Champion Kiwi ski racer Alice Robinson won't have the services of her regular coaches in New Zealand this winter.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has turned down a request for Robinson's American coaches Jeff Fergus and Pepi Culver to get an exemption to enter the country. Robinson'sother coach, Italy-based Kiwi Chris Knight, has a new baby and couldn't commit to a seven-week stint including two weeks quarantine in New Zealand.
"I never really thought it would get approved for them (Fergus and Culver) to come down so I was hoping Chris would come down for a bit. I was a bit disappointed that no one would be here. But luckily we have figured out what to do and I am enjoying it," Robinson told NZME from her Queenstown base.
The 18-year-old winner of two of the six completed World Cup races on the FIS calendar last season is facing a very different build-up to her World Cup campaign. Like most sports, Covid-19 brought a dramatic end to the World Cup season and there is uncertainty as to what the 2020/21 season will look like.
"It's been busy and stressful figuring out something to do and pull it off with not as many resources as I'm used to," Robinson said. "It's been tricky not being able to get my coaches here so it was hard, but I have enjoyed going up the mountain and skiing around."
Her coaches have come up with a plan B to help her through the New Zealand winter, recruiting Ian Mclean, who has been a technical coach with the German Ski Federation to work with her.
"We have only done a few days but I worked with him when I was younger, and now he's coming back in to help me out which is great. He definitely has a lot of experience and is helping me setting courses and giving me some tips and making sure I am not forgetting about stuff."
Not having her full team in the country however has impacted the young Kiwi's move into developing her prowess in other disciplines like Super G and downhill.
"It's not the time for me to be trying downhill with none of my staff being here. I am focusing on the real basic fundamentals, doing a lot of drills, dual courses and getting the basics really right."
Alice Robinson. Photo / Photosport
Robinson's European rivals have been skiing on glaciers in Austria since May but leaving for Europe early was never an option for the Kiwi sensation, who is bracing to spend up to seven months offshore when she leaves for Europe.
"It was never an option to go for a training camp and then have to come back to New Zealand and quarantine for two weeks. It's so easy for me to train here and [Coronet Peak] is a 10-minute drive from my house, so going to Europe at this time of year is unrealistic."
Robinson is planning on spending the next month skiing in the South Island before heading to Europe in early September with the aim of not returning home until the season ends in late March.
"I hope everything stays under control in Europe over the next six weeks."
The nine race World Cup giant slalom season is scheduled to start in Soelden in Austria in late October and end in Lenzerheide in Switzerland in late March. In between is the Alpine Skiing World Championships, slated for Cortina in Italy in February next year.
However, Robinson is preparing for the probability that the calendar will undergo changes due to Covid-19.
"I am thinking Soelden (where she won her first World Cup race last October) is going to go ahead as per usual and then it's a matter of being adaptive for the rest of the season because I am sure there will be quite a few changes," Robinson said.
"I am not sure about America. [Killington] is still on the calendar but I can't see it going ahead, maybe Canada will go ahead because they seem to be in control over there but I can't see anything happening in the US in the near future."
Robinson is comfortable in the fact she will have to spend seven months away from home.
"I will have a base in Italy again (with Knight) but I am lucky I have some family in London too which I can go to for some downtime which is nice. But it's definitely a really long stretch and will be tough but it's what I have got to do. There is no other option, so I can't complain about it."
