[Archived] Pyeongchang olympics

[gumboots]

Well, I'm going. 

[Paul]

I watched some of the opening ceremony. The main impression I gained was the lack of any atmosphere whatsoever.

Two reasons for this; the seating areas came over as a mass of square lights. I presume spectators were sitting behind these? Secondly the broadcasters screened out all cheering, clapping, atmospheric noise etc. adding to the impression no one was present and sterilising the event. As a TV spectacle it failed and left me feeling SK is a state controlled society - though I know this to be untrue  

After 15 minutes we switched to iPlayer to catch up on Requiem - not much better. 

[gumboots]

I never watch opening ceremonies as I resent the cash spent on them and don't catch the excitement. I think there were a lot of empty seats for the ceremony. South Koreans were certainly slow to snap up tickets because of the political things that went on surrounding the bid (don't ask me what they were exactly because I don't know, just that it involved the presidents friend and was one of the things that brought down the president) We're looking forward to it anyway. Have never seen any winter sports live so it will be a whole new experience

[Paul]

There were a couple of shots which showed rows of empty seats. This may be why all one could see was lights being used to cover up an empty stadium?

[Gav]

Watched quite a bit so far, weather looks poor, high winds have cancelled the skiing and temps -12 at the luge track.

Hope you're enjoying the experience gumboots.

[chaddyrovers]

I enjoy watching the Skiing and luge but not been able to watch them

[Rover-the-Top]

The British girl crashing in the speed skating yesterday reminded me of the story of Steven Bradbury - either the best or worst gold medal win depending on how you look at it.

[gumboots]

We arrived in the Pyeongchang area yesterday and are attending our first event today providing it's not postponed. The winds yesterday were horrendous. The whole country is dry and dust was swirling around in gusty winds that looked like blowing down traffic lights and power lines. Sounds less windy now so fingers crossed for tonight when we're due to watch the aerials, skiing that is, not tv! 

[Vinjay]

9 hours ago, gumboots said:

We arrived in the Pyeongchang area yesterday and are attending our first event today providing it's not postponed. The winds yesterday were horrendous. The whole country is dry and dust was swirling around in gusty winds that looked like blowing down traffic lights and power lines. Sounds less windy now so fingers crossed for tonight when we're due to watch the aerials, skiing that is, not tv! 

At least you didn't end up in Pyongyang. Believe it or not that's actually happened.

Turmoil for the women's Jamaican bobsleigh team.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/winter-olympics/2018/02/14/jamiacas-cool-runnings-winter-olympics-dream-tatters-bobsleigh/

Winter Olympics seem a bit strange wonder why they aren't more popular? It would help if they didn't have them in obscure locations as they did here and in the past. I didn't watch any of the London 2012 games (why suddenly care synchronised swimming for a few weeks and then forget all about it?) so I'm certainly not watching any of this. As for the S Korea crowds they seemed very enthusiastic in 2002 but that's football not a collective bunch of sports with nowhere near the same appeal.

[gumboots]

The lack of initial interest was partly political. There's a lot of enthusiasm here now. As a side note turns out the lady staying in the next cabin to us is the wife of a medal winning Canadian speed skater and Korea is not that inaccessible. Perhaps for Europeans but not for Russians Chinese Japanese etc. Its live sport so always fun. 

[Vinjay]

I didn't mean South Korea is obscure but Pyeongchang certainly is so that must put many off from travelling. The Winter Olympics should be held in medium-huge cities just as the main Olympics are. I'm sure there's enough with suitable conditions. In cities they can fill up the crowds with freebies, etc as well if sales are poor. Munich was one of the other contenders how ridiculous is that?

I see the last 2 were held in Vancouver and Sochi. Vancouver made sense and Sochi (Russia) is a city as well though I don't know much about it. I see next time it will be Beijing so that will probably set new records. This year still makes no sense though. Have those cabins been set up specifically to accommodate for this event?

 

[gumboots]

It's not cold enough to hold it further south. Pyeongchang isn't too hard to get to. We drove up yesterday and covered the length of the country in about 7 hours including 3 stops to feed the baby and ourselves. Would have suited us in Munich too as we have family there. It's really a case of who wants it and sharing it out around the world. The Koreans are really into speed skating and figure skating and there's a Korean doing pretty well in the Skeleton. They weren't bad at curling either so it's not like they don't do winter sports. Have to hold it in the mountains and, although Korea generally is mountainous, this is the high part and the coldest so it makes sense. I've not heard anyone complaining here that it's out of the way

[chaddyrovers]

Enjoyed watching the skiing yesterday on British Eurosport..

Looking forward men's super G race

[old darwen blue]

I don’t know why but for some reason I was enthralled watching the ladies curling ?

[gumboots]

We saw the ladies aerials qualifying last night and today we have been to the ladies snowboard cross. The aerials was amazing and the snowboard later rounds were exciting. Efficient transport, good but not heavy handed security, loads of smiley gamesmakers, lovely weather, cold, dry sunny today without any wind. All in all a great experience. We took our tiny 5 month old grandson too and provision for changing and feeding him was great too. Curling tomorrow 

[gumboots]

Unbelievably awful performance from GB men's curling today. Beaten by a Korea team with more heart, desire and better tactics. Germany Norway ice hockey for our last event tomorrow

[gumboots]

Today we watched our final event, the ice hockey match between the Korean women and the Swiss. Match quality was poor but the atmosphere was brilliant. United Korea team flags being waved all the time even though they couldn't score for toffee. Home now down in the South East of Korea. 

[Husky]

It seems the British Winter Olympics has found it's Paula Radcliffe.

[gumboots]

We're back from the Olympics now. Watched Asian Champions league match last night. Ulsan v Kawasaki from Japan . Attendance 2398 and 2 of those were my husband and I. I reckon Rovers, even at their current level, could have won by a country mile.