Cold weather must not get in the way of games and exercise. Wintry days bring snow and ice but we can welcome them and make the best of them. Not only in the usual ways, on skis, sledges or skates. Why not try some other, more unusual, sports and ways of getting around?
Once the ice grows thick enough, you can make some skaters smile by appearing on a traditional fakutya (literally, a “wooden dog”), a chair mounted on skates and propelled with the help of sticks. It used to be among the most popular winter sports, spreading originally in the 1860s and in its heyday between the two world wars. It can also involve two people, one sitting on the fakutya and the other skating and pushing the fakutya. They are available for hire at several locations and provide good fun for all ages.
Those who want to go even faster on ice should definitely try ice sailing. The generally single-seat structure consists of a single-piece backbone and a runner-plank upon which it rests at right angles, the two forming a kite-shaped frame. The body is just the right size for the driver to be able to sit in it. The guiding principles for designing ice yachts are low weight, a streamlined shape and good stability. This is primarily a sport for people who love sailing, who cannot go through the winter without feeling the breeze above the water in their faces. The world speed record for a 300-kg ice yacht has been set at 105 km/h, achieved with changeable sails which function just like on “normal” boats. Racing models weighing 60 kgs can achieve speeds up to 207 km/h. The sport was initially developed in Scandinavia in the late 1800s. It was in its heyday were after WWII when many beautiful ice yachts were built, some of them still in operation today.
Instead of the wind, we can also use animals to help us travel. The horse-drawn sleigh was once a popular means of transport but today it is more a fun activity. It is a nostalgic and romantic way to travel. Wrapped around in blankets and travelling on a horse-drawn sleigh across a picturesque landscape is a unique experience to enjoy the beauty of the environment. The only sounds breaking the silence are the hiss of the runners, the horses huffing, the driver giving orders and small bells twinkling. Horse-drawn sleighs are a widespread relaxation opportunity throughout Central Europe.
Quite a different experience is the dog-drawn sled, which is very popular in Slovakia. One of the most popular winter sports is dogsled racing, which has long traditions and favourable conditions in Slovakia. Several international competitions are held each year. This sport also offers a unique experience to children. If you feel more adventurous, you can also try skijoring, which involves a person on skis being pulled by a dog or dogs.
One of the most sophisticated winter sports is curling, which is also an official sport in the Winter Olympic Games. It may look slightly comical to a spectator because curling involves two teams of sweepers with brooms, sliding heavy, polished granite stones down the ice towards a target. However, lovers of the sport swear that it is an exercise that demands a high level of concentration and great stamina. If you feel like trying your hand at curling, you should take into consideration that the average temperature on the playing area is 4 degrees Celsius: wear warm but comfortable clothes and use sports shoes with clean soles. All other equipment will be provided on site, including sliders, brooms and the 20-kg granite curling stone. The curling sheet is an area of ice 45.5 metres in length and 4.32 to 5 metres in width. On the sheet, a set of concentric rings, called the house, is painted near each end of the rink. The aim of the game is that each team tries to get its stones as close to the centre of the “house” as possible. The ice on the curling sheet is prepared using distilled water, as a result, stones slide across it four times faster than on normal ice.
