 Poster: A snowHead
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Our old friend Kwame Nkrumah Acheampong - the 'Snow Leopard' and one-man Ghana Ski Team - is back in the news. Kwame, who launched his ski racing ambitions at Xscape Milton Keynes several years ago, is aiming to make the grade for Vancouver 2010.
This report from Telegraph.co.uk
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And here we are in his kingdom. Not his home Milton Keynes snowdome where the dream took flight but in Pampeago, a tiny resort village perched handsomely in the Italian Dolomites which, improbably, has adopted Kwame as its favourite son.
For the fourth successive winter, the Val di Fiemme tourist board has provided him with free accommodation, food and skiing. |
Kwame used to post here, so hopefully we'll hear from Africa's leading slalom racer [?] shortly.
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The [?] is just in case there's a greater racer from the Atlas Mountains ... or maybe South Africa. Let's see.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Bode Swiller, Kwame has qualified to go to the Olympics. He did it last year in some great point races in Iran? I think. As he is the only skier from Ghana and they are in the FIS they are allowed 1 slot for Alpine in the games as long as they can get under the 140 FIS point level. The period of qualification runs from any FIS world ranking points list in the 2009/10 season. Kwame is currently on 137 points in Slalom.
The GB level for qualification is a lot lot more difficult!!!!!! Set by the BOA. They need to be top 100 in the world ranking list, or get a top 30 in World Cup or a top 20 in Europa cup within 3% of winners time. We also have only 6 slots in total as well.
137 points is nowhere near that!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Quote: |
The GB level for qualification is a lot lot more difficult!
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Yet is most likely piss compared to Austria's. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Swirly, Hardly surprising as they are the best ski nation in the world and it's their national sport!! Oh yes they have lots of mountains too!!!
And actually it is not that far behind either when you compare how many skiers they actually have.
Top 30 in World cup level is normally around 2 seconds behind - so still pretty damn good.
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Plugboy, and we have more skiable mountains than Ghana. I really don't see your point.
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I for one will look forward to watching Kwame in Vancouver 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Plugboy, I stand corrected. Looks like he's just done two races this season though, one a DNS2 and the other a minute behind the winner. Would have thought a bit more race hardening would be in order so close to the biggest race of his life. Hope he makes a good fist of it.
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Swirly, My point is that the criteria for getting to the Winter Olympics for each nation is different. Set by their own governing body.
Austria's is very difficult, GB's still pretty hard, Ghana is very easy. (If you are a racer that is!) Our's is not that wee wee compared to Austria, it is very similar to a number of other smaller alpine nations
The Olympics is not like the World Cup circuit where the best skiers in the World race. there maybe 10 Austrians, 8 Swiss etc. The top nations are limited to 4 skiers per event and lower nations without a cat in hells are allowed 1 skier to compete.
Don't say that GB have not got a cat in hells chance - Remember Alain Baxter's bronze? Chemmy is a good each way bet for a medal in GS or even Super G.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Swirly wrote: |
| Plugboy, and we have more skiable mountains than Ghana. I really don't see your point. |
Swirly, I really don't see yours either?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Plugboy,
Please don't moan about different qualyfying criteria. A neighbour of our has just skied to 20 points in Downhill (less than Chemmy) but will not be going to the olympics as she is not in the top 4 French ladies.
If SSGB embraced people like 'Snow Leopard' & 'Eddie the Eagle' they might improve the public profile of skiing and hence attract more sponsorship. I recall seeing 'Eddie' recently carrying the Olympic flame in Vancover but don't recall SSGB making anything of it. Another chance to attract sponsorship gone.
p.s. I do recall Alain Baxter's bronze medal. The high when he was placed third, the low when he was disqualified. My French collegues mention his disqualification for drugs everytime their is a British skier on TV.
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Another skier from an alternative nation looking for success at Vancouver - Errol Kerr of Jamaica.
This report from Jamaica-Gleaner.com
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Kerr, born to an American mother and a Jamaican father, grew up a dual citizen between the Lake Tahoe region of the Sierra Nevada, where he moved with his mother as a child, and Westmoreland, Jamaica's westernmost parish.
The 23-year-old who, according to several pundits, stands a good chance of medalling in the [Ski Cross] event, has been attracting significant attention from the international press, and Grange believes that the country stands to benefit from the California native's historic exploits. |
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You know it makes sense.
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He was on CNN a few days ago. Training in Austria. Claims he could still make it.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Errol Kerr is a long time Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows skier and has been on their junior race teams IIRC so its not quite Cool Runnings. Spyder have produced some rather "natty" Jamaican ski team gear.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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bearlien, do I detect that you are building up your post count so that you can spam us later?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| bearlien wrote: |
| What else should I know about 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics? |
That you are a week late? Wanna buy a mobile phone?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Perhaps the easiest thing to do would be to watch it each (remaining) day on television?
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FAQ
