Blog

On a short break from my first year Master's exams I competed in my fifth World Championships in Courchevel-Meribel in Giant Slalom and Slalom. With so little training this year returning from a lower back injury, a souvenir from Beijing's Olympic  "Ice River" ;-) , I didn't manage to qualify for the second runs, but ended with a 57th place ranking in Slalom.

Back already on the school benches.

Lot's of love and many thanks to the Irish fans out there, Rickey, Lexi and others!

This July I was officially "welcomed home" to Carlow, birth place of my grandad Francis, where my Irish roots are. Thank you Carlow for a beautiful event, I can't wait to be back!

See a summary of the event here:

https://carlowmuseum.com/carlow-welcomes-homes-double-winter-olympian-tess-arbez/

and the newspaper article from the Carlow Nationalist here:

https://carlow-nationalist.ie/2022/08/03/carlow-welcomes-home-tess-arbez-two-time-winter-olympian/

Just so happy to have completed the SuperG in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics with the last bib #44...

Also a first for Ireland, the first time there is an Irishwoman in a speed race at the Olympics.

After my crash in the Giant Slalom where I clipped a gate and landed hard on my back this race is one I will cherish!!!!

Here is the article: Irish Mirror article

Well the Giant Slalom, my strongest discipline, didn't go as I hoped it would. My aim was to get a better ranking than at the last Olympics in PyeongChang so I went down the Ice River course with no brakes on- caught my arm in the gate and crashed.

The name of the game....

As Nelson Mandela said (and my dad ;-) ): "I never lose- I either win or I learn"

Today I learned! On with the Slalom and SuperG!

Time has flied- it's already been a week since we landed in Beijing and arrived in the beautiful Olympic Village in Yanqing where the alpine skiing events will be held. Yesterday's Opening Ceremony in the Bird's nest, the same venue as the Beijing Summer Olympics was so beautiful, full of poetry and very emotional for me and my temamates parading behind our green white and orange tricolour.

The games are on!!!

Radio interview with Sue Nunn on KLCR

A lovely chat with Sue Nunn, retracing my Irish roots (literally sugar beet roots) in Carlow!

Announcement Team Ireland Beijing It's official!  I'm going to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics!!!

I'm so honoured and proud to be selected for my second Olympics with an amazing team:

PyeongChang teammates a.k.a. "the boyos": Seamus O'Connor, Bubba Newby and Thomas Maloney Westgaard

as well as Jack Gower and Elsa Desmond

So grateful for the support from Snowsports Ireland and the Olympic Federation of Ireland and so many other inspiring people who have travelled with me on this four year journey.

China the green team is coming!!!!

A new interview prepared with Cliona Foley is available on the Olympic Federation of Ireland's website:

/Olympic Federation of Ireland article

documenting the challenges of aiming to qualify for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games in times of Covid.

Check out the articles on my PyeongChang Olympic teammates Bubba Newby and Seamus O'Connor and other amazing athletes!

Today I achieved my goal in speed racing = FIS points under 80. 73 points in Super G at the Slovenian National Championship races in Tarvisio. Fast turns and a few jumps and one happy Irish skier at the bottom of the slope!!!

At the inaugural Irish National Alpine Ski Championships in Kronplatz, I'm very happy to bring home the two titles: in Giant Slalom and in Slalom.

Not many Irish skiers competing this week, but we were joined by excellent skiers from all over the world. Well done to my team-mates Cormac and Alec for taking the men's titles in Slalom and Giant Slalom respectively and Sophie, runner-up in the GS today.

So happy with my result today! My best ever and the top ranking for an Irish woman in a World Championship race:

38th place in the Giant Slalom, moving up the ranks from bib 60 out of 99 athletes.

Two very long and physically trying runs on a beautiful sunny day in the Dolomites. Grazie Cortina!

In slalom after a good first run (47th) I didn't manage to negociate the icy patches at the top in the second run- too much energy and not enough edges!

I am so happy to announce that I will be representing Ireland at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Cortina, Italy. These will be my fourth World Championships, after Vail (2015) St Moritz (2017) and Äre (2019). My Team Ireland teammates competing in Cortina will be Cormac Comerford and Alec Scott. Follow the green team from Thursday 18th February to Sunday 21st February!

... and it feels good!!!

After a whole season away from the slopes to concentrate on getting through the daunting first year of Biomedical studies at the Faculty of Medicine in Geneva (a tough competition!), I started training in Kaabdalis, Sweden, in November.

My first races were in GS in Isola 2000. With a strong field of European Cup and FIS racers and a high bib, I finished twice in the top 30s.

More to come soon.

Le's do it!

Very happy with my two SuperG races today in Serre Chevalier. This season I had two major goals: the first was to qualify for the second run in the GS or SL race at the World Championships, the second was to lower my FIS points below 80 in one of the speed disciplines. With my two results today (82.5 and 71.9 points) I will finish this season with 77 FIS points in SuperG and have now achieved both my season goals.

Happy to be back on the podium for two second place finishes in GS in St Gervais Mont Blanc.

Thanks to all who have posted messages of support on this website and on Instagram. I would like to especially thank Dominique and family from Switzerland- thank you so much for your trust and encouragement, and Rickey from the US who has travelled the world to cheer for me at three World Championships and the Winter Olympic Games- awesome.

Thank you ToyShades, Great British Eyewear Brand, for supporting me by providing some really classy shades. They look grand on the slopes!

www.toyshades.com

1) Arrive in Are without luggage and skis                                          Yes

2) Break GS skis in training                                                                  Yes

3) Break SL hand guards in traning                                                    Yes

4) Qualify for the second run for the first time in GS and SL          YES!!!

Hi there! An invitation to follow me on Instagram: @tess_arbez and all Irish snowsports athletes on the new official IG account @snowsports_association_ireland

I'll see some of you soon in Are!

Preparing for the World Championships in Are... racing GS in Champsaur (South of France) and on injected slopes in Courchevel.