Two alumni make history at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
By Kristina Fraesdorf
The FIFA Master Alumni is very proud to report about two FIFA Master recently making sports history. Nicholas (Nick) Lau (FMA’04) and Nzumbe Nyanduga (FMA’14) participated at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2021 in Oberstdorf, Germany, this week.
Nick Lau, of Trinidad and Tobago, finished with the best-ever cross-country result for his country. He finished the Men 10.0 km Interval Start Free Qualification Race with a time of 34:07.0 (73) and 410.14 FIS points. He also participated in the Men Sprint Classic Qualification competing with the world’s best cross-country skiers and finished with a time of 5:53.46 (153), as one of the oldest participants. Nick (41) discovered cross country skiing only 3 years ago for himself.
Nzumbe Nyanduga made history by being the first-ever cross-country skier of Tanzania competing at a FIS World Championship. He finished the Men 10.0 km Interval Start Free Qualification Race with a time of 36:45.1 (81) and 496.55 FIS points. Olympian Torin Koos (USA), who’s credited with making Nzumbe fall in love with the sport, supported him on his two-year-short journey to Oberstdorf.
Both alumni needed to overcome many bureaucratic hurdles on their journey to Oberstdorf. Nzumbe had to first help create a Tanzanian winter sports federation, which was recognized by FIS in May 2020. Nick is also working closely on the professionalization of the TT Snowsports Federation.
Both FMAs have been training very hard, juggling work and dealing with the impacts of COVID-19 on their training and competition schedule. Their hard work resulted in Nzumbe and Nick qualifying and successfully participating at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships and we couldn’t be prouder of them.
Seeing Trinidad & Tobago and Tanzania represented at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2021 and their respective flags waved and skied down the ski jump at Schattenbergschanze at the opening ceremony and displayed at the cross-country stadium Langlaufstadion im Ried was very emotional to both FIFA Master alumni.
Nzumbe and Nick have gained a respectful place in the world of snow sports for their African and Caribbean homes. And this is just the beginning.
p.s. A shout out to Kristina Fraesdorf (FMA’11), who went to Oberstdorf as part of the tiny TTO delegation and acted as allrounder to support her friends Nick and Nzumbe.