Winter joy - the skiing thread

Discussion in 'Archive: The Arena' started by Obi Anne, Nov 17, 2006.

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  1. Obi Anne FF admin Celebrations, Europe

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    I definetly feel a thread about skiing is necessary around here. The alpine world cup started last weekend with the Austrian team at the front both for the women's and men's races. The cross country world cup has had some sprint races and this weekend the longer distances start off in Gällivare. We still have to wait some weeks for the ski jumping and nordic combined world cups to take off though. Also this winter there is the world championships in Åre, Sweden, for alpine skiing and Sapporo, Japan, for Nordic skiing.

    Since it was the Olympics last year it's a question if there's going to be any changes in the teams with more younger people coming to the front. In the alpine world cup Janica Kostelic is taking a break this winter and that will be a gap to fill for some hungry athletes.

    So anyone else following the skiing circus during the winter?
    Obi Anne, Nov 17, 2006 at 6:44 AM
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  2. Enji Jedi Grand Master

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    I am! Most definitely... at least I follow the downhill skiing with great enthusiasm. Kinda the only sport I like to watch even when it's not an Olympics or anything. :)

    I'm soo looking forward to the World Championships in Ã…re. Should be great fun to watch.
    Enji, Nov 23, 2006 at 7:52 AM
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  3. yankee8255 Force Ghost

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    Hey, I live in Austria. Of course you can count me in!
    yankee8255, Nov 23, 2006 at 7:55 AM
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  4. yankee8255 Force Ghost

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    Well, FIS officials have finally managed to find a few ountains with snow on them here on the continent, and the WC season is in full swing.

    On the women's side, the vaccum left by Kostelic's absence and Pearson's lack of form is quickly being filled by up and coming stars, like Kildow and Mancuso from the US, and Marlies Schild and the rest of the Austrian team.

    On the men's side, things are wide open, espcially with the Austrian men looking their worst in more than a decade.
    yankee8255, Dec 20, 2006 at 3:37 AM
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  5. Obi Anne FF admin Celebrations, Europe

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    I'd say that the Austrian women are totally dominating, while it's quite fun to see how open the men's cup is.

    And of course now it's just a couple of days until the four-hill tournament of ski jumping, hmm, I wonder which person with Eurosport I can invade during the competitions.
    Obi Anne, Dec 28, 2006 at 7:04 AM
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  6. GRAND_MOFF_KEVIN Jedi Grand Master

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    Can't say I really watch skiing unless its the Olympics but I do enjoy skiing and have gotten better at it.
    GRAND_MOFF_KEVIN, Dec 28, 2006 at 5:54 PM
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  7. DurronFan Jedi Master

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    I've been alpine skiing since the age of 4 but I've never bothered following the skiing circus during the winters. I just concentrate on enjoying the skiing itself.
    DurronFan, Dec 30, 2006 at 12:37 PM
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  8. Obi Anne FF admin Celebrations, Europe

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    I love skiing, have been doing it since before I was two and I'm more or less brought up on an alpine slope, since my sisters competed very seriously. Myself I've competed in alpine, cross country skiing and ski jumping at different ages, but now I only get the chance to ski once or twice a year.
    Obi Anne, Dec 31, 2006 at 5:56 AM
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  9. DurronFan Jedi Master

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    Even though I'm a Finn I can never get excited about the prospect of ski jumping and/or cross-country skiing. Alpine skiing only please.
    DurronFan, Jan 3, 2007 at 1:50 PM
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  10. GRAND_MOFF_KEVIN Jedi Grand Master

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    Cross country is boring, I respect the endurance needed in it but watching it is like pulling teeth and it doesn't seem all that fun to do.
    GRAND_MOFF_KEVIN, Jan 4, 2007 at 6:55 PM
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  11. Obi Anne FF admin Celebrations, Europe

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    It's great fun to do, it's the only kind of excercise where you can feel relaxed at the same time as you are really sweating, at least that's what I think.

    I also think it will be interesting tomorrow to see the cross country race where they are going to climb up an alpine slope in Italy. I will miss it since I'm away, but I hope to see some of it later.
    Obi Anne, Jan 6, 2007 at 4:53 AM
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  12. yankee8255 Force Ghost

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    I started doing cross-country a little last winter, when we had tons of snow here in Austria, borrowed my father-in-laws stuff. Looking ot buy a set myself this year, hopefully can take advantage of the complete lack of snow and get a good deal.

    As for watching it, the traditional style with the staggered starts is incredibly boring, the mass starts are far more interesting, though like any endurance sport, really only exciting at the end.

    yankee8255, Jan 8, 2007 at 1:28 AM
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  13. yankee8255 Force Ghost

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    Well, now the Hahnenkamm downhill at Kitzbühl has been cancelled, after organizers even brought in snow by helicopter. It melted too quickly, and it seems like the entire alpine season is rapidly melting away too.

    That's a realy shame, because the woman#s side is starting to heat up, with American's Mancuso and Kildow starting to come on and challenge the Austrian women.

    On the nordic side, ski jumping took an ugly turn over the weekend, with a severe acceident at an event in Zakopane, Poland. Most experts are saying the competition should have been cancelled. The Czech jumper, Jan Mazoch, is in a coma.
    yankee8255, Jan 22, 2007 at 5:45 AM
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  14. Obi Anne FF admin Celebrations, Europe

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    It was definetly a scary fall, the worst since '98 I'd say. One can only hope everything will be ok with him.

    With the alpine winter melting away I guess it's a bit of luck that none of the world championships will take place in the alps this year.
    Obi Anne, Jan 22, 2007 at 8:51 AM
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  15. yankee8255 Force Ghost

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    The final weekend of the alpine season starts today, with both the men's and women's overall still wide open, espeically on the latter side.

    First event is the men's DH. Already two bad crashes where the skiers have had to be helicoptored off, Kernen and Dalcin.
    yankee8255, Mar 14, 2007 at 3:23 AM
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