Tuesday, February 5, 2002
Olympic rookie McBeath racing to achieve potential
By RON MANZ -- Calgary Sun
First-time experiences generally are ones you carry for a lifetime.
That is exactly what Calgary's Darin McBeath expects when he competes in his first Olympic Winter Games later this week.
The men's downhill he qualified for is the first alpine ski event of the Games.
"I really don't know what to expect," said McBeath, home in Calgary for a day before flying to Salt Lake City.
"The Games will be interesting. There was a definite different experience and feeling when I moved to World Cup racing. I expect there will be a similar transition for the Olympics just based on the magnitude of the event.
"The first true indication I had of how big the Olympics are came on my plane ride home from Europe last night. They announced there were some Canadian athletes on board who were heading to the Salt Lake Games to represent our country and the entire plane started cheering and clapping. It was incredible."
McBeath is also hoping his initial Olympic experience helps erase the negatives of what to date has been a disappointing World Cup season for the veteran national team racer.
"Each week this winter has been pretty stressful and taxing so far. My best result has been 22nd in Val Gardena, Italy. I'm learning a lot about myself this year, though, and what I want to do with my life. I've had to question myself many times about why I'm doing what I'm doing and what I hope to accomplish. There has been a lot of soul searching for sure."
McBeath believes there are a couple of factors that have led to his disappointing results so far. First, he points to an equipment change.
"It's been tough to adapt to my new gear. A lot of other skiers have the same equipment and are going fast. It just seems I'm not able to use it in the same way to produce the speed I need. A lot of times I ski down a course believing I've skied well and done things right only to find out my times are still slow."
McBeath also says the smallness and lack of internal competition within the Canadian speed team has had an adverse effect.
"I never knew before this year how important a team was for an individual sport like ours. There's just Edi Podivinsky and me, and while we push each other, it's not the same as having five or six other guys pushing you as well. It's been tough not having those guys to compete against and show off to."
McBeath points to the World Cup in St. Moritz, Switzerland, as the turning point when he realized how imperative it is to have internal team competition.
"In Switzerland, a couple of the young guys on the national team showing promise got to race the World Cup. Eric Guay was 12th in training and Jeff Hume 16th. It was the first time I said to myself, I'm the World Cup racer and I can't let these young guys beat me. I haven't had that feeling all year."
McBeath is hoping he can focus now on simply being ready for the Olympics and posting the best result he can. He has to forget about his World Cup frustrations and direct all his energies and ability towards a podium finish in Salt Lake.
"I really am looking forward to this opportunity. A lot of great ski racers in the world never get a chance to compete in an Olympic Games. I will always be able to say I was a Canadian Olympian.
"If I can have a great race it would turn my whole season around. I am challenging myself to try my best and that way I can be content afterward knowing I did all I could and gave all I had. If there is any race I have to try my hardest in, this is it. There is no bigger race in my life!"
The men's downhill begins at 10 a.m. Sunday.
2002 Games Alpine Skiing Coverage
