Welcome...
Hi, I'm Ben Griffin and I am a member of the New Zealand Men's Ski Team. This site is designed to keep you all informed on my progress, results, whereabouts etc... and give you a little insight into the world of alpine ski racing. Please have a look around the site and be sure to check out my monthy updates and photos!
Olympictures...
I'm now an Olympian...
Well it's all over here in Whistler for me now. I am offically a New Zealand Olympian and very proud to have made it this far in my skiing career. It is a great achievement and something I have worked very hard for over an extremely long time. I remember setting this particular goal all the way back in 2002, so it is great to be at the end of this journey whilst at the same time making new decisions and setting new goals, moving forward.
The races alone were a little disappointing, having not finished either the Super-G or GS, but I must take what I can from the experience and take confidence from the way I am skiing right now. I have never been better in Super-G or GS as right now and am really looking forward to proving this with results in the rest of the season.
Thanks to you all for your support leading into and during the games, I wouldn't have made it this far without you. Here's to Garmisch-Partenkirchen World Champs next year and Sochi 2014!
Whistler Village...2010 is here!
It's been almost a week now since we arrived in the Olympic village in Whistler and I still have to pinch myself almost every day! The village is a constant bustle of the world's best winter sports athletes, from bobsleigh pushers to ski jumpers, biathletes and downhill racers. Working out in the amazing gym facility is mind-blowing. People are doing things in there you just don't see everyday! Try this, balance on a wobble board in a tuck position for 20 seconds, from there jump over 3 hurldes at about 1.2m high! The ski jumpers make this look easy.
Probably my favorite part of the village is the food hall though. Every type of food you can imagine and an endless supply. Ask and it will be given!! And then there is McDonald's, but I think I'll leave that for after the races.
We've enjoyed some great training over the past 5 days up on Whistler. My Super-G skiing has made good strides and I'm feeling confident on my new skis - now it's a matter of making them faster in the wax room! Hopefully the 1m of expected fresh snow doesn't challenge the course crew too much - it would be nice to enjoy a sunny day for my first Olympic race on the 19th!
January Update...Kranjska Gora then off to the Olympics!
Well, if I haven’t said it to you yet, HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope it was a very enjoyable holiday for everyone. My New Year’s Eve was fairly quiet, celebrated with friends in Zell am See whilst being very restrained, knowing how big a month was in front of me. more...
December Update is up...
Christmas greetings to everyone! This update comes to you from the rain soaked town of Leogang in the heart of the Alps. The weather isn't exactly encouraging right now, so here's hoping it gets better very soon! Click here for the full update!
New bio up on NZOC site...
Click here to check out my bio on the NZ Olympic website.... http://www.winterolympics.co.nz/nz-team/ben-griffin
AMP Vignette viewable online...
As a winner of a 2009 AMP Scholarship, I was also able to film a short vignette about my goal. Click here to watch!
November Update is up...
It's pretty late I know, but here it is, typed with one hand broken! Click here!
Posters...
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We now have signed A3 posters from the 2009 National Championship Giant Slalom for sale. Just another fundraising effort, they are only $15 including shipping. Click the image to contact me!
October Update...Departure delay
September Update...Race season done
Crowd Goes Wild coverage...Click Here to watch!
Close Up story on TV1...Click Here to watch!
AMP Scholarship winner!
In August I was hugely fortunate to attend the AMP Scholarships awards evening as a recipient. The function was a black tie dinner at the Auckland Museum, where along with meeting many amazing past and present recipients, I was also very lucky to be seated with the Prime Minister Rt. Hon. John Key as well as Board Chair, Roseanne Meo and Managing Director Jack Regan. The scholarship is an enormous boost to my ability to reach my goals, so thank you very much AMP!
