Pre-Race Talk: Former US Skier Jake Z.
Posted on Friday, October 24th, 2008
Jake Zamansky plans to win on his own.
With the first races of the season kicking off in Sölden, Austria, this weekend, former U.S. Ski Teamer Jake Zamansky is gearing up to prove his mettle.
Zamansky may be the reigning GS NorAm champ, but he will not be racing as a member of the U.S. Ski Team this season. After being let go for not making USSA criteria, he is more fired up to continue racing and racing well. Unlike Bode Miller, Zamansky doesn’t have the results or star status to easily make it on his own. Raising what he estimates will cost $80,000 – $100,000 to compete only in the GS World Cup events is a daunting task.
“That’s one thing we lose track of when we’re members of the national team is how much it takes and how much outside influence there is and what the team really does provide for us,” he says.
His journey will be slightly easier because as a NorAm champ, he automatically gets to compete in every GS World Cup race this season. I caught up with him while on a hunting mission back home in Carbondale, Colo. (he’s a big bow hunter). He explains why he missed criteria, why he wants to continue racing, and how a recent shoulder injury while riding his dirt bike may affect his return to racing.
Vanessa Pierce: Why was being the GS NorAm champ not enough to make the team again?
Jake Zamansky: I made the Development team when I was 18, but because I’ve been around a little bit longer than Ted Ligety, the U.S. Ski Team figured I should be winning World Cups. … I personally think I have the ability to win World Cups. I have had the speed in training, but so far I don’t have the greatest track record. I’m well aware of that, but I don’t think I’ve shown my true potential yet.
VP: Describe your “track record.”
JZ: Two years ago I had a great year, finishing off the year with the NorAm title—the first time I won the GS title. Then I started off the next season really strong, and was third at the opening NorAm, and at the Beaver Creek World Cup race I had really fast splits but crashed three gates from the finish and would have been well within the top 30. In the next World Cup, I had a season ending knee injury. I missed the entire season and was out of competition for nine months, and when I came back from the ski team I was put on special criteria. Being born in ‘81, I had last year and this year to qualify for the B team by the criteria they set out. I qualified for the B team last season, but because of the special criteria they gave me, it was based on World Cup results only. The first three races of the season were what they gave me to meet that criteria, and not having competed in nine months, it was a little bit of a rebuilding process.
VP: Can you succeed without the team’s support?
JZ: A lot of Europeans do it, and people don’t know about it, but they are successful without 100 percent of their governing body. There are Austrians and Swedes and people from every country like Bode. Starting last year with Bode, and now a lot of guys [who just missed criteria but are still racing] are going to start to show success and start to get World Cup starts, and do some great things.
VP: Are you worried about competing after your shoulder injury?
JZ: My main goal is to compete in the World Cup giant slalom throughout the year. I had a little setback this summer and broke my collarbone while cross training. I ride motocross in the summer for cross training, and I crashed. Skiing and motocross are a lot alike. It’s not a matter of if you’re going to get hurt, it’s when and how bad. I’ve been dodging the bullet for four or five years now with motocross. Same with skiing, I’ve never had a major injury until I hurt my knee. That’s the way it goes.
VP: What’s your biggest challenge?
JZ: I have to do a lot of fundraising. That’s the biggest task I have ahead. Everything else is pretty easy. Just for me to compete in six World Cups [plus World Championships and Finals], it costs somewhere, with an assistant, $80,000 to $100,000. I want to make the World Championship team this season and my long-term goal is to make the Olympics in 2010.
VP: If you do well and make criteria, would you go back to the ski team?
JZ: We have not talked about my future with the team. I still have another year to make the B team so I don’t know what will happen. Would I go back to the ski team if I’m successful on my own, is another question. I think we would have to sit down and put everything on the table and see what works best for everybody. … I thought the ski team and I had a wonderful relationship. There are many wonderful people in that organization, and I don’t hold any grudge toward them at all. They did a lot for me over the last nine years.
VP: Why are you going through all this effort?
JZ: We love to ski race. We love skiing and ski racing. That’s why we all do it in the end. With my competitive nature, I just love being out there and running courses. It’s not a judged sport. I don’t have someone telling me how good I look, it’s about going fast. At the end of the day, time never lies.
VP: Do you feel any pressure to do well now that you’re on your own and the Olympics are coming up?
JZ: No. Not at all. The only pressure that I put on myself is getting out there and doing it and having fun doing it. To go out there and do it on your own, it has to work and has to be fun otherwise you’ll never be successful. It’s a lot of work. To make all the contacts for sponsorships for money, to do everything that has to get done, and do my training at the same time, it’s like two full-time jobs. That’s one thing we lose track of when we’re members of the national team is how much it takes and how much outside influence there is and what the team really does provide for us. I think the team would be a little bit better off if they made us do a little bit more of that stuff and really made us realize what it takes. It’s not easy.
Vanessa Pierce is a Ski Racing correspondent and Salt Lake City freelance journalist. She is co-founder of the non-profit SheJumps. Photos courtesy Pierce/Ski Racing.
Congrats to you JAKE on your first World Cup points.The Brandenburgs are cheering for you! Brad Brandenburg
Thank you Jake for your telephone call @6AM Sunday-What a wake up call! Congratulations on your World Cup points and I know there are more to come, Mom
I grew up in Liberty with you dad and mom and I wish you all the best. your Dad is a great skier. Rich Strohl rls3772@verizon.net