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Tip: Stiegler on handling racing pressure on the mountain
By Resi Stiegler // March 23, 2005
Resi Stiegler, 19, from Jackson, Wyo., is on the rise in the world of alpine skiing. Stiegler is the daughter of Austria’s three-time Olympic medalist Pepi Stiegler, who won the slalom gold medal in 1964. Resi finished the 2005 World Cup season ranked eighth in the combined and placed in the top-10 in the slalom at World Championships.
Handling racing pressure on the mountain
Tip #1: Just breathe.
“When I’m under pressure and it’s taking over me, I just have to sit there, breathe and think of something totally different.”
Tip #2: Go to your happy place.
“For me it is thinking about home, Jackson. I think about when I’m on the top of Teton Village and I’m looking down and at the mountain and the snow is right in front of me.”
Tip #3: Focus on the feeling of free skiing.
“I just love the feeling of free skiing. It’s the most natural thing to me. I think that for most people that ski it is probably the same for them.”
Tip #4: Push the pressure and stress out of your mind.
“Right before the run when your skiing down to the course to take your run, I think that is one time when you can get rid of all that pressure or nervousness or anything. You just go down and feel your skis.”
Tip #5: Know you can do it.
“Know this is what you do, this is what you know how to do and it’s so natural. You could close you’re eyes and do it. You could sleep and do it. You just have to know that’s what you have and that’s real and that’s what you can do. Take that pressure and nervousness away and that’s what you’ve got.”
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