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May the Lord ski with you!
That was the official motto at Italy's
first ever "National Skiing Championships for Priests", where 40
clergymen, including a 73-year-old, competed on Friday.
The priests became downhill racers for the day in an event blending
sporting prowess and spirituality, said organiser Renato Picciolo
of the national Christian sports club that organised the championships.
Thrill of the race
"We're always organising sporting events for people young and old
to feel the physical and mental benefits of sports," Picciolo told
Reuters from the mountainside in Tarvisio, where he was supervising
the priests' final.
"So it occurred to us that priests, like any other people, should
have a chance to race in a friendly spirit and experience the thrill
of competition."
Picciolo said the racing had been a fun break for the priests during
the period of Lent, which began on Wednesday. "Some of them who
are from mountain parishes are very good, they finished in pretty
impressive times," he said.
Photo opportunity
The event was such a success the sports club was already planning
to stage a much bigger second edition in 2004.
"They were thrilled. At the end of the first race they took a lovely
group picture with a big crucifix in the middle," said Picciolo.
[Source: Reuters]
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