The following is the official report on the Wellie Race up the Alps sent to Wellie Racing World Headquarters in Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny:
Dear Chubby,
After some days of
thawing out, I can now send a report and ´a
few´ pictures on the:
St. Patrick´s Day Wellie Race Up the
Alps
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| On the day of the wellie race we could barely see our wellies, never mind the mountains. This is a photo taken last year of the race track, with a view of the Santis mountain behind. |
The event, lauded as
the wellie race in the highest altitude in the world, took place this last week
on the Kretz farm in Moos Ruer, in the Saint Gallan area of Switzerland.
At midday Ann and Guido
Kretz along with their daughters Mary and Martina had everything set; the barn was colourfully 
transformed
and decorated for the day that was in it, the race route was marked out and flags
and bunting flew all over the place. We even had a wellie wearing snow woman!
And There Off!
Well the main thing is everyone got back. Alive.
With temperatures of -2 C and a wind chill of -5 or so you are talking
´cold weather´ here! Fair dues to the
Swiss - and a family of 4 from the Island of Malta God bless us all; they all
put on their wellies and they were off with such enthusiasm in those inclement
conditions that even a Powley man would have been impressed. 
Of the 40 or so who turned up, the youngest participant was 2 ½ years, the eldest 73. The former got a special dispensation to hold Daddy´s hand so that he would not be blown away. I hope the committee in Powley will not disapprove.
Because of the inclement weather a few people had asked if they could wear alternative footwear. We advised if they did not run in their willies well they could run in nothing at all. But the idea of ´doing naked´ on the day that was in it put paid to any more queries of that sort.
None the less all footwear was checked at the starting line for legitimacy. There was one ´incident´. But, himself and his shoes got sorted good and proper, so I will say no more about that!
- For the rest, as you can see from the photos, they took off into the wind with gusto. And more important as I said, they got back. Wellies and all. It was all very emotional; there was n´t a dry foot in the barn.
And the prize winners?
First a comment on the picture on the wining women the right - at the risk of being accused of being an ´...ist´ of some sort; don´t they look a fine trio of women: well turned out, fit and hearty.
- Who could guess that 20 minutes earlier they had been running up the Alps into a head wind in their wellies with wind chills and what not included.
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There were winners in mens, womens and under 12 categories.
The young lad in blue in the picture top right, he came in 3rd in the under 12´s. And he is only 3! Definately has a future in track and field!
(This writer must confess sachets of SUGRU, the 3D gluey stuff invented by Kilkenny woman Jane Delehanty that were intended for the prize winners ´got forgotten´. (- Yes that very same Sugru I blogged about last time that Time Magazine ranked no. 22 of best inventions in 2010. The Apple Ipad was no. 33 on the same list... Cool or what!) Anyway, not being acclimatized to wellie racing at high altitudes in low temperatures resulting in a brain not up to par, was to blame for this faux pas. That´s my story anyway, and I am sticking to it!)
Gifts being presented to the Kretz family.
Gerste soup made from barley and a specialty in the region, had been prepared by our host Clare woman Ann Broggy-Kretz.
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| Bean an tí Ann agus fear an tí Guido. |
The Céilí
Between the jigs and the reels there was a lot of coming and going and swinging about. And a good deal of laughter to boot. Perhaps a tiny bit of confusion too; a lot of the participants just did not get the ol´ istacht, amach, arís, trasna….´ down I am afraid.
So much so in fact that our young racer in blue decided we might do better if he placed traffic cones out to guide the dancers.....
But, in fairenss to the
dancing wellie racers, as the pictures show, they got the hang of it.
- Even without the traffic cones.
Tae agus Cáca Milis
´
To wind down events tea, coffee and a variety of VERY tasty Kuchen which had been made by the bean an tí and served by herself too, were enjoyed by all.
And wellie racers of the future.
Due to Switzerland´s stringent regulations on the importation of ´illegal foreign food products´, we cannot talk about too much about the above mentioned Taytos. In short, nobody knows nothin´about noth´in.
But, we would still like to thank an anonymous someone who sent 2 dozen bags of same.
To wind down events tea, coffee and a variety of VERY tasty Kuchen which had been made by the bean an tí and served by herself too, were enjoyed by all.
 |
| One family three generations of Swiss-Irish wellie racers. |
And wellie racers of the future.
Due to Switzerland´s stringent regulations on the importation of ´illegal foreign food products´, we cannot talk about too much about the above mentioned Taytos. In short, nobody knows nothin´about noth´in.
But, we would still like to thank an anonymous someone who sent 2 dozen bags of same.
Then like Cinderella at midnight, only here it was at 4:30 p.m.
Everything was over.
Everything was over.
There were cows to be milked.
---------------------------------------------------------
Vielen Dank Ann, Guido, Mary und Martina, wir
haben viel Spaß gehabt.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh Ann,
Guido, Mary agus Martina, bhí lá iontach againn
Fotos by Herbie Hachenschneider:
If you feel you have not seen enough here are more photos of the big day below.
If you feel you have not seen enough here are more photos of the big day below.
