Sault's Hayman, while disappointed, says German event was learning experience
By BILL MONTAGUE, The Sault Star, January 30, 2002

Emily Hayman knew the competition was going to be good at the World Junior Cross Country Ski Championships in Germany last week. She just didn't expect it to be great.

The 19-year-old from Sault Ste. Marie returned home on Monday after a disappointing showing and talked rather candidly about the difficulties of skiing in Europe.

"It was really tough because I didn't know what to expect. But I do now," said Hayman, who finished 44th in the 15-kilometre classic race and 62nd in the five-kilometre skate. "Racing in Europe is a lot different than racing in Canada, believe me. The skiers there are a lot better and the conditions are a lot different, too."

The conditions were so bad in Europe that the final race of the championships — a relay event — had to be cancelled due to extreme wind conditions. Hayman said the winds reached speeds of 140 kilometres-per-hour and were so strong that they posed a danger to the skiers' health. She also said rain created havoc with the course conditions and, by the end of the week, there was very little snow.

"It rained every day and they were just trying to keep the snow there," Hayman said. "And the wind was crazy. They had to cancel the relay race because of it. The really light people couldn't even move because the wind was so strong and the tents were lifting right up off the ground."

In any event, the weekend competition gave Hayman a sneak preview of what it takes to compete against the world's best and it gave her a better appreciation for the talents of her older sister, Melissa, who finished 20th and 28th, respectively, when she competed in the world championships.

"You don't know what it's like until you race against the best in the world," Hayman said. "This is my last year as a junior and I wish I would have had one more year because I'd really like to go back.

"Now that I experienced it, I know what to expect."

Instead, Hayman is now setting her sights on the Canadian junior championships in Canmore, Alta., March 5-10. She's among the top five junior skiers in the province and she's entering the event oozing with confidence.

"I feel really confident heading into the nationals," she said. "I know I can do well and the fact that I just came back from the world championships has given me a feeling of confidence. I may not have done well there but it was something just to be there. It made me feel like I was on top of the world."

For Hayman, one of her biggest highlights in Europe was meeting up with her younger sister, Sarah, who flew over from Sweden for a one-week visit. Sarah has been in Sweden on an exchange program and hasn't seen Emily since July.

"That was great," Emily said. "She came to my hotel and we cried when we saw each other."

After the nationals, Emily will conclude the season in Vermont, where she's scheduled to compete in a Continental Cup race, an event that is geared more to fun.