European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 28, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                O Cross country skiing sport for All age by Chuck Roberts staff writer snowboarders think of Alpine skiers As the ducks of the downhill Side. So that must make Cross country skiers the sitting ducks of the ski world. That s just Fine with James Rigney who traded his downhill skis Atlonger and lighter Cross country skis six years ago because of a knee injury. He says he now has time to Stop and enjoy the View of the mountains whose downhill trails Are full of skiers who never take time to soak up the scenery. Quot when you get in the Forest it s quiet Calm and Beautiful Quot said the Wilmington del., native while participating in a Cross country ski week at the armed forces recreation Cente Cin Garmisch Germany. _ Quot i have Learned to like it in the Forest Quot said Rigney a civilian employee who works at Hahn a Germany. Quot i find Cross country skiing very satisfying and you can do it almost anywhere in  Cross country skiing May not have the thrills and spills of downhill skiing but it still shares the aches and pains. Quot it s not a sport for the Couch potato Quot said Corinne Mcnamee As she and fellow classmates swapped sore stories in the Hausberg ski Lodge the morning after their first lesson. Quot you have to like getting sweaty and tired Quot said Mcnamee who was taking the we Klong course with her husband will while their two sons attended the downhill ski school. Quot we came for the downhill last year Quot said will an air Force master sergeant stationed in Wiesbaden Germany. Quot this year we came for something different. It s work but enjoyable. You go somewhere different every Day depending on the  the 10 members of the class were waiting for the bus to drive them to the nearby Village of Krun for their first full Day of skiing. When they arrived instructor George Hladik a graduate of the Prague sport University in Czechoslovakia demonstrated some of die basics of w axing skis before putting the students through the paces. An average Day consisted of two hours of skiing in the morning followed by lunch and two More hours on the Snow in the afternoon. Students ski about 50 Kilometres by the time they receive their medals at a banquet held at the end of the week. The Cost for the ski week is $79, including equipment. A the grueling Pace of the class was just perfect for air Forte it. Col. Jim Ingle and his wife Sheila who were vacationing in Garmisch with their two sons. Quot it was either downhill with them or something safer Quot said the colonel from shape Belgium. Ingle s wife had a More practical reason for taking the strenuous class Quot i wanted to be Able to eat a German dinner each night without guilt Quot she said laughing. Instructor Hladik has been teaching Cross country skiing for 15 years first in Czechoslovakia then in Munich. He s been in Garmisch since 1987. Hladik who Learned English from americans skied Back and Forth among the students sharing helpful hints. One morning he took off his skis and la d Down in Snow on a Frozen Lake. With his legs together he spread is arms out in an arc at his sides and made a credible rendition of a Snow Angel. Something the americans taught him he joked. Hladik was serious later during lunch As he talked about the Virtues of Cross country skiing. Quot it s a very healthy motion better than running and jogging because you use the Muscles Here too be sad. Pointing to his arms and shoulders. Cross country skiers use 60 percent of their lower body Muscles and 40 percent of their upper body Muscles. A amps photos Jim Derti Eim 2 above instructor George Hladik shows students How to properly Wax their skis. Below a Cross country skier at the base of the Zug Spitze. Other benefits Hladik mentioned included placing less stress on the joints exercising in fresh air As opposed to a a jogging in polluted City air not paying a lot of Money for expense lift tickets and avoiding Long lift lines. Cross country skiing is Quot a lifetime sport for All Ages Quot said Hladik adding that his students Are usually Between 35 and 45 years old. Although Hladik prefers Cross country skiing to other Snow sports he said people who have never skied should try snowboarding and Alpine skiing As Well As Cross country skiing to find out what they like let est. He said group lessons Are a Good Way for most people to learn. For Rigney who converted from Alpine to Cross country skiing the Choice was simple Quot i m on vacation. I ski half the Day and go into a Nice Gasthaus for lunch. Its a Nice Way to spend the  Abc s Cross co.  so week costs 579 the program includes tra Sec Taxon to and a my varous ski , five Gas of instruction evening arc Ces a  Dimer an awards dinner mementos and a group photo. Fse-�?,a�-Ti-5  Are  17-22 to Berchtesgaden and until March 30 in or Lessee however que see plans to extern its season until april 14 if there s a dug Snow re tones wit de Given Tor reservations if Mere is not enough a Quot of pvt 3 Severn Aav notice .�?avo_3. Its fusion Tor Cross country Strung costs 530 Tor two hours. The cd a s 520 per person Tor two people s15 per person Tor three to toe people and St 3 pet be son Tor six or More people the costs Tor renting Cross country is Coots Ard Penes is 57 per Oay and 520 Tor five Davs for Mere formation callar he at 06652 36623 or ets 441.3623 in be or the soaker Ano 35051-603335 or ets 441-2355 m Cine see february 28, 1991 stripes Magazine