Torino here I come!
Bill Marolt made it official last night when he announced the 2006 Olympic team from Las Vegas, NV (press release).
It's still unbelievable to me that I actually qualified this time around because of what I've been through in the last year. From switching skis in the middle of the last season to being told that my career was nearly over exactly one year ago in Schladming. Then funding part of my way this year and yet still having to cope with some early season lackluster results. All of which has made it an incredible ride!
The last three and a half weeks in particular were quite a trip, with four World Cup slaloms and the last three Olympic slalom spots wide open. The contest was basically between Bode, Tom Rothrock, Jimmy Cochran, Erik Schlopy and myself. Despite Bode's trouble making it to the finish line, it was always widely assumed that he would be named by discretion based on past years' results. So that left two spots for the rest of us, and after Adelboden I had a 17th, Tom had a 16th, and Jimmy had a 15th. The criteria read that we would either have to score 1 podium, 2 top-10s, 3 top-20s, or it would go to total World Cup points in that discipline.
The situation remained the same following Wengen, when none of us scored a result there, which left Kitzbühel and Schladming, two races in three days, to decide the outcome for Torino. I finished 20th at the Hahnenkamm, giving me a little breathing room but it still didn't decide anything. Many people asked me then, "so, does this qualify you," and all I could say was, "we'll see after Schladming," with a hopeful smile, knowing full well that I still had to perform strongly there.
To want something so badly, and to have everything riding on 100 seconds of performance, is one of the hardest things I've ever been through. All I kept saying to myself was that it was going to come down to skiing, plain and simple. The result were merely an outcome. After my second run in Schladming, when I executed my skiing well, I knew I could finally rest my mind knowing that my 20th place had qualified me objectively for the Olympics. A relief for sure, but what an amazing ride!
It's still unbelievable to me that I actually qualified this time around because of what I've been through in the last year. From switching skis in the middle of the last season to being told that my career was nearly over exactly one year ago in Schladming. Then funding part of my way this year and yet still having to cope with some early season lackluster results. All of which has made it an incredible ride!
The last three and a half weeks in particular were quite a trip, with four World Cup slaloms and the last three Olympic slalom spots wide open. The contest was basically between Bode, Tom Rothrock, Jimmy Cochran, Erik Schlopy and myself. Despite Bode's trouble making it to the finish line, it was always widely assumed that he would be named by discretion based on past years' results. So that left two spots for the rest of us, and after Adelboden I had a 17th, Tom had a 16th, and Jimmy had a 15th. The criteria read that we would either have to score 1 podium, 2 top-10s, 3 top-20s, or it would go to total World Cup points in that discipline.
The situation remained the same following Wengen, when none of us scored a result there, which left Kitzbühel and Schladming, two races in three days, to decide the outcome for Torino. I finished 20th at the Hahnenkamm, giving me a little breathing room but it still didn't decide anything. Many people asked me then, "so, does this qualify you," and all I could say was, "we'll see after Schladming," with a hopeful smile, knowing full well that I still had to perform strongly there.
To want something so badly, and to have everything riding on 100 seconds of performance, is one of the hardest things I've ever been through. All I kept saying to myself was that it was going to come down to skiing, plain and simple. The result were merely an outcome. After my second run in Schladming, when I executed my skiing well, I knew I could finally rest my mind knowing that my 20th place had qualified me objectively for the Olympics. A relief for sure, but what an amazing ride!
8 Comments:
you're awesome chip! we had no doubt that you'd make it to torino . . . love your number one fans, kris & shane
Hi Chip!
Audrey Spellman here! I have been in your "fan club" for more years than I can count. I am thrilled to be coming to Torino with your Mom! 2006 cheers for you and this wonderful accomplishment! See you in Italy!
hey
Hi Chip!
It's great to see you in Torino...
Good luck and take a medal there,
Astrid
Chip, update your schedule!!!!
-Nifer
ps. Splint, was that "hey" comment from you?
Love the new photo on your homepage!
-Nifer
Way to go Chip. Heard about you making the team on a VPR podcast. Congrats... we VTers will be rootin' for ya.
Hey Chip -- Laura Peet here. We'll be cheering you on in NYC!!!
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