Colorado University Athletics
Photo by: Steve Fuller
Petra Hyncicova Reflects On Championship Season
March 22, 2017 | Skiing
Q&A with CU’s two-time national champion
BOULDER — Colorado junior Nordic skier Petra Hyncicova this season became the 15th woman to sweep the Nordic races at the NCAA Championship, but it was a feat she was unsure she could accomplish halfway through the year.
Hyncicova raced on one of her sports biggest stages, at the U23 World Skiing Championships in the middle of her junior season, representing her home country, the Czech Republic. It was a great moment in her career, qualifying for and racing there, but a heel injury suffered on the grand stage at Solder Hollow Resort in Midway, Utah threatened all of the hard work that she put in.
However, thanks to some help from the CU Sports Medicine department and her outstanding physical conditioning levels, Hyncicova rebounded and recorded yet another outstanding individual season for the illustrious Buffalo program. Colorado has produced the most NCAA individual champions in collegiate skiing history (CU now has 94 individual titles, as the Buffs extended their all-time lead over DU, who holds 88, by winning four this year, including the two from Hyncicova).
Hyncicova did miss the two Alaska meets in early February because of the injury, but overall she won five of the eight races she competed in on the collegiate circuit in 2017. Those were the first wins by a CU women's Nordic skier since 2013, when Joanne Reid dominated the collegiate circuit by winning 9 of 12 races.
Now with her senior season still ahead of her, Hyncicova reflects on the season and looks forward to her future in this Q&A with CUBuffs.com.
Q: This past year you had many ups (skiing in the U23 World Championships, sweeping NCAA titles), but also a few downs (heel injury). What was the season like for you?
Hyncicova: "Always the good things surpass the bad ones, so I have to admit that this one was one of my best seasons ever. After last year, when my season did not go as well as I wanted, I decided to move skiing aside and focus on other more important things and mainly enjoy the life here in Boulder and United States. So coming to this season I did not have high expectations, but that changed after the first races. I figured I am actually in good shape, so then I set my goals high for the season. Going to U23 I felt strong, therefore getting injured there was even sadder. On the one hand I still had my best results there for racing U23, but on the other I had to give up on the Alaska trip with the CU ski team. It definitely knocked me down, but I still believed I would be able to come back for NCAA's, and I did. Through this I want to thank to Chris (DeCarlo), our athletic trainer, and all the people from CU Sports Medicine who helped me get back. Without them I would have been watching NCAA's just from my couch."
Q: After finishing in second in the freestyle at the 2016 NCAA Championships, what was the feeling like when you first got on top of the podium this year? Especially doing so first in the classic race?
Hyncicova: "Last year I was focusing on NCAA's too much I would say. Mainly because it was in Steamboat Springs, which is my favorite place and I usually do well there, but also because it was last race for 5K skate, which I consider my strongest discipline here in collegiate skiing. So, that was a little bit bittersweet for me. However, I made up everything this year. After the successful beginning of season I started to hope for a good result in NCAA's again, but I definitely did not expect to win both NCAA titles. After the injury I was just hoping to help the team as best as I could. However, every time you stand at the start line, no matter what kind of race it is, you want to win. Winning my first NCAA title in classic was a big surprise. Everyone would tell you that classic is my weak point, so I even surprised myself how good I did this year in classic. And then winning the skate race (15K freestyle), that was just icing on the cake."
Q: Do you look forward to defending your titles next season and what will it take for you to repeat the success you found this year?
Hyncicova: "Now I look forward to some recovery honestly, but of course it would be nice to defeat Mads in number of NCAA titles (Mads Stroem had three, Petra Hyncicova has two, the school record is four). That requires a lot of work during the year and a good luck during races. I will do my best to get ready for next year to help the team to win another title."
Q: What have you been able to learn from Bruce Cranmer and Jana Weinberger in your time here at CU?
Hyncicova: "I think I learned a lot from both of them. Back in the Czech Republic coaches care just about athletes performance, but Bruce and Jana care about you as a person, which is a big difference. They also remind us always that skiing is supposed to be fun, not our job. Just have fun and enjoy every moment of training and racing in the mountains because that´s why we all do this sport. Bruce is mainly good in pushing us the right direction and making us mentally stronger. And Jana, she is my Friends watching buddy. This season before each successful race we watched Friends together, so I guess I will need to keep this ritual for next year too."
Q: Have you been accepted into the accelerated master's program here at CU and can you fill us in with the details on the program and what you are studying?
Hyncicova: "I study Integrative Physiology, which offers a concurrent degree BA/MS in five years. However, I need to finish my master´s degree in one year due to eligibility. I am really excited about that and glad I got the opportunity to stay here for one more year to race more, study more and also work in a lab. This year I started to work in a Locomotion lab for Professor Kram with my teammate Lucy Newman, where we focus specifically on biomechanics and physiology of cross-country skiing. So that is another reason why I am excited for next year."
Q: What do you enjoy doing in the offseason when you are not racing?
Hyncicova: "I love to travel. So, when I can take my bike and explore new places, I am so happy. I also like to spend some time with my family and friends back in Czech, so I already look forward to see them all in May. And then, probably as every athlete, I love to do every type of sport. I really like to mountain bike, hike, walk on slack line, almost everything that is outside."
Q: Coming to Boulder and to CU, what has your experience been like thus far in the United States?
Hyncicova: "I love it. Before I came here to CU, I had never been in the U.S., so I didn´t know what to expect exactly. I couldn´t have chosen a better place than Boulder and CU. I fell in love with Boulder, it is such a beautiful city. I am so thankful I got the opportunity to study here along with skiing, that would not be possible back in Czech. I usually don´t make good decisions, but this one was the best that I have ever made."
Q: What does the future hold for you after college – do you want to keep competing, make a World Cup, etc.?
Hyncicova: "That is a good question. I wish I would know the answer. Every athletes goal is to race at the Olympic Games, but the next Winter Olympic Games are already next year, so that is the closest opportunity to reach my goal, but it is still far away. So for now my main goal is to finish my degrees and then I will see what the future will bring me."
Hyncicova raced on one of her sports biggest stages, at the U23 World Skiing Championships in the middle of her junior season, representing her home country, the Czech Republic. It was a great moment in her career, qualifying for and racing there, but a heel injury suffered on the grand stage at Solder Hollow Resort in Midway, Utah threatened all of the hard work that she put in.
However, thanks to some help from the CU Sports Medicine department and her outstanding physical conditioning levels, Hyncicova rebounded and recorded yet another outstanding individual season for the illustrious Buffalo program. Colorado has produced the most NCAA individual champions in collegiate skiing history (CU now has 94 individual titles, as the Buffs extended their all-time lead over DU, who holds 88, by winning four this year, including the two from Hyncicova).
Hyncicova did miss the two Alaska meets in early February because of the injury, but overall she won five of the eight races she competed in on the collegiate circuit in 2017. Those were the first wins by a CU women's Nordic skier since 2013, when Joanne Reid dominated the collegiate circuit by winning 9 of 12 races.
Now with her senior season still ahead of her, Hyncicova reflects on the season and looks forward to her future in this Q&A with CUBuffs.com.
Q: This past year you had many ups (skiing in the U23 World Championships, sweeping NCAA titles), but also a few downs (heel injury). What was the season like for you?
Hyncicova: "Always the good things surpass the bad ones, so I have to admit that this one was one of my best seasons ever. After last year, when my season did not go as well as I wanted, I decided to move skiing aside and focus on other more important things and mainly enjoy the life here in Boulder and United States. So coming to this season I did not have high expectations, but that changed after the first races. I figured I am actually in good shape, so then I set my goals high for the season. Going to U23 I felt strong, therefore getting injured there was even sadder. On the one hand I still had my best results there for racing U23, but on the other I had to give up on the Alaska trip with the CU ski team. It definitely knocked me down, but I still believed I would be able to come back for NCAA's, and I did. Through this I want to thank to Chris (DeCarlo), our athletic trainer, and all the people from CU Sports Medicine who helped me get back. Without them I would have been watching NCAA's just from my couch."
Q: After finishing in second in the freestyle at the 2016 NCAA Championships, what was the feeling like when you first got on top of the podium this year? Especially doing so first in the classic race?
Hyncicova: "Last year I was focusing on NCAA's too much I would say. Mainly because it was in Steamboat Springs, which is my favorite place and I usually do well there, but also because it was last race for 5K skate, which I consider my strongest discipline here in collegiate skiing. So, that was a little bit bittersweet for me. However, I made up everything this year. After the successful beginning of season I started to hope for a good result in NCAA's again, but I definitely did not expect to win both NCAA titles. After the injury I was just hoping to help the team as best as I could. However, every time you stand at the start line, no matter what kind of race it is, you want to win. Winning my first NCAA title in classic was a big surprise. Everyone would tell you that classic is my weak point, so I even surprised myself how good I did this year in classic. And then winning the skate race (15K freestyle), that was just icing on the cake."
Q: Do you look forward to defending your titles next season and what will it take for you to repeat the success you found this year?
Hyncicova: "Now I look forward to some recovery honestly, but of course it would be nice to defeat Mads in number of NCAA titles (Mads Stroem had three, Petra Hyncicova has two, the school record is four). That requires a lot of work during the year and a good luck during races. I will do my best to get ready for next year to help the team to win another title."
Q: What have you been able to learn from Bruce Cranmer and Jana Weinberger in your time here at CU?
Hyncicova: "I think I learned a lot from both of them. Back in the Czech Republic coaches care just about athletes performance, but Bruce and Jana care about you as a person, which is a big difference. They also remind us always that skiing is supposed to be fun, not our job. Just have fun and enjoy every moment of training and racing in the mountains because that´s why we all do this sport. Bruce is mainly good in pushing us the right direction and making us mentally stronger. And Jana, she is my Friends watching buddy. This season before each successful race we watched Friends together, so I guess I will need to keep this ritual for next year too."
Q: Have you been accepted into the accelerated master's program here at CU and can you fill us in with the details on the program and what you are studying?
Hyncicova: "I study Integrative Physiology, which offers a concurrent degree BA/MS in five years. However, I need to finish my master´s degree in one year due to eligibility. I am really excited about that and glad I got the opportunity to stay here for one more year to race more, study more and also work in a lab. This year I started to work in a Locomotion lab for Professor Kram with my teammate Lucy Newman, where we focus specifically on biomechanics and physiology of cross-country skiing. So that is another reason why I am excited for next year."
Q: What do you enjoy doing in the offseason when you are not racing?
Hyncicova: "I love to travel. So, when I can take my bike and explore new places, I am so happy. I also like to spend some time with my family and friends back in Czech, so I already look forward to see them all in May. And then, probably as every athlete, I love to do every type of sport. I really like to mountain bike, hike, walk on slack line, almost everything that is outside."
Q: Coming to Boulder and to CU, what has your experience been like thus far in the United States?
Hyncicova: "I love it. Before I came here to CU, I had never been in the U.S., so I didn´t know what to expect exactly. I couldn´t have chosen a better place than Boulder and CU. I fell in love with Boulder, it is such a beautiful city. I am so thankful I got the opportunity to study here along with skiing, that would not be possible back in Czech. I usually don´t make good decisions, but this one was the best that I have ever made."
Q: What does the future hold for you after college – do you want to keep competing, make a World Cup, etc.?
Hyncicova: "That is a good question. I wish I would know the answer. Every athletes goal is to race at the Olympic Games, but the next Winter Olympic Games are already next year, so that is the closest opportunity to reach my goal, but it is still far away. So for now my main goal is to finish my degrees and then I will see what the future will bring me."
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