A lifetime dedicated to skiing. Quim Salarich was already carrying skis at the age of two, as he and his family would go up to the Pyrenees to spend quality time in La Molina. Like so many Catalan families. But his brother showed promise, and when they asked him if he wanted to compete, he ended up following in his footsteps. Three decades later, at 32, the Osona native has become the best Catalan alpine skier of all time. You have to go back to Paquito Fernández Ochoa – winner of a gold medal in Sapporo in 1972 in the slalom – to find a skier from the Spanish delegation with such impressive international results. "I'm arriving in good shape. Training has gone well," explains the skier born in Vic. He was the Spanish flag bearer at the opening ceremony, but decided not to stay in Italy and return home for several days to train in La Molina, a key location in his career. To train calmly, concentrate, and, incidentally, enjoy a calçotada (a traditional Catalan barbecue) with his friends. The weather didn't quite cooperate, with snow and wind, but Salarich believes he's arriving in peak form for Monday's slalom event. The challenge? To shake off the bitter taste of his previous Games.