Winter Games
The Winter Olympics provide an opportunity for most seasonal sport athletes to showcase their abilities to the entire world. Following are a few of the many sports and games included in the Winter Olympics.
Fig. 1, Cross-Country Skiing
Cross-Country Skiing is an event where athletes travel across the countryside, over mountains, hills, plains, et cetera, toward a finish line.
A bobsled is a partially enclosed sled made to accommodate four people: a driver, a break-man, and two ‘bobbers’ (Infoplease.com, N.D.). The athletes slide down an obstacle course make of ice and attempt to reach the finish line with the best time.
Fig. 2, Bobsledding
Fig 3. Figure Skating
In figure skating, athletes perform solo or typically with a partner of the opposite sex. The athlete or athletes perform a coreographed routine to a soundtrack of thier choice. In this routine the athletes dance, move artistically, and execute specific tricks for points. The performer or pair with the highest score wins.
When it comes to curling, the rules and regulations are difficult to explain. The basic idea of curling is that there is one player who releases the curling stone and the other players sweep the ice in front of the stone. Scoring is based on how close the curling stone comes to the painted lines on the ice and one center circle, different lines meaning different things and the center circle is where the points come from (Editor, 2010). Below is a short video in which you can get the idea of how curling is played.
Athletes: Past and Present
Since their first debut in the 1924 Winter Olympics, Norway has succeeded in producing some top athletes; and this is no surprise seeing that they have won over three hundred total metals since then (NBC, 2010). Below are a couple of their most famous and greatest contributing athletes.
Marit Bjørgen
Bjorgen is one of Norway’s most valuable athletes. She is a cross country skier who typically competes in the Women’s 10 km Individual, 4x5 km Relay, Individual Sprint, 30 km Mass Start, and the 15 km Pursuit (NBC, 2010).
Bjorgen is one of Norway’s most valuable athletes. She is a cross country skier who typically competes in the Women’s 10 km Individual, 4x5 km Relay, Individual Sprint, 30 km Mass Start, and the 15 km Pursuit (NBC, 2010).
Fig. 4, Bjorgen
Fig. 5, Bokko
Håvard Bøkko
Bokko is one of Norway’s top speed skaters. He is only nineteen years old and is already recognized as a top athlete (NBC, 2010). He competes in the Men’s 100, 1,500, 5,000, 10,000, and Team Pursuit events (NBC, 2010).
Bokko is one of Norway’s top speed skaters. He is only nineteen years old and is already recognized as a top athlete (NBC, 2010). He competes in the Men’s 100, 1,500, 5,000, 10,000, and Team Pursuit events (NBC, 2010).
Aksel Lund Svindal
Svindal , an alpine skier, has only participated in two Olympic Games (NBC, 2010). His main events are the Men’s Downhill, Giant Slalom, Super-G, and the Super-Combined (NBC, 2010). He won a bronze, silver, and gold in the 2010 Vancouver Games (NBC, 2010).
Svindal , an alpine skier, has only participated in two Olympic Games (NBC, 2010). His main events are the Men’s Downhill, Giant Slalom, Super-G, and the Super-Combined (NBC, 2010). He won a bronze, silver, and gold in the 2010 Vancouver Games (NBC, 2010).
Fig. 6, Svindal
