The Olympic Games can not be compared with World Cups

(Liberec - own) We are up to the eyes in work, preparing the World Cups in Liberec. And we expect the same during FIS  Nordic World Championships taking place next year. Organizers use volunteers not only in Liberec, but they are employed in all bigger events. Sometimes they only get some refreshment for their important help, somewhere they also get T-shirts and caps or even make some money. These topics were also among those, that I was curious about. I talked to two young ladies whereas one of them had to take a week off and the other one sacrificed a precious week of exam-term. Both of them arrived to Liberec to help as volunteers.

Katerina Sachova and Vanda Kujonkova have plentiful experience with volunteering. Two years ago they were enlisted as volunteers at winter Olympic games in Turin, Italy, where the two of them could have picked up skills, experience and impressions. They are entitled to compare now, how they help here in Liberec and how it was in Turin. What were the impulses that led them to give up their regular activities and decided to come?

* How did you learn about working as volunteers?
We both took part in this kind of help in Turin and we wanted to pack it up again. What we experienced there has inspired us. Everyday there was a different challenge and the work was very varied.  The same opportunity is now waiting in Liberec. Ski jumping is an unbelievable sport. We have our favorite athletes , who we want to see if we have time. A collogue of mine told me about this option and I convinced my friend to come with me. Surprisingly my boss is excited about my help and did not object, he supports me in those activities.

* In which department have you found use?
Both of us are in a section accompanying sportsmen. Our main task is to help sportsmen find the right bus, direct them to right places etc.

* Did you also take care of sportsmen in Turin?
No, we belonged that time to transport department. We both helped in curling hall in Pinerol, 20 km far away from Turin. We were lucky there were enough boys, who were positioned at a parking lot and help coordinate traffic and it was up to us bring them coffee ..laughing..

We arrived back completely equipped for winter. We got warm-up suit, jacket and shoes. Here in Liberec we also got a T-shirt and a cap and our colleagues helping outside got a winter jacket. 

* What have you done in Liberec so far? Did you have time to enjoy yourselves and have some fun?
Indeed, we also have seen other things besides sportsmen. For example we had an assignment to go to Prague pick up Suzi Quatro. Right before her concert in sport arena ten best ski jumpers from Friday's tournament were announced. And we saw the concert too.

* Have you met some sportsmen in person?
We have seen the best ones, even though we have not made it to the hill yet. Morgenstern, Kuettel and Ahonen are our  standouts, too bad there were no Czech contestants in top ten, hopefully they will do better today. We already know some of them from Turin, we so both Katerina Neumannova and Lukas Bauer win. We´ll see him next week again so we need to take a picture with him again. Martin Koukal should arrive as well. We suppose those great athletes will attract many people next week to come to Vesec to see them.  

* Not all constructions in Jested venue have been finished, instead of asphalt there is mud. Are you ready for that?
Yes, we are, that is nothing uncommon. We are familiar with sludge and mud. You should have seen Pragelato! When Katerina won her gold medal, we made up a song on the bus, though it does not rhyme in English: "Sludge in Pragelato, we have gold."

* Is there something you were surprised at?
It depends if you mean positively or negatively. We have the impression that people living here are not enthusiastic about the World Cups and coming World Championship. How many cities have the honor to organize such an event? Instead of being proud and supporting it, they try to find bugs. We sat next to Canadian fans in the Olympics and although being badly beaten by Canadians, we shook hands at the end of game and enjoyed it. It would be nice if people could focus on the sports point of view more.

Interviewed and translated by Veronika Krausova