# Winter Olympics



## Cathryn (2 Feb 2022)

I am quite excited about watching them! Not that fussed about the curling which is on today but the whole slalom/snowboard tricks/luge/ski-jump things are amazing!


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## Baldy (2 Feb 2022)

I just hope that they show some x country skiing, they don't normally. I think the presenters are too thick to understand it. I think Andy Musgrove is the best chance of a medal in x country we ever had.


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## Cathryn (2 Feb 2022)

I went out with someone of that name. (Frantically heads off to google)


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## Cathryn (2 Feb 2022)

Definitely not the same one.


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## Stephenite (2 Feb 2022)

There’s a tv series following the GB gents cross country team as they’re gearing up for the 2022 Olympics.

It’s called The Olympic Draum.


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## steveindenmark (3 Feb 2022)

Stephenite said:


> There’s a tv series following the GB gents cross country team as they’re gearing up for the 2022 Olympics.
> 
> It’s called The Olympic Draum.


Why would a GB film crew start using Nordic words in film titles?


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## srj10 (3 Feb 2022)

Speed Skating and Ice Hockey for me.


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## Tenacious Sloth (3 Feb 2022)

X-Country and Biathlon for me.

I do hope the BBC up their game and make it easier to find their coverage of these events. In previous years it’s been a nightmare to find out what’s on when.


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## vickster (3 Feb 2022)

Tenacious Sloth said:


> X-Country and Biathlon for me.
> 
> I do hope the BBC up their game and make it easier to find their coverage of these events. In previous years it’s been a nightmare to find out what’s on when.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/winter-olympics/59939987

Europsort tends to have a lot of winter sports too generally


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## CanucksTraveller (3 Feb 2022)

I particularly like all the outright speed events, so things like the downhill, the super G, luge, skeleton and bobsleigh. I always look forward to those, such bravery and such a spectacle. I'm starting to get more into the snowboard events as well for the same reasons, the cross and slopestyle, big air... those kids are insanely brave. I can take or leave some of the other events, the figure skating and the bowls on ice leave me cold. (Sorry). Half pipe is a bit samey. I'm a natural fan of the Ice Hockey although the unbridled violence of the NHL is rather tempered at the Olympics and there's virtually no chance of some pagga between a couple of enforcers. 

[Cool story Bro]: I was once lucky enough to have a go at skiing the downhill course used in the 2010 winter Olympics, only 8 weeks before the Olympics were held. I thought it was surprisingly doable and I proudly got down in one piece in a time of about 20 minutes... then I considered that the racers would do that course with a time of less than 2 minutes. And in a rather straighter line than my tentative zig zaggy traverses. That brought me back to earth somewhat. 
Brave, crazy nut cases!


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## Shadow (3 Feb 2022)

Baldy said:


> Andy Musgrove is the best chance of a medal in x country


Most certainly. However, I think his chance was 4 years ago. We shall see.



Tenacious Sloth said:


> it’s been a nightmare to find out what’s on when


Always difficult when there is such s huge time difference. If you want to see stuff live - which I often do. I have been known to get up at 03.00 to watch something I hope to be memorable - usually hockey.


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## Shadow (3 Feb 2022)

CanucksTraveller said:


> things like the downhill, the super G, luge, skeleton and bobsleigh


Insanely fast. So fast that medals are determined by hundredths of seconds, something I find hard to watch sometimes.
Olympic Games factoid: luge is the only sport to time to thousandths of a second!

I was at the finish line of 4 man bob for a while in 2010. The adrenalin, size and muscularity of these guys was astonishing, something that I never really noticed on tv.



CanucksTraveller said:


> unbridled violence of the NHL


Something that is much reduced these days. The days of 'going to a fight and finding a hockey game breaking out' is quite rare, certainly at pro level. Generally only found during regular season matches. Come the playoffs, it is almost zero because it can be so devastatingly detrimental to a team winning.



CanucksTraveller said:


> no chance of some pagga between a couple of enforcers.


Quite true. Playing short-handed because of of some goon's idiotic penalties could be crucial to a game's outcome, penalties tend to be few in any given game. And as the knock out stages are one game only affairs at the Olympics, unlike the Stanley Cup playoffs of 7 games, it makes sense to concede as few penalties as possible. 
I would love to see the Olympics final to be a best of 3 or 5 affair!


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## Shadow (3 Feb 2022)

For GB fans, the mixed curlers have got off to a great start by beating 2 medal contenders. Looking like an excellent bet for a medal - just which colour?
Big shame for the Swedes and Canucks🇨🇦.


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## Dayvo (3 Feb 2022)

Baldy said:


> I think Andy Musgrove is the best chance of a medal in x country we ever had.


I met him a number of years ago at my nephew’s wedding. They are friends and trained and competed with each other. 
The Norwegians (whose opinion in these matters are second to none) rate him highly.


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## matticus (3 Feb 2022)

Shadow said:


> Insanely fast. So fast that medals are determined by hundredths of seconds, something I find hard to watch sometimes.
> Olympic Games factoid: luge is the only sport to time to thousandths* of a second!
> 
> I was at the finish line of 4 man bob for a while in 2010. The adrenalin, size and muscularity of these guys was astonishing, something that I never really noticed on tv.


(*I think motorsports generally do too?)

I accidentally saw a bit of the World Bobsleigh Pushing Championships a few/many years ago. By the harbour, in the roasting summer heat of Monaco.
They basically setup short railway lines as the track, then charged along them, bellowing like ... well like a 4-man bob team starting a race.


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## Shadow (3 Feb 2022)

matticus said:


> (*I think motorsports generally do too?)


Which motor sport is in the Olympics?!!


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## BrumJim (3 Feb 2022)

CanucksTraveller said:


> I particularly like all the outright speed events, so things like the downhill, the super G, luge, skeleton and bobsleigh. I always look forward to those, such bravery and such a spectacle. I'm starting to get more into the snowboard events as well for the same reasons, the cross and slopestyle, big air... those kids are insanely brave. I can take or leave some of the other events, the figure skating and the bowls on ice leave me cold. (Sorry). Half pipe is a bit samey. I'm a natural fan of the Ice Hockey although the unbridled violence of the NHL is rather tempered at the Olympics and there's virtually no chance of some pagga between a couple of enforcers.
> 
> [Cool story Bro]: I was once lucky enough to have a go at skiing the downhill course used in the 2010 winter Olympics, only 8 weeks before the Olympics were held. I thought it was surprisingly doable and I proudly got down in one piece in a time of about 20 minutes... then I considered that the racers would do that course with a time of less than 2 minutes. And in a rather straighter line than my tentative zig zaggy traverses. That brought me back to earth somewhat.
> Brave, crazy nut cases!



I've hooned it down the famous Lauberhorn route in Wengen. Two things shocked me:

1) Coming over the Hundschopf my skis were fully in contact with the snow. Downhill racers get so much air that they hardly have any time after they land before they take the next corner.
2) I can make it down in 5-6 minutes without hanging around or zig zagging, and boy it is a real buzz. They do it 3 times quicker.


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## matticus (3 Feb 2022)

Shadow said:


> Which motor sport is in the Olympics?!!


Keirin??


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## vickster (3 Feb 2022)

matticus said:


> Keirin??


Except the guy with the motor isn't a competitor


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## MontyVeda (3 Feb 2022)

steveindenmark said:


> Why would a GB film crew start using Nordic words in film titles?


'coz it's a Nordic Sport innit bruv


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## MontyVeda (3 Feb 2022)

Cathryn said:


> .. Not that fussed about the curling ...


Is that the one where they pretend to mop the ice?


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## matticus (3 Feb 2022)

vickster said:


> Except the guy with the motor isn't a competitor


Ah - that explains a lot. Thanks!


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## Shadow (3 Feb 2022)

vickster said:


> Except the guy with the motor isn't a competitor


Nor is it in Winter Games.


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## Tenacious Sloth (3 Feb 2022)

vickster said:


> https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/winter-olympics/59939987
> 
> Europsort tends to have a lot of winter sports too generally



Yeah. I’ve seen that.

But you have to look through each day, notice an event that’s on in the sport you’re interested in. It’ll tell you what time it starts (you can get this info from any winter olympics site), but they don’t tell you what channel it’ll be shown on, or whether it’s only online with the BBC Sport app?

And when you do finally find the event you’re interested in and start watching it, halfway through they’ll change to show some Scottish woman rolling a rock down an ice rink, because out of the 50 people in the world who actually participate in this ‘hobby’, she may make it into the last 32! 

How hard can it be in this technological age to select the event you’re interested in and have them tell you when it is being played and what channel/app you need to be on to watch it?

Rant about the BBC over. Thanks for listening.


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## vickster (3 Feb 2022)

Tenacious Sloth said:


> Yeah. I’ve seen that.
> 
> But you have to look through each day, notice an event that’s on in the sport you’re interested in. It’ll tell you what time it starts (you can get this info from any winter olympics site), but they don’t tell you what channel it’ll be shown on, or whether it’s only online with the BBC Sport app?
> 
> ...


Schedule can be browsed here
https://olympics.com/beijing-2022/olympic-games/en/results/all-sports/olympic-schedule.htm

Discovery+ seems to be carrying much of it if you wish to subscribe


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## Tenacious Sloth (3 Feb 2022)

vickster said:


> Schedule can be browsed here
> https://olympics.com/beijing-2022/olympic-games/en/results/all-sports/olympic-schedule.htm
> 
> Discovery+ seems to be carrying much of it if you wish to subscribe



You’ve not been listening have you?

You can go to any Winter Olympics site and see a schedule of which events happen when and, unlike the site you link to, they can also tell you in UK time.

My beef is with the BBC in particular, who I partially fund through my licence fee.

And before you start linking to Norwegian pay-per-view streaming sites, would it be too much to ask that I don’t have to pay extra to see what time and channel I can watch my favoured event on?

I expect the BBC coverage of most events will be excellent - I’d just like to know where and when to turn on?


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## vickster (3 Feb 2022)

Tenacious Sloth said:


> You’ve not been listening have you?
> 
> You can go to any Winter Olympics site and see a schedule of which events happen when and, unlike the site you link to, they can also tell you in UK time.
> 
> ...


Time to write to Points of View


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## Tenacious Sloth (3 Feb 2022)

vickster said:


> Time to write to Points of View



I would, but I don’t think I belong to any of the demographics they’re terrified of upsetting.


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## sheddy (3 Feb 2022)

Mixed Curling.
A great opportunity to share the housework.
Thankyou Linda Smith


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## Rusty Nails (3 Feb 2022)

Are the skiing and snowboarding events going to have enough natural snow, or will there be reliance on artificial snow for them?


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## Baldy (3 Feb 2022)

It's all artificial snow, where it's being held is very cold but a desert, so no precipitation.


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## Rusty Nails (3 Feb 2022)

Baldy said:


> It's all artificial snow, where it's being held is very cold but a desert, so no precipitation.


As a non skier I don't know the answer, but will this affect the quality of the skiing and the competition at all?


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## lazybloke (3 Feb 2022)

Cathryn said:


> I am quite excited about watching them! Not that fussed about the curling which is on today but the whole slalom/snowboard tricks/luge/ski-jump things are amazing!


I've tried curling a couple of times; great fun, well worth a visit to Fenton's rink (other venues are available)


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## Tenacious Sloth (4 Feb 2022)

lazybloke said:


> I've tried curling a couple of times; great fun, well worth a visit to Fenton's rink (other venues are available)



It’s basically ‘Bowls on Ice’.

I just know that they’re going to add Bowls into the Paris Summer Olympics and leave out Squash. Again.


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## matticus (4 Feb 2022)

Tenacious Sloth said:


> It’s basically ‘Bowls on Ice’.
> 
> I just know that they’re going to add Bowls into the Paris Summer Olympics and leave out Squash. Again.


Pétanque, surely?!?


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## Baldy (4 Feb 2022)

Rusty Nails said:


> As a non skier I don't know the answer, but will this affect the quality of the skiing and the competition at all?


No .


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## lazybloke (4 Feb 2022)

Baldy said:


> It's all artificial snow, where it's being held is very cold but a desert, so no precipitation.





Rusty Nails said:


> As a non skier I don't know the answer, but will this affect the quality of the skiing and the competition at all?





Baldy said:


> No .



Must be 17 years since I've been the slopes, but I definitely remember the skis running differently as I passed the snow cannon.


Hmm. Probably I was just noticing the difference between compacted & uncompacted snow.

To put it another way, I don't know.


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## Baldy (4 Feb 2022)

As it's all artificial snow there's none of the contrasting patches of different snow. And, they all have to ski the same sloop so it's the same for everyone.


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## Alex321 (4 Feb 2022)

Rusty Nails said:


> Are the skiing and snowboarding events going to have enough natural snow, or will there be reliance on artificial snow for them?


That venue gets an average of 8 inches of snow per year. So no chance of enough natural snow


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## Alex321 (4 Feb 2022)

Rusty Nails said:


> As a non skier I don't know the answer, but will this affect the quality of the skiing and the competition at all?


A little and no, respectively.

It does affect the quality of the skiing, but it will be the same for all of them, and it doesn't affect the quality as much for that level of racing, because the pistes are always artificially iced up anyhow for the races.


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## matticus (6 Feb 2022)

I'd forgotten about the speed skating.
That is proper sport, and usually proper exciting.
Team Relay final was fantastic. 👍


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## Tenacious Sloth (6 Feb 2022)

vickster said:


> https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/winter-olympics/59939987
> 
> Europsort tends to have a lot of winter sports too generally



I’ve given up with the BBC and am using the Eurosport free trial to watch the proper winter sports while the BBC concentrates on covering the annihilation of the British competitors, followed by talking about it in excruciating detail for the following few hours.


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## Mo1959 (6 Feb 2022)

matticus said:


> I'd forgotten about the speed skating.
> That is proper sport, and usually proper exciting.
> Team Relay final was fantastic. 👍


I noticed they had some rather nice bikes for their warm up too.

I’m enjoying the Moguls. Looks so hard on the body though.


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## Beebo (14 Feb 2022)

Not sure dressing up as a tiger can be allowed. 
I presume there is some requirements to be correctly attired when competing. It does paint the event as a bit of a joke. 
Or am I just a grumpy old man?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/winter-olympics/60372527


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## Smokin Joe (14 Feb 2022)

Whether she was herself complicit in doping or not is neither here nor there. To allow her to continue is unfair on the other competitors.


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## Beebo (14 Feb 2022)

Smokin Joe said:


> Whether she was herself complicit in doping or not is neither here nor there. To allow her to continue is unfair on the other competitors.


Apparently as she’s under 16 she has to be treated differently. 
Which does seem to suggest it’s open season on doping for under 16s?


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## matticus (14 Feb 2022)

Beebo said:


> Not sure dressing up as a tiger can be allowed.
> I presume there is some requirements to be correctly attired when competing. It does paint the event as a bit of a joke.
> Or am I just a grumpy old man?
> 
> https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/winter-olympics/60372527


We should ask Cippolini his view.


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## Alex321 (14 Feb 2022)

Beebo said:


> Not sure dressing up as a tiger can be allowed.
> I presume there is some requirements to be correctly attired when competing. It does paint the event as a bit of a joke.
> Or am I just a grumpy old man?
> 
> https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/winter-olympics/60372527



I think in slopestyle events there is very little regulation about attire.

Dressing up as a tiger is allowed - but she shouldn't have done so with a one-piece suit, it should have been separate top & trousers.


This appears to be the entire rule, apart from the general rules applying to all FIS events regarding advertising and not permitting obscene messages or images on clothing.
https://assets.fis-ski.com/image/up..._JP_NC_SB_FS_FK_Competiton_Equipment_2020.pdf
Section F(3)
*Competition Clothing *
Competition suits must be two piece – pants and separate top. Form fitting speed or downhill suits are not permitted. Non protruding body protection and padding is recommended. Protective equipment i.e. back protection must be worn on the body. No straps, fastening devices or other methods can be used to tighten the suit material closer to the body. Shin guards are excluded from this rule.


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## Beebo (14 Feb 2022)

matticus said:


> We should ask Cippolini his view.


I’ve just googled his skin suits. I bet he didn’t wear one at the Olympics.


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## Time Waster (14 Feb 2022)

Alex321 said:


> A little and no, respectively.
> 
> It does affect the quality of the skiing, but it will be the same for all of them, and it doesn't affect the quality as much for that level of racing, because the pistes are always artificially iced up anyhow for the races.


The quality of the facilities probably had more of an impact. AIUI on the half pipe last Olympics in iirc Pyeongchang in South Korea had an absolutely poor quality half pipe that affected the results. The legendary Shaun White had a poor by his standards Olympics there and the pipe quality was considered the reason.

This Olympics it has been a good competition with good facilities overall. I enjoyed watching Shaun White. He is an absolute legend IMHO. He did get his joint worst result this year at 4th place! 5 Olympics and 3 golds, 2 4th places and the first person to have competed in the winter and summer x games. He had a good last Olympics despite not medalling. He had the v respect of all competitors.


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## srj10 (18 Feb 2022)

Well done team gb men and women reaching the final in the curling.


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## Roseland triker (18 Feb 2022)

srj10 said:


> Well done team gb men and women reaching the final in the curling.


Yep. We have both male and females in the curling finals now👍


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## BrumJim (21 Feb 2022)

And now a silver medal winning mens team, and a gold medal winning womens team.


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## Dogtrousers (21 Feb 2022)

Finnish Skier Remi Lindholm Suffers 'Frozen' Penis In Winter Olympics Cross-Country Race
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/finnish-skier-remi-lindholm-suffers-144719443.html


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## Grant Fondo (21 Feb 2022)

Dogtrousers said:


> Finnish Skier Remi Lindholm Suffers 'Frozen' Penis In Winter Olympics Cross-Country Race
> https://uk.news.yahoo.com/finnish-skier-remi-lindholm-suffers-144719443.html


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## Roseland triker (21 Feb 2022)

ouch .,...


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## Rusty Nails (21 Feb 2022)

BrumJim said:


> And now a silver medal winning mens team, and a gold medal winning womens team.


Great results and good to watch, but a bit depressing that the only medals we got in these Olympics required expertise in housework.


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## Dayvo (21 Feb 2022)

An ex girlfriend’s niece scooped 3 golds for Norway - Therese Johaug.
I held her in my arms when she was a baby, but I’m too modest to take any credit for her success.


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## Tenacious Sloth (21 Feb 2022)

Dayvo said:


> An ex girlfriend’s niece scooped 3 golds for Norway - Therese Johaug.
> I held her in my arms when she was a baby, but I’m too modest to take any credit for her success.



She is an amazing skier. Currently streets ahead of her opposition.


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## Dayvo (21 Feb 2022)

Tenacious Sloth said:


> She is an amazing skier. Currently streets ahead of her opposition.


Indeed she is, but she’s 34 later this year, and although she is tremendously fit and has incredible self-belief and an iron will, she’ll start to notice injuries and other niggles. Plus the new generation of young skiers are ready to pounce when/if she makes a mistake.
Also she’s at the age where she may want to start a family.


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## Beebo (22 Feb 2022)

Dayvo said:


> An ex girlfriend’s niece scooped 3 golds for Norway - Therese Johaug.
> I held her in my arms when she was a baby, but I’m too modest to take any credit for her success.


She single handedly beat the whole of GB in the medals table.


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## matticus (22 Feb 2022)

Beebo said:


> She single handedly beat the whole of GB in the medals table.


And Italy.

And New Zealand.

And Finland.

And Iceland.

And Denmark.

And Yorkshire.


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## Beebo (22 Feb 2022)

matticus said:


> And Italy.
> 
> And New Zealand.
> 
> ...


Interesting. There are some quite big hitters in that list.
Italy did win 17 medals. Only 2 were gold.


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## T4tomo (22 Feb 2022)

Tenacious Sloth said:


> She is an amazing skier. Currently streets ahead of her opposition.


and a convicted drug cheat..


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