With the summer at its end and the first FIS WC in New Zealand already behind us, I asked members of Slovak Freestyle Team how they are getting ready and what they do for the upcoming winter season.
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| Guys in Slovak Strength Institute will carry you if you can't walk after proper workout ;) . |
PAVOL 'PAJO' KURIC
Pajo is preparing himself in quite a specific way. ''I have attended the courses of Muay Thai (Thai boxing), as I do this for some time already.'' Most importantly, Pajo was recovering from the injury of two broken vertebras. He said, he was also working on dismissing the block a person can have after such a harm.
Yet the youngest member of Slovak freestyle team keeps thinking positive: ''I was focusing to get back into the shape I had before. I think I reached that point again and I am looking forward to jump on the skis!''
KATARÍNA 'KATKA' MASAROVIČOVÁ
,,I had started my summer with crossfit trainings. It helps me to improve my movements as well as the strength.'' However, venomous illness slowed her down. ''I missed the proper trainings at BigAir and also at Line36.'' When she couldn't train on the skis, at least she tried some surfing. ,,I did a river surfing in Čuňovo and I spent two weeks surfing in France. In the autumn I will do the crossfit again and I plan to jump in Line36 as well.''
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| Katka river surfing in Čuňovo. |
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| France |
IGOR 'IČI' JANCKULÍK
Igor is well known for his love for lifting the iron. That's why he spent the most time in the fitness among all the team probably. As he sais, ''I will grind the obstacles into the ground in the winter :).''
For other kind of preparation, Igor prefer aggressive inline skating in a new skatepark in Námestovo and you can find him jumping at new training centre Line36 which was opened in Bratislava. ''Line36 is brilliant possibility to train your tricks, because the risk here is way smaller than anywhere on the snow. I am looking forward for Dachstein opening, I will try there everything I have learned.''
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| Jumping in Line36. |
RICHARD 'RICHIE' JUREČKA
,,I was thinking about going to Swiss in the summer, but some circumstances kept me at home and I spent most of my time in the gym and at BigAir.''
Jumping into the water belongs to the most popular way for freeskiers how to learn and practice new tricks on the skis. Richie was able to learn several new tricks and he was able to showcase them already at Czech water ramp event KromWars in the end of August. He attended the competition as the only Slovak.
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| BigAir |
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| Richie at KromWars |
Richie, as well as Igor, does aggressive inline skating, which together with slackline supports the balance and orientation, for instance on the rails. ''I also like to bike in the nature or go for a run. It is really good way to clean my head too.''
At autumn, Richie will appear in a new freeski movie eXcelent Separation from Czech movie production Separation Films. You can watch the trailer here:
NATÁLIA 'NANA' ŠLEPECKÁ
Besides the work, Nana spent most of her time in the gym, on the slackline or doing aggressive inline skating.
Nana trains in Slovak Strength Institute in Bratislava, where are the best specialists for training (not only top) athletes. These guys create the professional training schedules adjusted for each athlete. It is combined together with suitable diet and nutritional supplements of high quality.
Also Nana train her tricks on the water ramp at BigAir.
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| Nana at BigAir. |
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| Trampolines at BigAir. |
ZUZANA 'ZUZIČKA' STROMKOVÁ
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| Zuzi in Slovak Strength Institute. |
To fulfill her summer preparation she bikes in Tatras, where she is at home, surf and attends summer ski competitions if possible.
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| Biking in High Tatras |
