Bahrke's Back and Ready to Roast the Slope
For moguls skier Shannon Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA), getting back into training has been the highlight of her summer after having to sit out the entire 2008 World Cup season.
Coming in second the year before, she was ready to charge her way to the FIS Freestyle World Cup overall globe when fate stepped in with other plans. While training on the eve of the season's first World Cup competition, Bahrke blew out her knee.
"I think that this injury completely blindsided me and it made my heart hurt. I was so frustrated," Bahrke said. "I was ready to go and I was the most prepared I had ever been. So to get this injury was devastating."
Since that day, Bahrke rehabbed her way back and was able to join the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team at their first summer training camp at the beginning of May in San Diego, CA.
"It was awesome, it was so much fun to be with everyone again," Bahrke said. "I went in there and they said it might be too early to do some of the training, but I did everything and that was really encouraging. We went surfing and we did sprints through the water and my knee felt like 100 percent. I was almost crying I was so excited."
Though she could have reached her goal of winning the World Cup overall last season, Bahrke explained that the injury may have been a blessing in disguise in terms of spending time with her family and completing her goals outside of skiing.
"My little brother [Scotty Bahrke; Tahoe City, CA] is on the aerials team and it was cool to be able to be there for him and watch him have such a successful season," Bahrke said. "I have also always wanted to start up my own business and so once I got injured, that plan went into full force."
Bahrke, a 2002 Olympic silver medalist, started Silver Bean Coffee in her time away from the team, but with her business up and running, she is ready to dig back in and test her limits again.
"Just to be back and know that I can do it again is almost magical. It's like, I've had that time off to rest and do all the things that you need to do so coming back is great," Bahrke said. "I just want to get back in there, feel good, stay healthy through this year and ramp up for next season."
Bahrke, who will open an office for Silver Bean Coffee in the next week, will continue training with the moguls skiers in July in Park City, UT.
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Bahrke's Back and Ready to Roast the Slope
