Sara Hector - Interview
Sara Hector
I’m getting smarter and smarter
- Sara Hector on development in technique fields.
Sara Hector is one of most accomplished active skiers in Sweden, and has been a member of the national alpine team for over ten years. Last year she had one of her best seasons, including a second place in the giant slalom and a top five finish in the slalom.The competition is fierce, with new talented skiers showing up all the time. But while progress is rapid, Sara draws a huge advantage from her experience.
“There are three parts to it really. First of all the technique, really finding the planes and the angles. Then there’s the physical condition, being strong and agile. But there is also the mental aspect; it's really important to be daring. It all goes really fast! And I feel that all three parts work better now than they did in the past,” says Sara.
All photos is taken by Bildbyrån
Alpine skiing is a sport that places very high demands on gloves. Because the slope at the turns is so steep, the hand facing uphill often acts as a support leg; this is known as "dragging knuckles".
“The gloves take a real beating. Hestra's new Gripen GS is very good and interesting, it has double layers with padding over the back of the hand and knuckles. Then they have worked a lot on the stability around the thumbs, which is important when you often slam the gates really hard. That's when it’s important to protect your hand.”
Other than that, Sara has worn many different Hestra gloves during her career. And she likes to ski with gloves, both in the giant slalom and the slalom.
“You want a soft glove that fits your hand perfectly. But for me it is not important to have fingered gloves; I like to go in mittens. I have done many races in RSL Comp Mitt and I think they work great for competing. You don’t have to freeze beforehand and you don’t have to fuss and change before the start because you keep warm anyway.”
Even in her spare time, Sara likes to try out different gloves, ranging from fashion gloves to gloves for cross-country skiing, mountain biking and sailing.
“And I'm building a house too, so it’s important to have good work gloves. It’s great that Hestra has the full range of products, they really are the glove experts.”
