MOUNTAIN LIFE - Blue Mountains | Fall 2020

38 ML: You’ve had an accomplished career with three Olympics, a World Cup win and plenty of podiums. How have you stayed focused as a Team Canada member since 2008? EM: It ebbs and flows. Ski racing is like the rest of life. You lose more than you win. We have highlights and successes but to reach those you have so many struggles. And in the struggles, sometimes it’s hard to find the motivation. It’s easy to keep going when you’re winning. When you’re the rookie, every race is exciting. Then in the middle of your career, you’re a podium contender again and it’s super-exciting. Then you’re a veteran and the pressure changes. It’s a fine line between the pressure of being a veteran and having those moments of success to build on. You have to be brave enough to realize times are changing. I can’t ski like I did when I won my World Cup and that skiing would no longer win. I have to be fluid so I don’t become a part of history too early. ML: I’ve read your Helly Hansen blog on mental toughness vs. mental fitness. What do you see as the difference? EM: I’m so frustrated with people saying someone is mentally weak or mentally strong—you don’t know a fraction of what that person is going through. It’s not measurable like physical strength. I prefer mental fitness because it’s something you can improve. It’s about becoming a better version of yourself. We’re shifting as a society in terms of mental health. You can work on your mental fitness and no one’s saying you’re weak. You’re just making that mental muscle stronger. ML: Can you rewind a bit and tell us how you got started in slalom racing back in the Georgian Peaks days? EM: The Peaks always brings a big smile to my face. I’ve moved around a lot but The Peaks is my constant. I don’t get back often, but when I do, it’s home. My grandparents were among the first members, then my parents joined. My name is Erin because my mom pictured me racing down the hill and everyone thinking I was a boy. Then they’d see this pony tail and be like, “Oh, she’s a girl, but she’s so aggressive.” The Peaks was the beginning of everything. I chased my sister around and we’d get the last run every day. We live on the Escarpment and have one of the strongest pools of ski racers. People expect great skiers to come from Whistler and those regions, but we produce really great ski racers with this pure love for skiing. ML: Choosing a career highlight is a tough task but what are some of the accomplishments you’re most proud of so far? EM: The standout moment is when Canada won silver at the team event at the World Championships in Vail. I’ve always been in individual sports, but all of a sudden, we were part of a team where no one was super-well-ranked. We were the underdogs. Somehow our team stood on the podium between these huge Goliaths of ski racing. ML: This is a tough year for setting goals but youmust have some inmind. EM: I have to prepare as if this is a normal season, and right now I’m not where I want to be. That’s the honest answer. This year, I need to climb. I am going to fight tooth and nail into the top seven ranking overall. That puts me into a better position for World Champs and into fighting contention for the Olympics. Podiums are the goal but realistically, I need to fight my way into that spot. COURTESY ERIN MIELZYNSKI