Lined up for a sprint final in Whistler, Olympic cross-country skier Drew Goldsack needed a win, Jan. 14.
A huge summer training effort had him in the best shape of his life and he felt victory was possible after strong qualifiying times. He still had to defeat elite racers such as Brent McMurtry, Phil Widmer and Jesse Cockney, though.
On the final hill of the sprint, a skier went down. Goldsack clipped him as he passed, and hit the ground hard with a thud that echoed around the stadium.
“I was cartwheeling, landed on my back and snapped my head back on the snow. I broke my skis and poles, and that was almost worse. They were my best pair of skis. You can’t just buy good skis. We spend a lot of money finding really good pairs of skis,” Goldsack said.
He wasn’t knocked out, but later that night headache and nausea set in. The next day was no better and he got worried.
“My head was spinning and I was feeling really nauseous. I had to make a call to the coaches,” Goldsack said.
The doctors diagnosed Goldsack as having a concussion. The soft-spoken skier sat on the sidelines while his World Cup dreams evaporated – in a year that began with national team coach Justin Wadsworth singing his praises.
“That was my last realistic chance to go to Europe this year. It’s a real let down, but I have to keep going. Everyone gives advice, and I’m finding positives in things.”
The accident is the culmination of a string of bad events. Upon returning from the World Cup, where he earned a career best fifth-place finish in the team sprint with Lenny Valjas, Goldsack fell ill and was unable to race in two major NorAm races in British Columbia. He knew the Whistler race was his best shot to get his season back on track. For seven days, he was kept off of skis. He also discovered he pulled his rotator cuff during the crash.
At 30, with the Olympics two years away, a squad of hungry young skiers nipping at his heels and his head a pounding mess, Goldsack contemplated retirement.
“At that point, it was almost ridiculous how bad things had gone: the crash, getting sick, concussion. It’s almost comical how much bad luck I’ve had. I’ve had bad luck in the past, and thought I was out of the woods. It’s tough to deal with,” Goldsack said.
However, while the idea of quitting loomed, the thought of missed opportunities loomed larger.
“I don’t know what to think. It’s been a total disaster, but at the same time I’ve had my best result and best training. At my stage… retirement is at the back of my mind. You ask is this it or keep going. Those weigh heavily. But racing at the World Cup gives you a taste of how good it can be and why you punish yourself day in and day out.”
He’s had great success throughout his career. Early in his career, he earned the U23 sprint world championship title, has spent several seasons on the World Cup circuit and earned two Olympic appearances. However a string of injuries, including ankle surgery where doctors discovered Goldsack had an extra tendon in his foot, which required reconstructive surgery. Since then, he’s fought to regain World Cup form.
At the end of the day, the desire to win keeps Goldsack going.
“You ask at what point am I spinning wheels or am I making progress. It comes down to the fact I still have the desire to train hard. Being on the World Cup was amazing for me. It’s what I live and breathe. It’s the inspiration to keep at it,” Goldsack said.
He’s off to the Eastern Canadian Championships this weekend in Gatineau, and has tempered expectations for the rest of the year. He’s getting lots of support from friends, the national team and the Alberta World Cup Academy and is still aiming at an appearance in the 2014 Olympics and next year’s World Cup race in Canmore.
“I’m going to ride it out and things will get better. If I ended it now, I would be disappointed with the way things have ended. At this point, I haven’t exhausted my options.
“It’s crossed my mind. Ask at what point you’re spinning wheels or making progress. It comes down to I still have the desire to train. Being on WC (World Cup) was amazing for me. It’s what I live and breathe. Inspiration to keep at it. Retirement hasn’t seriously come up, but it’s crossed my mind.”
