Laurent Ottoz

[dukehjsteve]

I saw the article about hurdler Laurent Ottoz and Stefan Hom. Is Laurent the son of Eddy ?

[Whitman]

According to an AFTS annual he is Eddy's son. Does anyone remember
the exact quote the senior Ottoz made about shaving before a race? I
know I've read it on this board.

[gh]

asked at Mexico City in '68, when he showed up looking like Sonny Crockett, and his response--in those Cold War times--was, "Italian men and Russian women never shave before a big meet."

[dukehjsteve]

asked at Mexico City in '68, when he showed up looking like Sonny Crockett, and his response--in those Cold War times--was, "Italian men and Russian women never shave before a big meet."

I am not obsessed with women's underarms, but I recall the West German women shaved them, whereas the East German women did not. With reunification, they all did.

[berkeley]

asked at Mexico City in '68, when he showed up looking like Sonny Crockett, and his response--in those Cold War times--was, "Italian men and Russian women never shave before a big meet."

I am not obsessed with women's underarms, but I recall the West German women shaved them, whereas the East German women did not. With reunification, they all did.

The East German women did too, on the morning of the meet, but it grew back by competition time

[Powell]

I am not obsessed with women's underarms, but I recall the West German women shaved them, whereas the East German women did not. With reunification, they all did.

I don't think shaving underarms was the standard in those days in many Western European countries, either. I remember reading about how an American audience were shocked at Nena's (of '99 Luftballons' fame) concert when they saw her unshaved armpits. That was the 1980s, and apparently in the FRG it was considered perfectly normal.

[eldrick]

we better not even get into circumcision then !!! :P

( albeit there is a very good medical reason to have one, but i won't say as this thread doesn't look to be long-lived )

[gh]

I am not obsessed with women's underarms, but I recall the West German women shaved them, whereas the East German women did not. With reunification, they all did.

I don't think shaving underarms was the standard in those days in many Western European countries, either. I remember reading about how an American audience were shocked at Nena's (of '99 Luftballons' fame) concert when they saw her unshaved armpits. That was the 1980s, and apparently in the FRG it was considered perfectly normal.

Correct---I remember Heide Rosendahl being hirsute at the '72 Olympics.

[Pego]

I am not obsessed with women's underarms, but I recall the West German women shaved them, whereas the East German women did not. With reunification, they all did.

I don't think shaving underarms was the standard in those days in many Western European countries, either. I remember reading about how an American audience were shocked at Nena's (of '99 Luftballons' fame) concert when they saw her unshaved armpits. That was the 1980s, and apparently in the FRG it was considered perfectly normal.

Correct---I remember Heide Rosendahl being hirsute at the '72 Olympics.

I suspect, Ottoz was referring to their faces, not armpits or legs.