A to Zeller: Tour de Ski Prologue

A – Awesome:   One word to describe the first day of the Tour De Ski.  You have to see it to believe it.

B – Beer:    Yes, the Germans take their beer seriously.   In the Fasterskier apartment, beer greeted us.  Chilled and waiting.

C – Camera:   R.I.P.  Nat and Topher witnessed the camera on the 200m track on the big huge hill break free and run away from the video guys during warmups.  It was a scratch from the race.

D – Denied:     The Fasterskier press witnessed security at the Athlete Entrance deny Thomas Alsgaard from entering because he did not have credentials. Sorry Thomas, your ‘rockstar’ status in Norway doesn’t follow you into Germany.

E – Emergency Rations:  RitterSport bars keep the reporters going…

F – Feature Articles:  A topic of conversation with the Fasterskier reporters:   what needs to ‘go up’ and when…

G – Gansta:   Ode Bjorn Helmeset’s baggy jeans.   He is on site as a commentator for a Norwiegian TV station.

H – Hotel:   AKA a ‘Pension’ in Germany.

I – Ingemarsdotter:  Ida…she was rumored to ski the nasty 180 better than all the other women.

J – Justyna:   She got her second win of the season and her first big win over the queen of Norway this season. Will she be able to do it again?

K – Kaffee:   Rob drinks 8 cups a day.  We think he might have a problem.

L – Lahteenmaki:  (Krista, the Finn).   She had the gnarliest crash of the day on the nasty hard right 180 degree turn, and still finished in 18^th place.  She was in second place at 1.7km.

M – Meow:  Emil Johansen says he will ‘meow’ at Andy Newell when the two of them toe the line together in their next head-to-head sprint race.  (It’s a long story….)

N – Nat Herz:  The guy is a superhero in the FIS ski-reporting world.  At the first night’s press conference, all the female reporters race up to him and say ‘hi’ and give him a huge hug!  (either he is a stud, or looks 12 and is adorable). Either way this confirms Nat’s ‘baller’ status.

O – Oberhof:   The town.   We’ve heard through the grapevine that Oberhof, Germany is the “St. Moritz of Switzerland.”

P – Points:   The chase is on.  Points are what get you in the Red Group.  Freeman needs them.  Brooks needs them……points rule the world.

Q – Quote of the day:   “Adam Malysz is like the Pope” …. That was the response of a Polish TV reporter when asked how Justyna Kowalcyk compares to the retired ski jumping star in Poland.   Presently, Malysz is racing cars in Dakar.

R – Rental Car:   Fasterskier got a Skoda.   It hauls.

S – Sex:  It sells.  OneWay Nordic has a picture of their new ski for next season.   It has a full length picture of a scantily clad woman on it

T – Tour De Ski:  This is it.  If you win this thing, you are a stud (and rich… to the tune of 150,000 Swiss Francs)

U – Ummmmm?    where’s all the snow going?   This place always has snow according to locals, except this year…

V – Victory:  Kowalczyk’s 0.4 sec margin over Marit Bjoergen.   Let the rivalry endure.   Rumor has it these two girls aren’t penpal buddies…

W – Win (again).  Petter Northug is on a roll.  Will this be the year that a Norwegian wins the Tour, finally?  Dario was hot on his heals….

X – X-Treme:  The Canadian’s bus is once again pretty pimp….

Y – Yum:   The media/press lunch.  Free chili con carne…a German delicacy!

Z – Zeller:  Katrin Zeller….well, what else can you say that starts with a Z ?