This is not the first time Robel Zemichael Teklemariam of Ethiopia emerged in the international winter sports spotlight. He was at the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy four years ago representing Ethiopia. Well, he never did go away in spite of the wonder that someone from a country that does not experience snowfall will be so dedicated to a sport that feels more natural to those in cold and temperate regions of the world.
While a native Ethiopian, Robel grew up in NY City where his Mom was a United Nations Development Program official, so, instead of honing his skills in the highlands of Ethiopia, Robel, carrying the long distance endurance and stamina genes of his fellow countrymen and women, learned his craft around Lake Placid in NY. Robel who was born on September 16, 1974 moved to the US in 1983 with his mother who enrolled him in North Country School, a small boarding school in Lake Placid, New York. He fell in love with skiing while there and competed in various races, ultimately winning an athletic scholarship to the University of New Hampshire.
When his mother retired from the United Nation, she relocated her family including Robel to Madison. While in Madison, she opened a popular Ethiopian restaurant on Monroe Street, near Westside of Madison. Most Madisonians probably remember patronizing this restaurant that was nestled in a strip mall on Monroe Street just blocks from Edgewood College. Her entire family including Robel all worked at the restaurant during various tasks and waiting tables.
Though the restaurant is now closed, Robel’s interest in skiing never dimmed even as he worked in yet another Ethiopian restaurant Buraka, on State Street, downtown Madison. On occasions, Ethiopians, other Africans and friends helped out with fundraisers to support his interest in a sport that is generally expensive. It is not a surprise that Robel remembers the support he received and still receives from Ethiopian communities abroad, including those in Madison.
Roble’s tenacity and love for the sports inspired him to single-handedly set up Ethiopian Ski Association. In explaining the possibilities of the association, they echoed that for over 50 years now, Ethiopians have proven themselves successful in long distance and cross-country running evidenced by numerous gold medalists in both women and men’s competitions. They conceded that though snow does not particularly exist in the mountainous regions of Ethiopia; however that doesn’t mean that there cannot exist a winter athlete in the highest level of competition as Robel has proven this to be true. It was his dogged determination that carried him all the way to the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. And now to Vancouver, Canada.
The Ethiopian Ski Association in the face of all odds has a clear mission, which is “to be able to groom and organize young Ethiopian skiers who want to race and accomplish their dreams as an Ethiopian champion. This will be realized through the support of Ethiopians at home, the diaspora as well as compassionate supporters of the sport”.
As the current Winter Olympics is drawing to a close, we have watched various news reports of victories, disappointments, and the perennial problem of possible violations of anti-doping laws at the games. At the end of the day, we will all celebrate the courage, ambition and ice-breaking of countries that have been under-represented in the games for reason of geography, as they are pushing through the fog to realize that skills, preparation and ambitious tenacity trump geography any day. Congratulations to all the Olympians out there and especially from those in tropical regions of the world that are boldly embracing the cold weather sports.
Madison, Wisconsin is sometimes referred to as the Four Lakes City…referencing the four major lakes in the city. Part of its charm is that two of the lakes are right downtown buffeting the city center including the State Capitol building into an Isthmus. The largest of the lakes, Lake Mendota (9,842 Acres) occupies the northern end of the Isthmus while Lake Monona (3,274 Acres) is on the south end of the Isthmus with yet a smaller bay cut out by a roadway (John Nolen Drive) and a train track.
The lakes provide Madison residents a vibrant aquatic cultural recreation both in the summer and winter season. This winter as most winters, the lakes freeze over forming a huge surface area for all kinds of sporting activities. Lake Monona seems to be the most favored as you find folks carve out ice-hockey rinks, or skating rinks and having fun with the sports they enjoy.
This season, as in many other seasons past, some ingeniously creative folks, remake a tradition that has endured since 1979. They create a huge head and crown of the statue of liberty in the middle of the lake, giving the impression that she is submerged in ice to the chin. While you can enjoy the view from the shores of the lake, the thick ice cover assures everyone the security to walk up to the statue over a hundred yards into the lake. As incongruous as this might look to non-resident Madisonians, just about another hundred yards away further from this sculpture last weekend, you saw some hardy families and friends lounging in lawn chairs on the ice, having a beverage and gazing into the brilliantly cool horizon as though they were sitting in their backyards gazing at the stars.
By far the most popular winter activity on the frozen lakes is Ice-Fishing. I ventured out consecutively for the last two weekends to join other hardy fellows ice-fishing. Majority of the area fishermen and women seem to prefer the bay end of Lake Monona. Close to hundred people or more are scattered all over the lake surface, some clearly in the elements sitting on an upturned bucket or easy chairs fishing while others go the whole nine-yards with heated tents and other sophisticated gears to keep the cold away and fish in luxury, I might add. One common denominator among folks is a cooler of beer sitting at an arms length.
An instant fishing buddy, I met on the frozen lake, Phil from a nearby city, Janesville, while not tenting, had some cool gadgets of his own, including gas powered machinery to drill a hole through the ice for the fishing lines. He also had a lunchbox-size gadget with a computerized surface to monitor the movement of fish underwater and alert you when the fish starts flirting or chomping at the bait and sometimes when it actually swallows the hook in the process. Such sonar tracking devise allows for guys to shoot the breeze without fixating on the lines.
The camaraderie on the ice is like no other. Strangers are instantly transformed into good friends, as people freely trade stories and fishing tips. Even the generosity of sharing was evident with people easily lending their tools, or handing over their meager catch to one person to boost someone’s harvest than each person taking home a couple of fish that would not make a full meal for them. Until early Spring when the ice on the frozen lake starts cracking, and getting thinner, we will keep the spirit of ice fishing in Madison going strong! When next you are up in Madison during the season, ice-cold beer or beverage of your choice is on me…. on the frozen lake of course.
