Thursday, 9th March

13.40 pm

The two Ski runs have been completed despite doubts due to the weather conditions this morning.  The results are just coming in and will be posted as soon as released for posting by the Meet Director.  These will be combined with the scores from the two rounds of Accuracy yesterday to give a competition position at this point.  Do watch our results page for updates:

The following selection of pictures from this morning speak much louder than anything I can write.  Thanks to all those who worked on the mountain to make these races possible:

Working on the Course	Julia Schosser - Austria
Thanks must go to 'Casi' Carsten Thiel for braving the elements and taking this photos for us - not easy

Tomorrow morning, weather permitting, we arrive at the target at the top (DZ 1) for 10.00 am for 2 further rounds of accuracy.  However, the forecast is not looking good and so we may be forced to move down the mountain to the alternate landing area (DZ 2 - or the 'dirty' drop zone).  So fingers crossed that the forecasters have got it wrong and there will not be low clouds first thing.

  10.00 am

Yesterday evening the formal Opening Ceremony of the 16th World Para-Ski Championships took place in the Town Centre of St Johann and started with the arrival of the FAI Flag - flown very spectacularly into the arena by the HSV Red Bull Austria Demo team.  For a moment it looked as if the flag was being burnt, but it was only the amazing sight of the parachutist flying with the both the flag and a firework.  The other team members had red lights beneath them. 

The competitors lined up in their Team uniforms behind the young Austrian who carried the name of the country and the National Flag was carried by a competitor.  We marched through the town to the Centre behind a military band and a squad of soldiers in authentic dress uniform from a previous era:  they were accompanied by two women in National dress whose job was to carry the ceremonial schnapps to serve to their officers and guests.

Marching into the centre	The Military presence
The Bandsmen	Austria the host nation
Hannus with a job to do

There then followed the formal proceedings with welcome speeches from the St. Johann im Pongau Town Mayor Günther Mitterer, and Deputy Gouvenor of Salzburg province Christian Stöckl; both delivered in Austrian but ably translated, with humour, by the young Announcers, Roland Gasser and Peter Zeitlhofer who had done such a good job earlier at the Target Area.  They were followed by the Armed Forces Sports Club Executive President MajGen Heinrich Winkelmayer who welcomed all to the town of St. Johann im Pongau and the Alpendorf Ski area explaining that this town was both well known for their skiing and parachuting activities and as a serving soldier he was proud to know that Para-Ski grew out of the Alpine Search and Rescue history.  We were all also able to acknowldege the presence on the platform of Michael Egger, Chair of the Para-Ski committee and unfortunately present in plaster and on crutches - who said parachuting was dangerous?  He received a warm round of applause from all present.

We then moved to a speech from the President of IPC, Dr. Rainer (EXI) Hoenle who is also attending this event as a Principle Judge for the Accuracy event.  He thanked everyone for coming and to the hosts for organising this event and to the sponsors for their support, particularly the town and region.  He was happy to declare the Competition officially open.

We were then treated to a military display when the Bürgergarde St. Johann im Pongau  fired a salvo into the sky as a salute to all the athletes taking part in this World Championships and the officials and organisers making it possible.  This was followed by music by the band, the Military Music Band of Salzburg regional military command and then another salute to the Deputy Governor of Saltzburg, after which, the women, who accompanied the soldiers,  served him, along with the most senior officer present, a glass of schnapps.  They then moved up onto the podium and served all those present.  On International Women's Day it was interesting to see women handling an age old tradition.

The ceremony was then over and everyone walked back to the buses and the journey up the mountain to the hotel where the evening banquet was to be held.

Military presence	Competition Officials
German Delegation	Russian Delegation
Michael Egger joins the dignitaries	Christian Stöckl the Deputy Governor Saltzburg
IPC President Dr. Rainer (EXI) Hoenle Declares the 16th World ParaSki Championships Officially Open

The buses took everyone up the mountain to a large hotel in Oberforsthofalm for the dinner and 'cultural' evening.  A great authentic-feeling room, with areas, tables and bars exuding a fantastic atmosphere.  The staff worked hard to serve us with a selection of 'tapas' or many different small dishes of food, some traditional to the area and some more global in taste - all in all different and very satisfying. Meanwhile we were treated to an orchestra/band playing traditional music along with a troupe of traditional Austrian dancers who entertained all evening with their unusual dances.  The men dressed in traditional leidenhosen and the girls in their dirndl outfits.  We had an exhibition of leg and thigh slaping from the men, whipcracking, chopping and sawing logs, and symbolic mining dance - all performed to music.  At the end they included many from the competitors present in a traditional hand-clapping dance - great fun was had by all.

The evening eventually came to an end and we returned to the hotels at the bottom of the mountain.  Thank you to our hosts, to the organisers and to the sponsors for a memorable opening day.

Dancers photographs courtesy of Arnold Hohenegger