Hi great new again.... another donation to help pay for our airfares, still about $5000 short for our air fares, and about $25000 short for the accomadation costs, training costs, and car rental, I have given up on getting money for coaching this year, I just want to get the money to get over there. It starts to get pretty scary from here on, as I booked the air tickets yesterday, I hope to leave on the 20 October, but I still havent got any money to do it, I just have to believe it will all work out. I am on Sportzah, a TV3 sports show this thursday, so make sure your watching. My training hasnt been going very well for the last week as I have had a cold, once i have kicked it I will be back into full swing. If you know of any one who might be interested in helping me out this season or sponsoring me please let me know, email me on lou@nzskeletonracer.com or go through my website www.nzskeletonracer.com. There is a news article on skeletonsport.com about the New Zealand Team who will be racing this year onthe world cup, you should check it out, also on this site you can look up the bios of all the kiwi skeleton racers old and new, so go and have a look.
Lou
Wednesday, August 20, 2003
Monday, August 18, 2003
Great news arrived in the post this morning, Kel and I have got some funding for our airfares, it is the first positive result from our fundraising drive, so thank you New Zealand Community Trust. It is amazing what one positive result does for your motivation after reciving 16 negatives in the last month or so.
Yesterday up at the snow farm we had a fantastic time. Mark and I left Dunedin at 7am and arrived in Wanaka at about 11, the drive up to the snow farm was challenging for our little mini 1275gt loaded up with all my gear, but she made it up there. The Sportzah tv crew where already there and so was Dion Nash, our interviewer for the day. John Lee at the snow farm was a huge help in letting us use his ice facilities, which are designed for testing winter car tires and car computer systems on, he sent 3 of his guys down to help us cut the groove in a natural ice rink, the size of a rugby field on a high plateau on top of the Piza range. Kelly (who had driven from Christchurch) and I spent about 4 hours running around on the ice in our speed suits, trying to avoid hypothermia. It was alot of fun, and I am sure it will be a great snapshot of our sport when it airs on TV3's Sportzah show on the 28th of August, so look out for it.
So Kelly and I are a step closer to being ready for this season of racing but we still need to find a sponsor, there is alot more costs involved than our airfares, if any one has any ideas, then please email me through my website.
Sliding Fast
Lou
Yesterday up at the snow farm we had a fantastic time. Mark and I left Dunedin at 7am and arrived in Wanaka at about 11, the drive up to the snow farm was challenging for our little mini 1275gt loaded up with all my gear, but she made it up there. The Sportzah tv crew where already there and so was Dion Nash, our interviewer for the day. John Lee at the snow farm was a huge help in letting us use his ice facilities, which are designed for testing winter car tires and car computer systems on, he sent 3 of his guys down to help us cut the groove in a natural ice rink, the size of a rugby field on a high plateau on top of the Piza range. Kelly (who had driven from Christchurch) and I spent about 4 hours running around on the ice in our speed suits, trying to avoid hypothermia. It was alot of fun, and I am sure it will be a great snapshot of our sport when it airs on TV3's Sportzah show on the 28th of August, so look out for it.
So Kelly and I are a step closer to being ready for this season of racing but we still need to find a sponsor, there is alot more costs involved than our airfares, if any one has any ideas, then please email me through my website.
Sliding Fast
Lou
Saturday, August 16, 2003
Hi
How exciting, this blog has made it onto the search pages, I hope that means that people are reading it!
It is a beautiful day here in Dunedin, and I have just been out for a coffee in Port Charmbers with my boyfriend Mark.
Tomorrow Kelly and I have the interview with Sportzah, all is going to plan, John Lee at the Wairau Snow Farm has agreed to let Kel and I rout a 45 meter groove down their tire testing ice shed so we can demonstrate our sprint start! I have cleaned up my sled and put new stickers on it saying "kiwis can fly" "advertise here", "your logo here" and "let it fly".
I have put alot of different messages on my sled during races, my favourite is Kiwis can fly, others I have used are "hold on tight", "dont let go", "nuclear free NZ" but the one that started it all was " knees here" at one end and " this way forward" at the other.
One of the stange things about representing NZ is that because there are few athletes, I found myself able to enter international races with no experience, my first race, the Calgary Americas Cup in 2000 was 1 week after I had first ever seen a skeleton sled. My first televised race was only 3 months later, broadcast to millions across US, Canada and Europe. This is a fantastic way to learn, you set your standards and goals far higher than other beginners who start in a club and stay there for 5 years before they get their first international race, but there are some downers. The whole world gets to see your mistakes (that all beginners make), the flouresent, donated 1980's speed suits, the home made ones that are see through when you bend over, and the time your sled was put down back to front, and you were so busy trying to controll the fear, andrenalin and doubts that you forgot to check, and took off sprinting, only to load onto the sled to find your handles by your ears and not by your thighs! This resulted in making an executive life saving decision and I jumped off the back (or was it the front?) of the sled as I entered corner 4 (in Park City). My sled some how flipped it self around and crossed the finish line with out me and I skidded through the corner on my belly, gratefull for my helmet and elbow pads, crawled out of the track and slowly took my shaking, freaked out self back to the start where the officals where stressing because no one could find me, they thought I might have fallen under the track. I always put my own sled down on the ice now.
No fundraising news, I am hoping that this interview for Sportzah, will generate some more interest and lead to a sponsor. I did recieve an email from Kevin Roberts, the CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi, he has a really interesting personal web site, I emailed him a while back for some advice, and to my surprise he replied.
His advice to me was "You need to find a product that fits, that is used by skeleton racers, that is used by people who love skeleton racing and that is run by a CEO who has an interest (or a kid) who's a fan!! " so that is my mission. Ambitious. Can any one out there help me? if you can, then email me through my website .
Well must go, I have an assignment to write up for my pedagogy class, it is about teaching styles and learning styles.
Lou
How exciting, this blog has made it onto the search pages, I hope that means that people are reading it!
It is a beautiful day here in Dunedin, and I have just been out for a coffee in Port Charmbers with my boyfriend Mark.
Tomorrow Kelly and I have the interview with Sportzah, all is going to plan, John Lee at the Wairau Snow Farm has agreed to let Kel and I rout a 45 meter groove down their tire testing ice shed so we can demonstrate our sprint start! I have cleaned up my sled and put new stickers on it saying "kiwis can fly" "advertise here", "your logo here" and "let it fly".
I have put alot of different messages on my sled during races, my favourite is Kiwis can fly, others I have used are "hold on tight", "dont let go", "nuclear free NZ" but the one that started it all was " knees here" at one end and " this way forward" at the other.
One of the stange things about representing NZ is that because there are few athletes, I found myself able to enter international races with no experience, my first race, the Calgary Americas Cup in 2000 was 1 week after I had first ever seen a skeleton sled. My first televised race was only 3 months later, broadcast to millions across US, Canada and Europe. This is a fantastic way to learn, you set your standards and goals far higher than other beginners who start in a club and stay there for 5 years before they get their first international race, but there are some downers. The whole world gets to see your mistakes (that all beginners make), the flouresent, donated 1980's speed suits, the home made ones that are see through when you bend over, and the time your sled was put down back to front, and you were so busy trying to controll the fear, andrenalin and doubts that you forgot to check, and took off sprinting, only to load onto the sled to find your handles by your ears and not by your thighs! This resulted in making an executive life saving decision and I jumped off the back (or was it the front?) of the sled as I entered corner 4 (in Park City). My sled some how flipped it self around and crossed the finish line with out me and I skidded through the corner on my belly, gratefull for my helmet and elbow pads, crawled out of the track and slowly took my shaking, freaked out self back to the start where the officals where stressing because no one could find me, they thought I might have fallen under the track. I always put my own sled down on the ice now.
No fundraising news, I am hoping that this interview for Sportzah, will generate some more interest and lead to a sponsor. I did recieve an email from Kevin Roberts, the CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi, he has a really interesting personal web site, I emailed him a while back for some advice, and to my surprise he replied.
His advice to me was "You need to find a product that fits, that is used by skeleton racers, that is used by people who love skeleton racing and that is run by a CEO who has an interest (or a kid) who's a fan!! " so that is my mission. Ambitious. Can any one out there help me? if you can, then email me through my website .
Well must go, I have an assignment to write up for my pedagogy class, it is about teaching styles and learning styles.
Lou
Thursday, August 14, 2003
Hi,
8 oclock training session this morning, it was good. It is about 14 degrees today, which is quite warm for me considering I in my 9th consecutive winter!
More bad new for funding today, another declined gaming machine application. I think that part of the problem is that we are a national federation( the NZ Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association), applying for community funding, and the local trusts (there are hundreds) will give money to local groups first, and since we are a national organisation we fall to the bottom of the list and since we need so much, we fall even further and then since it is only two athletes who will benifit we end up at the bottom of the pile and I guess that when they get to our application all the money for that month has been given out, or the person who makes the decision has never heard about skeleton racing or seen it on tv (because it isnt shown in the southern hemisphere), and doesnt know that there are 5 kiwis out on the world tour, or that we used to have a world champion or just isnt interested. Very Very frustrating.
You know the New Zealand Government gave 30 million dollars to the Team New Zealand Americas Cup team to keep them going for the next round of racing. The Americas Cup is one of the richest races around, the richest people in the world contribute to and own teams, the Swiss won because they could afford to employ all the best kiwis on their boat, it is not a sport that should be propped up with government money when a lot of other sports, olympic sports, kiwi world champions, recieve nothing other than an airfare to the olympics, if the NZOC thinks that they will finish in the top half of the field.
It is not all bad though, and if it was easy, every one would be doing it. I have been on TV several times this week, on Freeze TV, a program showcasing NZ's winter sports, visiting athletes and the general scence on our ski fields (YES contrary to most European and American beliefs, we have mountains and snow, lots of it, we actually have more snowy, icey moutain terrain that switerzerland and Austria!), Freeze TV shows on prime time TV slots on Sky sport 1 and 2 ( shown just before the rugby) and other local free to air channels. Hopefully this exposure helps. I also have a TV 3 interview with the "Sportzah" crew on monday, Kelly and I are heading upto the Wairau snow farm in the Cardrona Valley, and doing a bit of training on ice for them!!! So if your in NZ keep an eye out for the thursday night sportzah show.
Dont forget to check out my website
Lou
8 oclock training session this morning, it was good. It is about 14 degrees today, which is quite warm for me considering I in my 9th consecutive winter!
More bad new for funding today, another declined gaming machine application. I think that part of the problem is that we are a national federation( the NZ Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association), applying for community funding, and the local trusts (there are hundreds) will give money to local groups first, and since we are a national organisation we fall to the bottom of the list and since we need so much, we fall even further and then since it is only two athletes who will benifit we end up at the bottom of the pile and I guess that when they get to our application all the money for that month has been given out, or the person who makes the decision has never heard about skeleton racing or seen it on tv (because it isnt shown in the southern hemisphere), and doesnt know that there are 5 kiwis out on the world tour, or that we used to have a world champion or just isnt interested. Very Very frustrating.
You know the New Zealand Government gave 30 million dollars to the Team New Zealand Americas Cup team to keep them going for the next round of racing. The Americas Cup is one of the richest races around, the richest people in the world contribute to and own teams, the Swiss won because they could afford to employ all the best kiwis on their boat, it is not a sport that should be propped up with government money when a lot of other sports, olympic sports, kiwi world champions, recieve nothing other than an airfare to the olympics, if the NZOC thinks that they will finish in the top half of the field.
It is not all bad though, and if it was easy, every one would be doing it. I have been on TV several times this week, on Freeze TV, a program showcasing NZ's winter sports, visiting athletes and the general scence on our ski fields (YES contrary to most European and American beliefs, we have mountains and snow, lots of it, we actually have more snowy, icey moutain terrain that switerzerland and Austria!), Freeze TV shows on prime time TV slots on Sky sport 1 and 2 ( shown just before the rugby) and other local free to air channels. Hopefully this exposure helps. I also have a TV 3 interview with the "Sportzah" crew on monday, Kelly and I are heading upto the Wairau snow farm in the Cardrona Valley, and doing a bit of training on ice for them!!! So if your in NZ keep an eye out for the thursday night sportzah show.
Dont forget to check out my website
Lou
Tuesday, August 12, 2003
Another site that will tell you lots about skeleton racing is www.skeletonsport.com. And the international governing body is the FIBT.
Enjoy.
Enjoy.
Hi guys,
Today I have been filling in funding applications, if any of you have been involved in fundraising you'll know what i meen by saying I love them and loath them, they give me a life line to my sport, my passion, but the negative returns can drain your enthusiasm and motivation. I have recieved 15 declines so far no positive results, the concerning thing is that all of the trusts who have replied and declined my applications, granted me funds last season and i was hoping that they would support me and Kelly (my team mate) this season. I hope to leave for norway in mid october, but I havent even got the money to pay for my airfares yet, let alone the rental car, hostel, or training runs at about $NZ45 per run, and then theres the cost of the races and Coaching ( i must be dreaming). There has been some positives, i talked to the university student association and it looks like they will be able to help me out with about $500, and the Skeggs Foundation who support Dunedin athletes should be able to help out, they gave me $700 last year, but that still doesnt even pay for my airfares... maybe my excess baggage for one flight... I travel with about 100 kg of equipment, and no money which means that i have to find a way of getting out of excess baggage charges, I believe that i am quite talented in this as I was only charged once last year. The most difficult airline to sweet talk in air new zealand! I guess my accent doesnt get me any bonus points when I am at home. If you can learn to cry on demand it can get you out of the most expensive excess bagage charges! Any way time for me to go, i have a 1.30 pilates appointment and some lectures this afternoon, followed by assignments to do for both History of Sport and Pedagogy. Make sure you check out my website www.nzskeletonracer.com
Today I have been filling in funding applications, if any of you have been involved in fundraising you'll know what i meen by saying I love them and loath them, they give me a life line to my sport, my passion, but the negative returns can drain your enthusiasm and motivation. I have recieved 15 declines so far no positive results, the concerning thing is that all of the trusts who have replied and declined my applications, granted me funds last season and i was hoping that they would support me and Kelly (my team mate) this season. I hope to leave for norway in mid october, but I havent even got the money to pay for my airfares yet, let alone the rental car, hostel, or training runs at about $NZ45 per run, and then theres the cost of the races and Coaching ( i must be dreaming). There has been some positives, i talked to the university student association and it looks like they will be able to help me out with about $500, and the Skeggs Foundation who support Dunedin athletes should be able to help out, they gave me $700 last year, but that still doesnt even pay for my airfares... maybe my excess baggage for one flight... I travel with about 100 kg of equipment, and no money which means that i have to find a way of getting out of excess baggage charges, I believe that i am quite talented in this as I was only charged once last year. The most difficult airline to sweet talk in air new zealand! I guess my accent doesnt get me any bonus points when I am at home. If you can learn to cry on demand it can get you out of the most expensive excess bagage charges! Any way time for me to go, i have a 1.30 pilates appointment and some lectures this afternoon, followed by assignments to do for both History of Sport and Pedagogy. Make sure you check out my website www.nzskeletonracer.com
Monday, August 11, 2003
I live in NZ in the off season, and I am a student at the Univerisy of Otago, I am doing a physed degree, slowly.
Along with all my lectures and tutorials, assignments and exams, I also train, fundraise and spend time with my boyfriend Mark.
Fundraising and getting publicity for my sport and my self is the most time consuming part of it all. There is no government funding for skeleton racing, which sucks. NZ had a world champion skeleton racer, and this coming season there will be 5 kiwis competing on the World Cup Tour, which is only open to the top 12 nations. We dont have a home track, in fact there are no tracks in the southern hemisphere! We all have to find all our own funding. So I am currently hunting sponsors who will support me in my qualifying bid for the 2006 Winter Olympics and beyond. The sponsors I already have on board are Dirty Dog Eye Wear, Icebreaker (merino clothing manufacturer) and Mainland Great Outdoors.
Well it is time for me to head off to uni, I have a health promotion lecture, and an appointment at the Pilates clinic.
Lou
Along with all my lectures and tutorials, assignments and exams, I also train, fundraise and spend time with my boyfriend Mark.
Fundraising and getting publicity for my sport and my self is the most time consuming part of it all. There is no government funding for skeleton racing, which sucks. NZ had a world champion skeleton racer, and this coming season there will be 5 kiwis competing on the World Cup Tour, which is only open to the top 12 nations. We dont have a home track, in fact there are no tracks in the southern hemisphere! We all have to find all our own funding. So I am currently hunting sponsors who will support me in my qualifying bid for the 2006 Winter Olympics and beyond. The sponsors I already have on board are Dirty Dog Eye Wear, Icebreaker (merino clothing manufacturer) and Mainland Great Outdoors.
Well it is time for me to head off to uni, I have a health promotion lecture, and an appointment at the Pilates clinic.
Lou
Hi
Here is a chance for you to see what I get upto as a skeleton racer and a future Olympian. This is how it all started back in New Zealand in 1999.
"A Sunday Star Times article read … 'adventurous kiwi women wanted…' and I thought, it had to be me. The article was about this exciting sport called skeleton racing. All I knew was that these full on athletes speed down the bobsleigh track head first on their stomachs. That was how it all began.
After reading this article, I contacted Bruce Sandford, the 1999 World Champion skeleton racer from Hamilton and after our talk I was hooked.
So without any knowledge of the sport, I headed to Canada to give it a go. After a 5-Day school at the Calgary Olympic Park, I was a qualified international skeleton racer! I entered my first international race the following weekend, representing New Zealand.
In true Kiwi O.E. fashion I slept on floors, hitched lifts, borrowed speed suits and sleds, and made it happen. Foreign athletes and officials ensured I was looked after and arrived and made it to each of the following races.
Despite not having a coach or my own sled my progress was surprisingly good. Three months after my first ever run I was representing New Zealand in the Park City World Cup. Today with 3 International seasons under my belt, I am ranked 18th out of 33 in the world circuit and I finished 14th in the world Cup final in Altenberg, Germany.
I am currently preparing for my 4th World cup season, with my goals set on finishing in the top 10 at the World Championships, February 2004 in Konigsee, Germany."
Here is a chance for you to see what I get upto as a skeleton racer and a future Olympian. This is how it all started back in New Zealand in 1999.
"A Sunday Star Times article read … 'adventurous kiwi women wanted…' and I thought, it had to be me. The article was about this exciting sport called skeleton racing. All I knew was that these full on athletes speed down the bobsleigh track head first on their stomachs. That was how it all began.
After reading this article, I contacted Bruce Sandford, the 1999 World Champion skeleton racer from Hamilton and after our talk I was hooked.
So without any knowledge of the sport, I headed to Canada to give it a go. After a 5-Day school at the Calgary Olympic Park, I was a qualified international skeleton racer! I entered my first international race the following weekend, representing New Zealand.
In true Kiwi O.E. fashion I slept on floors, hitched lifts, borrowed speed suits and sleds, and made it happen. Foreign athletes and officials ensured I was looked after and arrived and made it to each of the following races.
Despite not having a coach or my own sled my progress was surprisingly good. Three months after my first ever run I was representing New Zealand in the Park City World Cup. Today with 3 International seasons under my belt, I am ranked 18th out of 33 in the world circuit and I finished 14th in the world Cup final in Altenberg, Germany.
I am currently preparing for my 4th World cup season, with my goals set on finishing in the top 10 at the World Championships, February 2004 in Konigsee, Germany."
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