We begin this week spotlighting the individual state champions in all classes in both Alpine and Nordic. Keep checking the website for all of the state champion spotlights.
First up is Ian McKendry of Forest Hills, the 2016 Class B Giant Slalom state champion. We asked him about his preparations and what was going through his mind at the starting gate.
1) What were your preparations leading up to the state meet?
I lifted weights, did more upper body workouts than leg day, to balance the amount of skiing that I was doing. When I could ski at Sugarloaf, I wouldn’t waste time, I would ski just as hard and fast as I could to prepare.
2) How did you deal with the pressure and emotions that come along with competing in a state meet?
I didn’t really have much pressure going into the meet, I wasn’t expected to be in the top contenders. I held it together on the slalom course until the last gate, just because I had taken second run so easy on top. GS was a different story, I was astounded that I went into the lead after first run, during second run, I yelled at myself. I told myself out loud to go faster, and that I wasn’t a state champion. Pressure wasn’t the big thing, just staying in the Mindset to go that fast. I just did what I’ve done all season, gave my all right out of the gate, and the rest is a blur.
3) What is your favorite thing about ski racing?
The speed, people too. I have meet for sure some lifelong friends in this sport. The cold feels good, and running gates is just a lot of fun. I just wish I could have competed earlier.
4) Coming into the season, what were your goals and did you achieve them?
I wanted to defend my title in Greenville in GS and get the slalom win as well. I got both and was very satisfied. On the state level, I really wanted to go to shootouts again. I made it to my surprise in both disciplines. At shootouts, I missed the State Team in a three-way tie for the 12th spot. I was the third one of the three. I was completely disappointed with myself. So, I didn’t complete my goal of making the State Team this year. I’m still astounded that I won the state GS title.
5) What was going through your mind at the starting gate knowing that the snow conditions were icy and tricky?
Rock and Roll, as my uncle would say, and don’t be stupid as my dad would tell me. At the top if I needed to I would go as hard as I could to win. At state slalom course I knew I could have a top 10, so I took the top half easy and slowly came on to the headwall. The low headwall I let the skis run and tried to make some time up.