Skiing
I can see
my dad reading the title and starting to laugh out loud. Why? Because I don’t
ski! Yes, that might confuse you right now and I can totally understand that
but let me explain…
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| Ice Clown |
Growing up
in Austria with a dad and a grandpa who loved skiing and a mum who went along
with it meant that I started skiing at the age of three. My parents and my
grandpa would go skiing somewhere in Austria (we have more than enough
mountains for that for one week each year).
I was enrolled in skiing for beginners’ courses for some years and after
that my dad became my teacher. I never really enjoyed it and the only thing
keeping my motivation above ground was the daily reward – an ice clown – at one
of the local cafés. On the slopes I was easy to detect because I was the one
singing to calm me down and to give me something other to do besides being
terrified of getting down this mountain.
After I
successfully survived the two weeks of skiing in school (at the age of 12 and
13) I was allowed to stop skiing if I really wanted and I stopped but what
didn’t stop was my love of watching ski races on TV.
I cannot
remember a time when I wasn’t watching skiing on TV and during winter (from
October to March) my family can be found in front of the TV most Saturday and
Sunday mornings watching men or women skiing. I am fascinated with the athletes
who decided to become a professional downhill skier. Managing to get down the
Streif at Kitzbühel in approximately two minutes is something I will never
fully comprehend but it captivates me.
I’m pretty
sure you already guessed it but I enjoy watching men more than women. I love
the dynamic between the competitors who also feel the pain of failing the
course either by straddling a gate at the slalom or by passing a gate. I enjoy
it immensely that even though they are all competitors, they are friends (at
least some of them) and they are fair sportsmen. I cannot tell you how much I
admire Aksel Lund Svindal every time he gets interviewed and asked about a
competitor winning and him loosing and every time he is such a fair sportsman,
congratulates the winner and tells the reporter that that’s part of the game
and that he’ll try to ski his best next time again.
I like
watching it so much that during the winter months my planner holds all the
races (men and women) and I usually try to schedule things around them (but
please, don’t tell my friends).
On March 16th
2014, was the last race of this season and now I’ll have to wait till the end
of October to get my regular skiing fix again and yes, that makes me sad but
until then I’ll have all the time in the world for my friends again. :)
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