You'd think that living and growing up in Rocky Mountain ski areas would give an advantage to any athlete with Olympic dreams. Those thoughts approach clairvoyance when three "locals" caught world attention in the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.
First, there was Lindsey Kildow, a resident of Vail, who, in a training run, suffered an unbelievable crash in pre-competition warm-ups, but still managed to make it through the competition two days later with a truly gutsy performance.
Then, Toby Dawson, another Vail resident, earned a bronze medal in the Moguls Free-style comptition with an amazing run.
Finally, Breckenridge resident Katie Uhlaender, a 2002 graduate of Summit High School, placed sixth in the "Skeleton". This competition gives me chills. It is luge competition, but "FACE FIRST". Yeah. Competitors go down the luge course, at 60-70 miles per hour, on a little sled that their anatomy barely fits on, FACE FIRST. Being sixth best in the world in this sport surely deserves a response of AWE. And, she thought she should have done better, but was shaken up by "pre-event jitters". I'd have jitters, pre-event or not!
It's no wonder that living in the mountains produces such world-wide talent. My nine-year-old daughter learns sking through a ski program that is part of her physical education program in elementary school. Couldn't do this in, say, Dallas or Phoenix.
Not surprisingly, Summit High School just recorded its third state championship in a row in both girls and boys Nordic and Alpine skiing competition. For the 33rd time, the ski teams have won the State Championships.
So, you have a potential world-class skier in your household? Summit County is probably one of the best places in the world to tap that potential.
Need a home here? Check out my web site.
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