Didier Cuche and the Flip

I am a fan of FIS World Cup Skiing. It was a fantastic racing season from start to finish this year. The downhill races in Wengen and Kitzbuehl were spectacular and the night slalom race at Schaldming will not soon be forgotten. The 40,000-plus ski fans at that event with their torches lighting up the night sky, their enthusiasm and flag waving reminded me how popular alpine ski racing is in Europe. It is a very major event. The World Cup at Val D'Isere saw Lindsey Vonn set the standard and break all the records. The Bode Miller soap opera continued all season long with Bode recently announcing he will be racing next season. Will he skiing in the 2010 Olympics? Only time will tell.
The one Alpine skier that caught my eye this year was the Swiss racer Didier Cuche. He is an aggressive, technical perfectionist who gives 100% for each race he enters. When he's doing well, he shows it with exuberance and enthusiasm as only a skier could who loves his sport. When he makes a mistake that costs him a race, he exhibits frustration and anger. It is the anger part that makes him different from all the rest. The story goes that after a particularly bad run he kicked his ski off in disgust at the finish area only to have that ski flip in the air nearly hitting him. An idea clicked in his head and he practiced this trick over the Summer season until it was perfected. Yes, all racers feel the need to take off their ski and show the brand to the TV cameras. That's how they make money for their sponsors. But when Didier Cuche crosses the finish line, everyone knows that the show is about to start. The cameras wait for it and the fans want to see it. The Didier Flip. It is now Didier Cuche's trademark and I know the Head Ski Company couldn't be happier. Congratulations to Didier Cuche for a spectacular season. - The Ski Traveler