Brittany Webster (Can) ©Heinz Ruckemann file photo
Congratulations on your 5th place at the U23 Worlds in the 10km classic, and being named to Canada’s 2010 Olympic Team! Tell us about the 10km race.
Brittany Webster: Well, the 10km classic was fun. I was surprised to wake up relaxed, confident, and be able to get my breakfast down easily! I’d been focusing on that race for a while and knew I could do well in it if things went according to plan. I woke up that morning to a bit of a shocker – a fresh, dumping snow, mild and windy – much different from what the forecast had said (it was supposed to be clear skies, cold weather and maybe a few flurries).
No longer were the tracks fast and firm. They were soft, soft, soft. Ski testing was tough. I was debating between my soft powder or my medium-klister skis. One pair was slower and draggy with good kick, the other was faster but slippery. I went with the stiff pair and debated about it the whole time in my warm up! But we have good wax techs and I have a lot of trust in them.
I went out hard. My plan was to ski every climb on the course as hard as I could except the really long one – where I wanted to be relaxed and conserve energy until the last lap. I was surprised to hear that at 2km I was 4th against girls that had already gone by. My seed wasn’t great, I was ranked 16th so I figured that the girls behind me would be just as fast if not faster than me. But with 4th, I thought, “Wow, that would maybe put me in 20th overall? How can people be skiing faster than this right now, I’m going all out!” It turned out that my pace was a good one. I sat in about 8th the whole race. At 1km before the finish it was super tight. I was five seconds to 5th and I was like, well, it’s now or never. I hammered with everything I had and it turned out it was enough!
How are you and your teammates feeling about their results so far at the Junior/U23 Worlds?
BW: I think there are some people on the team that are happy and even surprised with their shape right now. Others are struggling. That’s always the way it is. There’s been this crazy flu that’s been going through our team and I think that’s hindered some skier’s performance.
What were your hopes coming into this season?
BW: Based on summer training, I had expected this season to be one of my best ever. Unfortunately things got off to a rocky start. I wanted to make the Olympic team, and I also wanted to do well here in Germany. Looking at early season results, I was nowhere near where I wanted to be. It turned out I was still digesting summer training. All I needed was a good week of rest and my shape started to come around.
What are your expectations for Saturday’s Pursuit event?
BW: I’m excited about the pursuit. My body is feeling tired from yesterday’s effort, but I think if I rest well I can pull off another top 10.
Which race(s) at the Olympics are you most looking forward to?
BW: I’m pumped to race the 30km classic at the Olympics. It will be chaotic, hard, and hopefully fun. The Pursuit is another one of my favorite races.
When the going gets tough, who or what do you think about, to motivate you?
BW: When the going gets tough I just dwell on the positives. Self- motivational talk can really make a difference. It’s important not to listen to the part of your mind that cries out “I really don’t like this right now.”
Best of luck at the U23 Worlds, and with the rest of your season!
BW: Thanks!