While Canadian Ivan Babikov has recorded only one top-30 finish on the World Cup circuit so far this season, the man who has been billed by his teammates as one of the toughest skiers on the circuit remains undaunted.
“I’m always a bit slower than other guys in early season,” Babikov said in an e-mail to FasterSkier. “Usually, I need at least a good month of skiing and racing to feel fast.”
As a result, Babikov trained through the first couple of weekends on the World Cup circuit. The first events featured mostly middle-distance and sprint events, and while Babikov doesn’t mind racing them, he said he feels “more confident in races of 15 k and up.”
Babikov also has a different opinion than most North Americans on the effects of travel. Between the mini-tour in Kuusamo, Finland, and the World Cup races in Davos, Switzerland, he flew back to Canmore, Alberta. He skipped the all-sprint event in Dusseldorf, Germany, instead opting for a brief stint at home – less than two weeks.
“I guess I’m just used to it by now,” Babikov said of racking up frequent flier miles. “I’m dealing just fine with jet lag.”
Babikov said he prefers to train in Canmore, as well as spend more time with his family.