Skiing the World with Keely Kelleher

‘FAN’tastic: Skiing in Austria

By Keely Kelleher, 1-08-10

	Taking a break from skiing to say hi to the cows, like a true Montana girl!

I spent New Year’s Eve on the United 902 flight bound for Munich, Germany. The flight attendant gave me a tiara sparkling with Happy New Year letters and I passed out on my neck pillow.
As you read, before Christmas I crashed racing in France. Unfortunately, that meant I did not get to ski Big Sky during my ten day Christmas break. I mostly hung out with my physical therapist, doing deep knee bends and ankle exercises.  “Patience young grasshopper,” kept ringing through my head over and over again.  Nevertheless, my therapy paid off and my ankle and knee are now ready to rock. I resolute to stay that way!

Happily, I made it to Austria.  Austria, what can I say to you? You love skiers. Ski jumpers, Nordic skiers, ski racers, free skiers…anything that has to do with skiing and it becomes the center of your universe!
The other day I found myself training on a farm. There were cows at midstation and I could see the farmer inside milking them. I guess I know the whip cream in my hot chocolate that day couldn’t be any fresher!

Honestly, driving through Austria, one can see a ski resort or a bunny hill with a tee bar in every village.  Find a mound and Austirans will ski it and ski it well!  It can be described no better than this: skiing is a lifestyle in Austria. Ski racing in Austria could be compared to NFL football in America.  I recall Bode Miller being pictured in an Austrian tabloid with a shirt exclaiming, “I’m big in Europe.”

This weekend there are two downhills and a super g in Haus im Ennstal, Austria. I am sure fans will be out in great numbers blowing their air horns with their shirts off, drinking Gosser beer and ringing cow bells.  The energy is amazing, I love racing in Austria! Check it out on www.universalsports.com!

Keely’s Top Five: Most interesting fan moments in Austria (thank you for your entertainment and unconditional love for ski racing!)

1. “The Black Book” an Austrian fan that carries around a black binder alphabetized of all the racers in the field and then whips out pictures for athletes to sign.
2. Streakers running around the finish in the famous night slalom: Schladming, Austria.
3. Lindsey Vonn being given a cow from a family in Austria after she won a World Cup.
4. Men running around with their shirts off painted in the Austrian colors in -10 degree weather.
5. Fights breaking out for our racing bibs in the finish area.

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