Zagreb - The Snow Queen Trophy 2013

Zagreb - The Snow Queen Trophy 2013

By invitation of the Croatian Ski Federation, and thanks to Vedran Pavlek in particular, a spectacular escape from reality for two and a half days!

Arrival at the Zagreb Westin Hotel, accommodation centre for all teams, all guests and a whole lot more...

A quick walk around Zagreb to get my bearings, and then straight in to the Team Captains' meeting, chaired by Vedran, with Gunter Hujara at his side. Then a brief team doctors' briefing.

A chauffered ride in to the centre, for drinks and canapes, followed by a walk down the VIP track (kids hanging over for autographs, wondering who the heck we were!) to right in front of the stage to watch the bib draw for the top 15 guys. Ivica Kostelic, Andre Myrer, Marcel Hirscher, Manfred Moelgg, Manfred Pranger, Mario Matt and Ted Ligety to name just a few.

Another drink, then dinner with some honoured guests. One table full of ski 'legends' - Tomba, Marc Girardelli, Christian Ghedina, Peter Muller, Nika Fleiss, Bojan Krizaj, Jure Kosir and more...

On my table, with Ana Marija, organisers of the Alpine 'Classics' - Strecko Medven (Chairman of the Big Five) and Boris from Kranjska Gora; Andri and Denise (St Moritz), three good guys (two Peters and a Wolfgang) from Kitzbuhel, the chief from Garmisch (Martin?), and Killian Albrecht (the only person other than me who was not the organiser of a major international event).

Our host? Vedran Pavlek
The menu?
    Pasta with truffles
    Mussels from Bosnia (seven years in the growing)
    St Peter's fish (brought up from the depths, 500m+ below the surface)
    Chocolate pudding, done three ways
Pretty darned exquisitely delicious!
And quite a lot of excellent wine.

Bed late, and up early for the 'Convoy'.
An extraordinary pageant - headed and tailed by police, with all junctions blocked off by police, and all traffic lights ignored - all team vehicles (maybe 60 or more), followed by three press buses (me sitting quietly in the second of these) heading to the summit of the Medvednica hill, Sljeme, just outside Zagreb. Up to the TV tower at the top of the hill, then all journalists (plus me) piling in to breakfast at the Tomislavov Dom.

Memories of the Vjeverica Trophy some 8 or 9 years ago in the cafe at the top, long before this particular World Cup event was dreamed of. Then a descent in the chair to the finish area, and to the VIP tent, reserved for Platinum card holders. Not so much food as a feast, and not so much water as champagne... We sat, we talked, we ate and we drank - and from time to time we went out to the stand to watch some of the most exciting skiing!!!

The 2013 Men's Slalom - Jens Biggmark SWE winning after run 1, with Hirscher AUT 'trailing' by a massive 0.01 of a sec. Kostelic CRO had the entire crowd on its feet, CRO flags by the hundred waving in spite of the damp weather - thrilled all by coming in 4th in the first run. The TV screens, the commentator, the flags, and the incredible noise of the crowd - just unbelievable! Dave Ryding sadly was one the those who came down after number 40 or so, who stood no chance. The snow was cutting up, and all but unskiable. He was in good company, Ted Ligety and Razzoli also DNFs.

Lunch, and more lunch, then the second run, and an amazing run by Marcel Hirscher gave him the title of 'Snow Queen' (they really need to sort that out!). He can certainly ski! Biggmark mucked up, came 27th. Myrer 2nd after a storming 2nd run, Mario Matt third. Kostelic finally in 8th place, disappointing for the crowd.

Then more food, more champagne...

And more ski racing.

This time the legends - Tomba (yes, the legendary Alberto!), Girardelli, Janica Kostelic, Thomas Sikora, Ana Jelusic, etc. Fun and noisy to watch, and won by Nika Fleiss, whose father I finally caught up with later in the evening. Reno had been working day and night for weeks to get the piste in good condition (he rather regretted taking a day off at Christmas!). Miha Dim was there, Marin Marusic, Vlasta Brasocevic, Dr Samoun, some very good friends.

And then my final meal this morning, Myrer, Biggmark and Ligety also opting for late breakfast.

It was an event and a half, a never-to-be forgotten blur of amazing experiences, and wonderful people, with some very special hospitality thrown in. Thanks to Vedran and CRO SKI !!