4 ms·

Yes. We live in Austria and it's just what kids do. In Australia, they learn to swim at a very young age, in Austria it's skiing. He's not the only one racing

Yes. We live in Austria and it's just what kids do. In Australia, they learn to swim at a very young age, in Austria it's skiing. He's not the only one racing under-10s class! There's another comment here taking the piss (with the yachting comment), and I too used to have certain pre-conceived ideas about skiing. Sure, if you go to St. Anton and Kitzbuehel, there's a certain vibe. However, at my local slopes it's completely different. It's just regular people going skiing with their families. In Austria of course they have their football (soccer) idols, but apart from that it's all about snow sports.

quickthrower2 4y ago
Learning to swim young can be done anywhere though that has a public pool.
- phillc73 4y ago
  Yes, that's true and such pools are ubiquitous in Australia. The town I grew up in, 200km from the ocean, population 4,500, had a full Olympic size 50m pool. It was just one of the local amenities. We had school swimming carnivals where everyone was expected to swim in at least one 50m race. I don't think the same access to pools is true in other more temperate climates, at least not from my experience living in Europe. Skiing for kids in Austria isn't quite at the same level, depending on where you live perhaps, but my son is off to a school ski race event later this month, with thirteen of his classmates. It's an officially sanctioned school event.
  - quickthrower2 4y ago
    Lived in UK and Australia and both have a decent amount of pools and kids programs. In the UK state high schools often had pools even in not so great areas. Obviously yeah skiing is insanely more expensive to operate and there would be less of it due to geography. What limits swimming in other countries has to be culture not the availability of concrete, water and chlorine production needed to allow people to swim anywhere.
prawn 4y ago
Swimming lessons in Australia are very common. General pool safety/ability but also beach/surf confidence. In summer, there are beach swimming programs that are very well attended. Our 4-10 yos did a week-long beach program last month, learning how to deal with waves, signal for help, swim to safety while clothed, etc. Think it was the second or third year running for the older two, who are quite competent in waves and had done multiple years of pool swimming lessons.

quickthrower2 4y ago

Learning to swim young can be done anywhere though that has a public pool.

phillc73 4y ago
Yes, that's true and such pools are ubiquitous in Australia. The town I grew up in, 200km from the ocean, population 4,500, had a full Olympic size 50m pool. It was just one of the local amenities. We had school swimming carnivals where everyone was expected to swim in at least one 50m race. I don't think the same access to pools is true in other more temperate climates, at least not from my experience living in Europe. Skiing for kids in Austria isn't quite at the same level, depending on where you live perhaps, but my son is off to a school ski race event later this month, with thirteen of his classmates. It's an officially sanctioned school event.
- quickthrower2 4y ago
  Lived in UK and Australia and both have a decent amount of pools and kids programs. In the UK state high schools often had pools even in not so great areas. Obviously yeah skiing is insanely more expensive to operate and there would be less of it due to geography. What limits swimming in other countries has to be culture not the availability of concrete, water and chlorine production needed to allow people to swim anywhere.

prawn 4y ago

Swimming lessons in Australia are very common. General pool safety/ability but also beach/surf confidence. In summer, there are beach swimming programs that are very well attended. Our 4-10 yos did a week-long beach program last month, learning how to deal with waves, signal for help, swim to safety while clothed, etc. Think it was the second or third year running for the older two, who are quite competent in waves and had done multiple years of pool swimming lessons.