Word: skying
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...Wilhelm Doppelganger has been ski-jumping all his life. The 27-year old Austrian, the son of a world champion speed skater and an Olympic gold-medal-winning luger, grew up in the ski-resort town of Blaadfrey. At age four he was sent to private school in the Alps and then to the Olympic Training Center in Vienna. By 15 he was traveling the Grand Prix World Circuit...
TIME: When did you decide to do the Olympics? Menyoli: When I went to Cameroon in 2000. I liked to race but I never expected that I would ski in the Olympics. There was no reason, because it wasn't like I would win an award or anything. But then I went to Cameroon and saw the suffering and it's really terrible out there. People are just so illiterate about the HIV/AIDS problem. They don't accept that it exists. So I thought, I can punish my body, almost like I am sacrificing myself. I want to ski...
TIME: What kind of support have you had from Cameroon? Menyoli: Only administrative support from the national organization (the NOC). I tried to do this through FIS and they said they don't talk to individuals. The NOC were responsible for getting my code through FIS [the International Ski Federation], which I needed to qualify. My bosses [at his architecture firm in Milwaukee] have been amazing. They have supported me so much. I owe them. Some firms would have just said...
TIME: But how did you make the connection between the Olympics and AIDS education? Menyoli: I had heard about organizations going to Africa, having conferences, talking to people. But the people say, "Aw, AIDS is just a conspiracy." I thought, if I ski, people will say, "Wait, who is this guy?" And if I have that opportunity, I could be in the media and talk over the radio. Then I can tell people that they really have to watch out, that it is serious. After the games, I will go to Cameroon and I'm hoping...
...gold. They don't really know what I am doing. I also always wanted to meet those other skiers. I've finally met the U.S. and Canadian ones. But it will be really exciting to see the Europeans - the Scandinavians and the Italians. I love the Italian ski team! They work so hard and when they gain success, they are so happy...