A message for Rory Morrish who represented Ireland today in the Men’s 15 km Classical Cross Country Skiing…
• The best skiers start last … so when you start among the first of 100 skiers take it as a bad sign.
• When almost every Tom, Dick and Henrik from Argentina to Ethiopia (Ethiopia for fuck sake!) can beat you perhaps you need to ask yourself is this sport really for you. You really don’t want to be the fat lad coming in last who gets the pity applause.
Fair dues for giving it a lash anyway.
bit harsh mate.
Not only does ethopia have 12,000ft mountains (which I imagine some snow might go on from time to time – think Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya) but this guy studied in New York State – it’s not exactly a “Cool Runnings” scenario…
http://skiing.about.com/b/a/233483.htm
The OCI should go recruiting for Irish-Canadians if they want Olympic medals.
Spoil sport !!
Hi,
Thanks for your message! Seems like you’re a bit of an expert in the ol’ cross country skiing now so happy to go out in the tracks with you some time. The Ethopian has been skiing since he was 12 and is a skiing instructor in Wisconsin. The Argentinian lives & skis in the Pyrenees. I may not be at the top of the game in this sport but at least we’re showing a face and participating. Hopefully it will spur some people off their derriere and into the sport to improve on what I’ve done up to now. I’ve been ploughing a loney furrow since I took up skiing 5 years ago so happy to help anyone interested in getting into the sport.
By the way there is no shame in finishing last. Someone has to hold up the results list. And at least one has finished and completed the course. Some people pull out of a race if it goes badly to avoid finishing down in the results list, and that’s a cop out.
Hi Rory
Don’t mind the begrudgers. I am proud of you and I speak as a Morrish – well nee Morrish. I didn;t know I had any relations in Ireland so your participation was worth it just for me to know that. I have lived here for over 30 years and happened on those mean comments as I was trying to find a way to contact you.
I hope you keep doing what you obviously love doing and I am very proud of you. Incidentally, if there is some way I can contact you direct, I would love to find out if and how our families are related. Mind you, I think I sound like a bit of a weirdo!! I’m not – honestly
Mary, fyi, the post was just a piss take, ya shouldn’t take anything too serious on this blog
Hello Rory,
Fair play to you pal. My hat is very much off to you.Speaking as the world’s worst triathlete I know all about how important it is to simply finish the course.You can consider me definitely spurred though.You flew the flag and you represented us at the OLYMPIC GAMES F.F.S. and that is something wonderful.Well Done and I’d say never jack it in right now but I suspect I’d be preaching to the choir:)
P.S. Ever notice when snow shuts down the big cities in the US that you’ll ALWAYS see an x-country skier doggedly making their way to work?
What an amazing experience the olympics has been.
Just back after watching my wee brother Rory , yes THE Rory Morrish do us all proud.
He smiled and kept us all going through the blizzard, and when it was all over he even bought his supporting fans, a motley group of 18 drinks and lunch afterwards.
He has provided my seven year old and four year old with great inspiration and a memory which they will never forget.
Going through the olympic village with him last Tuesday there was amazing warmth and friendship shown towards him and it is to his credit that he has acheived the status of an Olympian.
There is glory for Rory at this olympics as he will carry the Irish flag with pride at the closing ceremony tomorrow Sunday 26th. (BBC 2 at 6.45pm)
Keep smiling Rory, the whole world is watching and do another wee jig for us !!
Caitriona and co in Poll na bPeist.
Hey Rory, well done. You seem to have almost finished 1st amongst the non ski mountain nations; and only 12 minutes slower than the Olympic gold medalist, over 15k, is pretty impressive.
The closing cermony was amazing. The Italians certainly know how to put on a show. Those roller bladers with the flames throwers were pretty cool!
So will you be continuing your progess at Vancouver in 2010?
Where would you recommend giving it a go around Munich – is there anywhere really close?
Hi Rory,
Well done in the Vasaloppet! I was delighted to see that there was at least one Irish competitor who had a good result. I found the conditions very tough but managed to avoid being disqualified.
Keep up the good work!
/Séamus