Winter Olympics?

[speedplay]

So, any one who watches these events? Looks like the Canadians have messed things up with them.
The slope for bob-sleigh, Skeleton and the others seems to be pretty darn dangerous. First there was the tragic death of tone of the participants, then there was 9 (NINE!) bob-sleigh accidents during the practice runs.

When it comes to down hill skiing, I've heard a lot of complaints about the "tracks", they are claimed to be very dangerous.

Long skiing, or what ever it translates to also have had a couple of accidents, a girl went out side the course and fell down a couple of metres to injure her self pretty badly.

Others then that, my main interest is in the hockey tournament, even though the Swedish team have been anything but impressive this far. The ladies 1-13 against Canada is hardly something to be proud off.

[Peter C]

You can expect some accidents on the course, used for Bobsleigh, Skeketon and Luge, as it's the fastest and most technically difficult run in the world.

The safety of the course had actually been questioned before the Olympics, in particular from starters who were doing the longer start and it was banking around Thunderbird, the last corner on the track; that was the cause of concern.

Some consider the banking not sufficiently high enough to cater for athletes or Bobsleigh crews who lose control or get off the racing line coming into Thunderbird, through the previous high speed corners. Tragically the point was proved with the death of the Georgian athlete.

As they didn't have time to make adjustments to the course, the Luge events went off the shorter start.

Unfortunately, Bobsleigh accidents in practice are also inevitable, as they are going off the longer start too and the crews are having to learn how to handle the higher technical demands and speed of the course.

On a more positive note, I was pleased to see Amy Williams win gold for Great Britain, in the Women's Skeleton. Her first run set a new world record and left her fellow competitors stunned. She proved it was no fluke, with another three solid runs, to take the gold medal.

Regarding the overnight protest put in and headed by the USA, about the legality of her helmet; in an attempt to get her disqualified. Well, that was blatant gamemanship to try and upset her rhythm and didn't impress me at all. Fortunately, Amy was smart enough to spot it for what it was and didn't allow it to affect her performance.

I haven't seen any of the Women's Ice Hockey, but I did notice Canada and the USA were easily winning their group games and they are the teams, that are expected to be playing each other in the final. Unless Sweden can pull of a giant killiing act by beating the USA, in the semifinals; I feel their best chance of a medal is bronze, against Finland.

I've seen some of the downhill events and I was impressed by Svindal winning gold in the super G, geat run.

Shaun White in the Halfpipe turned in an impressive final run too.

[cyber1call]

The sports you mentioned are always dangerous and involve lots of crashes. In the case of this Olympics one big factor is that the Canadians did not allow any international events or even practice by non-Canadians on the bobsled track before the Games began. One Canadian luger commented that he was at a disadvantage every time he went to Europe where the lugers there had often trained on the European runs since childhood. He felt for once this policy might give the Canadians a similar "home field" advantage. I won't comment on the sportsmanship of that point-of-view, but it would certainly have an effect on the consistency of teams new to the track.

 

[cyber1call]

Oh...another point...keep in mind that these athletes are not competing for money or World Cup points. Only a medal has any significance so they are going to "push the envelope" more than usual. There are only three "winners" in each event and they will try anything to get even a Bronze Medal. So if you ski the downhill and when it's your turn you need the fastest run of your life to get on the podium, you are going to take wild chances since 4th place in the Olympics is the worst possible result.

 

[speedplay]

Actually, to say that they aren't competing for money is a little naive, since I think we all know that winning an Olympic gold will mean a lot financially.

In some of the event's they score points for the world cup as well, not sure if this goes for all event's, but I know that long skiing amongst others have it.

4th place is always the worst possible result, even if it may feel worse in the OG.

[Peter C]

Spot on Speedplay.

Olympic Gold medal winners are in demand, so it is financially rewarding for them.

I notice Sweden are playing against Finland, in the bronze medal play off match, today. Good luck to them on that one.

Whereas you're probably disappointed at Sweden's 4-3 loss to Slovakia in the men's quarter final.

Canada v Slovakia in the Semi finals, doesn't quite have the same ring about it as Canada v Sweden would have. Given the choice though, I've no doubt the Canadians are happier facing Slovakia than Sweden.

And my Canadian relatives would have been pleased with the Quarter final win over Russia, too.

[speedplay]

Loosing against Slovakia surely wasn't how we wanted to end this tournament, but to be honest, I don't think our team have played good during this tournament.

Seeing how Canada destroyed Russia, we should perhaps consider our self as lucky to lose against Slovakia to avoid the humiliation of facing Canada? Look at the result our ladies got against them, 1-13! Embarrassing, not only for our team or country, but for the entire sport of woman hockey. Sweden have won one match out of 40 against USA and as far as I know, we have never beaten Canada, and we are still considered a top nation in the sport?!?! Well, we lost to Finland, who have played a lot better then us, so no surprise.

[Peter C]

I see Canada won the Gold in the Womens Ice Hockey.

[cyber1call]

Actually, to say that they aren't competing for money is a little naive, since I think we all know that winning an Olympic gold will mean a lot financially.

Sure in an intangible way they are certainly competing for money. But in normal competitions professionals receive actual prize money (and points for season-end prize money as well). If you know that 4th place will get you 1,000 euros (or whatever) you may be less likely to push too hard just to move up one spot and make 2,000 euros when a DSQ might give you zero.

You are right that in the Olympics, the intangibles and money making potential of winning a medal are indeed incredibly significant. That's why I say that for such events the competitors are willing to take incredible risks to get on the podium that they might not take in regular events. In a sense it's all or nothing because their is no sliding scale of reward except for 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. Certainly World Cup wins or even high point finishes give an athlete lots of status than can lead to a nice career, but nothing gives lifelong job security like an Olympic medal.

So I wasn't trying to imply that it was all about the "honor" (though that is a factor). My point is that Olympic medals are SO incredibly rewarding in FUTURE money making potential and other intangibles that these competitions are in a class by themselves.

[Peter C]

What a great way to round off the Winter Olympics.

Watching Crosby score in overtime to win the gold medal for Canada, ended a great game of Ice Hockey.

Credit goes to both sets of players, for the way that game was played and the fact it was won in Vancouver makes it all the more special, for my Canadian relatives.