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Travels with the Leavenworth Olympian - "Wilkommen to Salzburg" - Torin Koos Photo Story January 2007

The Season of Racing Begins…

Racing versus Training.

Welcome to Salzburg, gateway to the Alps. Hometown of Mozart and the true-life setting of The Sound of Music. Images of Salzburg color my memory as the quintessential European place. This year Salzburg was the lunchtime stopping point from the Munich airport to the Dachstein glacier.

Scenes captured by a sometimes European shutterbug.

Years ago I did one of my first World Cups here on these very cobblestone streets in preparation for Salt Lake 2002. In just one day workers brought in TV cameras, cables, lights, and truckloads of snow were dumped onto the city’s center. A new concept was born. City sprints, bringing Nordic skiing to the masses.

The average Austrian village’s schnapps selection   Italians love to finish their espresso with a shot of Grappa.

If you really want to know about a place, visit their supermarket. Just as America is home to an assorted array of aerosol entrapped artificial cheese products, various European supermarkets have their own aisles of specialties. In Italy, it’s the selection of grappa alongside the wine aisles that first catches a visitor’s eye. In France, it’s the cheese aisle that captures my attention. In the Czech Republic, it’s the green bottles of Absinthe alongside the Perrier. And in Austria, I’ve always been visually drawn in by the schnapps selection. One day I look forward to coming back and consuming these culinary vices. But my friends, that must wait for another day.

Mount Blanc. Oh the air up there. The view from the Val Ferret Ski Trails.

A temperate area of lower elevation gives way to the 15,774 ft tall granite peak of Mont Blanc, the natural border dividing France from Italy. The French side of Mont Blanc is home to Chamonix, both its world renowned off-piste ski terrain it’s trendy streets that are filled with shops that trade in names like Prada, Gucci, or Dolce & Gabbana.

View outside the hotel window. Niiice.

Yes, nice. But not as nice as spending Christmas at home with the family. Last year it was batter fried carp, a Czech delicacy, with World Cup skier Martin Koukal, two of my teammates and Martin’s family. This year, prime rib and all the fixings in Washington. Both are nice. But I’ll have the latter.

Seattle by night. Tickets to the Supersonics. The home team wins. What more could you ask for?

Goodnight Seattle. Goodbye Washington State. See you in April. I hope to have some good stories to tell by then…

To everyone, I wish you the best. See you when I see you. -Torin

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Torin Koos is a member of the National A Team for the United States and a World Cup, World Championship and Olympic competitor.

Equipment: Rossignol Skis, Boots and Bindings, Toko gloves and wax, Marwe, Exel poles, Rudy Project Eyewear, Powerbar
Home Ski Club: Leavenworth Winter Sports Club ( www.skileavenworth.com )
Headgear Sponsor: USA Pears ( www.usapears.com )
Best Western Icicle Inn ( www.icicleinn.com )
BioSports NorthWest Physical Therapy ( www.biosports.net )

Contact Information
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If you are interested in supporting Torrin Koos we will be happy to pass your information along to him.  Your partnership will help support the lifestyle needed to keep the dream alive. As an athlete, Torin hopes his Olympic journey inspires the community to participate in the free air lifestyle, the same customers that come to visit the Leavenworth area.

email: kevin@icicleinn.com
phone: 888-353-0595
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