Tuesday, June 2, 2009

After a rewarding and exciting career, and 7 years on the Canadian Alpine Ski team, I have decided to retire from World Cup ski racing. I wanted to thank all of you for your generous support over the course of my career. Without your efforts and generosity (emotionally and financially), I would not have had this amazing opportunity and been able to compete at such a high level, including 4 years on the World Cup Circuit and 1 Olympic Games. The memories and life experience I have gained over the last 7 years will never be forgotten.

Many of you were already aware of my decision as I decided to come home from Europe in mid January. I experienced 2 injuries last season including a concussion last October and bone bruises to both my knees in December. I channeled all my resources and efforts into this season but was unable to recreate the confidence necessary to be successful in World Cup Downhill and Super-G racing.

I have started coaching part time at local clubs and I am enjoying sharing my knowledge and giving back to the ski racing community. I am satisfied with my decision and I am excited to move forward into the next phase of my life. I will be going to school in the fall and look forward to setting and achieving a new and different set of goals.

Thank you again for supporting me on this journey and I have enjoyed sharing it with you.

Sherry Lawrence

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! It's been a rough start to the season with two cancelled Downhills. There has only been one Womens World Cup Downhill and 2 Super-G's. I was only in one of the Super-G's.

It was great to be home for Christmas and New Years. Even though there hasn't been a lot of racing it was a nice break to be at home. Now we are in Altenmarkt Austria for a Downhill race. Hopefully it is time for some good weather on the Womens circuit!

We have been training in our new home away from home in Kirchberg and it is nice to have a team base to come "home," to. It makes being on the road for a large portion of the year a little easier to handle. It is also nice to be able to see the tech team and the Men's teams.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Solden Austria

Chile was a great camp and we really lucked out on the weather. Almost all sunny skies and great winter snow.

After Chile I had a 3 week break at home which was amazing. Calgary had a beautiful fall and I was able to spend time outside and ride my bike around town, (when I wasn't at the gym.) It was just the right amount of time to get in some quality training and get psyched to get back on snow.

Solden is really nice, Europe is having a very warm fall although it snowed here last week before I arrived. Soon the technical team will be doing time trials to see which girls get to race here in Solden at the Season opening GS in a few weeks time. I will not be part of the time trials because my events are Downhill and Super-G but it is exciting that the racing season is almost here. My first race will be at Lake Louise on December 5th

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Time for Chile

New Zealand was a great camp. We had exellent training on winter snow. And the best part is, when you were off the mountain we got to enjoy a mostly green New Zealand winter. When you have to leave Canada just when summer finally hits it's nice when it's not -20. We have been home for a little over a week and I am already getting packed for Chile. I fly on Friday and we'll be in Portillo for 2 weeks of speed training. The mens team just arrived home from Portillo and they said there is tons of snow. At one point they were snowed in and it took them a few days to get the roca jacks (crazy Chilean 5 man poma) to work.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

En Route to New Zealand

After an extremely stressful spring dealing with Alpine Canada I am excited to say that the summer dryland training went well and I am on my way to Queenstown New Zealand for the first camp of the summer. I can't wait to get back on snow although it will be interesting to see how the relationship with my coaches and team mates has changed. This is a tech camp focusing on GS and Slalom. The technical events are my weakness so I look forward to focusing on the fndamentals of my skiing.

Monday, March 31, 2008

Good News

Unfortunately skiing didn't work out for too long because my knees started to get sore. So on the advice of the medical staff I came home to give them rest. After 2 weeks at home I got an MRI and the results were really positive! The bone bruises are much better and there isn't any cartilage damage in the spots they were worried about. There is some slight wear behind the patella but that can be remedied with strengthening. I'm really excited to have good news. I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I am happy to be moving forward!

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Back on Snow

I'm sitting in the day lodge at Graigleith ski club in Colling wood Ontario. I started skiing in Whistler during the World Cup and I have been free skiing and forerunning this last week. This isn't the best way to return to snow but I don't have any other options available to me at the moment and I am happy to be back skiing. I have never missed a season due to injury before and it seams strange that a whole season has passed me bye. Next Friday marks three months since my injury. They say that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and I hope that this experience has a positive impact on my career and not a negative one. I don't know that I will be ready to race this season but I look forward to being confident and comfortable on my skis to take on the world next season.