Otto Lang (1908-2006) founded the first ski school at Mount Rainier (a National Park in the USA) in 1937 and directed Sun Valley’s ski school before and after World War II. Then he launched a successful career as a Hollywood filmmaker. He was born in 1908 in the small village of Zenica, Bosnia, to an Austrian father and Croatian mother. One of his best-known pupils was Gretchen Kunigk of Tacoma, who later won an Olympic gold medal for the United…
Jakov Fak, biathlon athlet, wearing the Croatian national flag at the solemn opening of 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada. Jakov Fak, biathlon athlet. These two photos by Getty Images. Jakov Fak, Croatia’s biathlon skiing athlet, won a bronze medal in the 10 km sprint at the 2010 Winter Olympics Games in Vancouver.
Val and Sandra Bezic, brother and sister, are famous Canadian figure skating pair. They were champions of Canada in the period of 1970-1974, and representatives of Canada in the Winter Olympic Games, Munich, 1972 (placed ninth). Sandra Bezic is known as one of the best figure skating choreographers in the world. For many years, Bezic served as producer, director, and choreographer of the touring show Stars on Ice. Sandra Bezic also worked on highly acclaimed “Carmen on Ice.” She designed…
Lucija in the village of Potkonje near Knin, at Hrvoje Pozar stud.Photo by her mother Julija Vojkovic (on this web with kind permission) Sinjska alka (The Sinj Alka) is a competition to the memory of the legendary 1715 victory over the Turks, where the town of Sinj near Split has been saved. According to the legend, the victory was attained due to the help of the Lady of Sinj (Gospa Sinjska). The aim of the competition, organized August 15th each…
Bill Belichick & Nick Saban, two Croatians – Coaches in the NFL (National Football League, USA), are very successful with their teams playing american football. Let us cite Bill Belichick: “…I think it just makes this division, which is already very tough, even that much tougher. You know, two Croatians in the division, Joe, that’s not something you see everyday. [Laughter]…” (from an interview given to Joe Benigno and Sid Rosenberg WFAN, sports Radio 66AM New York, January 5, 2005)….
Croatia has no tradition in hockey. However, one of the greatest hockey players of today is Joe Sakic, Canadian Croat. His both parents are from Croatia (his father is from Imotski, and mother from Lika). Joe contributed greatly to the final victory of Canadian national team at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games held in Salt Lake City. Two outstanding hockey players of Croatian Origin were brothers Frank and Peter Mahovlich. Frank is now a Canadian Senator and a member of…
The first mention of playing chess in Croatia dates from 14th century, more precisely, from 1385 in the city of Zadar. Thomas Hyde, an English orientalist from 17th century, travelled through Croatia, and mentioned that the correspondence chess had been played between Croatian and Venetian merchants in 1650, more precisely, beween the Dubrovnik and Venetian merchants. It is the oldest mention of the correspondence chess in history. This fact can be found in his book “De ludis orientalibus” (On Eastern…
Charles Billich is outstanding Croatian painter born in Lovran in Istria, and since 1956 working in Australia. He is Honorary Citizen of Atlanta, Centennial Olympic City, USA, since 1996. Billich was the official artist of the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix Melbourne in 1996. In 1997 he was designated the official artist of the Australian and French Olympic teams for Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000. He was elected the official painter of Australian and the USA national teams at…
In 2004, the China International Culture Exchange Center (CICEC) in Beijing appointed Mr. Ante Glibota, Croatian historian of art and architecture, for a fiveyear term as Foreign Counselor for International Cultural Exchanges. Since 2010 he serves as Vice-President and Curator-in-Chief of the Museum of Art and Urbanity in Shanghai, China. He was appointed curator and editor of “Art and Sport”, an exhibition organized by Adidas and the International Olympic Committee for the Olympic Games 2008 in Beijing, China.
Tajana Raukar: GRACEFUL PREDATORS(world champion medallist in Ice carving)World Championship Alaska 2003