Confined to our homes for weeks now, we are likely to emerge from lockdown with a newfound appreciation for the great outdoors. This is especially true for UWC Adriatic students, who are fortunate that their campus is situated in such a beautiful part of Italy. Duino’s close proximity to many diverse landscapes means that students usually enjoy a wide variety of activities – from swimming in the Adriatic Sea, to mountain-climbing in the Dolomites, to skiing in the Alps.
One special annual event, the Val Casies cross-country ski marathon, has long provided an opportunity for UWCAD students to participate in a challenging and energising outdoor pursuit. First held in 1984, this international event has never been cancelled and went ahead this year on the 15-16th February – just before the pandemic interrupted our community’s regular life in Duino.
The students who participated came from countries as diverse as China, Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Iraq, Spain and Syria. Although many had no skiing experience prior to arriving at the college and some had never even seen snow before, this did not diminish their enthusiasm to participate. Having dedicated themselves to the cross-country ski activity programme under the expert supervision of ex teacher and avid skier Anne Brearley and others, Val Casies provides the opportunity to test their stamina and showcase their progress.
This year, 21 students participated in the “Just for Fun” competition alongside the more experienced skiers aiming for the 30 or 42 km – with some students opting for the 30 km themselves! Chloe, from China, was also supposed to compete but was prevented from doing so by a knee injury, so she went along to take the pictures you will find in the photo gallery below. Her Chinese co-year, Kwan, was among the most enthusiastic participants and recalls: ‘It was exhausting but really worth the challenge…I felt such a sense of achievement after this race!”
In this time of uncertainty it is easy for sad or anxious thoughts to emerge. Memories of joyful outdoor moments like these are a lovely reminder of all the great learning experiences our students benefit from when they are at the College and which we all look forward to resuming as soon as it will once again be safe for everyone to do so.
