Mentre en el món occidental ens gastem quantitats indecents de diners en material esportiu de darrera tecnologia que la majoria no en sabem ni treure-li hi la meitat del seu suc, a l'altra banda del món, ens ensenyen que amb una mica de traça, i grans dosis d'il·lussió i enginy, es pot passar amb molt menys. Caldria veure als foranis competint en igualtat de condicions...
Woolly sweaters, skis made out of planks and no chair lifts:
Winter-Olympics, Afghan-style
- Afghan Ski Challenge happens every March in Banyam, near Kabul
- Competitors come from all over the world to take part
- It is free to compete for Afghans, who often bring their own equipment
- Wooden planks complete with tyre strips serve as makeshift skis
It takes professional athletes years of training and thousands of pounds worth of equipment to compete for a medal at the Winter Olympics.
But at this skiing event in Afghanistan all you need is enthusiasm and a couple of planks of wood.
The annual Afghan Ski Challenge, which takes place in Banyam, near the capital Kabul, is so low-tech there aren't even ski lifts, with competitors forced to hike three miles up a mountain before the event even begins.
The fourth annual Afghan Ski Challenge took place in Banyam, near Kabul, at the beginning of March
The race is open to both snowboarders and skiers, many of whom bring their own equipment
The race is free for Afghans who are encouraged to bring their own equipment but 'no weapons'
International skiers travel to take part in the race, but they must pay $500 (£300) to enter
Keen amateurs often strap tyre strips to a plank of wood to use as a ski, and compete wearing warm clothing
Dressed in jumpers, scarves and even loafers, the competitors carry their equipment up to roughly 3,400 metres (11,100ft) before skiing back down.
There is only one event, a downhill race everyone takes part in at the same time, with the winner being the first to cross the finish line after passing through all the checkpoints on the way down.
The race is open to both skiers and snowboarders, with most competitors using whatever they can get their hands on.
In recent years, many Afghan nationals have shown their ingenuity by carving themselves skis and poles out of wood, using old planks or fence posts.
The slopes are so low-tech that there aren't even chair lifts, with skiers hiking five miles before the race starts
The annual event, in its fourth year, is organised by the Banyam Ski Club
On the club's website they warn that medical facilities are 'basic' and there is no mountain rescue service
Any profit from the event is reinvested in tourism in Afghanistan as the country emerges from conflict
While the keen amateurs may grab the attention with their DIY skis, the event was won by a professional Afghan ski instructor
They then use sandal straps, plastic and strips cut from old tyres to hold their feet in place before racing down the Koh-e-Baba Mountain Range.
British photographer Paul Hutchings, 42, who captured these images, said they would still put most people to shame.
He said: 'It is absolutely amazing to watch these guys use the most basic items to ski. They use whatever they can get their hands on.
'It is totally different to the Alps and the Rockies. The are no lifts, no chairs, this is raw skiing at its best.'
Despite the equipment, photographer Paul Hutchings said the skiers would put most amateurs to shame
The Koh-e-Baba Mountain Range, near to Kabul, where the event takes place, has snow for four months a year
Banyam Ski Club is part owned by skiing enthusiasts from Switzerland who are trying to promote the sport
Participants all race at once and the winner is the one who crosses the finish line first after passing through all of the checkpoints dotted along the route
This year's winner was Ali Shah, an Afghan ski instructor, who finished the 4k run before anyone else
The event, now in its fourth year, featured 15 racers from Afghanistan and 15 international competitors from the USA, Australia, Norway, Slovenia, New Zealand, France and the UK.
Foreign competitors must pay $500 (£300) to take part, but for Afghan nationals the competition is free.
The challenge was eventually won by Afghan ski instructor Ali Shah - who used modern equipment and was used to the high-altitude conditions.
Mr Hutchings, from Cardiff, Wales, added: 'The area is covered in snow for three to four months and because the locals are used to the altitude they are really fit and hardly get tired around the course.'
A simple piece of wood serves as a cheap, but not very effective alternative to carbon fibre
Bits of old shoes, spare plastic, foam and tyre rubber are all then used in place of conventional foot straps
Competitors from around the world take part in the race, using slightly more advanced equipment
The event, which takes place in one of the safe Afghan regions, draws a large crowd every year
All money made by the race is put back into promoting the local skiing and tourism in Afghanistan as the country emerges from a decade of war.
While Banyam Ski Club, which organises the event, insists the area is safe from fighting, they do point out that the mountains don't have any of the safety feature usually associated with ski resorts.
There are no avalanche warning systems, no mobile phone signal, no mountain rescue service, and medical facilities are 'basic', their Facebook page says.
They say that the competition is strictly 'no weapons', adding that 'all participants take part solely at their own risk'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2581111/Wooly-jumpers-wooden-skis-no-chair-lifts-Afghan-style-Winter-Olympics-competitors-bring-equipment-warned-strictly-no-weapons.html#ixzz2yJ6vdd7R
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