Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Back in Europe.

Wow it feels good to be back in Europe. It doesn't feel like 8 months has past since I was last here in my role with FIS. The World Cup season starts in just 3 days and that means the competition countdown to the Olympic Games in Sochi also begins. You can really feel the energy and interest in an Olympic year. I am now in Kuusamo, Finland. Went for a great 90 minute ski this morning. Skiing in "Lapland" really feels like skiing in the home of cross-country skiing. My favourite place in that regard. I have been in Europe for one week and been in 4 countries, but everything slows down now to a country a week for most of the rest of the season... *My apologies as I can seem to get my comments per picture to align. Hope its not too confusing. Headed out on my morning ski in the new FIS Adidas uniform. With the moustache I have been told I look like a 1970's East Germany bobsledder. My plane from Seattle to London..Big plane! 30% full. Had an entire row to myself. Norwegians love skiing so much that Eirik Brandsdal's fan club even wear their rollerski vests to the bar. At the factory outlet shop at Adidas. Couldn't resist a pic in those hats. Great to be back in the land of Weissbeer. (no the proper spelling but how it sounds) Beautfil sunset at 2 pm in the afternoon in Rovaniemi, Finland. Waiting for the train to Zurich...well my first of three trains....I still really hate getting on a train with a ski bag and roller bag. In the background in the Hotel Kulm where I spent one night, and less than 24 hrs in Davos to film the Canadian ski team. I got off the train at this stop 18 hrs earlier. I felt like I was on Google's campus at the head office of Adidas. The walkways crossing the building were impressive. Kind of a big deal... At the Adidas HQ they actually have gardeners pruning the indoor grass.