(adds Austria coach comments, last two paras)
By Mark Ledsom
WENGEN, Switzerland, Jan 10 - Austrian World Cup
skier Rainer Schoenfelder put the warm weather conditions in
Europe to a true test on Wednesday when he went on a naked ski
run alongside the famed Lauberhorn downhill course.
The 29-year-old two-time Olympic bronze medallist and
part-time pop musician was photographed skiing down a practice
site wearing only his skis, ski boots and an orange helmet.
In a statement on his Web site (www.schoenfelder.at)
Schoenfelder said the streak had been part of a dare with his
physiotherapist who had been helping the skier with an injury
sustained during a training crash last week.
Schoenfelder said he told his physio he would ski naked if
his pains had eased by Wednesday morning.
"Somehow I didn't notice the photographer," Schoenfelder
said. "It was a private bet and of course the whole thing wasn't
planned for the public.
"I am happy though that the pains have eased up and that it
was not cold when I carried out my forfeit."
The picture was shown on the Web site www.sport1.at.
Schoenfelder's unusual excursion took place during a rest
day for the World Cup skiers, with temperatures of up to 10C
forcing organisers to cancel the first scheduled training
session for this weekend's racing.
Austrian men's head coach Toni Giger said he was not too
impressed by the stunt, but thought that Schoenfelder was
unlikely to face any punishment by his association.
"Personally I don't have any problem with nudity, but this
was an unannounced action at a public event, so we might have to
have a word with him."