Dutch Champs Laax 08

Without beeing abel to shift gears Pepijn managed to get us over the St Bernadino and up to all the Dutchies in Laax. We found our appartment, put on our gaper outfits (old fluo racing suite;)and went to the gaper party in the Crap bar. The party was cool, a lot of over-enthusiastic, gaper-dressed dutchies going crazy. The next day we chilled, rode some pipe and enjoyed some extra sleep. Because of the bad weather the following day, the Slope Style was cancelled so we went to the gym and pool. That evening we enjoyed an up mountain cheese fondu organised bij Snowboard Holland.
If you put 200 snowboarders in one restaurant and free food… Yeah you get a food fight. When the food was eaten or on the ground we could ride down in some fresh pow.
With a clear blue sky, a burning sun and a freshly groomed pipe the FIS/Dutch champs half pipe took off. Dolf van der Wal proved again, with a massive run I must say, that he is the best dutchie in the pipe. In the ladies Anne Fleur proved that she is still the best and took the first place. Britt came 3rd and showed that she’s back from her knee injury.
The Big Air was next on the program at the Dutch Champs. With the sun high in the air and the temp almost like summer ridin the Big Air started. First ladies and groms, later guys and finals. The quali was nice but later in the training befor the finals the conditions were different. I (Bell) misjudged the speed, after skipping ¾ of the landing on the first hit, I slammed onto the flat. As a result; competition over and off to the docter for some X-rays of my heel. Thankfully I have some awesome friends/twinsister who stoped the comp too and brought me to the doc. THANX Anne, Tine and Britt.
With no womens finals ridden, Britt became first, Anne second and I still became 3rd . I “jumped” onto the podium that evening with my crutches and very painful heel.
Friday / last day / BoarderX day / feeling like crap day… Evendough I wasn’t competing, I still managed to get up the mountain and over to the start of the course to support my sister and my friends. The supporting must have helped… Britt came in first and Anne came in 3rd! Rob Gerlings took the first place in the mens comp Well done!
Time to get off the mountain, easier said than done but with some help from my coach Frank I managed to get down pretty fast.
With Britt travelling to St Gallenkirch for a Europe Cup the next day it was decision time for me. Go home or try to hang on. Keeping in mind, the World Cup in Korea, my moms good cooking and the pain I felt, I chose to go home.
For more nice pictures check out: www.fotograferen.net

Write to ya from Korea!