Word: swiss
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This year, the Canadian women were forced to play for the bronze when Britain beat them in the semifinals. The British went on to defeat the Swiss in an exciting (honest) gold-medal match that went down to the last stone. All the members of the British team hail from Scotland, which is appropriate since the sport traces its origins to the 16th century and frozen Scottish lochs. The 19-kg stones used in competition are still cut from Scottish granite...
...kneecappers, as expected, made a gold-silver-bronze sweep of it, but by and large the skullduggery inherent in cheating makes handicapping the favorites in most events difficult if not impossible. At Salt Lake City even the old stereotypes--nobody can cork a curling stone like a Canadian, the Swiss have a lock on clock slowing, don't even try outfoxing the French when it comes to slipping small animals into the luge run--promise to be severely tested. Blame escalating commercialism and its henchman, dollar power. Item: tiny Hindu Kush hires away the legendary snowshoe-warping coach...
...referendum comes a year after a large majority of Swiss turned down a proposal to start negotiating to join the European Union. But the federal government - which has been pushing for a "yes to the U.N." vote - is hoping last year's result is not an omen. Indeed, it notes that being a U.N. member is a far simpler matter than joining the E.U. And a "no" vote, proponents say, would shut Switzerland out of global decision making and undercut its role as a diplomatic mediator. "In a world where image is very important, we would be seen as selfish...
...government has a natural ally in U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who said on Swiss television this month that he would be "extremely disappointed" if the initiative were defeated. He pointed out the obvious paradox that Geneva is home to the U.N.'s European branch, including the World Health Organization, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the World Trade Organization and two dozen lesser-known entities. "Can Switzerland really stay on the sidelines of the global community?" he asked...
...Boit first got on skis in 1996, after being approached by Nike to train for Nagano on the company dime. He is still competing using money from Nike and the Kenyan Olympic Committee. Other lone athletes have also struck it lucky with sponsorship. Swiss businessman Toni Hauswirth, who owns property in Fiji, took out an ad in a Fijian newspaper in 1999 offering an all-expenses paid trip to the Olympics (training base in Switzerland included) for the most promising ski candidate. Laurence Thoms, a ski instructor in New Zealand with a Fijian mother and passport, beat out the other...