Here is an e-mail that Ashley sent earlier this week. Thought you might be interested to see what’s going on down there. She is excited to be returning here in November.br /a onblur=”try parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/Spmh6jfngYI/AAAAAAAAA1c/YlR9F0-QvdE/s1600-h/6735_113432041815_730001815_2738010_3751993_n.jpg”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/Spmh6jfngYI/AAAAAAAAA1c/YlR9F0-QvdE/s400/6735_113432041815_730001815_2738010_3751993_n.jpg” border=”0″ alt=””id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375505657575735682″ //abr /Well all the selection races are over now, we had the last ones last weekend.br /Since I last emailed there has been Australian sprint champs, Victorian Interschools, and Australain Champs (a 5km classic and a 5km skate). I wasn’t going to go up to the sprints champs, but one of my coaches offered a lift up and then to drive me over to another mountain for the interschools the next day.br / br /The course was more technical than the sprints the previous weekend (d’Arcy and I were happy about that, thanks to all those drills we’ve done at SMS). I had a realy good race, and won the time trail (giving me a 0% average ranking for sprints) and then had a pretty easy semifinal to go onto a really good final with two Victorian’s and two NSW people. I had another good one – cut a few people off – and ended up winning, with a NSW girl and the other Victorian battling out for second (NSW won unfortunately!). It was a good day!br /br /The next day was the interschools, not really much competition in my age group, so i used it as a practice for time trials when i dont’ have anyone to chase. br /I won the indivifdual 3km classic by a few minutes, and my team won in the classic and we won the relay by about 4 mins! It was good fun :)br /br /The weekend after was the Australian champs in NSW. Snow was sloppy and not the nicest. Started getting a cold on friday.br /Saturday was the skate race, i felt pretty bad, didn’t have a great one, ended up 3rd in the under 16’s to a couple of NSW girls. Sunday was the 5km classic. It POURED. We were all skiing in the rain, hardly anyone warmed up on skis, everyone was jumping round inside the shelter. I was feeling pretty bad again, very unmotivated to go skiing in the rain. Then my friends dad was talking to my mum and told us the magic cure for when you’re not feeling good. br /br /Tea, with lots of sugarbr /Then gatorade to help it be absorbed.br /br /IT was amazing!! I had that about an hour before the race, and then by the race i was feeling much better, and had my best race of the season!! Haha.br /I started second to last out of the 10 skiers in my age group, 30 second intervals, and i passed everyone 🙂 it was fun !! We all came in looking like we’d jumped in a swimming pool. Had to dry off with a towel. Beautiful Australian weather, I bet you all wish you were over here!! br /br /So i think i should have achieved my goal of making the Aus team, but the new team hasn’t been announced yet so we’ll see!br /br /This weekend is the kangaroo hoppet (world loppet series) so we’re just about to do the 5hr drive up to the mountains to race tomorrow. Should be lots of fun, it always is!br /br /I’ll let you know how the season finished up when it’s over!br /br /I saw all the stuff on the blog about summer training. WOW. Looks like alot of hard work! I guess school goes back pretty soon??br /Say hi to everyone from me!!br /br /Ash xodiv class=”blogger-post-footer”img width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4680416899705879324-7774369156754839015?l=smsxc.blogspot.com’//div
