more catching up

I finally went skiing! Though it only partially qualifies, as there were a whole two runs, only one of which I actually skied. It was covered with world cup ice, and my skis were so dull that I fell multiple times when I wasn't even skiing. However, my real prupose was to interview a local junior team for an article, so it was interesting to tag along at their training and meet the kids, and it was nice just to be out again.

I also went to the world cup race that was hosted on the local mountain. We got there at 8, when the temperature hovered just above zero (It sounds way more impressive in celcius: -17) to hike down from the top and stake out our spot on the racecouse. By the time the race started, we had been standing there for more than an hour. My feet were fully numb, and Bruna and Hannah were on the ground huddled under a Brazilian flag claiming they couldn't moove their legs. Skiing is not a great spectator sport, but the Croatian fans were worth watching. They came in droves, decked out in red and white checker patterns and carrying flags, horns, whistles, clappers, and all other manor of noise making apparatus. They were united in their support for any Croratian, but particularly Ivica Kostelic. Whenever his name was even mentioned, the hillside erupted, and the rest of whatever the announcer had to say was drowned out in whistles and screams.
And there was no leaving early in the second run. The wild crowd watched expectantly until the penultimate run, when their favorite came down the course to take the lead. Horns blew, balloons flew and everyone chanted “Ivo, Ivo!” When the final racer came up ahead at the timer midway down the course, the entire hill went dead silent as everyone waited in suspense to see if Kostelic would keep his lead. He wouldn't, but a silver medal was cause enough for celebration, and the party was still raging when the sun was starting to sink and we decided to head home before we froze.