Winter Olympics: Ross unfazed by long wait

New Zealand skier Mickey Ross is unfazed about being the last member of the New Zealand team in action at the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.

His downhill event was scheduled for the final day of competition, and Ross, who has spent part of his time watching his 17 team-mates in action, said it had been a chance to get some more training in.

"It's starting to get a little long now," Ross, from Wanaka, said of his wait, " but it has been a great opportunity to get in some good training.

"I rested a couple of niggling shoulder and knee injuries for a few days, and since then have got stuck into training.

"I'm a bit nervous about it all - I've been in a few World Cup competitions before, but in those events, you have to make the top 30 to qualify, so you really attack.

"Here, I feel there's more pressure to put something decent on the board on the first run."

Ross, 25, expects there will be about 90 starters in the slalom and is eyeing a top 30 position.

"I imagine I'll be away about 50th in the first round.

"For the second round, which is just the top 30, they reverse the order. I'd love to qualify for that second run."

Last season Ross impressed by winning a slalom race in icy conditions at Coronet Peak, and he said that during his time training for the Olympics the conditions had again been icy.

"I've done well in those conditions, but you have to remember that the top Europeans ski constantly on that sort of snow."

- NZPA