihaksi, Nick Roma and Johnny Balfour and all of the volunteers who gave up their time on the course over 3 days!

It takes a great team to get a good result and I am extremely lucky to have the support of Jon Casson and Cody Brown from Team Utah Boardercross, my waxing bear Jess Sadis who is funded by NSWIS, My team mates Mick Dierdorff, Jenna Feldman and Torah Bright – you guys are awesome, spiritual advisor Ben Bright and my Manager (Dad) who sorts everything out so I just focus on racing.

This season I am based out of Salt Lake City with the Team Utah Snowboardcross Team but for the last 3-4 years Steamboat and the Winter Sports Club has been my winter home, they welcomed me into their town, community and homes (thanks Bannings and Rudolphs) and I feel incredibly humbled to be part of this incredible environment.

Seth Westcott and I after the Race - what a legend!

To the Victor goes the spoils :-)

Markus Schairer telling me "Yellow is my colour don't get used to it"

Baumgartner after the race "So I didn't really think you would actually listen to me"

My team mate and buddy Mick Dierdorff

My Dad and Manager

Yeahhhhhhhhhh buddy!

From Left Ben Bright, Jon Casson, Mick Dierdorff, Cody Brown, Jeff Sadis, (Lauren Eagle), Torah Bright

Me, Jon Casson and Cody Brown

Dominique Maltais and me - World Cup Leaders!

The waxing bear, waxing lyrical!

If you want to watch the race you can watch it here!

http://youtu.be/QTmuW1D3erk

Special thanks to my sponsors

MUM and DAD

#TEAMOUTCAST

I'm Back

I'm Back!

After finishing my first World Cup season in 2012 in 31st place overall I was all geared up for the 2012-13 season hungry for an improvement in my rankings. However the season was a lot tougher then expected. At the first World Cup in Montafon Austria I got a conussion in the time trial and missed the event and at the Sochi Test event I tore my ACL in practice and had to return to Australia. This meant effectively I had missed half the season.

On my return to Oz and in consultation with the knee surgeons it was decided that with intense rehab and without surgery I could still compete and finish the season without an ACL so that I could stay in the hunt for Olympic Qualification. Incredibly after 3 weeks I went back to World Cup and qualified in 12th spot in Veysonnaz. I was taken out in his first heat but still earnt valuable Olympic Ranking Points to keep me in contention for qualification to Sochi. I was still 33rd on the Olympic Ranking Table and had met the minimum qualification criteria to compete in Sochi so the plan worked!

On my return to Australia I had surgery with an Achilles tendon allograft ACL reconstruction by Dr Craig Waller and worked hard in the gym with NSWIS, my Physio Tim Needham and Tom Carter from the Sydney Uni Sports Science Department to get me back on snow, which happened, in Cardrona NZ in October.

Everything went well on snow in Cardrona even though I was limited in what I could do as part of my return to snow program it made me hungry to work out hard in my last training block at NSWIS before the start of the World Cup season. Before I could leave I had to go through the final round of NSWIS testing to make sure I was ready!

All the physical stuff ticked off, it was time to hook up with my Coach Jon Casson from Team Utah in Austria for a month of on snow training prior to the first World Cup.  But of course whenever there is training in Europe there is also the opportunity for POW!

FIS Snowboardcross World Cup Montafon Austria

There were lots of things swirling through my mind leading up to my first World Cup after my knee surgery, but the constant was that I knew I had done all the work I needed to be fit, strong and competitive and all of the on snow training meant that I was ready.

On training day the weather was blue bird perfect and the course was running super fast and everything was super big, which is exactly the way I like it! Feeling pumped after a day of quality training I woke up the next morning to overcast skies and fresh snow on the ground. After a few hours of training in variable weather it was decided to postpone the time trial until after lunch – this was a great decision by the race organisers. Sure enough later that afternoon the visibility cleared and the course was running much faster. Time for qualification! After my run I was sitting in 6^th and by the time all 70 or so rides had been through the course I finished in 12^th place. Big props to my team mate Mick Dierdorff from the US who qualified 4^th! The beauty about qualifying in the top 24 is that you don’t need to do a second run – job done for the day!

Competition Day was a blur, The top 48 riders in brackets of 6 racing down the course doing 80km’s with the top 3 riders transferring to the next bracket. First bracket I got out of the gates well and transferred to the next bracket with a 2^nd place. Straight back to the top and into the next bracket I finished in 3rd to transfer through to the semi final. The semi final was going to plan, I sat back got into a drafting position and waited for my opportunity to pass and had a crack, the only problem was the door slammed shut on me and I got bucked out! Still I finished 5^th and would get a chance to improve my overall position in the small final. I rode well in the small final to finish 2nd which gave me 8^th 0verall – this was my best result – a Top 10 Finish at World Cup.

My best results previously were 10^th in my very first World Cup and 11^th at World Championships earlier this year.

Overall I am pretty stoked with how I rode, I got a bit of luck which I needed it and know there are plenty of areas for improvement, but I have come away hungry knowing that I am close to cracking a final at a World Cup.

Congratulations to Markus Schairer 1^st, Omar Visintin 2nd, Kevin Hill 3rd and a huge thank you to my  Coaches Jon Casson and Cody Brown, my wax tech Jeff Sadis (the waxing bear), my team mates Mick Dierdorff (17^th), Jenna Feldman (25^th) and Torah Bright (20^th).

Look out Lake Louis – here I come!

http://lakelouisesbx.com