Vanessa Mae is set to ski for Thailand at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics

[webfact]

Violinist Vanessa Mae set to compete at Winter Olympics
By Ollie Williams
BBC Olympic sports reporter

LONDON: -- Violinist Vanessa Mae is set to ski for Thailand at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, which start next month.

Mae, a keen skier since childhood, has been competing as Vanessa Vanakorn using her father's surname.

She raced four times in Slovenia at the weekend in a last-ditch bid to meet the qualifying standard.

Manager Giles Holland, speaking on behalf of Mae, told the BBC: "It would appear that she's done it. She's done it by a whisker, but she's done it."

"Vanessa Mae has unofficially qualified for the Olympic Games. That I could say to you," added Marko Rudolf, a Slovenian masters skier with links to the committee that organised the races. [read more...]

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/winter-olympics/25802907

-- BBC 2014-01-20

[ratcatcher]

Chok dee lady, you are going to need a lot of that.

Edited January 20, 2014 by ratcatcher

[Prbkk]

Great work to make the qualifying time, a victory in itself. Let's hope she can " do a Bradbury"...

Steven John Bradbury is a former Australian short track speed skater and four-time Olympian, who won the 1,000 m event at the 2002 Winter Olympics after all of his opponents were involved in a last corner pile-up. He is the first Australian to win a Winter Olympic gold medal and was also part of the short track relay team that won Australia's first Winter Olympic medal (a bronze in 1994).

[jackr]

Still a stunner. Good luck VM, I mean VV!

[ultimate weapon]

Is she even a thai citizen? Other than her appearance and last name she's stayed with her step father in the uk most of the time and she was born in Sg.

[rkidlad]

Is she even a thai citizen? Other than her appearance and last name she's stayed with her step father in the uk most of the time and she was born in Sg.

The most important thing is that looks wise she passes as Thai, and she's beautiful. That's a gold medal in itself. Everything else is moot.

[WitawatWatawit]

Shades of the Jamaican bob sled team. Guess it's a case of Vanessa fiddles while her skis burn. Good luck to her.

[uptheos]

Is she even a thai citizen? Other than her appearance and last name she's stayed with her step father in the uk most of the time and she was born in Sg.

She was born in Singapore and is a British Citizen.

[IMA_FARANG]

Okay, fine.

But one a scale of 1 to 100 of things I should care about and should pay attention to that item rates a distant 101 on my "notice this" list.

Now going back to sleep.

Why should I even care?

Edited January 20, 2014 by IMA_FARANG

[ggold]

Shades of the Jamaican bob sled team. Guess it's a case of Vanessa fiddles while her skis burn. Good luck to her.

or Eddie the Eagle Edwards was the first person from Great Britain to qualify for the Olympic Games in ski jumping

[uptheos]

Shades of the Jamaican bob sled team. Guess it's a case of Vanessa fiddles while her skis burn. Good luck to her.

or Eddie the Eagle Edwards was the first person from Great Britain to qualify for the Olympic Games in ski jumping

[ultimate weapon]

Is she even a thai citizen? Other than her appearance and last name she's stayed with her step father in the uk most of the time and she was born in Sg.

She was born in Singapore and is a British Citizen.

so she's not a thai citizen.

[p_brownstone]

Is she even a thai citizen? Other than her appearance and last name she's stayed with her step father in the uk most of the time and she was born in Sg.

She was born in Singapore and is a British Citizen.

so she's not a thai citizen.

Her Father is Thai so she is a Thai citizen.

Patrick

[bigbamboo]

Is she even a thai citizen? Other than her appearance and last name she's stayed with her step father in the uk most of the time and she was born in Sg.

She was born in Singapore and is a British Citizen.

There was a time when you only had to be able to keep down a pint of Guinness to qualify to play football for Ireland but Vanessa has been to Thailand and likes the food so in terms of representative sport she's practically Thai already.

[Tywais]

so she's not a thai citizen.

Vanessa-Mae wanted to represent Thailand in ski events at the 2002 Winter Olympics, but her dream of becoming a professional international skier did not materialize. Thai authorities at that time requested that she give up her UK passport in exchange for a Thai passport. Later bureaucratic barriers were overcome and Vanessa-Mae received her Thai passport on an exceptional basis and retained her British one as well.

Source

Vanessa-Mae, whose full name is Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson, is a British and Thai citizen.

She was born in Singapore to a Chinese mother and a Thai father, but she was brought up in England when her mother remarried a Briton.

"I wanted to compete for Thailand because there is a part of me which I have never celebrated - being Thai," she said.

Source Sky

[Chao Lao Beach]

Don't the Thais make people choose citizenship at 18yo, kind of makes a mockery of double standards eh... when it is convenient.

She is a cutie.

Edited January 20, 2014 by Chao Lao Beach

[lomatopo]

"I wanted to compete for Thailand because there is a part of me which I have never celebrated - being Thai," she said.

Makes sense to me, what better way to celebrate one's "Thai-ness' than by competing in that totally Thai sport of alpine skiing.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/613589-vanessa-mae-aims-to-ski-for-thailand-at-the-winter-olympics/

[Morakot]

"I am taking a plunge. I am British, but realistically there is no way I could represent my own country, but because my natural father is Thai, they have accepted me."

[ultimate weapon]

so she's not a thai citizen.

Vanessa-Mae wanted to represent Thailand in ski events at the 2002 Winter Olympics, but her dream of becoming a professional international skier did not materialize. Thai authorities at that time requested that she give up her UK passport in exchange for a Thai passport. Later bureaucratic barriers were overcome and Vanessa-Mae received her Thai passport on an exceptional basis and retained her British one as well.

Source

Vanessa-Mae, whose full name is Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson, is a British and Thai citizen.

She was born in Singapore to a Chinese mother and a Thai father, but she was brought up in England when her mother remarried a Briton.

"I wanted to compete for Thailand because there is a part of me which I have never celebrated - being Thai," she said.

Source Sky

Seriously why is there a need for her to carry the last name nicholson?

Do you know that's the name of her step father whom her mum married after divorcing her dad. Really weird for her to take on her step father's last name.

[Tywais]

Seriously why is there a need for her to carry the last name nicholson?

Do you know that's the name of her step father whom her mum married after divorcing her dad. Really weird for her to take on her step father's last name.

Nothing odd about it as her step father adopted here - "After her parents separated, her mother married Graham Nicholson, a British attorney who adopted Vanessa-Mae, and the family moved to England when Vanessa-Mae was four years old."

What is her full name, and why doesn't she use it?

"Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson" is her full name. "Mae" is only her middle name not her last name as many people think. Like Madonna, Cher, and some other celebrities, she goes by a stage name of only her first (and middle) name. That started from the beginning, at least by her debut classical album when she was 12, not just when she became a pop star. Her full name is no longer mentioned even in the small print of her latest albums and videos. Maybe losing "Nicholson" gives her a more Oriental image; see below about her ethnic background. Another possible reason is that "Nicholson" is only her adoptive surname, and "Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson" is too long and clumsy.

Vanessamae.com

[pistachios]

Great work to make the qualifying time, a victory in itself. Let's hope she can " do a Bradbury"...

Steven John Bradbury is a former Australian short track speed skater and four-time Olympian, who won the 1,000 m event at the 2002 Winter Olympics after all of his opponents were involved in a last corner pile-up. He is the first Australian to win a Winter Olympic gold medal and was also part of the short track relay team that won Australia's first Winter Olympic medal (a bronze in 1994).

This is a bit ridiculous. She didn't make any qualifying time.

She somehow managed to start in a few world cup events but her results were abysmal. She completed each race she participated in at the last position, losing between 10 to 15 seconds for a minute long race. (ex http://data.fis-ski.com/dynamic/results.html?sector=AL&competitorid=168683&raceid=75750 ). Obviously she's nowhere near the level of real competitors.

Even with FIS double standards allowing countries who don't have a skier in the top 500 to send someone to the olympics, it wasn't enough. So she found another loophole and registered in the slovakian junior national event. She finished last again, but apparently managed to scrape enough points to go to Sochi.

Nice for the real athlete to know they missed the olympics by a tenth of a second after years of dedicating their life to the sport, when a cute girl who likes to ski as a hobby will take their place. But hey, that's the olympic spirit.

Edited January 20, 2014 by pistachios

[Thai at Heart]

Is she even a thai citizen? Other than her appearance and last name she's stayed with her step father in the uk most of the time and she was born in Sg.

She was born in Singapore and is a British Citizen.

so she's not a thai citizen.

If one of her parents is thai, she is thai. What planet did you get off?

[webfact]

Violinist Vanessa Mae to represent Thailand at winter Olympics

BANGKOK: -- British-Thai violinist Vanessa Mae was to ski for Thailand in the Winter Olympics, an official said Monday in Bangkok, adding that written confirmation was still pending.

Her manager had telephoned to say she qualified to represent the kingdom in next month’s contest in Sochi, Russia.

Thassanai Mookvichit, head of foreign affairs for the Thai Olympics Committee said:"As soon as we receive the official letter of confirmation we will announce it, probably by Tuesday."

The prominent virtuoso, aged 35, reportedly completed several slalom races over the weekend in Slovenia to qualify.

She has been competing under her Thai father’s surname Vanakorn.

Under Olympic rules, countries with no skiers ranked among the world’s top 500 may send one man and one woman to the Winter Olympics providing they meet a second set of criteria.

Vanessa, who has dual British-Thai nationality, chose to represent Thailand.


-- The Nation 2014-01-20

[sms747]

Good luck to her she's has a marvellous talent and will be a great representative for Thailand.

[DocN]

I recall some African Slalom skiers, finishing 2 minutes behind the victor!

It is called "living the olympic dream"...and there are really worse things to worry about!

[lostmebike]

Manager, Jools Holland

[Basil B]

Is she even a thai citizen? Other than her appearance and last name she's stayed with her step father in the uk most of the time and she was born in Sg.

She was born in Singapore and is a British Citizen.

Is she not a Thai citizen too?

Although she has never spent much time in Thailand she has always been good PR for Thailand.

[cocopops]

Great work to make the qualifying time, a victory in itself. Let's hope she can " do a Bradbury"...

Steven John Bradbury is a former Australian short track speed skater and four-time Olympian, who won the 1,000 m event at the 2002 Winter Olympics after all of his opponents were involved in a last corner pile-up. He is the first Australian to win a Winter Olympic gold medal and was also part of the short track relay team that won Australia's first Winter Olympic medal (a bronze in 1994).

That's only half the story. As well as that:

A disqualification in the quarter-final allowed him to advance to the semi-final. He was then coming last in the semi-final when three of his opponents crashed, allowing him to sneak into the final.

Edited January 20, 2014 by cocopops

[MobileContent]

Is she even a thai citizen? Other than her appearance and last name she's stayed with her step father in the uk most of the time and she was born in Sg.

She is Thai. Staying with a stepfather doesn't have anything to do with Thai citizenship as long her mum or father was Thai.

[kingstonkid]

What is al the BS on here. OOPS I FORGOT THIS IS THAIVISA

Where no matter if it is something good people will still tear it apart just to be an asset.

With all the crap going on in this country there is very little for anyone to cheer. A young lady is going to represent Thailand in the winter Olympics. Instead of complaining as to whether she is Thai or not we should be congratulating her and wishing her luck.

How many Jamaicans move to Canada and the US so that there kids can run and be a part of the US, Canadian Track team.

UK got all excited this year when a rider won and cheered him as their own. OOPS he was from SA I believe.

CONGRATULATIONS VANESSA MAE VANAKORN we are happy to see that you made it. Good luck at SOCHI.