It was still dark, when we went up with the chairlift. I was worried, had no idea about my line, my hip, which I just had overstretched days before, was hurting and there wouldn’t be a warm-up run. At least it was beautiful up there, quiet and peaceful, the moon was still out.

The eraly bird catches the worm… pic: ddaher

So there we were, standing on the top of the mountain, opposite the face, waiting for the full daylight.

The day before I really gave my best at the facecheck, I looked at the mountain precisely, walked up the slopes to get different angles and took a lot of pictures. I had multible lines in my head, but all had some big cons and inclarities to them, ranging from bad snow conditions to the risk of small slides, which then would affect my fluidity.

In those moments you just need some luck, which came in the shape of the first snowboard guys. Some of them took some of the same cliffs I had looked at, and suddenly I was confident again, the adrenaline kicked in, I was actually looking forward to that run. I had two lines, which I would both would have loved, and only decided for the easier one a couple of moments before the start. A calculated decision – I couldn’t risk that slide. If that would’ve led to a mistake, I just would’ve regretted it too much.

The snow had a crust that day, and I wasn’t able to ride at my fullest, just too much anxiety in my body to take it easy, to make it look easy. But the run still was actually a good run, and I got 3rd. Total relief. I’m back in the game for the 4 spots in the Women’s Snowboard category for Alaska.

SNB Womens’ podium at the Freerideworldtour in Chamonix: The great Marion Haerty got first, and legend Shannan Yates got second. Happy to be on the podium with these two rad women!

Now I’m off to Kirgistan for some splitboarding, before I’m back in Austria and prepare myself for the Freeridewolrdoutstop in Fieberbrunn.

Well, for the next Competition the aim is to feel like during the helicopter ride up: Totally free and happy, letting the soul fly and just exist in that moment.