# A few Olympic sports questions **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 21, 2010, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857 "2010-02-21T07:22:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857/41 "2010-02-25T19:37:55Z")
They do start randomly. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857/42 "2010-02-25T20:22:44Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > They could also cut down on the number of skiiers. Apparently there’s like 20-30 people. Or, instead of doing that, stretch out the competition. Have 10 skiiers on one day, 10 on another, that way the snow is generally pretty fresh. They’d never make it through the Olympics, let alone a World Cup event. It’s part of the slings and arrows of snow sports, stuff like this happens. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857/43 "2010-02-25T21:23:55Z")
Thanks **Freddy the Pig** , you made it perfectly clear what the rotation is. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857/44 "2010-02-25T21:28:22Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Mass start. It’d make the alpine events waaaaaaaay more entertaining! 😃 I guess you haven’t caught the newest event in this olympics, [Ski Cross](http://winterolympicgames.suite101.com/article.cfm/ski_cross_new_sport_at_2010_winter_olympics). ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857/45 "2010-02-25T21:30:48Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > They do start randomly. Never trust TV! :smack: I’ve been under the impression that the fastest qualifiers went first, sort of like in other sports not affected by weather where the higher score does their routine last ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857/46 "2010-02-25T21:31:51Z")
They also send guys out with shovels to maintain the course between runs, at least when they’re not sending the racers down two at a time. ---
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857/47 "2010-02-25T21:35:43Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > They do start randomly. I thought it was something similar to what the cross-country events do–the top skiers (as determined by World Cup rankings, I assume) are at the front, but in random order, then the group goes that had no real shot anyway. The problem with stopping someone in the middle of the run is this–I don’t think you can just have her go as soon as she gets back up the hill, because she’s going to need at least some recovery time–and you can’t just hold everyone for half and hour or whatever until she is ready to go, particularly when conditions are getting worse. In retrospect, I think it was just a mistake to have the top contender group out on the course two at a time–a crash ends up taking out two contenders, and it’s not like crashes have been in short supply lately. I also wonder if “Best of two runs” might be better than “Combined total of two runs” as a scoring system. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857/48 "2010-02-26T00:36:31Z")
“and now we have a slight delay in the action as the skiboni grooms the slope.” i do enjoy the ski cross. it is very interesting. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857/49 "2010-02-26T04:46:21Z")
How do figure skaters not get dizzy? I walk around the block and I get dizzy. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857/50 "2010-02-26T14:31:02Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Never trust TV! :smack: > > I’ve been under the impression that the fastest qualifiers went first, sort of like in other sports not affected by weather where the higher score does their routine last I just read up on this [here](http://www.nbcolympics.com/alpine-skiing/insidethissport/competition/newsid=257721.html). _"The start order is determined by the results and points from World Cup events leading up to the Games. Based on a pre-race draw, the skiers ranked in the top 15 will receive a start number 8-22, while the skiers ranked 16th through 30th will receive a start number 1-7 or 23-30. They are followed by the rest of the field, starting with the skiers with the most World Cup Start List (WCSL) points, then FIS points. "_ So it’s semi-random based on past races. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857/51 "2010-02-26T14:43:31Z")
> **[Sports News, Scores, Fantasy Games - Yahoo Sports](https://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/tokyo-2021/)** > > Sports News, Scores, Fantasy Games ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857/52 "2010-02-26T22:45:00Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > It’s a known issue, but what would you have officials do to even out conditions? Race early and late and average the time? Recondition the course when it becomes noticeable? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857/53 "2010-02-26T22:49:22Z")
I still can’t believe nothing pretty grows in Canada. After a 2 year process of choosing flowers for the bouquet they end up with a bunch of broccoli. I pull weeds up that look nicer. Truly out of character with the wonderful presentation of the rest of the Olympics. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857/54 "2010-02-27T01:24:24Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I still can’t believe nothing pretty grows in Canada. After a 2 year process of choosing flowers for the bouquet they end up with a bunch of broccoli. I pull weeds up that look nicer. Truly out of character with the wonderful presentation of the rest of the Olympics. I suppose they could give them a nice patch of tundra. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857/55 "2010-02-27T01:41:47Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > I suppose they could give them a nice patch of tundra. Lichen, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857/56 "2010-02-27T02:51:09Z")
Not really a question but the South Koreans are REALLY pissed over the disqualification in the women’s short track relay final. There are death threats against the referee. I don’t know enough about the judging but looking at the replay’s there is no way the hand touch impeded the Chinese skater. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857/57 "2010-02-27T03:01:36Z")
Apparently, that was the same judge that disqualified another South Korean speedskater a few years ago and gave Apollo the gold. Spooky ---
**Author:** ![TheBoltEater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheBoltEater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoltEater)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857/58 "2010-02-27T05:18:29Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Comparing the beloved US curling team to Nate Kaeding? How dare you! Hey, thanks for that. Now I have to go into _another_ month-long drunken stupor. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857/59 "2010-03-03T05:39:09Z")
Olympics over ☹ But I just thought of a couple more questions How do hockey rinks get frozen? Do they fill it up with water then turn on the AC? Are ice blocks fitted together? How do they prevent it from melting? And what exactly does a Zamboni do? In figure skating, the announcers often say what jumps are coming up. I guess this means a skater must give out a list of moves they are going to perform and when they’re going to do it. What if they deviate from it? Are there any points lost? And why bother giving out a list? The judges are looking at things in super slow motion, I assume they can tell an axel from a lutz ---
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857/60 "2010-03-03T06:21:38Z")
Skaters can deviate–you see this most often if a skater has a two-jump sequence planned, only does one for whatever reason, and then later turns a planned single jump into a double. However, routines are generally planned well in advance, and are often re-used. Announcers will have seen the same routine at previous competitions, or in practice, or someone working for the broadcaster will have seen it and listed it out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-olympic-sports-questions/529857.md?page=4)