Early this week I had the chance to spend a few minutes talking to both Sara Renner (Bronze medal in the Sprint at Sovereign Lake) and Phil Widmer ( Fourth fastest qualifying time at Sovereign Lake). Here is what they had to say!

Sara Renner

The races were a pleasant surprise. I didn’t feel particularly snappy at the Nor Am races in Canmore the week before and I know from experience that if you are not feeling good in a World Cup race you can be completely decimated. At the same time, I was very excited to race at home in Canada on courses that I am very familiar with.

Have you done anything special in terms of training this year that you think helped you to perform as well as you did?

I would say yes in that having the World Cups in Canada gave us something very positive to focus on. We considered it a card in our pocket that we would be racing at home and we believed that it gave us a certain advantage. That was a great feeling to have.

Was there anything that you think you did particularly well this weekend or anything that you would like to improve for the upcoming races?

I think that our set up in terms of training and living arrangements in Silver Star was a big plus. Beckie, Milaine and I all stayed together and we created the atmosphere that we were on holiday. I think that being relaxed and enjoying things this way really helped. In terms of things to improve I would have to say that I am always looking for a bit more from myself. I was a little bit disappointed in losing contact with the lead group in the pursuit so I will just try to be a bit tougher.

What are your (roughly) your plans in terms of training and travel between now and the Olympics?

After these World Cups some of the team will be heading to a backcountry lodge in the Kootenays called Nipika just to rest, relax and have fun for a few days. While my Christmas plans are a bit up in the air at this point I expect to be in Europe by about the 10^th of January. After that I will follow roughly the same preparation plan that I used for Oberstdorf. This included a high altitude/high volume camp a couple of weeks before the Olympics.

Anything you would like to add?

Just that I am really proud of everyone who helped to organize and put on the races both at Sovereign Lake and at Canmore. The races last week were fantastic and I am sure the ones this week will be as well. I was also really impressed by the number of spectators that came out to watch. It was very helpful to have all that support.

Sara in the Sovereign Lake World Cup Pursuit.

Sara Renner on the podium in Oberstdorf, Germany at last winter's World Championships.