Ski Club Vail’s Lindsey Kildow, a four-event racer on the U.S. Ski Team, reports regularly from the World Cup tour in collaboration with Denver Post ski writer John Meyer.
Semmering, Austria – There were so many people for the races here, and they were all totally drunk, but it was pretty cool because they all knew who I was.
When I walked down through the finish area, people mobbed me. People have recognized me in the past, but it’s never been like this before.
It was weird, though. There were people standing around near the start area, right where we were warming up, and they were all drunk. They all had their camera phones out, and they’re all like, “Lindsey!”
I’m trying to warm up, and they’re wanting me to pose for their camera phones. It was crazy. I was like two racers away from my turn in the starting gate and they’re still trying to get my attention.
Semmering isn’t far from Vienna, which is why there were so many people. There were 20,000 people the first day for giant slalom and 35,000 the second day for slalom. There isn’t much parking at the mountain, so they let people park in the breakdown lanes on each side of the autobahn. They had police escorts for trucks passing through to make sure they made it OK.
It was fun. For everyone to know who I was, at a tech event, when most of my success has been in the speed events, that was surprising. Normally they just acknowledge Austrians.
People have been seeing my face a lot more over here, because I’ve been on the podium regularly in downhill, and it’s easy to recognize me because of my Red Bull helmet, Red Bull being an Austrian product.
The Austrian newspapers are saying Austrian Marlies Schild is probably going to win the overall World Cup but I’m the only one who can really compete with her. I think they see me as the opponent, as the rival.
When I was in the starting gate, I could hear what the announcer was saying very, very clearly.
“This is such a great racer, she’s done well in this race and that race, and she’s really good in slalom.”
I was like, “Uh-oh, I’m really not that good in slalom.”
I finished the first run, I was really far behind, and it was like you could hear the crickets, it was total silence. I was like, “Uh, I’m really a downhiller.”
No Ligety diary
World Cup skier Ted Ligety took time off for the holidays.
