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Main | Sport Picture Story | Award of Excellence
First Place
Daniel Ochoa de Olza
Associated Press

"The Bullfight"

Second Place
Peter Holgersson
Freelance

"Heptathlon and cancer"

Third Place
Patrick Smith
Freelance

"Turn left"

Award of Excellence
Jonas Bendiksen
Freelance

"The Last of the First Skiers"

Award of Excellence
Smiley Pool
Houston Chronicle

"Losing Streak"

Award of Excellence
Nick Laham
Freelance

"Kushti"

 
Award of Excellence
Jonas Bendiksen
Freelance

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"The Last of the First Skiers"

In the varous skiing villages, the three days after the chinese new year are continous festivities, where the men have archery competitions, drink and eat meats.

In the far northern corner of Xinjiang province, in the Altai mountains, one can find the last remnants of a culture that possibly invented skiing. The area is populated by a mix of ethnic Mongolians and Tuwas, who handmake their own rudimentary wooden skis in the same way as their forefathers thousands of years ago. The skis are used for getting around rugged terrain and hunting animals.

Today only a handful of small villages still have people who practice these ancient skills. With modernity arriving in the area with new access roads, and young people migrating elsewhere, this culture will most likely disappear within a few decades.

 

 

 

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