heywoodu

Right now, three times, as often as Grenchen (which held two of the previous three, whereas the first two in Apeldoorn are quite a while ago) Infrastructure is always excellent there, so there isn't really much of a problem with a relatively niche sport going to a well-known quality location more often, I think. Don't want those tournaments where like 15% of the stands are filled, which we'd sometimes see in sports like track cycling. I also wouldn't mind it being whereever else by the way, as long as the atmosphere is great, I truly couldn't care less exactly which city it is in Apeldoorn is close enough to often pass by there on my slightly longer cycling trips (one of my main 50+ kilometer laps), but I don't think I'll be going there this year. Funnily enough, Omnisport is right next to one of the parks where clients of my employer live, we were there in December and while walking through the park one sees Omnisport towering over it.

The previous world championships barely just finished, which I guess is also a big reason why this just doesn't have that big 'feel' to it. FIFA World Cup, Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics also would be a lot less special when it's once every two years

To be entirely clear: the 'Epstein list' is not necessarily a list of people who went to Epstein's island to abuse people, it's a list of people with all kinds of ties to Epstein. The only thing it really confirms is that rich, influential people often spend time with other rich, influential people, which is in itself not a weird thing (of course the dealings of the likes of Prince Andrew, Clinton, Trump and certain business people are much more shady there, considering the ways and amount of times they're mentioned, but that doesn't go for every single person who is named as having a connection with Epstein). Of course Epstein was not literally doing nothing except for running an abuse island, he was also a businessman and apparently had quite some investments in physics-related stuff. In that regard, it's not weird to think he has once met one of the most well-known physicists of our time.

Nr 4 Gus Schumacher

Hey, the news from years ago called

Littler is by far the oldest 16 year old I've ever seen in sports outside of athletics Be that as it may though, the way he is playing is absolutely phenomenal. Whether he's 16 or 46, the level of play he has shown from his very first match to yesterday's semi is something else entirely. Especially in his own legs he is just nearly unbeatable....he hit an average of 123 points per turn in his own legs against Van Barneveld and even the ever so negative Van Barneveld had to admit that there's just nothing you can do against that. If your opponent plays like that, you need to hit multiple nine-dart finishes just to be able to take one or two of his sets (and then hold on for dear life in your own sets). Then again, Humphries was sensationally good as well yesterday, after a bit of a rough start in the tournament he seems to have hit his stride. Of course it always remains to be seen what the pressure of a final does to both, but Humphries has been in major finals before and Littler has clearly shown he doesn't give two shits about the pressure so far, so....at least potentially it could be a sensational final tonight

I am genuinely curious how on earth they got a biathlon spot. For the Olympics that is near impossible for 'exotic' nations, which is why most aspiring biathletes from countries like that might very much prefer biathlon, but are forced to go for a spot in cross-country skiing. Where, oddly enough, Chile doesn't have any girl apparently (they do have a small and young team, but latest I've heard is that they are basically all too busy with school to really be able to train well).

Big Hamas terrorist had a bad day yesterday. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Saleh_al-Arouri

Happy New Year everyone Hope everyone still has all their fingers and such after the fireworks

Australian former pro cyclist Melissa Hoskins-Dennis has died after being hit by a car, aged 32. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melissa_Hoskins Said car was presumably driven by her husband, (since the end of this season ex-)cyclist Rohan Dennis, who has been arrested and charged and will have to appear in court in March...

It's an iPhone, who would like that nonsense

Easiest quiz ever https://fasterskier.com/2023/12/do-you-know-your-suits-beginner-to-expert/ I had one mistake, but am not blaming myself for not knowing that obscure one

Which story? There have been tons and tons and tons of stories of students being threatened by other students, due to not being pro-Palestine (enough) or something like that, that's been the main kind of actually visible reaction here. Other than that, not much going on.

First time? I think you missed the gazillion others.

Wow, that's long ago since I heard that name

Happy holidays to you as well

Didn't know there was controversy around for example Melissa Bishop, who beat her in two global finals in two years

1. Denmark 2. Johannes Dale 3. Kaori Sakamoto 4. Viktor Hovland 5. Canada 6. France 7. USA 8. USA 9. Coco Gauff 10. Texas Rangers 11. Novak Djokovic 12. Max Verstappen

Yeah, I'm fine with the cross for the YOG, but just would have liked to see a bit more than this. The entire YOG program now is smaller than some World Cup weekends. It should at the very least have a mass start distance event, like the skiathlon indeed. Wouldn't say I'd be much impressed with another sprint event, with the individual sprint and only 5k in the relays the short-distance specialists, even for youth athletes, already have (relatively) enough to shine. Would have been better to add a skiathlon of at least 10k, youth athletes are young, but not incapable of racing

Apparently Norway has, for whatever reason, refused every single quota in cross-country skiing and alpine skiing

Which is excellent in the cross-country skiing. The Brazilian federation already made their choice for the one boy and one girl long ago (despite the fight in the boys' race still going on, they wanted to have one person to focus on, as per their usual modus operandi), but strangely suddenly switched the boys' choice one or two weeks ago, basically out of nowhere and without really any clear reason. Now that they've got two spots for both the boys (so both can go) and the girls (where the choice really is super easy), that problem is solved nicely

What's going on with the cross-country skiing program being cut to almost nothing? It's only an individual sprint, an individual short-distance race and a mixed relay...and that's all. At least alpine skiing has a somewhat decent program, but damn. I know it's the Youth Olympics, but one would hope the 'development' part would be more in terms of the athletes than the program still being underdeveloped Not that this, or the whole scheduling thing, will matter at all here in the Netherlands. It's the Youth Olympics, nobody will even know it's going on except for people who are on super niche forums like this one (which is how I know)

Yeah, too bad, definitely one of my all-time highlights in sports. I even decided to wake Bruna up from her post-training nap because I felt this was such a historic moment, she really shouldn't miss it It is fun to see everyone's opinions though. Plenty of people won't even know this happened, while someone else's sports moments (like the Edin one mentioned) may make me go "Huh?" in return

That's a matter of opinion of course. As someone who is neither Italian nor a big follower of tennis, I very much find it understandable given the historic value of it. Much more so than for example one of gazillion swimming relays, but that's the thing: other people might value that one more, and that's fine too

Dear Lord, how could I oversee Jordan Stolz, the premature reincarnation of Eric Heiden? See? That's why I need to write things down