Ski Racing - January 11, 2010

Although it meant just a day or two off, the holiday
period provided World Cup racers a welcome break
from their training and competition routine, and
most athletes on the women’s circuit enjoyed precious
moments at home. We asked a few of them what the
holidays meant to them.
“It’s a lot of good food and trying to get relaxed with
your family,” said Tanja Poutiainen, who added the
main present she received for Christmas was (aptly)
a hair dryer (who wants frozen locks?). “It was cold
in Finland, minus 25. But it’s beautiful when it’s cold,
clear skies and beautiful. It’s good food and relaxing
with your family and everybody goes to the sauna.”
Of course, Christmas traditions vary, depending
on the country, and particularly the food. “Finnish
people, at Christmas, we eat a lot of pork,” Poutiainen
said. “But in northern Finland we eat reindeer. So we
ate reindeer. It tastes pretty much like steak.”
And in Sweden? “We have homemade Swedish meat-
balls, some sausages, different kinds of fish, ribs, and
ham — the ham we slice very thin and put on sand-
wiches with some mustard,” said Anja Paerson, throw-
ing in as an aside that this season might be her last for
racing. “I’m trying to lose weight before the Olympics,
so I was eating small bites. It may be my last year so
I’m trying to give everything.”
Before and after dinner for Christmas in the Paer-
son family, there are also some standard activities.
“We have a long breakfast, then go outside to have a
workout, take a long walk with the family, then you
come back at 3 o’clock and it’s Donald Duck on TV,”
she said. “It’s like this Christmas Donald Duck thing
and everyone watches that. Then we have a nice long
evening with a lot of games.”
For Christmas, Sarah Schleper bought herself some
stylin’ Timberland boots in Sweden (she said hus-
band Federico lets her buy her own gifts). They are
her new favorites — fashionable and functional with
“mad tread,” she said. Little Lasse got a Ferrari — a
mini Ferrari. There were also a few bottles of Baileys
passed around the U.S. women’s “White Elephant” Se-
cret Santa exchange.
France’s Ingrid Jacqeumod was back in Val d’Isere
with her family and received some backcountry ski
gear that she said she hopes to find time between
training and racing to try out. “I got some stuff to go
freeriding so I was very happy because I like to ski free
ride,” she said. “I like to go in the powder with my sis-
ter and some friends.”
And of course, there are some resolutions …
“In sports, a New Year’s goal is that I’m looking for-
ward to the Olympics,” said Slovenian Tina Maze. “It’s
this goal to get a medal. The rest is to stay happy and
healthy and enjoy the life.”
Holidays for World Cup women:
some reindeer, a Ferrari and
some resolutions for 2010

Dear John Letters

Gold: The organizers of the Zagreb World Cup slalom events who served up fresh seafood, lots of fruit and an array of cus-tard-based desserts and baked items.

MEDALSPLAZA

What is it with Steven Nyman and
toilets? First he’s tweeting about
inspection plate toilets and now
this. “Ready aim fire!” he tweeted
recently. “I’m not that good of an
aim. A not so great invention.”
Silver: Enthusiastic Croatian fans who
also made Zagreb one of our top stops.

STEVE NYMAN; ARCO SULLIVAN; SHAUNA FARNELL (2)

Contrary to what it may look like above, Hailey Duke was not making a course-report call from a snowball during the Zagreb slalom. No, she was icing the side of her face following an unfortunate run, in which an ill-placed pole plant resulted in a punch in the face. That is, she punched herself in the face. And later went down.

“It just didn’t work out,” Duke said. “I was going and I got a little back, then my pole got jacked. At least that’s what
I think happened.”
But wait — her story changes. “Or else some big dude just ran into the middle of the course and punched me in the
face,” she said. “It was a big guy. I don’t remember much. You should see him, though.”
Uh-huh.