Sport

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Teach us about a winter sport!

Here in the UK, we've seen a smattering of snow so far this winter, but not quite enough to get the skis out yet. There's another month or two for it to come though, so to get prepared, we want you to teach us about any winter sport you're an expert in!

Earlier this year, we asked you to teach us about a sport that would feature in the 2024 Olympics, so now's your chance to do the same for any winter sport. From skiing and snowboarding to ice skating and yukigassen, any sport that can only be played during the winter or primarily features snow or ice is eligible for this reward.

Teach us how your chosen sport works, the various rules, notable milestones and records throughout history, and who the best players or teams are right now to win $3.

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This reward closed to entries at 5:06pm on February 4, 2025 but you can still reply, react, and join the conversation below! If you’d like to enter other rewards which are still open, click here.

Created at 11:38am, 17th December, 2024. Page last updated at 2:10pm, 4th February, 2025.
Deadline at 12:00am, 19th February, 2025.

Jaque 2/4/2025, 2:09:36 PM

Ok! The winter sport I'm going to teach you is Ice Hockey! It's played on an ice rink with two teams of six players - five skaters and one goalie. The goal is to score by hitting a small rubber puck into the opposing team's net using a hockey stick. The team with the most goals at the end wins!

The basic rules of Ice hockey are 3: 1. Offside- a player cannot enter the attacking zone (past the blue line) before the puck does; 2. Icing- if a team shoots the puck across both the center red line and the goal line without being touched, the play is stopped; 3. Penalties- a penalty means they sit in the "penalty box" for a set time, giving the other team a power play (a temporary advantage). Players can get penalties for actions like tripping, slashing or fighting.

A notable record is from the canadian Wayne Gretzky that holds the record for most NHL points (goals+assists) in history: 2,857 points. An amazing milestone is what's called "Miracle on Ice", when, in 1980, the USA defeated the heavily favored Soviet Union in the Winter Olympics. Another record is from the Montreal Canadiens that hold the record for the most Stanley Cup wins (24 championships).

One of the best current players is the canadian Connor McDavid known for his incredible speed and skill. Another best current player is the Nathan MacKinnon that was the leader in points in the 2024-25 NHL regular season.

blurred background — Photo of Nathan Mackinnon returning to face Toronto

Photo of Nathan Mackinnon returning to face Toronto

Marukosu 1/29/2025, 11:31:00 PM

I rarely watch Winter Olyimpics, but when I do I always find myself mesmerized by Snowboarding, which is the sport that I am going to talk about.

The objective of Snowboarding is basically descend a snow-covered surface while standing on a snowboard, which gives the name of the sport. The sport has a variety of styles, in the olympics the usual ones are big air, halfpipe, parallel giant slalom, slopestyle and snowboard cross

I am going to tell the basic rules to the main styles.

Halfpipe:

The half-pipe is a semi-circular ditch dug into the mountain or purpose-built ramp made up of snow, with walls between 8 and 23 feet (7.0 m).
If a competitor remains stationary in the halfpipe for more than 10 seconds, their run will be scored up to that point and considered terminated. They must then exit the course as quickly as possible.

Parallel Giant Slalom:

Athletes may be disqualified for the following infractions:

False start
Interfering with an opponent during a run
Passing through the wrong gate
Failing to complete a turn on the outside of a gate
Finishing the run without at least one foot fixed to the board

Snowboard Cross:

Intentional contact, such as pushing, pulling, or any action that causes another competitor to slow down, fall, or exit the course, results in automatic disqualification. However, unavoidable incidental contact may be considered acceptable. All contact infractions are subject to the discretion of the course judges and race jury.

The race leader has the right to choose their line through the course but cannot intentionally block an opponent from passing. Such actions may result in penalties determined by the course judges and race jury.

If a competitor believes a rule violation occurred during their heat, they may request a review from any member of the race jury. This request must be made before the next heat begins.

There are a lot of other styles with different rules.

Some incredible milestones:

1965: Sherman Poppen invents the Snurfer, which is considered the first iteration of snowboarding.
1977: Jake Burton Carpenter creates the Burton Snurfer, the first snowboard with bindings.
1982: The first World Snowboarding Championship is held in Soda Springs, California.
1998: Snowboarding is added to the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
2014: The first Olympic Slopestyle Event is held in Sochi, Russia.
2005: Mads Jonsson sets the record for the longest jump on a snowboard at 187 ft.

Sherman Poppen, the 'grandfather' of snowboarding

What about records? These are some incredible ones that I found

Fastest speed on a snowboard: Jamie Barrow set a record by reaching 131 mph (211 km/h).

Fastest speed on a snowboard towed by a vehicle: In 2022, Jamie Barrow and Niki Faulkner hit 117.15 mph (188.54 km/h) on a frozen lake in Gol, Norway.

Most medals won by an individual at the Winter X Games: Barrett Christy earned 10 medals between 1997 and 2001.

Most Snowboarding World Cup titles: Karine Ruby claimed three titles.

Most vertical feet snowboarded in 24 hours: Tammy McMinn snowboarded an incredible 305,525 ft (93,124 m) in 1998.

Currently the best Snowboarder is Shaun White, having won three gold medals at the Olympics, all three in the Halfpipe discipline.

Shaun White, american snowboarder.

And this is Snowboarding, an adrenalineful sport that I enjoy watching.

MURRRAAAAY 1/28/2025, 5:13:10 PM

Ok so I am going for one of my fav winter sports to watch at the winter Olympics and that is Speed skating!

Which is bascically ice skating but its a sprint race, so its a very fun and intense watch, also whilst being very graceful as they glide round the ice! The athletes race each other certain distance on skates depending on the event type. From my super brief research as i didn't realise there was different types of speed skating, but hey everydaysa school day, there is long-track speed skating, short-track speed skating, and marathon speed skating! And the only real difference between each is the distance so its a simple and fun sport to watch, if like me you enjoy watching sprinters and athletics at the Olympics i'd recommend giving this a watch at any winter events! They also have solo and team races, id recommend the team pursuit races as they are the most fun to watch in my opinion!

PS what is also cool is they seem to also do a lot of dry land speed skating races too, basically using roller blades, so i assume this is great for training for the races on ice!

projectazone 1/26/2025, 6:42:46 AM

Sport Name:

Name sport: Freestyle (skiing) or also called acrobatic skiing

Birth: It was born in Norway in 1930 when skiers began to do some acrobatic moves in alpine skiing training

Specialties: Within Freestyle there are some specialties such as:

- Jumps: In jumps, athletes ski on snowy trampolines and once in the air they perform various exhibitions before landing.

- Ski cross: In ski cross, several athletes go down the track where they jump, there are bumps and various curves.

- Humps: Along the entire course the athletes alternate between humps and jumps. Points are assigned based on the type of jump, the difficulty and the speed of execution.

- Slopestyle: This specialty is very particular because along the course there are various obstacles on the track made of railings, cylinders, tubes, but also benches and tables on which skiers must jump trying to maintain their balance.

- Big air: Along the course there is a ramp that allows the athlete to gain speed for a big jump and acrobatics before landing.

Equipment required: Obviously a pair of skis that can vary depending on the specialty, gloves and glasses, boots. However, each athlete must have light equipment, especially for specialties where balance is required.

mypets 1/22/2025, 8:07:53 PM

Luge

When I met Luge I was impressed. It's a winter sport in which athletes go down a winding ice track, lying on their backs on a small sled, with their feet facing forward.

First of all, you need to be very brave haha, as well as having the precision and skill to compete in this sport that involves a lot of speed and excitement.

The objective is to complete the course in the shortest time possible, and I've seen that the athletes can reach up to 140 km/h! The athletes control the sled using their body weight and make small changes to the position of their legs and shoulders to make turns or maintain the trajectory.

The athletes start by pushing the sled with their hands and then quickly lie down and adjust their bodies to achieve good aerodynamics. Impressively, they can't have any control mechanism, such as a brake. It all depends on the athlete!

In the competition categories, there can be men's and women's individual races, so there are 4 descents and the times of all 4 are added together to determine who wins. It can also be in pairs with two athletes on the same sled and the team relay, in which there is a male athlete, a female athlete and a pair, with consecutive descents.

It's a fast and exciting sport that requires a lot of strategy and skill from the competitors!

JHenckes 1/22/2025, 3:59:58 AM

I started to get to know and enjoy some winter sports right after the Winter Olympics, and this has been going on for many years, but one of my favorites is Ski Jumping, so I'm going to talk about it:

Ski jumping is a sport that always makes me tense (but I still love it hahaha). In the simplest terms possible, it consists of skiing, jumping a ramp and landing lightly over the greatest possible distance. It sounds simple, but the sport looks at every detail of each of these stages.

The initial phase is the descent. The athlete leaves a very high platform and descends to gain speed until they reach a steep, long ramp and “take off”. The athlete pushes himself at the end of the ramp to gain more height and maintains a posture that will allow him to glide until he touches the snow (you can see the posture in the photos I've posted throughout the guide. It's like a “Y” shape). Finally, the athlete lands as softly as possible (this is also important for scoring) and awaits the result of their race.

From there, the athlete's points are added up, which takes into account everything I mentioned above:

Flight stability
Landing distance
Landing distance

The athlete with the highest score wins the medal.

The equipment they use has to be light (because of aerodynamics) but guarantee safety in case the athlete can't land properly. The main safety factor is the helmet with goggles. However, accidents in the sport are rare (I've never seen one myself, and I watch it all the time).

The World Record Distance in competitions was 253.5 meters, set by Stefan Kraft in 2017 (that day was crazy, this distance is almost unbelievable). However, there is a recent video posted by Red Bull that shows an athlete breaking the world record and doing no less than 291 METERS.

Link of the world record: Longest Ski Jump World Record 🥶 - YouTube

Fras_Shoyo 1/17/2025, 9:49:05 AM

The sport I like is Ice Skating it's a popular sport and for beginners it might be hard to try but honestly you will love it when you try ice skating, why is it fun because it's like trying to learn to walk again and it's very fun and it will be fun if you are fluent it will be very fun, this is how Ice Skating Sports work:

Figure Skating

Figure skating is a sporting art form that combines beauty with technical expertise. Athletes perform a variety of movements such as spins, jumps, and steps organized into routines. There are two main categories: men and women, as well as pairs that involve collaboration between two skaters.

Main Moves in Figure Skating:

Jumps: Some of the main jumps include the axel jump, salchow, toe loop, and lutz. These jumps demand strength and body control.
Spins: Athletes perform quick spins called “spins”, there are different types of spins, such as layback, camel, and sit spins.
Footwork: Complex steps on the ice, often used to connect movements.

Important Rules in Ice Skating:

Figure Skating

Scoring: Scoring is based on two aspects: technical program and free program. The technical program requires athletes to perform certain elements, while the free program gives room for creativity.
Scoring: Scoring is done by a panel of judges who measure execution of technique and beauty of movement.

An achievement that I know of or an outstanding record in Ice Skating is :

Figure Skating

Michelle Kwan (USA): A figure skating legend with 5 world titles and 2 Olympic medals (silver in 1998, bronze in 2002).
Yuzuru Hanyu (Japan): Winner of two Olympic gold medals (2014 and 2018), and holds many world records in jumping, including being the first person to jump a quadruple loop in competition.
Sonja Henie (Norway): Figure skating legend who won three consecutive Olympic gold medals (1928, 1932, 1936).

My favorite player or the best team right now:

Figure Skating

Nathan Chen (USA): After winning gold at the 2022 Olympics, Chen is considered one of the best male skaters today, with the ability to perform a variety of quadruple jumps.
Kamila Valieva (Russia): A very talented young skater, although controversial after a doping incident at the 2022 Olympics, Valieva shows incredible skills on the ice.

Ice skating is a very diverse sport, with many different forms that test skill, technique, speed and strength. Over time, many incredible records and achievements have been recorded, from Yuzuru Hanyu being undefeated in figure skating to the Canadian ice hockey team making history.

Auri_McNish 1/12/2025, 1:19:46 AM

Canicross is a sport that involves running alongside a dog, typically in a natural environment, while the dog is attached to the owner with a special leash. The term "canicross" comes from the combination of the words "canine" and "cross" (cross-country), reflecting its nature. The runner wears a harness, and the dog also wears a suitable one for running. The dog pulls forward, which propels the runner ahead.

Although it can be practiced year-round, canicross is often associated with winter because many competitions and practices take place in cold climates. In winter, the terrain is usually harder, and the weather is cooler, which is beneficial for both the dog and the runner, as it helps prevent overheating, a risk in warmer climates. Additionally, winter canicross competitions often occur in snowy conditions or mountain terrains, adding an extra challenge in terms of endurance and adaptability for both the human and the dog.

Therefore, while it is not an exclusively winter sport, canicross is well-suited for the season, as the cold weather and more demanding terrain can make the experience even more exciting. However, it can also be practiced during other seasons, always with caution and taking into account the safety conditions for the dogs, such as avoiding races on extremely hot days.

bigdaniel75 1/9/2025, 1:21:24 PM

Winter bobsleigh is a speed sport played on icy tracks, where a team of athletes launch themselves on a sled shaped like a vehicle that slides along a winding track. It is an exciting sport that requires great skill, concentration, physical strength and a good dose of courage.

The bobsleigh starts from a platform located at the beginning of the track, and a good start is essential to achieve the best possible time.

One of the keys to a successful start in bobsleigh is the initial push

The driver must be able to maintain direction, avoiding sharp turns and correcting any swaying of the sled.

As you gain experience, you learn to control your speed

Bobsleigh is an extremely fast sport and can involve risks. It is essential to have adequate preparation, both physically and mentally. The safety of the athletes is a priority, and all equipment must be checked regularly.

The track is generally between 1200 and 1500 meters long, with several turns (some very sharp) and straight sections. The track is icy and has a slope.

Athletes compete for the fastest time possible, and the team that completes the course in the shortest time wins.

Bobsleigh races are held in two runs. Each team runs twice, and the total time (the sum of the times of both runs) determines the final ranking.

yan57436 1/8/2025, 6:41:08 PM

Since I was little I've watched very few winter sports, I come from a culture where winter is a less hot summer haha, but curling has always been portrayed in cartoons and every time I've watched it, it's seemed very interesting.

History: Originating in Scotland in the 16th century, I wish I could have found its beginnings, but reliable sources only say that it was the Scottish lochs and they were responsible for spreading the sport around the world. The International Olympic Committee decided to include the sport in the Olympic program in 1992, giving it its due recognition.

How it works: There are two teams of four players on an ice rink (45.72 meters long and 5 meters wide). Each team has the objective of “throwing” granite stones (I had no idea how heavy they were, 19.1 kg) at a target we call a “house”. The score is as you hit the stones closer to the center of the targets. The game will have 8 or 10 ends and the players, by sweeping the ice, are reducing friction and changing its direction.

Roles:

The postings follow an order:

Lead: Throws the first two stones and sweeps the ice.

Second: Throws the next two stones and helps sweep.

Vice-skip: Helps with the skip strategy and throws the third set of stones.

Skip: Team captain, responsible for strategy and the last two throws.

The top teams:

Canada - the dominant country in the sport historically speaking, possessing legends such as Brad Gushue and Rachel Homan

Sweden - the country of Niklas Edin, one of the greatest curlers of all time

Scotland - the home of the good girl, with Eve Muirhead.

Deleted user 1/8/2025, 4:53:57 PM

Snowboarding is a winter sport born in the sixties in the United States, and is practiced by so-called snowboarders. It essentially consists of sliding on the snow and performing maneuvers while maintaining balance on the board, thanks to the fixing of the boots on it. After over 20 years of activity it has become a true Olympic sport, and since 2014 also a Paralympic one.

The snowboarder's board is made with high quality materials, but there are models of various kinds, which in addition to being aesthetically appealing, are robust and solid, and as much as it may seem in reality it is not always flat but has asymmetries. There are different ways to use it, the most popular is undoubtedly freestyle, the aim is to perform evolutions or tricks on various types of platforms, which is why it is similar to skateboarding.

Like many other winter sports, snowboarding is also dangerous and has a high risk rate, it is easy to get injured, twice as easy as skiers. Naturally, experts have less chance of getting injured even if the risk is always lurking.

Rich this is my 100% ORIGINAL, write in ITALIAN and translate it with google.

failedd 1/5/2025, 7:32:39 PM

Biathlon

What is Biathlon?

Biathlon is a winter Olympic sport in which athletes alternate high-intensity cross-country skiing with target shooting sessions. It is a test of physical endurance, precision and mental control.

Objective

Athletes ski down a cross-country ski course and, at certain points, must stop to shoot at targets with a rifle. Each shooting error results in a penalty, which can be an additional lap or a penalty time.

Necessary Equipment

Cross-country skis: to move quickly on the snow.

Ski poles: to increase speed and stability.

Biathlon rifle: small and lightweight, designed for long-distance accuracy.

Technical clothing: to ensure comfort during physical effort and protection from the cold.

Playing Field

The competition course is a snow-covered circuit of variable length (between 6 and 20 km, depending on the discipline), with shooting stations positioned along the track.

Basic Rules

Cross-Country Skiing:

Athletes must complete a certain number of laps of the cross-country ski course, pushing themselves to the maximum of their ability.

Shooting:

During the race, athletes stop at shooting stations, where they must hit 5 targets placed at:

Lying position: smaller targets, requiring more precision.

Standing position: larger targets, but it is more difficult to maintain stability.

Penalties:

Each missed target results in:

A penalty lap (150 meters) to be skied, or

A penalty of 1 minute, depending on the race.

Score:

The winner is the one who completes the race in the shortest time, including penalties.

Biathlon Variations

Sprint: a short race with 2 shooting stations.

Pursuit: athletes start based on the results of a previous race and try to catch up.

Mass Start: all athletes start together.

Relay: Team races, with 4 members alternating.

What Makes It Special?

Biathlon is unique because it combines two opposing skills: the intense aerobic activity of skiing and the calmness needed to hit targets. Every mistake can change the outcome of the race, making it an exciting sport to play and watch!

JuanCyt 1/5/2025, 12:21:58 AM

Ice hockey 🏒

This sport is originally from Canada, Here it is played between two teams of 6 players, these players must direct a puck (this one is made of rubber) with a stick, all with the objective of scoring in the rival's goal.

This sport is one of the few that allows unlimited player changes.

The first competition of this sport was on March 6, 1875

Game duration: three 20-minute periods, separated by two 5-minute intervals

Violations:

Offside: Offside occurs when a player from the attacking team enters the attacking zone, crossing the blue line, before the puck.

Penalties: They are known as penalties and are the most serious fouls, which require a penalty from the main referee.

Free kick: It is whistled when an attacking player is alone to shoot at goal and the opponent commits a foul behind him to stop him.

Championships: The main professional ice hockey league in the world is the National Hockey League or NHL. There is also the ice hockey world championship.

Best player: Kevin Fiala (best world player 2024)

Best Team: (I base myself only on this year's championship and one of the best leagues, the NHL) Florida Panthers were the best team, being champions in this

Shovel 1/1/2025, 8:28:52 PM

One of the most strategic and interesting Winter Sports is curling, and sometimes it's referred to as "chess on ice."

Originated in 16th-century Scotland, it's now a staple of the Winter Olympics. Played on a sheet of ice, teams of four take turns sliding 20kg granite stones towards a circular target known as the house, aiming to get their stones closer to the centre button than their opponents. Each of these teams has its roles: delivering the stones and then strategising their placement while sweeping peculiar factors whereby players use brooms to lessen friction and thus control the speed and direction of the stone-plays an important role. Matches generally contain 8 to 10 ends, similar to innings, and points are counted based on how many stones come closer to the button as compared to that of their opponent.

Curling has been an Olympic sport since 1998, with Canada historically being dominant, though Niklas Edin of Sweden and Silvana Tirinzoni of Switzerland are currently two of the best. This is a game of precision, teamwork, and strategy in which a perfectly executed shot or even a cleverly done defensive play is satisfying to watch. The combination of skill and strategy in curling creates thrills for both the player and fan in this winter sport.

Alex SinclairMod1/3/2025, 12:31:02 PM

Shovel

I've always wanted to try curling! It looks deeply satisfying

Shovel 1/3/2025, 1:03:54 PM

Alex Sinclair

The best I got at it is when I was playing a mini game on Rayman I think it was haha tried it In real life and I was awful!

Alex SinclairMod1/3/2025, 4:39:28 PM

Shovel

The closest I've tried is 'ice-free curling' in which the stones are on wheels. They gave us brooms too, explaining 'This will do absolutely nothing as there's no ice, but we know you'll want to do some sweeping anyway.' They were right.

Shovel 1/3/2025, 11:23:33 PM

Alex Sinclair

That's more than I've done hahah

Sturmer 12/30/2024, 11:06:44 AM

Shovel Racing

You might think I’m joking when I say shovel racing is a sport, but I’m not. This tradition has been around for over 50 years, complete with its own set of rules, a world championship, and coverage by major sports outlets.

History

Shovel racing originated in the 1970s at Angel Fire Resort in New Mexico. Initially, it was a practical way for workers to move around the snowy resort quickly. Using simple aluminum shovels, they discovered that, despite the hilarity of the setup, racers could reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour. What started as a functional activity quickly evolved into competitive sport.

Rules

As the sport gained popularity, participants began modifying their shovels with skis, aerodynamic pods, and other enhancements to gain an edge. The competition committee eventually banned all such modifications to preserve fairness and safety. Now, only lubrication of the shovel’s main body and minor decorations to the stem are allowed.

Safety is important, with racers required to wear helmets and friction-resistant suits to prevent skin burns during crashes.

The objective is simple - race downhill faster than everyone else. Each competitor gets two runs, and the fastest run determines their placement in the finals.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/i7915-aslVI?feature=oembed

Race Categories

Men’s Ages 13+
Women’s Ages 13+
Kids "Little Scoops" Ages 12 and under

So, the next time you think of sledding, remember this wild alternative—shovel racing, where simplicity meets high-speed thrills!

Additional sources:

Shovel racing - Wikipedia
Shovel Races - Angel Fire Resort (tickets for 2025 championship)

Deleted user 12/26/2024, 6:57:34 AM

Yukigassen is a Japanese winter sport that combines elements of a snowball fight with team strategy. Played on a snow-covered field, the game involves two teams, each with 7 players (although smaller teams can also play). The goal is to eliminate the opposing team by hitting players with snowballs or capturing their flag. Players are eliminated if they are hit by a snowball or if they break a rule. However, eliminated players can return to the game if their team catches a snowball thrown by the opponent. The game is played in 3-minute rounds, with overtime if needed.

The sport was created in Japan in 1988 and became internationally recognized with the first World Championship held in 1995. Today, it is played in various countries including Finland, the U.S., Canada, and Russia. The Kamuy Warriorsfrom Sapporo are among the most competitive teams. Yukigassen requires agility, aim, and teamwork, with snow barriers used for defense. The largest match ever involved over 400 teams, drawing thousands of spectators.

NiteDark 12/25/2024, 11:36:15 AM

Ice Hockey

Ice Hockey is a winter game played on an ice rink where two teams compete to score goals by hitting rubber discs called pucks into the opponents' goals using hockey sticks. It is a sport that mixes speed and strategy.

Ice hockey emerged in the 19th century, inspired by a stick and ball played on frozen lakes in Canada. Since then, it has become a staple of the Winter Olympics and a popular sport around the world.

Each team has 6 players, a goalkeeper and 5 field players, normally 3 attackers and 2 defenders. Substitutions can be made at any time and without limit. Each player must have a helmet, gloves, shoulder and elbow protections, skates and stick while the goalkeeper must also have more reinforced protections. The rules of ice hockey are basically the same as normal hockey, there are offsides and fouls.

To this day, I haven't had the opportunity to play ice hockey many times, but I highly recommend anyone who has never played ice hockey to at least try it once.

MQC 12/19/2024, 8:16:26 PM

Figure Skating

A sport in which individuals or couples skate on ice to the sound of music.

Here in Spain we are also not used to being active participants in winter sports activities, apart from skiing on the slopes in the corresponding mountain resorts, but in the last few years figure skating has gained some relevance, and with it more public awareness.

Equipment:

Ice rink

Preferably 60 x 30 metres and never smaller than 56 x 26 metres.

Skates

Boot, predominantly leather, with a chrome coated hardened steel blade, attached to the boot by screws.

Elements:

Something that may be unfamiliar to those less familiar with the sport is the existence of established scoring elements such as;

Jumps
Spins
Lifts
Turns
Steps
Moves

The submitted program must comply with a number of mandatory elements set out in the competition.

Scoring:

The judges will decide the participant's score based on 3 components;

Composition: evaluates the technical relationship of the program to the music.
Presentation: evaluates how the program is performed on an artistic level.
Skating skills: evaluates the technical quality of the elements used in the program.

Historic teams:

Typically, the United States and Russia/Soviet Union have had a big presence in the sport at World Championships and Olympic Games level, with countries such as Austria, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Germany also having big names in the sport. In recent times, Asian countries such as Japan and China are also having quite a few elite athletes, with different medals in different disciplines.

Great athletes:

Yuzuru Hanyū
Sonja Henie
Gillis Grafström
Evgeni Plushenko
Nathan Chen
Dick Button
Shoma Uno
Charlie White
Scott Moir / Tessa Virtue
Shen Xue / Zhao Hongbo
Jayne Torvill / Christopher Dean
Elena Berezhnaya / Anton Sikharulidze

Fun fact:

The kiss and cry is the area in a figure skating rink where figure skaters wait for their marks to be announced after their performances during a figure skating competition. It is so called because skaters and coaches often kiss to celebrate after a good performance, or cry after a bad one.

AlexGoesTheWorld 12/18/2024, 2:43:33 PM

Freestyle skiing is a sport subset of the larger skiing which involves doing stuff that normal people wouldn't do on a normal slope.

I'll focus on the following discliplines:

Half Pipe: skied in the same feature of the Snowboard Halfpipe, the skier jumps off the sides of this cut pipe shape, landing back in and moving to jump off the other side, repeating one side after the other.

Big Air: it's big and in the air, it's all about one single jump and the best trick a skier can do with that jump.

Slopestyle: it's a sloped course where jumps and metal obstacles called rails and boxes, alternates. The goal is to ski the track executing tricks at each feature.

The scoring for three disciplines is centered on how difficult are the tricks, how flawless are they execute and how big those tricks. The FIS, International Ski and Snowboard Federation, standardized the scoring on a 0 to 100 value with a defined set of characteristics for each discipline but other events, like the Winter X-Games, have their own scoring systems that not always align with FIS standards. In every cases, it is in the hands of human judges and human fallability to give an evaluation, as there hadn't been a standardization effort like in figure skating where computers prepare base scores which judges can tweak.

All three disciplines are Olympic sports, with both women and man competing. Big air was introduced in the 2022 Winter Olympics in China, while Slopestyle and Half pipe first appeared at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia.

Aerials, Moguls and Skicross are also considered part of the Freestyle skiing but I choose to not touch them as I don't know them as much as the above three.

Records:

- Highest jump from a quarter pipe: the Simon Dumont record is one that remained in the eyes of everyone who watched the freestyle skiing film Claim in 2008 when he reached more than 10 meters in the air.

- Longest metal rail: in 2022, Swedish Jesper Tjäder managed in a feat of equilibrium to grind a rail of just about 154.49 meter, after an hundred or so attempts that is.

- Bobby Brown is the only skier gaining a perfect score at X-Games with two tricks (switch double Misty mute 1260 and switch double Misty mute 1440) that were the first to be landed during a competition. It happened in 2010.

Cursiosities:

- The cubed half pipe: yes, an half pipe made of cubes, or better, an half pipe cut down in cubes. That's where Simon Dumon shoot another iconic segment with Red Bull.

- You can do freestyle slopestyle and big air in summer as well: there are slopes that use special plastics aided by water to simulate some slopestyle and big air features.

- The sport became an extremely specialized one: who does half pipe is never seen doing big air and slopestyle and viceversa. But it wasn't always like that: in the early 2000s up to 2015s people like Simon Dumon and Jon Olsson competed and won in all three disciplines. The only exception is the Chinese American Eileen Gu which is able to win in all 3 disciplines.

- X-Games is the most famous event in the sport.

- The sport game STEEP features all three disciplines, with plenty of features and parks scattered around the maps. The Olympics DLC let you participate in Slopestyle skiing and half pipe olympic events set at Pyeongchang Winter Olympics of 2018, while the X-Games DLC brings you to the Winter X-Games event.

You can easily find videos of the Quarter pipe and rail record, as well as the cube pipe on Youtube. I didn't include them as the bounty threw up otherwise.

avrona 12/17/2024, 6:47:08 PM

In Poland, we go crazy for ski jumping, where it's almost a national sport for us, given for how for most of the 2000s Poland dominated in it. Not so much nowadays, hence why it's dropping in popularity, but still very much enjoyed.

It's fairly simple, a guy slides down and jumps on a snowy ramp and goes flying hundreds of meters away (I have no idea how they have the guts to do that). There's an even more extreme version called sky flying, with even longer ramps, and even more airtime as a result, with the largest recorded jump being a whopping 253 and a half meters.

Even though distance matters a lot, the jump is still scored out of 20 anyway by a panel of judges by the end. If you want to watch it yourself, I have no idea if TV stations air it beyond just the ones of nations that take part (mostly Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, and Japan), but it is in the Winter Olympics, so you can watch it live when that is on.

Y0EMINENCE 12/21/2024, 6:01:12 AM

Bobsledding involves teams racing down an icy track in a sled. Here's a quick rundown:

A streamlined vehicle with runners for steering.

2 or 4 athletes; one or two pilots at the front, others push to start.

Teams push the sled from a standing start, then jump in.

Pilots steer through the track using ropes connected to the front runners, navigating curves at high speeds.

Fastest time down the track wins.

Combines speed, gravity, and friction.

Helmets, suits, and sled design are crucial for safety.

Balance between speed at the start and control throughout.

Bobsledding is an Olympic sport, known for its speed and precision.

Includes two-man, two-woman, and four-man (team) bobsled races.

Competitors race on a specially designed, refrigerated track with numerous turns and straightaways.

Teams start by pushing the sled from a standing position for about 50 meters before jumping in.

Once in, the pilot steers using a steering wheel connected to the front runners, aiming for speed and precision through curves.

Gold, silver, and bronze are awarded based on the fastest combined times from multiple heats (usually four).

Strict regulations on sled weight, athlete weight, and equipment to ensure fair competition.

Part of the Winter Olympics since 1924 for men, women's events added in 2002.

Bobsledding highlights speed, teamwork, and the mastery of controlling a high-speed sled on ice.

FirestormGamingTeam 2/4/2025, 1:36:38 PM

I present, Bobsledding!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/4WBxCMZpWO4?feature=oembed

Hisoka213 1/8/2025, 5:41:29 PM

All About Snowboarding

Snowboarding is one of the most exciting and widely popular winter sports, blending speed, skill, and creativity on snow-covered slopes. Whether you're carving down a mountain or performing tricks in a halfpipe, snowboarding offers endless thrills for athletes and spectators alike.

How Snowboarding Works

Snowboarding involves descending a snowy slope on a single board, with your feet strapped in sideways to bindings. Riders can participate recreationally or competitively in various disciplines:

Freestyle: Performing tricks and jumps in parks or on natural features.
Halfpipe: Riding through a semi-circular structure, showcasing spins, flips, and grabs.
Slopestyle: Navigating courses with rails, jumps, and other obstacles.
Alpine (Race): Speed-focused racing down a course with gates.
Big Air: Executing a single, high-scoring trick off a massive jump.

Rules and Scoring

In competitive snowboarding, scoring is typically based on speed (in races) or technique, difficulty, style, and execution (in freestyle events). For example, judges in slopestyle or halfpipe competitions evaluate tricks based on their amplitude, variety, and overall flow.

Notable Milestones and Records

Snowboarding was introduced to the Winter Olympics in 1998, with the halfpipe and giant slalom as the initial events.
Shaun White, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, is one of the sport’s legends, known for his revolutionary halfpipe tricks.
Chloe Kim became the youngest female Olympic gold medalist in snowboarding at age 17 during the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, earning praise for her back-to-back 1080s.

Top Athletes and Teams Today

Chloe Kim (USA): Dominates the women’s halfpipe scene.
Yuto Totsuka (Japan): A rising star in men’s halfpipe.
Red Gerard (USA): Known for his slopestyle prowess.
Anna Gasser (Austria): Big air specialist with multiple golds.

Why Snowboarding is Unique

Snowboarding combines technical precision with creative freedom, making it both an art form and a sport. Its culture emphasizes individuality and expression, attracting a diverse community of riders worldwide.

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