The “International Centre for Mechanical Sciences” in Udine (Italy) is a result of European integration after WWII and was setup to bring together mechanists from all over the world. The center offers summer schools regularly and I had the pleasure to attend the 27th CISM-IUTAM Summer School on “Sports Physics and Technology”.

CISM is located on Garibaldi Square in this quaint little town in Northern Italy not far from both, the southern edge of the Alps and the northern shore of the Adriatic sea, in a patrician villa with ornate paintings and wood panelling. A basic guest house with shared rooms is located just next to it.
Five high profile lecturers gave presentations on various aspects of sports the most impressive of which has been Prof. Di Prampero, a physiologists with an impressive career. In additon to his insights on physiological limits of exercise, there has been talks on sports technology from Andy (UK), on the aero- and hydrodynamics of swimming and cycling from Christophe (FR), on muscle and mental fatigue of endurance exercise by Guillaume (FR) and on sports statistics by Peko.
The group in attendance was rather small – less than 20 students all together. It has been a pleasant week and given the variety of topics summer schools are offered for I can only recommend a week of mechanics and dolce vita.