A Great Week ….. But Nice To Be Home
I’m back at home writing this final Pila related blog, a week has passed and we’ve come full circle.
Before trying to sum up a truly memorable and successful week there is still a bit to tell you about the final medal presentations, closing ceremony and disco all of which took place in La Niche Nightclub that is right below Le Maison de Jean – our hub for the week.
As athletes were ferried up from their hotel by our brilliant mini bus driver, John, who had come over from Scotland for the week as a volunteer, there were some behind the scenes last-minute preparations going on and that old favourite party game “hunt the roving microphone” But almost at the same time the last mini bus arrived, the elusive mic was found and we were good to go.
This was day 3 of presentations and the now well rehearsed medal ceremonies volunteer team – Hazel, Ashley, Tom, Holly, Sean – who had been fulfilling their other volunteer roles on the slopes just a few hours earlier, kept the whole process ticking over like clockwork. Great job guys and gals.
As the results were announced for each division, the athletes were led out to huge cheers and rapturous applause – there were tears of joy and some of disappointment but as always great camaraderie amongst the athletes as they so generously share each other’s success.
The medals were presented by Duncan Weston from CMS Cameron McKenna and also Ricardo from the local Pila Ski School who, with many of his team, had given us such great support on the slopes all week.
Once the medal ceremony was complete there were then a number of other presentations. Firstly, Pila Ski School asked every athlete to come up and receive a Pila Ski pin which was a lovely gesture and very well received – I don’t think you will see many, if any, of them being traded any time soon.
Then followed a thank you: to all the Instructors followed by all the other support volunteers who take such great care of the athletes when they are away from home and finally all the local Pila volunteers who came out to support the event. Each person was presented with a snow flake medal to acknowledge their contribution to these Games.
Finally there was a personal thank you and gift presented to Keith and Candy for all their incredibly hard work and commitment to make the 2012 Special Olympics Great Britain National Alpine Ski Championships such a great success – they have done a wonderful job.
There was then a moment of quiet as the official closing of the event was read by an athlete from Grampian and the Games were over for another four years.
And then lift off! The disco began and every inch of the dance floor disappeared as the athletes strutted their stuff and showed all their moves to tunes old and new – what a party! The evening just flew by and before we knew it we were all singing “We Are the Champions” with hands joined and held high in the air. And then it was over.
So, I asked athletes, volunteers and family members to give me one word that summed up their week. Here are just a few: fantastic, fun, brilliant, proud, exhausting, good, exciting, memorable, successful, and that sentence from Cathy, that sums it up for many “more than I ever expected.”
Hosting a National Games away from “home” is a huge challenge and creates all kinds of additional hurdles, not least trying to ensure we remain connected with those who were not out there with us. But with the fantastic amount of communication we received on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr - wich has amazing pictures from our photographer Jeremy Nako - sending your messages and good wishes, we know that you have been there with us in spirit and that has made a huge difference so thank you.
We also appreciate the support and encouragement we had from Graham Bell who proved again how fortunate we are to have him as an Ambassador, from National Grid, our Premier Partner, who have been circulating blogs to all their staff from Hazel Clark, an employee volunteer who has been with us all week in Pila and, of course, Duncan Weston from CMS Cameron McKenna who came out to spend time with us at the end of the week and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
All this, and the messages of good luck that were sent from other partners, sponsors and our Board made us all feel just that bit closer to home and definitely not forgotten!
For me the final thoughts always come back to our athletes and once again in Pila they have made us smile and they have made us very proud . They are a credit to their sport and to Special Olympics.
It was a really great week and an excellent National Winter Games but it’s nice to be home.
This is the last Pila blog, but I’ll be back blogging again sometime soon and I hope you will join me then.
The Final Snowy Curtain
It was business as usual following last night’s fancy dress evening where athletes, volunteers and family members got their creative juices flowing and we found ourselves mingling with 007, Snow White, the A Team, a court jester, Batman and Sister Mary Clarence, to name a few.
As all these characters emerged from their bedrooms there were hoots of laughter that rippled around the building and a great time was had by all.
Although we have been blessed with fantastic weather all week, it somehow seemed appropriate to wake up this morning to small flakes of snow in the air and grumpy looking clouds filling the sky that had been brilliant blue since we arrived.
Throughout the morning the snow continued to fall and this, combined with a moderate, but biting cross wind, made the race conditions just a little more tricky. The mountain left it to the last day of competition to throw down a greater challenge as the cold air started to seep through the layers and athletes picked up the gauntlet for the final event, the Slalom (By the way, individual results are now available on the Special Olympics GB website)
Families who braved the elements to watch the races were joined by Duncan Weston from CMS Cameron McKenna who arrived in Pila late last night and has come over for two days, especially to support the National Winter Games. Special Olympics GB is currently the Charity of Choice of CMS and we are delighted that Duncan has taken the time to come over and spend some time at this very significant event in the calendar of the winter sports programme. Tonight he will presenting medals that will then be followed by the Closing Ceremony and the now much-anticipated disco to celebrate the achievements of every athlete who has taken to the slopes this week.
As the final curtain draws on the 2012 Special Olympics GB National Winter Games we can all take a little time to kick back, relax and savour a great week both on and off the mountain.
Now, any requests for the DJ? My money is on ABBA …. Dancing Queen!
Meet Cath – Scott’s Mum
January 19, 2012
Filed under Alpine Ski, Families
Tags: an amazing week, family member, first ever skiing lesson, Gold medal, special olympics, Special Olympics Surrey
One of the roles I’ve fulfilled here in Pila is Families Liaison and today my blog is all about one family member that I have joined for breakfast on most days and for whom the National Alpine Ski Championships has been quite an experience.
Cath Hastings is Scott’s Mum and very much a part Special Olympics Surrey. This is the first time that Cath has attended a National Winter Games and she wanted to come just to see first- hand what it’s all about and because so many other families were coming. She is staying in the Hotel Lions Noir.
Cath Hastings and his son Scott
Although she struggled just a little on day 1 with the change in altitude and perhaps the “newness” of everything around her, Cath said that from the pick up at the airport to the welcome at the hotel she was made to feel really welcome and comfortable in her snowy surroundings. Ever since she has been overwhelmed by the kindness and level of support she has received.
Cath was clearly moved by the opening ceremony, she explained: “It was amazing and emotional and more than I ever expected. The highlight was seeing the Athlete’s parade, I cried, Scott cried, there were tears of joy and misty eyes from so many of us there. It was brilliant.”
During our conversation over breakfast on the first morning of competition, Cath admitted that she was quite anxious for Scott and had butterflies in her tummy as this is only the second time he has competed on “real” snow. She took the cable car up to the competition piste.
“It was incredible to be so close to all the action and to watch Athletes from each of the different divisions. I couldn’t believe how much support and encouragement every Athlete received from all the coaches, course volunteers and, of course their fellow Athletes irrespective of what team they were representing.”
From there on Cath’s day just got better and better as Scott won the gold medal and Cath was right there in the front row to see it, she said: “I couldn’t believe it! I was so proud and so happy to be there.”
Cath has really enjoyed having the opportunity to meet other family members from around the country, she told me that “It’s been great to share experiences and information. There are so many ways we can help and support each other. I will definitely be exchanging contact details and staying in touch.”
If all this wasn’t enough, Cath, inspired by the Athletes and what she has seen this week, decided to have her first ever skiing lesson this this afternoon. She was told that Scott had been heard to say to her Instructor “My Mum is having a ski lesson and I’m so proud of her.”
When I asked Cath if she could sum up her experience here in Pila, she thought a moment, swallowed hard and blinked back a few more tears “It’s been so much more than I ever expected in every way … it’s just been an amazing week.”
If you want to find out about our athletes performances, you can check individual results of day 1 and 2 of competition on the Special Olympics GB website. There are also loads of pictures on Flickr.
Let the Competition Begin
January 18, 2012
Filed under Alpine Ski
Tags: alpine ski, cable car, italian alps, Italy, learning disabled athletes, medal presentation, Pila, winter
I’m writing this blog in one of the many log cabin style cafes dotted all over the mountain where skiers stop off for their mid morning hot chocolate or calorie loaded lunch to fuel up for the rest of the afternoon on the slopes – a bit like a motorway service station but with more antique sledges hanging from the roof and a warm and friendly welcome from staff who seem really pleased to serve you.
I’m just a slip and a slide across from our race course. I’m not sure if you can get a ticket for j- walking across a mountain dodging the skiers and snow boarders charging towards you (not sure if I mentioned that I don’t ski) so I’m taking great care to ensure I’m not the first.
I came up in the same cable car as a number of our Athletes this morning who were in great spirits and very excited about the first day of competition. As we got towards the highest point of this short ride, a small group of Athletes broke into song ….. “we all live in a yellow submarine” well, this is Special Olympics so a perfect choice I think.
Athletes and coaches travel in cable cars up and down the slopes
Anyway, back to the competition. The race course is set up on a section of the Piste that is cordoned off especially for our National Winter Games. The Advanced Division have already completed their two runs for the day and the speed at which they flashed past me twisting and turning through the gates was dazzling. Many let out loud roars as they push themselves right to the end of the run and punch the air as they put on the brakes and glide to a controlled stop. Just, great to watch.
The Intermediates followed, 49 Athletes in total, and finally the Novice group took to the slopes and gave their all. So, a really packed day of well contested races and a credit to Keith and his team that they finished ahead of schedule and were off the mountain long before the sun even thought about setting.
The races have now begun...
All our athletes are now competing according to their level of ability
With the results all in and the Maison de Jean (our main hub for the week) packed to the rafters with the whole delegation and family members, the first medal presentations took place. It’s not the ideal venue for an awards ceremony in terms of space, acoustics and temperature control …. there’s no air conditioning out here and it was steaming ….. but it was a cauldron of noise, cheers and laughter and everyone was rubbing shoulders as you couldn’t do much else. Suddenly, it felt like the best venue in Italy.
On the first day of medal presentations, Skier Stefan Nakoneczny shows proudly his Gold medal
Please look at Jeremy’s photos on Flicker they are stunning and he has managed to capture the absolute essence of what this event is all about. I will try and continue to share this experience with you in words, but he is painting it quite beautifully in pictures.
Early night tonight … well that’s the plan.
Opening Ceremony, Frozen Pipes
January 17, 2012
Filed under Alpine Ski
Tags: alpine ski, Bagpipes, bbc presenter, Graham Bell, laser light show, learning disability, Opening Ceremony
Tuesday evening and we are back on track with the Blog and before moving on to tell you a little about today’s events, I must try and paint a picture of last night’s Opening Ceremony.
Imagine, if you can, more than 60 skiers snaking their way down the mountain carrying with them burning torches, each one an orange beacon in the night sky – quite magical! The Athlete Parade followed with each Region’s name displayed on a large snow flake.
Skiers coming down the hill for the opening ceremony
It’s All Downhill From Here
January 17, 2012
Filed under Alpine Ski
Tags: bbc presenter, early morning sunrise, italian alps, olympic skier, spectacular laser
I wrote this post yesterday (Monday) afternoon, but for a strange reason I couldn’t get it published! Hope you enjoy reading it… another post about last night Opening Ceremony will be coming shortly!!!
A stunning view of the Italian Alps
I threw open my curtains at The Lions Noir this morning to be greeted by a breath taking view. Shards of light from the early morning sunrise pierced the clear sky behind the mountain that bullies the sky and throws a shadow over the gingerbread cottages below…. a set straight out of Heidi
Breakfast was a great opportunity to meet the family member staying at the hotel and to answer those day 1 questions to enable them to plan their week so as not miss anything. Then we were all off in our various directions and my first stop was to purchase a weekly ticket for the chairlift – beats travelling on the M40 any day.
I’m not sure if you’ve picked it up from our Facebook page, but Graham Bell is in Pila to support the National Winter Games both as an Ambassador but also great friend to Special Olympics GB. There is always a buzz around the Athletes when Graham is “in town” and we are delighted to have him here with us for the next two days.
Former Olympic Skier and BBC presenter Graham Bell is in town!
I’m writing this blog in the Hotel Plan Bois surrounded by Athletes and with the Opening Ceremony just two hours away the excitement is tangible. A torch light procession down the mountain, complete with the Grampian instructors in their kilts, members of the local police, a lone Piper and a spectacular laser and, show promise to be the highlights of a very special evening. Look out for the photos in my next post!
All My Bags Are Packed …..
Morning All
I was up with the lark this morning just checking I have packed enough layers, although I must admit being somewhat thrown by a final email at close of play on Friday… “Don’t forget to pack your swimming costume” so I have?
Candy phoned yesterday evening with the promised update on the BIG coach journey. I was at Peterborough Rugby Club at the time – no I haven’t come out of retirement – I had been invited to attend the Special Olympics North Cambs New Years Prom, organised and hosted by our great friends at Coca-Cola Enterprises in Peterborough. It was a brilliant night with our Athletes looking gorgeous in posh frocks and black tie – made me smile and proud, as always.
Anyway, Candy reported a smooth first leg of the journey so much so that they arrived at the tunnel one hour ahead of schedule and hoped to be put on an earlier train. I spoke with two of the Athletes who were in great form and there was that wonderful hum of excited chatter in the background so all’s well.
Their next stop is “somewhere near Geneva” for breakfast this morning… mine is Gatwick which is where I’m headed now.
Next stop, and blog, Pila
Old Friend New Faces
Just a bit of background to oil the wheels before we really start to roll:
This is the second time that the Special Olympics GB National Winter Games have been held in Pila, Italy and it was also here that the team came for the final Ski Training Camp in preparation for the 2009 World Winter Games in Boise,USA. In fact Special Olympics GB Athletes in groups large and small have been coming to Pila for their annual Ski trip for five years and for many their arrival at the resort this weekend will be like meeting an OLD, familiar, very special FRIEND again.
However, the growth of the National Ski Programme means that there will be Athletes attending a National Winter Games from Grampian, Rossendale and Northern for the first time so lots of NEW FACES and this can only enhance the competition and is something to celebrate. Can’t wait to see them as they take it all in.
So, what about that BIG coach journey tomorrow? Well the team from West Midlands are traveling to Pila by road and rail and, all being well, I’ll be getting one or two updates from then en route so pop onto the Blog and see how they are getting on.
Stop Press: Latest 7 day weather forecast for Pila … clear skies, wall to wall sunshine ….. and COLD!
Hello! Welcome to our Games Diary
I am delighted to start this new blog/diary. In just one week 75 Special Olympics Great Britain athletes with learning disabilities, over 50 volunteers and loads of family members will be travelling to Pila, Italy where we will be celebrating the Special Olympics Great Britain’s National Alpine Ski Championship from 15 – 22 January.
Read more about our 2012 national winter games in the Special Olympics GB website.
