Machine And Its Cogs

Try to figure out what’s going on on the photo above. Experienced readers would have no problem reading cues: since neither Fischer nor Salomon nor Rossi do not allow their sponsored athletes to use different brand boots (with a very few,disappearing exceptions), the correct answer is” two waxers are helping an athlete to choose best skis”.

It’s not a photo from a “grownup” World Championships it’s Juniors World, supposedly less fancy event.

Gone forever are the days when talents from the countries like Romania could score victories and/ or podiums.

To win these days is not only and, perhaps, not so much about having an actual talent. It’s about the whole system.

The other parts of which include a wide choice of most modern skis, a squad of highly advanced specialists to evaluate snow & weather conditions, facilities to quickly prepare skis…

Oberwiesenthal’s first days had ample challenges in store with weather rapidly from snowfall to sunshine to sleet.

One of the leaders of the mighty Swedish sprint team crashed out way too early – bad choice of skis, and her technicians got an earful about that right at the finish. However, the winner had perfect skis propelling her to the top of theory. Opposite moods that evening for two friends – but at the end it’s the Swedish flag that flies high. No way the smaller nations could afford that level of investment, not anywhere near.

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doctors, physios and psychologists (yes, psychologists) to prepare actual athletes. There were many a familiar face from the ” grown-up” World Cup at the start/ finish line. Which would be natural, of course – Sweden, the US, to lesser extent Russia and Norway sent their national team members.