Vanessa Mae Aims To Ski For Thailand At The Winter Olympics

[Mousehound]

This is a bit like Vinney Jones decision to play for Wales but i nonetheless wish her luck:)

It's all downhill from here

Schuss now!

[Fanlight Fanny]

Exceptional violinist? Incredible artist? Hilary Hahn, Leila Josefowicz, Jennifer Pike, Janine Jansen, Regina Carter and others sleep easy!

Mediocre is mediocre no matter how much it's dressed up.

[whybother]

Exceptional violinist? Incredible artist? Hilary Hahn, Leila Josefowicz, Jennifer Pike, Janine Jansen, Regina Carter and others sleep easy!

Mediocre is mediocre no matter how much it's dressed up.

Or not dressed up, as the case may be.

[pieandmash]

She'll probably have more chance doing this on her violin case in the Luge:

[jimbeam1]

Would be tough to get into the British team unless she is genuinely very good. Therefore play to your advantages love.

S'pose Jamaica had a dream, they got themselves a bobsleigh team

why shouldn't Thailand get a new hub of skiing dream on the go.

(oh the negativity from me this morning)

Ill be watching her performance/ lycra suit if she makes it.

Best of luck

Britain had a ski Jumper. Soared like a brick. But can't knock him, far more bottle than me.

jb1

[ALFREDO]

I guess the reason she is not competing on the British ski team is due to the world class ski facilities, training and coaches that the Thailand winter olympics team has?

The British "world class ski facilities", are not much better than the Thai ones . Non really existing, I would say!

Regarding, training on snow, they, for sure go to other countries and do they have coaches?

http://www.snowsportengland.org.uk/england-alpine-ski-team

Edited January 22, 2013 by ALFREDO

[whybother]

I guess the reason she is not competing on the British ski team is due to the world class ski facilities, training and coaches that the Thailand winter olympics team has?

The English "world class ski facilities", are not much better than the Thai ones . Non really existing, I would say!

Scotland has some great ice skating facilities. The slope is a killer though. By lunch time the skiing is great. That lasts about 5 minutes.

[ratcatcher]

A very beautiful, she is.

A virtuoso on the violin, she is.

BUT,

can she play

The Devil Came Down To Georgia eh?

(a tongue in cheek smiley needed badly here but I couldn't find one)

I bet she could and I bet Charlie would be havin' a ball at the same time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ798THmR5Y&playnext=1&list=PLB63BBA5BAB764329&feature=results_video

Edited January 22, 2013 by ratcatcher

[ratcatcher]

I guess the reason she is not competing on the British ski team is due to the world class ski facilities, training and coaches that the Thailand winter olympics team has?

The British "world class ski facilities", are not much better than the Thai ones . Non really existing, I would say!

Regarding, training on snow, they, for sure go to other countries and do they have coaches?

http://www.snowsport...alpine-ski-team

Do they have coaches? You bet.

[ALFREDO]

So, that are the "Coaches" in the "coach".

[ginjag]

It sends a good message to the younger generation of Thais, not to spend their entire lives on the fiddle.

(coat and hat please)

To the older generation of Thais, Keep blowing your trumpets, many have been on the piste for a long time, and will eventually end up on the slippery slope.

[ratcatcher]

So, that are the "Coaches" in the "coach".

No, they are called "Trainers" and would be on the train.

[maidu]

How do you know they didn't have an ounce of fat??? Do tell!

They're both lean and mean, like me and can jog uphill for an hour without getting winded.

Yeah, they're called "ringers" and in the spirit of international competition, it is cheating... surprising then that Thailand didn't jump on that opportunity. "A new way to cheat at something? Count us in!!"

Call it what you want, yet it's quite common, which you'll find if you do a bit of research on it. People are mixing together all over the world. Open your eyes. ....or would you say anyone who is not Native American, but on the US Olympic team, is a ringer?

[jaideeguy]

Go for it Vanessa!!!!....I've been a long time fan of her talent, beauty and presence for years and consider her one of the most beautiful, sexy and talented Asian musicians there ever will be and anyone as dedicated to her work as she is might be able to ski.

[bonobo]

Most people who compete in the Olympics have no hope of ever seeing the podium. But that does not denigrate their efforts nor the experience. Part of the pagentry is the shear size and number of athletes and countries competing. If Thailand can join this for Solchi, all the better.

Otherwise, why not limit the WInter Olympics to Austria and the US and be done with it? Or the summer Olympics to China and the US?

At 34, Vanessa has amassed a fortune of about $51 million, so if she wants to train to see if she can qualify, all the more power to her. That is they key here, she is trying to qualify, not be granted some sort of tourist berth. If she makes it, she might be down there with the Chinese woman, the Iranian, the Cypriot women, the Peruvian, and the Leabanese woman who finished the race in Vancouver,

[johnlandy]

She is an exceptional violinist, be great to see her on the slopes.

I would like to see her but not necessarily on the 'slopes'

I have followed her progress for 20 years and I have always enjoyed her musical prowess.

I am delighted that the dominant make up in her genes is English / Singaporean rather than Thai.

If it weren't for the influence of her Chinese mother and English stepfather God alone knows where she would be today.

I do think that wanting to represent the realm is a bit of a gimmick although she would only need to be able to fasten the bindings to be a 'shoe in'

[Globeman]

She is an exceptional violinist, be great to see her on the slopes.

It's hard to tell how exceptional a violinist she is when the music she plays is overproduced pretentious techno rubbish

Yep, that was the one I was about to post. But of course some members will say that is not real music nor skill either.

No, agreed, she's very good in that ... it's not that sellout crap that has made her rich.

[A_Traveller]

In passing, this came up several years ago, but the report comes from a recent telephone interview with Reuters.

I'm told that she's an accomplished amateur, though I've never seen here ski myself and in the older stories IIRC it was noted she had been skiing for some time whilst acknowledging that she would need to qualify for the 2013 World Championships, so we shall see.

Regards

[moonray]

There was another musician,with the same idea - rocker Andy Himalaya from Lichtenshtein represented Mexico on winter games

many times.Aristocrat, royalty(past) good sportsman.

[vincentc]

Is it legal for this Thai to hold multiple nationalities?

[Arkady]

So much for the Interior Ministry's efforts to persuade people that dual nationality is not supported by the Nationality Act.

[Ulic]

The days of Eddy the Eagle are over. She will never never make the FIS standard.

While the standard is quite low someone who does not have a some background

in alpine ski racing will just not meet the level required. Unless a couple of races are

organized with racers going slow (e-brake on) so she can make the criteria.

IE. The Snow Leopard. Best of luck though. I will follow her results on the FIS web site.

As of now there are no athletes from Thailand who have a FIS license yo race.

[cdnvic]

unless they add a new "biathlon-like" category which combines downhill skiing and fiddle playing, not simultaneously of course.

Must admit, I'd watch that.

[redroo]

We all know what she will be going down on to get there....

[ratcatcher]

unless they add a new "biathlon-like" category which combines downhill skiing and fiddle playing, not simultaneously of course.

Must admit, I'd watch that.

I wonder if she'd get a medal if she appeared like this?

But, then who would watch that?

[HaleySabai]

Apparently she has been a skier since age 5!......late bloomer?...she may have a shot at qualifying....she is also worth 32 million pounds.....being Thai the next natural thought mae be to buy herself into the game

[chooka]

Apparently she has been a skier since age 5!......late bloomer?...she may have a shot at qualifying....she is also worth 32 million pounds.....being Thai the next natural thought mae be to buy herself into the game

My wife says she is a very world famous Thai lady. Thais love her.

[jackinbkk]

This is hilarious. I hear the second choice candidate is a hostess who slipped on an ice cube.

[Mousehound]

Well, I hate to rain on your cynical parade people, but she has still done more than I have and I bet more than you have as well. Also she is cute!

[whybother]

This is hilarious. I hear the second choice candidate is a hostess who slipped on an ice cube.

Why is it hilarious? She's been skiing since she was 4. She lives in a ski field. I would guess that she's a pretty good skier.