Speed Skating at the Winter Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026

[Noorderling29 231]

45 minutes ago, Faramir said:

And the exposure and chance of becoming elite in other sports Is limited on purpose (see the ridiculous criteria set by the Dutch NOC for sports they don't like, so you also have very few Olympians). Which is fair when the goal is to minimize the cost per medal ratio in the long term (better not investing in sports where results are more variable) but let's not sell this as "great innovations" that sets apart NED from other countries. 

Since the 2020 COVID Games our NOC seems to be little less strict. In 2021 and 2022 I could understand this, given the extra-ordinary circumstances. But both in 2024 and this year the NOC nominated people that in my humble opinion really were not at the required level. I would never want us to send someone like Eddie The Eagle.

[SalamAkhi 358]

47 minutes ago, Federer91 said:

Dave Ryding didn't train or see snow until he was 12 years old. Even after that he mainly trained on grass until his teenage years and it didn't stop him from becoming one of the elite slalomers and a World Cup winner. 

But he trained on slopes as a skier in a country with an existing (albeit limited) slalom culture. The Netherlands are litteraly known as The Low Countries in many languages, their highest summit is edging just over an impressive 300m, how do you expect them to even start having grass tracks to train their future snow skiers ?

 

47 minutes ago, Federer91 said:

Biathlon and cross-country athletes train 7 months on roller skies. They don't have snow 12 months a year. All the technique, posture, conditioning, balance can be practiced on roller skies before transitioning on snow. 

They don't have snow all year but they begin the sport on snow. As far as I know there has never been any French Olympian in CC/biathlon who didn't learn his craft in the Alps/Jura/Vosges. 

[hckošice 16,555]

1 hour ago, Noorderling29 said:

I would never want us to send someone like Eddie The Eagle.

why ?

[copravolley 628]

Italy made great performance of these home games- it`s true, but it was really the last chance for such a result and we so great taking advantage of it. But, in next 4 years, we'll face a massive decline, as most of our leaders are well over 30 and will be leaving: Wierer, Goggia, Brignone, Pellegrino, maybe Vittozzi, Fontana, Lollobrigida, Ghiotto, etc. A few youngsters will remain, like Franzoni, Sighel, and Giacomel, but that certainly won't translate into 30 medals in 2030; In 99%, it won't even be into 20 medals. At best, we'll return to the 2022 level of around 15-17 medals. Speed skating? There's still no indoor track and if Marchetto leaves, everything could fall apart, like in 2010-2015. Short track? It's a big unknown, as Sighel isn't see a so great talent, like Fontana and the competition is very strong. Fortunately, we finally have our own track in luge/bob and skeleton, but Germany and Austria will probably still dominate there. Once again, respect to Italy for their excellent results in 2026, but the future looks rather black- much bleaker than, for example, Canada, in my opinion.

Edited 32 minutes ago by copravolley

[Noorderling29 231]

46 minutes ago, hckošice said:

why ?

Because he was not a good ski jumper. Just looked it up in Wikipedia. In both his events in 1988 he finished last, with about half the points of the number last but one. And it was not just a bad day, which can happen to anyone, but the pattern of his complete career.

[copravolley 628]

2 minutes ago, Noorderling29 said:

Because he was not a good ski jumper. Just looked it up in Wikipedia. In both his events in 1988 he finished last, with about half the points of the number last but one. And it was not just a bad day, which can happen to anyone, but the pattern of his complete career.

After all, that's exactly what made him popular. If he'd been a solid but average jumper with no successes, no one would even mention him here today

Edited 29 minutes ago by copravolley

[hckošice 16,555]

22 minutes ago, Noorderling29 said:

Because he was not a good ski jumper. Just looked it up in Wikipedia. In both his events in 1988 he finished last, with about half the points of the number last but one. And it was not just a bad day, which can happen to anyone, but the pattern of his complete career.

Not exactly what I meant, but, ok, I think I understood.

 

He would embarassed the country by finishing last. Right ?

[Noorderling29 231]

25 minutes ago, copravolley said:

After all, that's exactly what made him popular. If he'd been a solid but average jumper with no successes, no one would even mention him here today

I can understand why he was popular, I liked him too. But that’s not enough reason to send someone to the Games.