If At First You Don't Succeed....
Zakopane is a regular fixture in the FIS Ski Jumping Cup, but the town is now aiming its joust at an altogether grander goal: the World Alpine Skiing Championships 2015.
Not since 1939, on the eve of World War II, has Poland's winter capital hosted the event, and the town has made two unsuccessful bids over the last decade. As it goes, the last major cup to be hosted in Zakopane was the Nordic Ski Championships in 1962. Taki Theodoracopulos, former Greek sportsman and all round playboy, recalled that the event provided the best snow he'd ever skied upon. He added: "It was the first time that we heard criticism of the Soviets in a communist country. In fact, the Poles were openly calling the commies a***holes and criminals."