WHISTLER, British Columbia — None of the three members of the U.S. ski jump team advanced past the preliminary round of the Normal Hill competition yesterday, so they spent the rest of the day watching the rest of the world do its thing.
That Peter Frenette of upstate Saranac Lake, Nick Alexander of New Hampshire and Utah’s Anders Johnson were here at all, though, is an altogether remarkable story of self-sacrifice and self-sustenance. With funding sliced to the bone after the 2006 Olympics, the ski jumpers formed their own team, Project X, working odd jobs and hustling sponsors to cover the $20,000 annual bill that world-class competing commands.
“It’s just a leap of faith that one day we will get funding if results are improving,” Frenette told the Associated Press earlier in the week.
The skiers all have put off college — and the 17-year-old Frenette high school — to wax their own skis, sew their own ski suits and chase their own dreams.
None of the three made it to the 30-man finals, alas, Frenette and Alexander finishing in a tie for 41st place with scores of 106.5 while Johnson ended up eight spots behind them at 92.5. They watched sa Switzerland’s Simon Ammann went on to the Games’ first gold with 276.5, besting Poland’s Adam Malysz (269.5) and Austria’s Gregor Schilierenzauer (168.0) atop the medal stand.
All three still have one more shot at competing in the long hill competition, which starts next Friday. Beyond that? That’s anybody’s guess.
“It’s really difficult to do with how the economy is now,” Johnson told AP. “It’s huge sacrifice for us. Nick and I should be moving on to college, but we’re sacrificing that part of our life for our sport. And it’s an even bigger sacrifice for our family to work that extra bit to keep that Olympic dream alive for us.”
VAC’S WHACKS
* As you will no doubt see time and again on your TV screen in the coming days and weeks, there is no doubt that Canada leads the world in funny hats.
* For the record, these are the things left behind in the hotel room on Day 1 of the hottest Winter Oympics ever: gloves, scarf, boots, winter-coat lining. I’m starting to think the closet full of long-sleeve shirts might be a bit optimistic, too.
* Seriously, there isn’t a flake of real snow visible anywhere in or near downtown Vancouver as far as the naked eye (or even a fully-clothed eye) can see. What was the IOC’s second choice, Ecuador?