Speed Skating at the Winter Olympic Games Beijing 2022

[heywoodu 13,562]

2 minutes ago, dcro said:

OBS and ESP commentators are basically fawning over them.

Yeah....but that's quite something you're talking about. They see every sport as nothing but the little fact sheet they are presented with by their employer  

 

They're kind of like me watching figure skating: I just quickly check Wikipedia to see who won last time and will base my opinions and expectations on that  

[dcro 10,182]

3 minutes ago, heywoodu said:

Let's see if Van der Poel does something with his 'anger' after coming up with 'corruption' and 'the biggest scandal in the sport' (something with the Dutch influencing the ice, which isn't really true, but he probably wanted some attention, so there you go  ). It's a speed skating 'scandal' so obviously it made newspaper covers here  

Whaaaaat?

 

I was indifferent abiut him, but now I kind of want him to lose.

[heywoodu 13,562]

3 minutes ago, Ted said:

Your predictions, sir?

Van der Poel 12:40

Bergsma 12:45

Bloemen 12:48

[heywoodu 13,562]

1 minute ago, dcro said:

Whaaaaat?

 

I was indifferent abiut him, but now I kind of want him to lose.

Not sure if this works outside of the Netherlands:

https://nos.nl/peking2022/artikel/2416465-van-der-poel-spreekt-schande-van-nederlandse-ijslobby-dit-is-corruptie-een-gruweldaad

 

Basically there was a piece written in a rather poor wording, which according to Van der Poel said the Dutch are influencing the ice. When in reality, they are (as always) measuring everything they can measure to improve their results (nothing different than measuring the snow in skiing), and sharing some of that data with the 'ijsmeester' ('ice master'? 'head of ice'?), Canadian Mark Messer, when asked for it. Mind you, Mark Messer is a super experienced Canadian, arguably the best in this kind of thing, it's not like a couple of Dutchies are going to actually influence what he thinks is best.

 

It's all a bit unfortunate, but corruption or 'biggest scandal in the sport' is hugely, but really hugely overreacting.

[heywoodu 13,562]

Roest doesn't seem good at all.

[Monzanator 3,600]

van der Poel was a bigger favorite in 10k, right?

[heywoodu 13,562]

1 minute ago, Monzanator said:

van der Poel was a bigger favorite in 10k, right?

He definitely is, yes.

[heywoodu 13,562]

Right, that seems better from Roest.

[heywoodu 13,562]

What a race though

 

And to think 'they' want to kill this event, whereas not a single event in speed skating (no, not even mass start) has this many ups and downs as a good 10k has.

[Monzanator 3,600]

World Record for van der Poel