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Post by Panda on Feb 12, 2010 13:15:42 GMT 1
Starts tonight in Vancouver!
Yeah, it's not the summer Olympics but it'll do until the World Cup.
Shelley Rudman has been chosen to carry the British flag at the Opening Ceremony. She was Britain's only medal winner in Turin 4 years ago when she won silver in the skeleton bob.
One medal of any colour is usually seen as a successful Winter Olympics for Britain but the BOA has targeted 3 this time and Britain has at least half a dozen realistic medal chances.
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Post by Shireblogger on Feb 12, 2010 14:06:24 GMT 1
I love the winter olympics. Once every four years I sit down and watch sports that I normally pay no attention to. I was one of the millions who stayed up late to watch our women curlers win gold in Utah in 2002. And, for a few months in 2006, I knew as much about the skeleton bob as anyone else in the pub.
Downhill skiing is, obviously, the adrenaline sport. But this year I'll be paying particular attention to the ice hockey, as the Canadians are desperate to win it. I have a Norwegian colleague who is an active cross-country skier, and who has high hopes for a medal from a youngster that he has raced against a few times. And the bobsleigh is an exciting event as well.
Roll on Vancouver.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Feb 12, 2010 14:50:13 GMT 1
It's when they make up sports to make it seem more important that gets me. Like the biathlon. It's like mixing the men's 10,000m with the shot put. Completely mandor.
Then there's skiing. OK, we have skiing downhill, then downhill with lots of poles, then downhill with a few poles. Then we mix them all up together. And now we have skiing down a very bumpy course. Wheeeee.
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Paddy
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Post by Paddy on Feb 13, 2010 0:45:32 GMT 1
Tragic start, Georgian Nodar Kumaritashvili died in Luger 6th practise session. Saw the video earlier, not the best thing to see or hear. The noise is worse.
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Post by Panda on Feb 13, 2010 13:17:55 GMT 1
A terrible start to the Games. Questions have to be asked why there was no padding on the steel pillars...
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Paddy
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Post by Paddy on Feb 13, 2010 15:00:16 GMT 1
Or a wall in the way to slide along instead of something that stops you amediately.
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Post by Shireblogger on Feb 13, 2010 15:44:37 GMT 1
It's when they make up sports to make it seem more important that gets me. Like the biathlon. It's like mixing the men's 10,000m with the shot put. Completely mandor. What a stupid statement. Every single sport is made-up, except bare-foot cross-country running, and bare-knuckle boxing. Biathlon is older than rugby, tennis and basketball, to name but three modern made-up sports.
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Post by Panda on Feb 14, 2010 23:45:17 GMT 1
WINTER OLYMPICS LOOKALIKES: #1:
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Ramz
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Post by Ramz on Feb 15, 2010 1:12:10 GMT 1
If my TV worked, I would have probably really got into this. As it doesn't I'll have to wait 4 more years
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Paddy
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Post by Paddy on Feb 15, 2010 3:21:32 GMT 1
If streaming live off iplayer didn't involve a tv lience I would watch it, going to the common room is a pain in the backside.
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Post by rubcale on Feb 15, 2010 13:35:03 GMT 1
I have a couple of fav sports and have an all round general interest in it but I just can't get excited about the Winter Olympics for some reason.
The only thing I might watch is if there was a final and GB had a chance of a medal.
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Post by Panda on Feb 15, 2010 18:56:04 GMT 1
Alpine skiing finally due to get underway soon with the men's downhill!
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Post by Shireblogger on Feb 15, 2010 22:35:00 GMT 1
A pretty exciting competition. Most of the racers had moments where they needed to recover from a mistake, but there were few crashes. The world's best skiers set the fastest times, unlike some previous Olympics, where complete outsiders have ended up with a medal. And the Canadian crowd seemed up for it as well.
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Post by Panda on Feb 17, 2010 12:25:42 GMT 1
Britain's first outside medal chance gone after Zoe Gillings narrowly missed out on the snowboard cross final. How awesome is snowboard cross, though?
In the X Games they have ski cross as well. I'd love to see that in the Olympics...
The men's curling team have lost their opening match against Sweden, though they also lost their opening game when they won the world title last year (as Scotland).
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Post by Panda on Feb 17, 2010 12:27:39 GMT 1
Oh, and why is Sue Barker commentating on figure skating and Steve Cram commentating on curling? Bizarre choices... Bring back Barry Davies and Dougie Donnelly!
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Elmer
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Post by Elmer on Feb 17, 2010 16:31:01 GMT 1
I think the BBC Commentary is disgraceful and I'm watching all my coverage on Eurosport. Completely missed key Biathlon and Cross Country Skiing events and instead showed luge for about 2 hours and figure skating
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Feb 18, 2010 14:22:06 GMT 1
Britain's first outside medal chance gone after Zoe Gillings narrowly missed out on the snowboard cross final. How awesome is snowboard cross, though? In the X Games they have ski cross as well. I'd love to see that in the Olympics... The men's curling team have lost their opening match against Sweden, though they also lost their opening game when they won the world title last year (as Scotland). good win against france in the curling last night, hope they keep that going against switzerland i think they have next
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Post by Panda on Feb 18, 2010 19:55:43 GMT 1
And the GB women opened with a good win over China yesterday, too.
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Post by Panda on Feb 19, 2010 20:07:27 GMT 1
A big medal chance for Britain tonight with Amy Williams leading the women's skeleton by 0.3 seconds after 2 runs. Turin silver medalist Shelley Rudman is 7th.
In the men's event Kristan Bromley is 5th...
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Post by Shireblogger on Feb 20, 2010 9:09:00 GMT 1
Amy Williams wins Britain's first solo Winter Olympics gold medal for 30 years with victory in the women's skeleton. Shelley Rudman was sixth, as was Kristan Bromley in the men's skeleton.
I confess I didn't stay up to watch, but have caught a replay on the BBC website this morning.
Congratulations Amy, and what a charming champion. Brave, modest and personable. I'm so happy for her. 2010 Sports Personality Of The Year (I wish) ?
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