Skiing the World with Keely Kelleher

Chaos in Kitzbühel and Bibs for Haiti

By Keely Kelleher, 1-25-10

	The finish area during the 70th Hahnenkamm downhill

This weekend I had a pitcher of beer dumped on my head…in the middle of the day. Okay, let’s take a step back. Why would that happen you ask? And where in the world could I have been? I am assuming you are wondering what kind of activity, an athlete such as myself, would be engaging in to have this happen.

Let me set the scene for you: 70,000 screaming, stumbling, for the most part drunk Austrian ski fans. The Hahnenkamm in Kitzbühel brings ski fans far and wide to watch the premier ski racing event of the season. I’d say that if you wanted to experience true Austrian ski spirit go to the Hahnenkamm.  The streets are crammed with people blowing air horns, ringing cowbells, and cheering for the racers as they careen themselves down the craziest downhill in the world.  It is a spectacle of madness. Women don’t race the Hahnenkamm and for good reason. Speeds of ninety mph, dauntingly big air off jumps mixed with an icy, bumpy track. No thanks. I would cry if someone told me I had to ski that course.

Instead, I lined the slopes with the thousands of other screaming fans. People were throwing pitchers of beer in the air and I couldn’t avoid being doused every so often. I left the mountain, completely sober, smelling and looking like I just took a dip in a pool of beer.  Hopefully that answers the questions from above.

In the seven years I’ve been competing in Europe I’ve never had the opportunity to join the chaos of Kitzbühel. I would highly recommend the experience.

This weekend I raced in Cortina, Italy. Cortina happens to be a favorite place and course of mine. Unfortunately, I did not have the results I wanted. I crashed in the downhill and was 39th in the Super G.  However, positive events did happen this weekend in Italy. The entire ladies World Cup field is holding an online auction of World Cup racing bibs from the Cortina downhill. All the proceeds go directly to aid the victims of the Haiti earthquake. The bidding on eBay ends Sunday.  You could score an authentic autographed World Cup bib! Check it out at:

http://shop.ebay.com/cortinabibs4haiti/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1%0A

Next weekend I am racing in St. Moritz, Switzerland. I scored my first World Cup points there last year. Hopefully I will find more success!

Watch my races online at www.universalsports.com!

My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in Haiti.

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