BEAVER CREEK — For a 17-year-old, Vail’s Nick Braun got a rare opportunity Wednesday, serving as a forerunner before the first training run on the Birds of Prey course for Friday’s downhill.
Braun was thrilled. His mom was just glad to see him upright in the finish area.
“That’s the most fun ever,” the Ski Club Vail racer said after a run that probably took him upward of 70 mph in places. “It was a blast. Exhilarating.”
His mother, Dana, had days to deal with nerves.
Tuesday’s training run had been canceled, and Wednesday’s was delayed for course work with Nick in the starting gate, ready to go.
“So relieved to see him come through,” Dana said. “Now the first one’s over. If he’s lucky enough to have another opportunity to run Birds of Prey, I’ll feel so much better because I know he can do it.”
Braun has skied sections of the course in the past and has worked many hours as a volunteer during World Cup races, but this was the first time he raced top to bottom.
“I’ve been nervous for the past two days, but it’s been a fun nervous, it’s been an excited nervous,” Braun said. “I’ve been waiting to do this course ever since I’ve been up here. I know the course by heart.”
John Meyer, The Denver Post
