Peter Minde
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2020
What do you do after working 50 hours reporting on cross country skiing national championships? Go back to Mt van Ho and volunteer at the bobsled races.
On Sunday, I volunteered at the Noram bobsled and skeleton competition. Olympic start spots were on the line.
Not knowing any better, I trudged uphill towards the start house.
It was a looooong way, and initially I followed the sliding track's contours. Because of the recent thaw, the footing was sketchy. Plus it was all uphill, duh. 3/4 of the way there, a shuttle driver hailed me and took me to the start.
The view below, from the start house deck, isn't terrible. But working as a credential checker, I got wicked cold.
Camaraderie between the teams is wicked cool. A pickup truck arrives from below with a couple of sleds. Canada helps pull out Trinidad's sleds, Korea helps with Latvia.
Sleds on deck.
Jamaican women, two-woman bobsled. Jamaica is the country that turned bobsled from a European sport to an actual world sport.
Korean women, two-woman bobsled. The women compete in two-woman and mono bobs, where the driver is the only pusher. This is partly due to women's bobsled being a relatively young sport, not that many athletes. And partly due to the cost of building a four person bobsled.
@Ripitz share about the Canadian coach notwithstanding, I saw an incredible amount of sportsmanship and mutual support there on Sunday.
On Sunday, I volunteered at the Noram bobsled and skeleton competition. Olympic start spots were on the line.
Not knowing any better, I trudged uphill towards the start house.
It was a looooong way, and initially I followed the sliding track's contours. Because of the recent thaw, the footing was sketchy. Plus it was all uphill, duh. 3/4 of the way there, a shuttle driver hailed me and took me to the start.
The view below, from the start house deck, isn't terrible. But working as a credential checker, I got wicked cold.
Camaraderie between the teams is wicked cool. A pickup truck arrives from below with a couple of sleds. Canada helps pull out Trinidad's sleds, Korea helps with Latvia.
Sleds on deck.
Jamaican women, two-woman bobsled. Jamaica is the country that turned bobsled from a European sport to an actual world sport.
Korean women, two-woman bobsled. The women compete in two-woman and mono bobs, where the driver is the only pusher. This is partly due to women's bobsled being a relatively young sport, not that many athletes. And partly due to the cost of building a four person bobsled.
@Ripitz share about the Canadian coach notwithstanding, I saw an incredible amount of sportsmanship and mutual support there on Sunday.
