Grassmarket

Big hype for tomorrow’s Valencia Half-marathon, being billed as a double WR attempt. Also full marathons from Rotterdam, Rennes, Ljubljana & Venice. https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-label-road-races/news/valencia-half-marathon-gidey-yehualaw

Nick Fellows putting down an early-season commentators' curse marker."...probably an opportunity for one of the later starters to break into the top three...."Curtoni immediately crashes.

Because have already got lime-green.

Crikey, looking at the Calendar these is an event in Dubai next month. I’m guessing it’s an indoor arena, could be wrong. Probably a chance for internationally-renowned classical musicians to get some FIS points on the board.

New sector-by-sector graphic! Lara Gut takes early lead. And already the / confusion from British ES! Discreetly slapped by his co-comm.

Here we go, Winter Starts Here!

Completely out-of-the-blue bronze for women’s TS after fail to read the rules & mess up a handover. We’ll take that, event has been a problem for us in the last decade.

Have you seen this? Basically Must be a student Age requirement Permission from national Governing Body COVID stuff Think that’s about it. In the past I’ve seen FISU CC competitions where the competitors range from Justyna Kowalczyk etc to people whose only recommendation seems to be the possession of wealthy, doting parents. http://www.fisu.net/medias/fichiers/Eligibility_Form.pdf

Next problem: no snow.

Dutch club football has declined since the glory days of the 70s, but there is still at least one club out there focussed on regaining international credibility. OK, it’s probably just the standard Dutch 0.33l measure, not the full imperial pint but still…. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10106691/Dutch-football-fan-23-goes-viral-caught-carrying-48-PINTS-beer-one-game.html

So like Abba, huh?

Great that are there, getting on for two years since we've had any serious outings.

Four marathons this weekend. Lisbon Cape Town Paris Amsterdam Paris & Amsterdam are on a double bill on Eurosport.

British National Road Championships this weekend, which I believe even those of you unfortunate enough to live in one of the 200 or so countries in the world which are not part of will be able to watch on Eurosport/Discovery Player, GCN+ & even Youtube. It's based around the ancient, steep and cobbled streets of Lincoln. Many well-known names from international peloton taking part. Friday evening - Circuit/Criterium women's and men's races. Sunday morning - Women's road race Sunday afternoon - Men's road race https://www.youtube.com/c/britishcycling

Gets off with a slapped wrist. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-10092805/Spectator-caused-crash-Tour-France-handed-four-month-suspended-PRISON-sentence.html#comments

Damn, British Justice is just so messed up, a poor person just can’t win. A nurse has unsuccessfully tried to sue the NHS after claiming she was being secretly hypnotised at work - to force her to uncontrollably break wind. Xandra Samson insisted she was suffering from unwelcome ‘gastrointestinal disturbances’ at work including flatulence. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10091897/NHS-nurse-claimed-secretly-hypnotised-make-fart-work.html

British Mixed Team named.

British men’s team named. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/winter-olympics/58912060

Thus breaking one of the Golden Rules of biathlon which states that younger siblings are always better than their elders.

….and the Women’s TdF also. Finishes on La Planche des Belles Filles, setting up an obvious newspaper headline. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/58912981

Tour de France 2022 route revealed….. https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de-france-2022-route-revealed/

Stupidest woman in France goes on trial tomorrow. Short-sightedly, the French closed Devil’s Island back in 1953. https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/opi-omi-spectator-who-caused-tour-de-france-crash-to-be-tried-in-criminal-court-thursday/

KENYA’S Tokyo Olympic star Agnes Tirop has been found dead with a stab wound in her abdomen. The 5,000m star, 25, was discovered at her house in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County earlier. https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/16406839/kenya-tokyo-olympic-medallist-agnes-jebet-tirop-dead/

About time Nike was forced to take some responsibility for the Nike Oregon Project. Former track phenom Mary Cain has filed a $20million lawsuit against former coach Alberto Salazar and his former employer, Nike, alleging that she suffered mental and physical abuse during her four years at the firm's Oregon Project. Cain, 25, alleges in a lawsuit filed in Multnomah County, Oregon state court on Tuesday that Salazar humiliated her publicly on several occasions by disparaging her weight after making her get on a scale in front of other people. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10085491/Mary-Cain-sues-Nike-former-coach-Alberto-Salazar-20-million-alleging-years-abuse.html

According to this Sochi actually took over from the two scheduled North American races. https://www.fil-luge.org/en/news/update-race-calendar-artificial-track-2021-22 And welcome to the Group.