The Official CC Winter Olympics Thread....

[Aperitif]

My apologies to Dan Bo. But which was I watching then? They were going round in circles, seemed fast to me.

Is speed skating a long distance, and short track a short distance? I thought it was the track that was short, not the distance. Well err... it is a very long time ago, that I was skating. Usually watched Ice Hockey as a spectator.

Let it slide Speicher...chill!

 

[Speicher]

I have figured it out now.

 

[mangaman]

I watched the quarter finals (?), semi-finals of the men's short track speed skating. Well done to Jack (sorry - forgotten your surname).

I do apologise for laughing in the final. An over enthusiastic Korean skater tried to get into too small a space and ending up sliding into the very soft* barrier, accompanied by his team mate. I can guess that hasty arrangements are being made so that they are kep out of each other's way for some time. This was in the last corner before the Line, and they would have got first, second and third for their country.

* It looks soft compared to the barriers at Solihull ice rink, where I learned to skate.

BTW who said that it looks like they are skating slowly. You must have been watching a different race.

Do they ever skate the other way round? and do they end up with one leg a different shape to the other?

Yeah I saw that - it's my favourite Winter Olympic Sport

Am I the only one who finds the winter olympics a bit boring


Ice skating /dancing is all subjectively judged and most sports are one person after another sliding rapidly down a hill. It's like watching 2000 time trials in the TDF one by one. Very skilful / athletic but not great TV viewing.

The only sports that you could claim has any tactical component are ice hockey, where you can't see what's happening as the puck moves too quickly, and curling which is just crown green bowls for Scottish women, on ice, with brooms.

Shuffles off quietly hoping no-one has noticed.....

 

[Aperitif]

I have often thought that Glasgow Corporation Street Cleaner interviews might ask the potential applicantss if they play any sport.
"Yes, curling, why?"

You have got the job!

Sliding around sports don't excite me much either. There's no doubting the skills and strengths + bravery, but it is not i-n-t-e-r-e-s-t-i-n-g - for me.

Now, if those sledges were laden with Christmas presents, and a few 'chimney targets' on the way down...

 

[mr Mag00]

bring on the biathlon, sport of kings and queens of endurance and cardio control tis excellent!

 

[Speicher]

I got very confused when the Moguls were described as being in Cyprus.

 

[trustysteed]

Mongolia, surely?

 

[Speicher]

It sounded like Moguls - it was those bumpy downhill skiing competitions, with two kickers. Kickers being the word for small jumps with star jumps or somersaults.

 

[mr_cellophane]

I got very confused when the Moguls were described as being in Cyprus.

I went up to see the skiing facilities on Mount Olympus last summer. Very strange, 90 degrees and ski lifts. May be one day I will go there in the winter and see what it is like with snow.

Stopped up till 3:30 this morning, but couldn't last till the finals. I couldn't quite keep up with the relay, too many skaters on the ice at once. They said that one of the women female skaters was fast enough to be in the top 10 with the men.
The moguls were good this morning. The presenter made it look easy at the speed he did it, then the real athletes started. Do men do that as well, or is it a woman only event ?

 

[darkstar]

I went up to see the skiing facilities on Mount Olympus last summer. Very strange, 90 degrees and ski lifts. May be one day I will go there in the winter and see what it is like with snow.

Stopped up till 3:30 this morning, but couldn't last till the finals. I couldn't quite keep up with the relay, too many skaters on the ice at once. They said that one of the women female skaters was fast enough to be in the top 10 with the men.
The moguls were good this morning. The presenter made it look easy at the speed he did it, then the real athletes started. Do men do that as well, or is it a woman only event ?

The men are on tonight from midnight (moguls) Its even faster and the tricks are great

 

[Noodley]

The BBC seem to be showing the same sports over and over - live and then highlights - rather than covering a wider range; they mention medals in others sports but no real coverage. Is it due to some contractual agreements?

 

[Speicher]

Have you got the interactive "red button" on your TV Noodley?

 

[rich p]

It's time you splashed out on Eurosport, noodley, if only for the wall to wall cycling coverage of the Giro, the TdF and most of the Classics - oh, and the athletics and winter olympics too!

 

[darkstar]

It's time you splashed out on Eurosport, noodley, if only for the wall to wall cycling coverage of the Giro, the TdF and most of the Classics - oh, and the athletics and winter olympics too!

Agreed! there's woman's speed skating on at the moment

 

[Speicher]

In that case, look closely at the outfits for the Canadian speed skaters!
Seems to be a funny place to put the black motif of the Maple Leaf.