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Sunday, February 21, 2010

bib numbers for men's ski cross

here's bib numbers for our friends:

Xavier Kuhn (FRA) bib #13
Tomas Kraus (CZE) bib #7
Enak Gavaggio (FRA) bib #20
Casey Puckett (USA) bib # 12
Daron Rahlves (USA) bib # 15
Davey Barr (CAN) bib # 10
Martin Fiala (GER) bib #24
Eric Iljans (SWE) bib # 30

Today Ski Cross (aka "Skier X," or "Skier Cross") makes its Olympic Debut in the Free Skiing category

"I think the way to become the best is just to have fun"
~Shaun White, Olympic snowboarding champion

Today Ski Cross (aka "Skier X," or "Skier Cross") makes its Olympic Debut in the Free Skiing category as a full-medal sport!


Be sure to tune into the Olympic coverage of SKIER X today from 12 noon - 1:30pm!!!


For those of you unfamiliar with the sport, Skier X combines the thrill of freestyle skiing with the competitive rush of downhill racing. Four to six skiers are pitted against each other on a technically challenging course of rollers, jumps, tables, and banked turns. It's an exciting, fast-paced test of skiers' skills over varied terrain with one goal: the first across the finish line wins.


As I'm writing this, I am sitting in LAX international airport awaiting my flight back to San Francisco. I was fortunate to spend a fun-filled weekend of business, site-previewing, wine tasting and dining with my dear friend Ken Fasola and his business associates and friends in Malibu and Santa Monica. (Thanks for a fabulous time!) And now I'm SO excited to watch the airing of ‘The Derby’ (as Olympian Martin Fiala of Germany calls it). My friends in Los Angeles and San Francisco are also ecstatic to cheer for all the athletes, in particular my friends who are racing:


Ophelie David (FRA) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yf4qg4n)
Martin Fiala (GER) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/y8nhtrg)
Enak Gavaggio (FRA) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yd4whpt)
Karin Huttary (AUT) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yk6zp9a)
Magdalena Iljans (SWE) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yhcrn9x)
Tomas Kraus (CZE) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yfljdqq)
Xavier Kuhn (FRA) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yhjlxdz)
Jenny Owens (AUS) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yzxm745)
Casey Puckett (USA) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yarup2q)


GO YOU & go world!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Just How Are You Gonna Get Up?

It's not how you start. It's how you finish.
And it's not where you're from. It's where you're at.

Everybody gets knocked down.
How quick are you gonna get up?

Just how are you gonna get up?

~Nike (song 'Ali in the Jungle' performed by The Hours)


Friday, February 12, 2010

Let the Games Begin!

"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well." ~Pierre de Coubertin, Founder of the International Olympic Committee

Tonight showcases the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 XXI Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Over 80 nations are expected to compete, which would be the most ever for a Winter Olympics.

The first move toward winter Olympics began when figure skating appeared in the 1908 summer games in London. The 1914 outbreak of World War I curtailed plans for a "Skiing Olympia" that was intended to be announced at the 1916 Summer Olympics in Berlin. While figure skating and ice hockey were featured in the 1920 summer games in Antwerp, Belgium, the first International Olympic Committee (IOC) sanctioned Winter Games weren't until 1924 in Chamonix, France.

This year Ski Cross (aka "Skier X," or "Skier Cross") makes its Olympic Debut in the Free Skiing category as a full-medal sport! Skier X combines the thrill of freestyle skiing with the competitive rush of downhill racing. Four skiers are pitted against each other on a technically challenging course of rollers, jumps, and banked turns. It's an exciting, fast-paced test of skiers' skills over varied terrain with one goal: the first across the finish line wins.

Not only is it an immense honor to qualify and compete as an Olympic athlete, it's also notable to be chosen as the first ever participants in a newly sanctioned sport. And while I'm proud of any athlete and humbled by their prowess, I'm even more proud to know fourteen Olympic athletes in this year's games:

Ophelie David (FRA) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yf4qg4n)
Martin Fiala (GER) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/y8nhtrg)
Enak Gavaggio (FRA) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yd4whpt)
Karin Huttary (AUT) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yk6zp9a)
Magdalena Iljans (SWE) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yhcrn9x)
Tomas Kraus (CZE) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yfljdqq)
Xavier Kuhn (FRA) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yhjlxdz)
Jenny Owens (AUS) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yzxm745)
Casey Puckett (USA) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yarup2q)
Jasey-Jay Anderson (CAN) - SNOWBOARD (http://tinyurl.com/yanjjvz)
Lukas Greuner (AUT) - SNOWBOARD (http://tinyurl.com/yjd9kn4)
Claudia Riegler (AUT) - SNOWBOARD (http://tinyurl.com/yhyc9uj)
Manuela Riegler (AUT) - SNOWBOARD (http://tinyurl.com/yes2wgs)
Graham Watanabe (USA) - SNOWBOARD (http://tinyurl.com/yevxlyl)

Go you! May these games bring you every happiness & success!

Walk on the Wild Side
performed by Lou Reed
http://tinyurl.com/5zxfym
Walk on the Wild Side by Lou Reed

Onward & upward! ;-)

Monday, February 1, 2010

...let's celebrate...


"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'press on' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." ~Calvin Coolidge

Today I met a lovely woman named Janet who is recovering from surgery to her foot. We chatted briefly about surviving physical ailments, and how much more challenging it is than it appears on the surface. It was really nice to speak with her and realize that my own recovery progress, while not complete yet, may be a tiny source of inspiration to others.

It's easy to be tough on yourself, especially when you are used to performing at a certain level and something sets you back. Whether it's physical, mental, psychological, or emotional, a set back is still a set back. And giving yourself credit for hard work and accomplishments (no matter how minor they seem) is so important.

I remember the first time I drove my car after my eye surgery. Not a pretty sight -- pun intended. In fact, the first weekend I ventured out behind the wheel I had to have my beloved friend, Bob Birdsall, drive me home! Bobby was visiting Marin County from Chicago and even my walking was unsteady at that time. Too much visual disturbance made me stagger horribly! There was NO CHANCE I was able to drive myself home at night. It was scary enough to drive in daylight. I remember how bizarre it was to have vision in my new eye, and trying to 'read' all the overwhelming visuals from driving on the freeway. Yikes! Talk about un-nerving. And today I can zip up-and-down the 101 as much as I like (as long as there is daylight; my night vision is still suspect), which is progress indeed!

And to further keep things in perspective, one of the two American Medal Contenders in Skier X, Daron Rahlves (USA), dislocated his right hip after a nasty wreck over the weekend, and my friend Casey Puckett (USA), the other American Medal Contender in Skier X, reinjured his shoulder earlier in the week. And yet both are recovering at home and should be ready for the Vancouver Olympic Games. Go Team USA!

So, while I may occasionally get frustrated by constant headaches, crippling breakthru pain, changes in vision, etc., it's so important to give myself credit for the progress I have made. To that end, I'm going to give myself a mental hug & smile big knowing that my perseverance is paying off.

Let It Rain
performed by Living Things
http://tinyurl.com/ccmwdt
Let It Rain by Living Things


Onward & upward! ;-)