Here is how snowboard pros train in mid- and off-season

Christmas time is coming, and for most of the skiers it goes along with the desire to kick-off the winter season, even more knowing that Masella ski resort in La Cerdanya recently opened its ski season (on November 1st). We are dealing with the earliest opening date in the history of the resort and of the Pyrenees !

As we approach the end of 2018, we spoke with Astrid Fina, professional snowboarder and ambassador of TransSport, to know more about her off-season training, her trips, all the good things she has retained from this year and how she will face this new season 2018-19.

The Catalan snowboarder didn’t want to slow her progress after she won the bronze medal in snowboard cross, in the LL2 sport class (prothesis on one leg) in 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Games. That is why she continued her high-performance trainings during the summer, and now she is more than ready to go and step into the european snow.

First of all, let us recall what did your everyday life look like after winning bronze in Pyeongchang ?

After the Games, everything was crazy. Phone calls, congratulations (like yours), interviews every day, Federation events… Then I had my elbow operation, which caused me discomforts for quite a long time before recovering and beginning training again.

 

What are the differences between mid- and off- season trainings ?

The mid- and off- season trainings depend on whether there is snow or not. We adapt to the environment and the circumstances. If there is snow, obviously we can snowboard and go to the gym. If there is not snow, go to the gym and do another activity.

I started just with the gym. Then, in the afternoon, I rode the longboard or the bicycle through the Aran Valley, where there are wonderful landscapes, it helps me disconnect.

 

What do these riding sports bring you as a snowboarder ? Do they help you improve your resistance, strengthen your muscles, enhance your skills in the snow ?

Practising these sports helps me perform cardiovascular exercise, to strengthen the heart and improve lung capacity and resistance.

Cycling helps me tone the muscles, especially the legs, and longboarding develop explosiveness, stability, coordination and synchronisation ; moreover the movement is very similar to snowbarding.

 

Did you travel to any snowy destination during the summer ? Like Switzerland, Finland, New Zealand or Argentina ? Why ?

Yes, this year I went to Argentina. When I got there the training changed. I did snowboard in the morning and went to the gym in the afternoon. Being able to train in the snow was essential to me, as it is part of my sport environment, and it allows me to compete better afterwards.

This year I would not be able to touch snow until the first November competitions, that is why I decided to go on my own to Argentina, three weeks on September, because it was an important year, we have the World Cup on 2019 !

 

This time you had some experience in Argentina. Better this year ?

Well, this year it was different, I stayed only three weeks, not three months like two years ago. But I am still happy because I have been able to train in the snow, which is what I needed to be in the best conditions at the start of the season.

 

During this kind of trip are you going alone or with your coach, your teammates ?

This time I travelled with my coach, Albert Mallol, who trained me through all the exercises. He pushed me to get better each time. Sometimes, I travel with other teammates.

 

Did you have the chance to enjoy your friends and family during the no competition period ?

Yes, but much less than I would like to. The time without training was very short. It passed very quickly and I didn’t have the time to be with everyone I love.

 

For now, you are doing very well. You won a silver medal in the first European Cup event that took place in Landgraaf (Holland) a few weeks ago in banked slalom. You got another silver medal in the World Cup held in Phya (Finland) in the snowboard cross category. What are your goals for the next season (2018-2019) ?

The World Cup is coming soon and my dream is to be on the podium, to get good results. And if I finish first, well that is even better, haha.

 

For those skiers who are planning their winter adventures, what destinations do you suggest for 2019 ? What slopes are worth a visit from those who receives as christmas gifts : skies, snowboards, anoraks… ?

If they are thinking about an escape to snowy destinations, they can go to Grandvalira, Vallnord, Baqueira Beret, or any other ski resort of the Catalan Pyrenees, Aragon and Sierra Nevada. They could also go a little further, in the French, Swiss and Italian Alpes for instance, where the conditions are better.

 

 

If you want to go on a snow trip, TransSport can send your sport material to any ski resort you have chosen in Europe. Ask for a quote or contact us, and we will be pleased to transfer your sport material to your skiing destination.