Pippa Middleton's Rock Star Moment

Just in case you were wondering, Pippa Middleton hasn't lost her mojo.

It's been almost a year since Kate's little sister zipped up her bridesmaid dress and earned the title of world's biggest crush. Since then, she's attracted the kind of hysterical, rabid fan-base of a Beatle, circa 1966.

Exhibit A: the above photo taken this past weekend during a charity ski race near Stockholm. After a 56-mile cross-country trek, Middleton crossed the finish line and had a total Pippa-mania moment.

"It was totally spontaneous, really innocent, just a cheek kiss," phantom kisser Erik Smede said in his own defense, on The Daily Beast. Smede, a student and part-time truck driver who lives near Stockholm where the race took place, was working as a steward helping out with the event.

Because of Middleton's participation, the race attracted a large amount of attention from locals as well as photographers (the girl is snapped an average of 400 times a day.) Undeterred, Smede parted the crowds as Middleton crossed the finish line. He whispered something about a cheek kiss being a tradition in the race (it isn't really) and then proceeded to plant one on her at the risk of being dragged off an imaginary stage.

Later he squealed over how her cheek felt against his lips. I kid you not. "For having been skiing for 56 miles she was surprisingly fresh," he said in the Beast interview. Judging from Middleton's calmly appreciative, Elvis-like reaction in the photo, this has happened to her before. Maybe even, all the time.

Smede says he expects more guys to join the race next year, now that Pippa's feet have left their track marks. He also believes she thought his surprise smooch was "funny." Probably not funny ha-ha, but funny WTF.

Has any other woman had this kind of teen idol effect on grown men?


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