Let It Snow

April 6, 2009

From Lithuanian Heritage March/April 2009

We’ve had a real winter this year in Lithuania, not like the long, wet drizzle we had last year.  It started snowing in December, just in time for Christmas, and with very few exceptions, it hasn’t stopped.  And it’s not just in Lithuania, most of Europe has been hit with more snow than the snow-plows are prepared to handle, shutting down roads across the continent and even in the United Kingdom.  I’m not complaining though.

The Kalnu Ereliai Ski Team is enjoying it too.  We’ve been skiing three days per week on Liepkalnis, a small ski area near the airport in Vilnius.  Last year the big hill didn’t work even one day – all my ski racers were stuck doing exercises on the bunny slope.  This year we’ve been able to set slalom courses any day we wanted, and the kids have improved dramatically.

Every weekend has been spent chasing races, both at home in Ignalina and Birstonas, and abroad; France, Italy, Slovakia and Czech Republic.  In Latvia we’ve scored our first podium positions; Twelve-year-old Rokas Zaveckas won three races, and finished in the top 6 three times.  Rūkas and Vejas Strelčiūnas, 5 and 6-years-old respectively, have each won their groups in Latvia, while Radvilas Janulionis, 8-years-old, finished 3^rd in his group.  Both Emilija Mazūraitė and Laura Pamerneckytė finished in the top 6 in their group of 13 and 14-year-old girls.  Though it may not sound like much, this is a big deal: only three years ago, nearly all Lithuanian kids starting in Latvia finished last.

Our older kids have had their own kind of success racing in FIS (Federation International du Ski) races throughout our region.  Three skiers, Algimantas Milašius, Karolis Janulionis and Ieva Urbonavičiutė were chosen by the Lithuanian Olympic Committee to participate in the 9^th annual European Youth Olympic Festival, held this year in Szczyrk, a small village in southern Poland.  There were 220 alpine skiers from 47 European countries participating, not to mention athletes from Cross Country, Nordic Combined, Biathlon, Figure Skating and Ice Hockey.  The Lithuanian delegation consisted of our three skiers, plus 2 figure skaters, 6 biathlon and 6 cross country skiers.  The entire delegation lived together.  I shared a room with a figure skating coach, and the kids lived with cross country skiers. Though it was less than convenient for our competition schedules, it was interesting to meet and communicate with Lithuanian athletes from the other winter sports.

Our alpine skiers, being from Vilnius, and from families who travel often, go to good schools and speak excellent English, but the other athletes came mostly from Anyksčiai and Ignalina.  It would be fair to say that our kids felt a kind of superiority over the kids from “the village”, and certainly, they were all a little wary of one another in the beginning.  The snow coming down non-stop the entire week meant cancelled races and a lot of time spent playing pool in the lobby and sharing music from their iPods.  Despite the cold weather, as the days went by, I noticed a thaw among the kids.  Towards the end of the week, our racers even expressed an interest in going out to see the biathlon competition to cheer the other guys on.  By the time of the closing ceremonies, dressed in their matching green Audimas jackets, they had become the Lithuanian team.

We got home to Lithuania just in time for Užgavenis, otherwise known as Pancake Day.  Over a plate of bulviniai blynai (potato pancakes), I sat down with the other coaches to plan our last big team trip of the year to Finland, for the first and hopefully annual Baltic Cup.  A race designed to bring together the best racers of all ages, from 5 to 65, in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.  The goals of the race are to promote friendship, healthy competition and of course fast skiing from all of our countries.  Skiing may be an individual sport, but it takes a strong team to produce a champion.  The more cooperation and communication we have in the Baltic States, the better it will be for all of our skiers.

I’m often asked why Lithuania needs an alpine ski team.  There are no mountains, and sometimes not even any snow.  On the other hand, skiing is a popular pastime for many families, rich and poor.  There are very few instructors or trainers in Lithuania, but somehow people still find their way to the slopes and usually manage to make it down safely without hitting anything, or anyone.  We often speak of the Olympics and World Championships in our club, but my real goal is to create life-long skiers who love the sport, and will teach others to love it as well.

Nearly March, it was snowing again this morning.  We haven’t gotten quite the storm that hit Poland, but I needed my hood to block the wind during training on Liepkalnis and the rooftops in the Old Town are white still white.  The sun has come out, and as I look out my window toward the Cathedral, the Lithuanian flag blowing in the breeze on Gedimino Castle, I get an idea of how winter could be.  As my cat, Snaigė (Snowflake), dozes in the afternoon warmth on the windowsill, spring is certainly coming, but for just a little while longer I say, Let it snow!

Filed under: Daily Life,Lithuania

Tags: Baltic Cup, clips, Ignalina, Kalnu Ereliai, Liepkalnis, Lithuania, Lithuanian, Lithuanian Heritage, Olympics, ski, Skiing, Sports, Vilnius