Chirine Njeim represents Lebanon at the 2010 Winter Olympics

Chirine Njeim is competing in her third Olympics for Lebanon, finishing 37th among 53 contestants in Saturday’s super-G event. To her credit, she successfully completed the race on a highly complex, very difficult track, and was able to keep the run alive after skiing far outside on an early turn. The former University of Utah skier is also scheduled to participate in Slalom and Giant Slalom. Fellow alumnus Australian snowboarder Torah Bright won the Women’s half-pipe competition.

Njeim is always the subject of some fascination in these Games. When she told another coach where she was from, he replied, “And you’re skiing?” Lebanon does have six ski hills, and is not, as she said, just “desert and camels and sand.” (The Salt Lake Tribune)

Lebanon is praying for snow

While much of the United States and Europe is fighting subzero temperatures, Lebanon is praying for snow as unusually warm weather puts a dampener on the country’s lucrative ski season.
“So many clients cancelled their reservations for the month of January,” said Walid Kanaan, who runs the luxurious InterContinental Mountain Resort and Spa at Mzaar, nestled in the mountain town of Faraya, northeast of Beirut.
“The lack of snow has forced clients to postpone their bookings until February or March, and truth be told, I understand their disappointment,” Kanaan told AFP.