Saalbach-Hinterglemm 98

Giant slalom race was planned at Hinterstoder instead of at Hinterglemm,
but due to lack of snow, we had to go to Hinterglemm.
Fortunately, we could confirm the information from Guenther Mader *grin*.
What a nice man he is!

As usual (!) my friend Sayaka and I went to Kranjska Gora
and tried to go to the next race.
We had to take a train to Hinterglemm, or the nearest town.
VERY fortunately, a man from binding maker Tyrolia helped us.
He gave a room for us and take us to the station of his town.
And of course, he told us how to go to Hinterglemm!!!
His name is Oti Zauner and he helped us this year too.
I really appreciate him!

We took a train to Zell am See.
We can see the beautiful lake from the train.
And took a bus to Hinterglemm.
Fortunately we could find a room near the giant slalom course.
We even could see the poles from our window!
But we had to climb the way to the pension.

At the night we arrived to Hinterglemm, we attended the drawing.
The place is outside (In Kranjska Gora, it's in a casino!) so had to wait in a snow!
On the stage, there was folk music bands and we danced too *smile*.
Around the small park, there was a shop which sells some Austria Team goods.
I wanted a big flag...

I guess there was no Japanese girls around there except us.
Yes, we sometime meet Japanese around World Cup but it's always men.
(I met a girl in Kranjska Gora once... that's all!)
So a man from camera shop took our photo!

The top-15 at that time was Hermann Maier, Andi Schifferer,
Heinz Schilchegger, Stephan Eberharter, Fredrik Nyberg,
Michi von Gruenigen, and... well I try to remind.

The race was terrible... it was VERY windy
and a flag-pole of Hermann's supporters'club was broken!
I was the flag in Nagano too, so they fixed it...

To tell the truth, I don't remember the race well because I felt bad.
I remember I saw Atle Skaardal!

And, I cheered Swede Patrik Jaerbyn...
but I still don't know he didn't enter or finish.

I always wonder why there is quite a few supporters of Swiss.
We can find some supporters' club but I think they're shy (!?).
You can hear the cheers for
Japanese Kiminobu Kimura much more than for Swiss...

At that time, Alberto Tomba won the race and Hermann was 2nd.
And, Rainer Salzgeber was very good 3rd!!!
So I hoped I could see him in Nagano...

After the race, we hurried to Vienna.
I met some men from Japan this time,
and they said they had to leave Hinterglemm during the race to take aeroplane.
Also, if the race wa held in Hinterstoder,
they didn't need to leave the place during the race, they said.
Fortunately, we booked an aeroplane on the next day...

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