SAN DIEGO (Oct. 5) – The annual joint training camp for the disabled alpine and cross country ski squads shifted venues this preseason but still got high marks. The sand, sun and surf of southern California was counter-balanced by the sweat and strain of athletes on both teams, coaches said.

“It was great. We’ve normally done our September conditioning camp in at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs,” Alpine Head Coach Kevin Jardine said. “And for the last couple of seasons, we’ve done it jointly with JK [Coach Jon Kreamelmeyer] and the cross country athletes...and I really think it's going to payoff at the Paralympic Athletes Village. We've all gotten to know each other so much better...

“And this was so good. We did our thing and cross country did its program, and we got together for some things – a ropes course at the University of California San Diego that was outstanding and a lot of fun, and our last day was a surf day put on by Ocean Experience. Both teams were there and it wasn’t specifically a bonding experience like the aerialists did with the SEALs, but it still had a lot of good bonding and five good hours of conditioning. We’re focusing on endurance this year – we’ve got nine races in 12 days in Japan and Korea, and then the Olympics,” Jardine said, “and we’re working to up everyone’s endurance.They worked hard at this camp...again.”

Cross country Head Coach Jon Kreamelmeyer saw multiple benefits from the combined camp at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista. “I felt good about getting used to field lactate testing – we normally do it in a laboratory setting – and in all the roller-skiing we got,” he said.

“We roller-skied on Coronado Island and, I mean, you have the Pacific Ocean on one side and the San Diego skyline on the other…and, while going to a new site is usually enjoyable, this was quite unique…very enjoyable. I think we got a lot out of it.”

Mike Crenshaw (LW-4; Boulder, CO), a three-time Paralympic cross country racer (and accomplished kayaker) who returns to the Ski Team this season after a year away, agreed with Jardine and Kreamelmeyer. “We did so much – kayaking, roller-skiing, testing, that ropes course at the university, and then that incredible surf day at the end…it was quite a package of things to get done,” he said.

Jardine’s alpine athletes regroup in mid-October and head to Hintertux, Austria, for a two-week on-snow camp while the cross country squad will train Nov. 19-26 at West Yellowstone, Mont., and compete in SuperTour races. The World Cup season opens Dec. 13-16 in Val di Fiemme, Italy.

In addition, Crenshaw and Kreamelmeyer are planning a recruiting trip to the San Diego area later this month or in early November to follow several leads which occurred during the latest camp.