Q&A with U.S. Ski Teamer Julia MancusoSki Racing contributing editor Bill McCollom spoke with U.S. Ski Team member Julia Mancuso during the women’s World Cup at Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada this weekend.

Ski Racing: After a breakout season last winter, what are your goals for 2005-06?
Julia Mancuso: Just to ski like I know how to ski, and hopefully I’m looking to win a race. Other than that, I just go back to why I had a breakthrough season last year, and that’s because I turned it around to something that is fun and not result driven. So I’m keeping the same focus this year and enjoying my time on the road and seeing the world for free.
 
SR: Did you stray off the fun path prior to last year?
JM:Two years ago I was really anxious and looking for results or just wanting them too bad so that I wasn’t happy with everything around me. I was like 31st, 32nd, 33rd, and that to me was an indicator that things weren’t going right. It wasn’t the skiing; it was what was going on besides the skiing. So I just took a step back and had some good results at nationals and I realized why skiing was so fun to me. From there I just wanted to continue that in my every day life.
 
SR: Any new approaches this season?
JM: I think last year I realized that I am one of the best skiers and I can hang in there and it allows me to be a little more relaxed. I’ve developed a few more routines so that I don’t have to work as hard in the winter. I think the most important thing is to do conditioning in the summer and from then on it’s just skiing and recovery. Having that, now I can just focus on having fun. I can be a little more relaxed because I know a lot of the courses more and I’m more confident in my ability – not so much freaking out.
 
SR: Are you going to be skiing four events this year?
JM: There will be an even balance between speed and tech. Every weekend there’ll be a World Cup and I plan on entering all the World Cups, so it’s not like I really have a choice. I may miss a couple around Christmas time, I’m not sure yet. I may miss the crazy Croatian race.
 
SR: Do you have a favorite discipline?
JM: My favorite event is the one I’m not doing as well in because it’s a challenge. I like GS because I can challenge myself every day that I train – go straighter and faster. Every speed race for me gets better and better because I don’t train much speed. So it’s cool to have a race or training run and get better and better after that. I can’t pick one discipline though. It’s all skiing, it doesn’t matter, they’re all the same, they’re all on snow. Skiing is skiing.
 
SR: Have you made any solid friendships among the international racers?
JM: Cheme [Alcott – GBR] is my best friend and it’s fun here to be in the same hotel, because we get to hang out more.
 
SR: What do you miss the most when you are on the road?
JM: I miss being free, I guess. There’s so much stuff involved with being on the road, and I’d love to just be home where it is more relaxed. You ski no matter what when you’re on the road because you have to. I miss the days at home when it snows five to 10 feet at Tahoe, and you’re stuck in your house, shoveling out. We don’t get it that often.
 
SR: What do you enjoy doing in your time off in Europe?
JM: Depends where I am. Sometimes I enjoy going to a city and staying in a nice hotel and going shopping, and sometimes it’s nice to go to a ski resort and stay in a nice hotel and enjoy the European ski vacation. I’ve done everything including visiting Cheme at a FIS race and hiking a mile up the mountain. And it’s all fun to me.
 
SR: What’s your favorite place to race in North America and Europe?
JM: I love racing at home because all my family and friends get to be there. Racing in Squaw Valley is the best, but we don’t race there very often and when we do we get dumped on. It’s fun when it’s at Thanksgiving because most of my family comes to the races and we celebrate Thanksgiving and go skiing and stuff. And I enjoy racing GS at Park City. In Europe I love racing at Altenmarkt. I love the hill and I like the feel of the place. It kind of reminds me of home being in the trees. And I’ve always done pretty well on the hill, so that’s fun. And it’s near Salzburg where my other family, my European family, the Schwertls, get to watch me and take care of me. It’s fun.
 
SR: What’s on top of your Christmas list?
JM: I guess to be home, but that’s not going to happen. Yeah, I always miss Christmas; that is always one thing I want to go home for, but I guess I’ll be home a few days after Christmas. I’ll celebrate with my friends in Europe. As far as presents go, I never ask for anything. I have all that I need, so let’s say world peace.
 
SR: What’s your favorite memory from your summer in Hawaii?
JM: Meeting my two new best friends Sean and Jesse. They are awesome and they are both pro kiteboarders. I think I had the most fun when I got to hang out with them and they taught me all the tricks. It’s my new thing – it’s so much like skiing. You get to go out all day and be in the ocean, laugh with friends – it’s cool.
 
SR: It’s an Olympic year. What will be your approach to the Torino Games?
JM: I think that the only thing I can do differently is preparing my time before and around the Games. I want to be rested and I can manage my World Cups a little differently so I’m ready and not burnt out. And from there, it’s just skiing. I want to approach every race like any other race. It’s just you and the snow; there’s nothing else you can do but ski.
 
SR: For all your fans out there, is there a serious man in your life?
JM: Yep, Steven Nyman. He’s my boyfriend. You heard it here.