Poster: A snowHead
|
So says the NYT which goes on
To an outsider, cross-country skiing seems less like a sport than a survival technique, an absolute last resort — something you might come up with when your snowmobile crashes in the wilderness and food is scarce and everyone is on the brink of hypothermia, so the toughest self-punishing puritan of the group pulls the runners off the snowmobile and duct-tapes them to her feet and goes slogging off toward civilization, crossing the empty miles, fueled by desperation more than hope.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/01/31/magazine/winter-olympics-cross-country-skiing.html
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Shows what they know, eh?
Mind you, if all you have to XC on is east coast concrete, maybe they have a point.
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
I guess he hasn't tried watching curling ...
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
I find the biathlon weirdly therapeutic to watch
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Looking forward to it, been following Dorothea Wierer and a few others through training and WC so far.
You want some silly sports how about Ariel's, or any of the various vehicles they slide down the bobsled track.
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Yes I agree about biathlon, can't beat a good men's pursuit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
What's not to like:
|
|
|
|
|
|
I enjoy watching Alpine ski racing, cross country, biathlon, ski jumping, ski cross, snowboard cross, moguls, snowboard parallel slalom, bobsleigh, luge, skeleton and ice hockey.
Not fussed about curling, ice skating, aerials, slopestyle, halfpipe or big air.
That's my viewing schedule sorted, other than the fact it all takes part during the night!
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Love the cross-country!!
I generally love anything where skis/snowboard are involved. Also love the luge and skeleton, and find the curling strangely engaging (it seems to hook me in as the matches always seem very close!)
|
|
|
|
|
|
under a new name wrote: |
Shows what they know, eh? |
A lot!
You didn’t read the article...
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
I won’t be watching anything this year with the stupid time difference
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
moseyp wrote: |
I won’t be watching anything this year with the stupid time difference |
What’s so stupid about it?
|
|
|
|
|
|
@abc, I guess that the fact that all a good number of the events are in the middle of the night. Like the men's downhill which will be at 2am.
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
@abc, downhill at 3am - absolute pain
Tech events 2am and 6am
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
But wouldn't it be just as inconvenient to watch something in the middle of the day? You'll be either at work or doing everything else you'd normally do during the day...
The only convenient time to watch is the evenings. That only happens when the game is held in the Americas.
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
@abc, day or evening is perfect (I work in the mountains). Middle of the night is annoying because there’s several races I will have to get up for (and twice for the first & second runs of tech events) but I won’t get to see any of the non alpine stuff that I’d usually enjoy dipping in and out of like figure skating, curling, biathlon etc etc
And then it’ll happen again in 2022!
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Going back to the OP, I quite like biathlon but probably mainly because I have a mental age of 8 and it’s sort of James Bond-y.
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Hmmm Davidof are you doing a social experiment?
Take a thoughtfully written piece, quote a misleading paragraph and see who'll bite, you're not doing a 101 course in Stanton studies at Grenoble Poly are you?
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Quote: |
I quite like biathlon but probably mainly because I have a mental age of 8
|
When I see those girls skating round with a rifle on their back I still want to do it - and I'm 71! So cool.... At 12 the possibility would have seen me out training for hours. I met some of the British Army biathlon team in the laundrette in Les Saisies years ago - men and women - they were terrific, just the sort of gang you'd want to be part of.
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
TBF it is boring.
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
betterinblack wrote: |
Hmmm Davidof are you doing a social experiment?
Take a thoughtfully written piece, quote a misleading paragraph and see who'll bite, you're not doing a 101 course in Stanton studies at Grenoble Poly are you? |
I quoted the introductory paragraph about cross country skiing.
The big problem with the olympics is that it is generally transmitted on the big public service channels (BBC, France 2) so instead of having some knowledgeable commentators you get someone who used to do the horses commentating or someone who used to do the sport 100 years ago.
|
|
|
|
|
|
[quote="davidof"
I quoted the introductory paragraph about cross country skiing.
[/quote]
Apologies then for the Stanton-lite but when I view it online its paragraph 7 and isn't really representative of the piece. I guess in the print version some sub-editor thought that was the an argumentative quote to reel readers (with little interest in cross country) in.
|
|
|
|
|
|
betterinblack wrote: |
[quote="davidof"
I quoted the introductory paragraph about cross country skiing.
|
Apologies then for the Stanton-lite but when I view it online its paragraph 7 and isn't really representative of the piece. I guess in the print version some sub-editor thought that was the an argumentative quote to reel readers (with little interest in cross country) in.[/quote]
2nd paragraph online for me. The author talks about the faff of winter sports then launches into his critic of cross country.
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Only in cross-country can you fall down and still win a gold medal!
|
|
|
|
|
|
pam w wrote: |
Only in cross-country can you fall down and still win a gold medal! |
Yes, seeing that does make me more willing to keep on trying. If the best of the world still falls down in their most important race, it can't be easy for us mere mortals.
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
pam w wrote: |
Only in cross-country can you fall down and still win a gold medal! |
Paging Mr Farah ...
Seriously, got back from LDA last night, and ust watched the entire race on the red button - despite knowing the result, and never really paying attention to the sport before. Gripping stuff.
One question - why *don't* they have proper edges on the skis - is it just part of the discipline not to?
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Quote: |
If the best of the world still falls down in their most important race
|
that gives me hope!
|
|
|
|
|
|
or rather, makes me feel less hopeless!
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Pejoli wrote: |
One question - why *don't* they have proper edges on the skis - is it just part of the discipline not to? |
Extra weight.
When you're kicking a million times, the extra 200gm (maybe more?) of metal on the edge is going to really tire you out fast.
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
I love the cross -country. Seriously these guys are super fit - maybe the fittest of all endurance athletes!
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Dopers
|
|
|
|
|
|