Pity all skiers who score just 140 FIS points can't go to the Winter games. Not a hard ask really. The Eurotest for instructors is around the 80 point level.
She is the only woman skier from Thailand on the points list so can go!
Sorry to say that she will be sooooooooo far behind in the race it will be embarrassing!
Just a good PR thing just like the snow leopard from the last games.
It could be that there will be 1 more woman alpine skier from Thailand racing there than team GB, if Chemmy is not selected.
There looks like there will only be 1 man from GB going too. GB could have sent 8 men & 7 women in alpine as that is the number that made the IOC 'A' grade to go. But NO!
I can't get excited over a celebrity doing it for her own PR.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
ansta1, Alastair Pink, pam w, Shocking you guys...
After all it is free
After all it is free
Apologies I had not noticed this thread and posted this on the Piste.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Plugboy,
At what point does this start to affect the quality of courses they can set?
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Plugboy, So if they are qualified why is Team GB not taking them? Is it just down to cash ?
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
davkt, the BOA have decided that their qualification standards have to be me, irrespective of whether the athlete has met the required Olympic qualification standard.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
From BSS website
Quote:
We would like to challenge for medals at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014. We expect to achieve medal success at the Winter Olympic Games by 2018.
I think they actually need to enter skiers in Alpine events to have a chance of challenging & winning medals.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Ahh right so stuff the olympic spirit we just want to win! Despite the fact we have a load of qualified alpine and nordic skiers who on a good day are up there with best in the world the BOA isn't interested because they haven't already won something?
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
davkt wrote:
Ahh right so stuff the olympic spirit we just want to win! Despite the fact we have a load of qualified alpine and nordic skiers who on a good day are up there with best in the world the BOA isn't interested because they haven't already won something?
+1 especially with the younger ones, surely the experience helps towards future improvement????
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
BOA are only interested in supporting those they consider to have a good chance of winning a medal, which is really stupid, but they do the same with the summer sports, if your sport gets an olympic medal it will get more funding, if it doesn't you will loose funding, in addition the selection process is not good, essentially you can be great at your sport but if weather conditions mean some events have not been run this year you may still not be selected because you haven't made the selection comittees criteria despite having being better than other atheletes who will be going because their countries give better support.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Quote:
essentially you can be great at your sport but if weather conditions mean some events have not been run this year you may still not be selected because you haven't made the selection comittees criteria
Isn't this the position that Chemmy Alcott is now in? She has the necessary pre-qualifying but has to demonstrate that she is race-ready. Since her event was cancelled last weekend she cannot now do this before the team is finalised and, I suppose, has .to rely on the largesse of the BOA.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
and the problem they have is that the BOA/BSS have set their criteria and if they waive the rules for Chemmy (for whatever reason) then they run the risk of appeals from the other athletes who have been discounted under the same rules. Most of these athletes are self funded (either begged, borrowed or the other method) to get to a point they have met IOC requirements for qualification.
full team is announced tomorrow I think... going to be some tears and strops I would guess.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
An inspirational 5 min video of the real guys from "Cool Runnings".The true story is even more incredible than the film, some home truths here, the "legacy" this film shows left in Jamaica is here for all to see, incredible.
What a pity our selectors, and the BOA take such a different view on who repesents GB in Alpine Skiing etc . BSS and BOA watch this and weep !!!!
It's not a fair critique of Vanessa Mae that just because she's a "celebrity" or may have been at some point she hasn't put some graft in to meet the standard. Her situation, obviously a supportive country who see the benefits in the the curiosity value her entry will attract, is totally different from GB's totally effed up situation where at least the suits will get to parade at the opening and closing ceremonies without the athletes who might embareass them with underperformance. I've no problem with athletes having to find ways to fund their own training etc but Olympic entry being withheld by gatekeepers is just going to close out interest in the sport.
No doubt they'll be oh so proud of Woodsy, JJ etc who have probably got where they are primarily through commercial sponsors etc rather than BSS.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I tend to think that Vanessa Mae's qualification is exactly in the Olympic spirit and the GB authorities attitude is very poor.
Quote:
without the athletes who might embareass them with underperformance
anecdotally that seemed to be the case with regard to selections at the last Olympics.
davkt, Yes! We had a meeting with Paddy Mortimer BSS performance director in May 2011 where he told us that the BOA will only be taking around 1/2 the athletes to Sochi compared to the amount that went to Vancouver. All down to money. Apparently it costs the BOA £27K per athlete, and they don't have enough cash. They also would only take people who were genuine medal contenders or would definitely finish in the top 2/3rd of the field.
In Alpine from the past 7 Olympics under the old selection criteria only 2 had finished outside the top 2/3rds with a number of top 20's and of course Alain Baxter's bronze in 2002.
So why make it even harder?
fatbob, Yes BSS will be giving themselves a big pat on the back for all the success from Slopestyle etc. They probably have had no input into their programme etc.
The Alpine guys have been left on their own with NO contact from the performance director since last April!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Plugboy, Yep I think the BOA and elite sport in general in the UK has got itself in a mess with its funding summer and winter, take for example the swimmers who did well out of Beijing results but were moaning after their below expectations London games how they'd be loosing out the sailors and cyclists who did really well. Though given what our skiers of all types have achieved in spite of the system rather than because of it it sounds like the message they are sending to the athletes is don't bother, doesn't matter how good you are you aren't going. Sounds like the plot of a movie, oh wait a minute isn't it just about the approach the Jamaican Olympic committee took in Cool Runnings?
After all it is free
After all it is free
The Olympics is not about winning, but all about taking part, as this piece from the Boston Blickbild illustrates.
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Poster: A snowHead
