Skiers compete in Austria's first 'nude' race

Walter, what's going on there? Austrian snow balls?---BBB

Skiers compete in Austria's first 'nude' race
Story filed: 12:47 Friday 13th February 2004

Skiers from six nations - including Britain - swapped their ski gear for g-strings in Austria's first nude skiing competition.

Organisers said they were delighted after 84 skiiers braved temperatures of -2C to compete in the first Nude Ski Race, in Hochfuegen.

Competitors were asked to perform two jumps for the judges before downing a glass of schnapps and finishing the race with a five-point pirouette.

Organiser Ernst Erlebach said: "Most of the skiers wore g-strings, bikinis, swimming trunks or underwear. Five women even skied with bare breasts."

Authorities had threatened to pull the plug on the entire race unless the skiers at least covered their private parts.

Werner Kostenzer, head of the local tourism board, said: "We need to keep at least some decency. Nobody is allowed to ski naked."

But organisers were happy with a crowd of 2,000 turning up to watch the scantily clad skiers race downhill.

There were two categories - men's and women's downhill - and the winners were awarded prize money of £280.