Lately, the airports seem like great places to get stuff done, like catching up on emails and “office work”. It’s been 11 days since I’ve landed in Scandinavia and right now Louis and I are excitedly waiting for our Stockholm-Zurich flight. It will be so nice to see the sun and the Davos mountain landscape. Davos also happens to be the location of our next World Cup races. (a skate sprint for me, which I feel like I’ve well rehearsed for while training in Ostersund, Sweden for the past 6 days). I think it’s always good to do a rehearsal race a week before the important competition. There is nothing quite as good as a practice race and I highly recommend doing an easier-level race before an important event such as the long-planned loppet race, a NorAm Olympic qualification, or whatever else you are preparing for.

It was also fun to race for the first time in the place where my journey representing Team Canada began 10 years ago. Back in the distant 2003, Ostersund was the place where the Canadian National Junior Team trained in preparations for the Solleftea World Junior Championships. This is where I first shared a hotel room with my good friend Chandra Crawford. On the weekend, Chandra and I reminisced and toasted to the 10-year ‘wood” anniversary of our team union. It’s crazy how quickly the time flies by!

And since Chandra is sharing a room with her boyfriend for another week (lucky her!), I am happy to catch up with my international ski friends from the World Cup scene. It’s nice to have friends from all over the World and to share our World Cup adventures together. Holly Brooks (USA), Bettina Gruber (SUI), and Valentina Novikova (RUS) are my wonderful ever- present competitors and dear friends. And for Christmas, while Euros will leave for their respective homes, I am excited to have my brother and his girlfriend come celebrate Christmas with me while I’ll be training in Davos. Family time is rare and precious for me these days. The next time I’ll be able to properly hang-out with la famiglia (parents & my super ski fan granny) will be in Sochi, but only after my Olympic races will be done. Regardless of the Games racing outcome, it will be a very special time for all of us.

Well, it’s time for me to get on the plane, so I’ll stop here and wish you all a wonderful and stress-free December. Enjoy the peacefulness of the winter forest trails.

Thank you for reading,
Dasha