Winter Olympics

[Ganymede]

Actually The Jump has got better - I watched the speed skating last night and it was quite fun. Marcus Brigstocke was surprisingly good! They do seem to be breaking bits of their slebs, though, and when one of them is the revered Sir Steve it does seem a bit daring-in-a-bad-way!

 

[Ganymede]

Can't escape it living in Norway.
I'm hoping Andrew Musgrave gets a medal this time. The fella lives in Norway and has competed in the Norwegian national championships the past couple of years. Coming 2nd last year, and 1st this year!! I don't know how this happens though. I don't believe he is quicker than the norwegians over 15km. There must be other factors at play.
The tea-tray, or the skeleton, is something i look forward to. You have to be mental to do that.

Come on the UK!

I believe there's a British skier who has taken another nationality (not sure which but I guess French, Italian..?) in order to be able to ski in the moguls competition, as our team doesn't have the resources. It's a bit of an arcane discipline, which is odd really as all recreational skiers have to ski moguls at some point (my knees screamingly concur).

 

[Bryony]

Actually The Jump has got better - I watched the speed skating last night and it was quite fun. Marcus Brigstocke was surprisingly good! They do seem to be breaking bits of their slebs, though, and when one of them is the revered Sir Steve it does seem a bit daring-in-a-bad-way!

Yes not sure there will be a second series!!

 

[User169]

I believe there's a British skier who has taken another nationality (not sure which but I guess French, Italian..?) in order to be able to ski in the moguls competition, as our team doesn't have the resources. It's a bit of an arcane discipline, which is odd really as all recreational skiers have to ski moguls at some point (my knees screamingly concur).

Iffy fiddler, Vanessa Mae, is skiing for Thailand.

 

[Ganymede]

Iffy fiddler, Vanessa Mae, is skiing for Thailand.

Yeah, never would have seen that coming! Rather brilliant, really. *stores phrase "iffy fiddler" for later deployment*

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

The only sport I have no interest in is curling. Bloody bollocks.

Only if you have ADHD or the attention span of a 5 year old or something.

Its one of these sports where there's actually a lot more to it than meets the eye, beleive me, I know!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Also, interestingly, if Scotland got its Independence, then an English/UK Curling team would still probably be made up of Scots!!

Except for the ice sheets at Fentons in Kent, the majority of people have to train in Scotland, including the English team, who are made up of Scots with English heritage anyway!

The Irish and Welsh are in a similar situation, obviously!

 

[snorri]

Here's a game for the armchair winter sport enthusiasts http://www.visitnorway.com/holmenkollen/

 

[Dayvo]

My sister-in-law's son (himself a very good skier and now top ski mechanic/engineer with Fischer skis) is very good mates with Andrew Musgrave and reckons he has serious chances of getting a medal in several of the cross country skiing events.

Peter Northug (the bad boy of cross country skiing) could well take a hatfull of gold medals.

An ex girlfriend's niece (Therese Johaug) , who is already a world and Olympic champion in cross country skiing is another I'll be looking out for. And I'll be cheering on Finland's ice hockey team.

 

[totallyfixed]

My sister-in-law's son (himself a very good skier and now top ski mechanic/engineer with Fischer skis) is very good mates with Andrew Musgrave and reckons he has serious chances of getting a medal in several of the cross country skiing events.

Peter Northug (the bad boy of cross country skiing) could well take a hatfull of gold medals.

An ex girlfriend's niece (Therese Johaug) , who is already a world and Olympic champion in cross country skiing is another I'll be looking out for. And I'll be cheering on Finland's ice hockey team.

Andrew Musgrave is a class act, I have been watching him since he first emerged on the world cup scene but his only realistic chance is in the sprints in freestyle and although I haven't seen them yet I believe the tracks at Sochi are testing and in sprinting you have to be in the right place at the right time.
Therese Johaug, along with Ole Einar Bjoerndalen are my favourite athletes to watch, Therese is incredible and a role model for any woman in sport, workaholic is an understatement. Unfortunately, as in cycling the FIS is run by old men so the women always ski much shorter distances than the men which is ridiculous because athletes like Therese Johaug are built for long distance and this does them a huge disservice.
Northug missed a lot of training earlier in the year so is playing catch up, so will be interesting, Martin Johnsrud Sundby is the man on form from 10 km upwards.

 

[Fnaar]

I used to be fascinated by ski-jumping when I was a kid. Always wanted to have a go (and I've not seen 'The Jump' yet... is it pants? I love Davina though... mmm )

 

[Ganymede]

I used to be fascinated by ski-jumping when I was a kid. Always wanted to have a go (and I've not seen 'The Jump' yet... is it pants? I love Davina though... mmm )

Pants in parts but quite enjoyable. They are wearing odd ski gear though, looks like it's made of foam rubber, most unflattering. Davina in fake fur of course, much better!

 

[snorri]

I used to be fascinated by ski-jumping when I was a kid. Always wanted to have a go (and I've not seen 'The Jump' yet... is it pants? I love Davina though... mmm )

I visited an earlier edition of the Holmenkollen jump featured in the game above (post23) when cycle touring a few years ago. Believe me, I held on tightly when standing on the 'launch pad' and looking down over the landing zone. ,

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I prefer the Winter Olympics to the summer.
There's so much I like including, ski jumping, cross country, skating, luge

This. Precisely.

 

[totallyfixed]

What did you compete in?

I love winter sports, really enjoy watching bobsleigh (would love to have a go) and stuff like biathlon.

Living a bit on past glory, I was a Biathlete and cross country skier before that, very fortunate to have had a go at quite a lot of the winter sports including the bobsleigh which is mental. If anyone has not watched the Biathlon, do so, it's absolutely fascinating with no guarantee of winning until the last shoot is over, as I know to my cost, once did a clear shoot on the next lane's targets, 5 laps of the magic roundabout made sure I never made that mistake again .