My life seems perfect to everyone. But I suffer like everyone else
Lindsey Vonn
-------------------------------------
–Wait for me here, I'll go out for a moment to look at lights and plans – Oriol Molas, the photographer who accompanies me in this story, tells me.
The man leaves with doubts, "let's see if the girl agrees to go outside," he says, because we are in the reception of the Nòrdic hotel, in El Tarter, in Andorra, and it is cool and the afternoon is falling and the girl, Alice Robinson (22), competes this Saturday: he competes in the Grandvalira World Cup giant.
And it is already known: there are athletes who refuse, and say no when the photographer offers them the unexpected, or when it is cool, or hot, or when they are in a hurry to eat, have dinner, have a snack or take a nap.
“I don't know, let's see,” says Oriol Molas as he goes to do light tests.
(...)
Enrika, the press officer for the New Zealand ski team, appears in the room. And with her comes Alice Robinson. And the skier smiles, her face lights up. And when we ask her to go outside for a moment, for her photo, she nods without blinking:
– Whatever (whatever you want).
And with the same smile he poses out there for Oriol Molas, and then he settles down next to me on the sofa and I ask him:
–You are New Zealand. How come he doesn't play rugby? The Kiwis are a sporting legend!
–It wasn't big enough.
(And it's true; Alice Robinson is rather small and compact, she has a low center of gravity, she has the perfect conditions for a skier, she is one of the best in the world: three World Cup victories are on her record, the three in the giant).
–But when I was growing up I played a form of non-contact rugby –he adds–. Instead of blocking each other, we grabbed each other's shirts.
–And did you like it?
–To my older brother, more than to me. In fact, he practices it.
–Is your brother a professional rugby player?
–No, no, the professional of the house is me, with my ski...
–But, when the whole family gets together at dinner, what do you, your parents and your siblings talk about? Skiing, or rugby?
–Rugby... Actually, I don't spend much time at home either, if I'm honest.
–How many days a year?
He turns to Enrika, the press officer, and asks:
–How many days do I spend outside?
Enrika does the math:
–I estimate six months.
Alice Robinson does more calculations:
–Well, that, about 25 weeks a year, about 170 days. My life is nomadic.
–And do you like it?
–I am away from October to April, much of the time in Europe. I always live in the winter, you know? When I return home, the snow is still waiting for me. I was born in Sydney, but soon the family moved to Queenstown, New Zealand. We live among mountains, my training track is ten minutes from home.
–Is that how you discovered snow?
–It was what there was. My parents had never skied. But when they got up there they decided to take advantage of the opportunity. At three years old they took me and my brothers to ski school. At eight, he was already competing.
-And his brothers?
–They tried...
–And why did you start competing? Was it really good?
-Don't know. What I liked were the competition monkeys. And to dress that way, I had to compete...
–Well, he has come far...
–It has led me to try to be better in a sport with little tradition in our country. Knows? Historically, New Zealand skiers have only achieved one Olympic podium. It was won by Annalisa Coberger. She won silver in slalom in Albertville'92. And she is the sister of my coach, Nils Coberger!
–Well, you already have a mission...
–Having a purpose in this life is a wonderful thing, don't you think? Can you imagine it, an Olympic podium? And I'm not that far away, don't believe it.
(So far, Alice Robinson has already played in two Games. She was in Pyeongchang 2018 and Beijing 2022).
