Is the Euro Winter X Games going mainstream?

Mark Pawlak    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts     olympics, Skiing, Snowboarding, snowmobiling, winter x games

I guess it depends how you classify mainstream, although it could be argued the Winter X Games has lost some of its X-factor since the Olympics woke up to snowboarding in 1998.

More traditional Olympic disciplines have been around since the year dot (1924 to be exact). Snowboarding, however, is a relatively new sport; the first ever Winter X Games was in 1997, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) taking snowboarding on its books a year later.

Before then, there was a clear division: regular Olympic sports one side, extreme sports the other. Although, hold on: Since when was luge not extreme? And as for ski-jumping, it’s completely off the richter.

So what does the Winter X Games bring that the Winter Olympics does not? Well, there are eight different competitions, these include Slopestyle, Ski and Snowboard SuperPipe and a demonstration event on snowmobiles – not sure this last one would make it past the IOC selection committee. read more

Is Curling an Olympic Sport?

Tim B    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts     curling, olympics

Swedish Curling Team

The GB curling teams are on their way home, the men’s team narrowly missing out on a medal, although many sports fans may be asking: So what?

If there is a sport more unlike traditional Olympic disciplines, I’ve yet to watch it – well actually, table tennis comes close.

With curling, it’s the separation of sport from fitness, and the sweeping. One person releases a stone and colleagues (sweepers) stick the broom around/sweep the ice to help the stone slide – bowls on ice really, but with a domestic twist. An extreme winter sport? Physically, no but be warned: it’s addictive to watch! read more