Back to the roots....

2004 / 2005 was my first year that I raced under the Canadian flag for Mont-Tremblant ski club.

Lots of you might not know my history. So here is a quick review... 

My mother is Canadian and my father is Italian from Suedtirol. I skied until I was 18 years old for Italy, and because of injury I did not make the Italian National Ski Team. 

Since I was a young boy all I wanted to do was ski race and to be a World Cup winner and I often thought about racing for Canada. So when I got injured and the Italian National Team did not take me, I thought now would be the best opportunity to switch nation and race for Canada. So I called Alpine Canada and they told me that I would need to race the Nor-Am Cups to qualify for their National Team and that they would be happy to have me. 

Because of my mom, I had my Canadian passport which made the nation switch a lot easier.

To make a long story short. 

The first time I came to Canada to race, I landed in Calgary early one evening and I did not know where to go. All I knew was that I would be racing 3 days upon setting foot in Canada and I needed to get to Lake Louise somehow. 

After hanging out at the airport for some time, because no bus would depart that late in the day, some friends of friends ( that I didn’t know ) told me that they would have someone pick me up and that I could stay at their home for a few days.

Two days after hanging out in Calgary I took a greyhound bus to Lake Louise for the Nor-Am Cup races.

That year I raced Nor-Am Cups, National Championship races and lots of F.I.S. races and I qualified for the Canadian National Development Team. The year after that, in April 2006 I was racing with the Nation’s Team. 

Last year I was supposed to race the GS at the Olympics in Vancouver, and 4 days before the race I tore my ACL in my left knee and could not participate. 

Since April 2010 I am officially not on the National Team anymore.

5 years have passed since I started my Canadian journey. I am still following my dream of winning a World Cup and will once again try to qualify for the Canadian National Ski Team. 

The task will be tough (and expensive) but I am willing to go the extra mile to reach my goals.

Back to the roots, me in the bus from Nakiska to Calgary airport. 

Thought this is a cool shot.

My flight to Denver and then one more flight to Aspen.

Leaving Calgary behind...

Getting closer to Aspen. 

Now I am in Aspen and I am staying here with a friend of mine from team TNT ( team no team ) Warner Nickerson. Tomorrow will be my first race back after my knee surgery. I am really looking forward to being in the starting gate and giving  it my best.

We are staying at one of Warner' s family friends' home It is a beautiful home which overlooks the whole town of Aspen.  Stay posted and you will soon see more.