2010 Olympic Winter Games

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Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 7 (January 2010).

2010 Olympic Winter Games
By Nat (Strider)

The New Year is a time for setting goals and creating opportunities, whether they are about staying active, doing homework, or winning gold medals. It is a time for reaching potential, and striving to have fun along the way. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games is the perfect inspiration for doing something incredible in the New Year, and finding exciting activities to take part in outdoors.

The Winter Games are taking place in Vancouver, British Columbia, and are the third Olympic Games to be hosted by Canada. A number of venues have been built specifically for the Games, including the Richmond Olympic Oval, which is one of the few buildings in the history of the Winter Games to be built at sea level. There will be 86 sporting events taking part in the Games, falling under the categories of ice sports, alpine sports, and Nordic sports.

These are some sports in the 2010 Winter Olympics and ways you could try them out yourself:

Alpine Skiing (Also known as ‘downhill skiing’): is a sport that was named after the European Alps in the 1880s. In this sport, a person skis down a hill on two skis with fixed heel bindings. This differs from Nordic skiing, which uses skis with free heel bindings. The two types of competition are racing and freestyle. In a racing competition, the goal of the skier is to weave through a downhill course in the fastest time possible, whereas a freestyle competition focuses on aerial moves and the use of jumps and halfpipes.

Alpine skiing is a popular recreational winter sport, and is offered at any ski resort. To try it, check out if there is a ski hill near you.

Bobsleigh, Luge, and Skeleton: These are sports in which one or more people go down an ice track on a fast, and often tiny, metal sleigh. In Bobsleigh, the teams consist of either two or four people who each have a specific job. In a two person team, there is a pilot and a brakeman, and in a four person team, there is the addition of two pushers. Luge can have a team of up to two, who slide down the track on the sled feet first. Skeleton is an individual sport, and features on rider sliding headfirst down the ice track.

A common activity similar to bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton is tobogganing, or ‘sledding’. This can be done recreationally at some ski hills, as well as at unregulated hills.

Figure Skating and Speed Skating: This is a very disciplined sport that focuses on the artistic movements or speed of the competitors. Figure skating can be done as an individual sport, or in pairs or groups. The skaters go through a series of jumps, lifts, spirals, and other moves during their performance that will be rated afterwards. In speed skating, the participant races against other competitors to try to get the fastest time.

Skating is a fun activity that can be done at indoor or outdoor rinks. Find out if there is a rink near you!

Ice Hockey: The goal of this sport is for each team to get the puck into the opposing team’s net. The players use many pieces of equipment, such as skates and a stick, as well as padding and a helmet, as the sport is often very physical. The teams consist of five players and one goal tender, who work together to get the puck out of their side of the rink and into the other team’s net.

Ice hockey is a fun sport to play with a group of friends, and outdoor rinks are often the best venues. Signing up with a recreational team in your area is the best way to play competitively and at indoor rinks.

Winter sports are a lot of fun, and are a great way to get outside and get active when it’s cold outside. Many can be done recreationally, and there are opportunities to try even the most uncommon ones. Find out if there is a ski hill near you and what activities are available. Just remember to stay safe and make sure you have all of the proper equipment. Maybe someday you will want to compete for the gold medal!