AST Athlete Journal: Thomas Cais

Hey everyone,

My name is Thomas and I am checking in for my final athlete journal of the season. It’s been a busy stretch lately with a lot of time on snow, lots of travelling, and it has honestly made the season absolutely fly by. It feels like just yesterday we were getting into the first blocks of training, and now we’re already wrapping things up.

Things definitely haven’t slowed down either. Since getting back from the Nor-Am Finals in Aspen, we went straight into the National Championships in Panorama, followed by the Nakiska spring series. It’s been a bit of a challenge jumping from venue to venue, living out of bags, and constantly switching gears between training and racing. At the same time, it’s been a fun stretch and a great way to finish off the season with a lot of intensity and purpose.

The conditions throughout all of this have definitely kept things interesting. We’ve seen everything from soft, slushy spring snow to pretty firm, icy surfaces, often even within the same day. It’s made every run feel a little different and forced me to stay adaptable. I think that’s been one of the biggest takeaways lately, learning how to adjust quickly and not rely on perfect conditions to ski well. Being able to push when things feel good, but also stay composed and focused when they don’t, is something I’ve been trying to improve on.

One thing that’s really stood out to me recently is how important it is to stay disciplined with the basics. Whether it’s soft snow or ice, both conditions present their own challenges, and small mistakes or lapses in technique and line can be pretty costly. There’s really no room to get away with anything. If I get lazy at the top of the turn, fall inside, or lose my position even slightly, it shows right away in my speed and line. It can be frustrating at the moment, especially during races, but at the same time it’s a really good reminder to stay focused on the fundamentals and trust the process.

We’ve also been doing a lot of volume lately, and I can definitely feel it physically by the end of the day. Long days on the hill, combined with travel, start to add up. Recovery has become a bigger priority, making sure I’m staying on top of hydration, stretching, and just taking care of my body so I can come back ready to go the next day. It’s something I’m still learning, but I’ve noticed how much of a difference it makes.

Overall, I feel like I’m continuing to build a better understanding of my skiing. Even though not every run feels great and results don’t always reflect the work right away, I know I’m making progress in the bigger picture. I’m starting to connect more pieces together, both technically and mentally, and that’s something I’m looking to carry forward.

As the season comes to an end, I think it’s also a good time to reflect on everything that’s gone into it, the early mornings, the tough training days, the travel, and all the small improvements along the way. It’s been a long season, but a really valuable one, and I’m grateful for all the experiences and lessons that came with it. As always, this couldn’t be possible without the gracious help from our sponsors, so a massive thank you to GMC Dealers of Alberta, Mountain Fire Foods, Genstar, Karbon Sports, Inspired Go, and Gear Up Mountain Sports.

Thanks for reading,
Thomas Cais