Ski Alpine World Cup Fever

Kandahar! Kandahar! The Downhill World Cup has come to Chamonix, and it's very exciting. It's the only French run on the downhill circuit, and so the whole area goes a little wild. The girls got to go with their school yesterday to see the finishers, and Toby and I decided to play hooky for the day and go and see the racers ourselves. We're not going to get this kind of chance again any time soon...

So the Kandahar run is actually in Les Houches just down the valley, and Saturday is officially the Kandahar race. But they had to reschedule an Italian race that was cancelled, and so Friday they 'ran' the Italian race on the Kandahar run. Toby and I took our skis, took the bus, and went up the mountain to see how close we could get. And the answer was? Pretty darn close. There was barely anyone there! They're expecting forty thousand spectators for the race on Saturday, but there was no sign of them on Friday. Sadly for the organizers the cold spell that has gripped Eastern Europe has now arrived and so it's very cold for the race w/e - minus 15 C in the valley, and colder up top.

We actually got to ski ACROSS the Kandahar run (very exciting), and then were perfectly placed to see the racers go over a very famous jump (with a 90 degree turn at the bottom). That's Bode Miller airborne, above, and below is the Canadian Erik Guay - Canadians placed 4th and 6th! We were so proud. And RIGHT beside them. The race is insane - they make it down to the bottom in two minutes.

Just after the jump

The lack of spectators did mean a slight lack of atmosphere though - the cacophony of cow bells we had been promised was missing, but we didn't actually make it to the finish, so maybe that's where they all were. We just had a terrific time skiing down the slopes and popping in to view the race from various vantage points.  We've had so much snow (in fact, in was snowing lightly the whole time we were there) that the top of the mountain is a frozen wonderland. Check out those trees!

Toby in position

Tonight there's going to be a big party in the main square in Chamonix with a live band, vin chaud, fireworks, and of course the medals for the winners, so we're going to take the girls down to join in the fun. Kandahar! Kandahar!