# Random Winter Olympics questions/opinions **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** olympic-sports\ **Created:** [February 15, 2026, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685 "2026-02-15T17:05:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2026, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/101 "2026-02-20T21:41:45Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > I would think that being in Europe, with the Pyrenees to the north, the country would have more of a skiing and winter sport culture. There are good Spanish alpine skiers in the WC from time to time, so I’m also surprised that they haven’t won more medals. FWIW, I think the main Spanish ski resorts are not in the Pyrenees, but the Sierra Nevada. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2026, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/102 "2026-02-20T23:59:31Z")
Thanks. Their other gold was in men’s slalom, but way back in 1972. Their 2 medals in 2026 are both in “ski mountaineering”, which is a new Olympic event. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2026, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/103 "2026-02-21T00:24:55Z")
What was the deal with fifteen consecutive women slalom skiers (or at least, that impression given by Canadian coverage) being unable to stay on the course and finish on Wednesday? Obviously this has much more to do with conditions than ability. Why did this happen? And after the last ten people had crashed or missed flags, why did athletes not temper their aggressive strategy? ---
**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 21, 2026, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/104 "2026-02-21T02:07:56Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Obviously this has much more to do with conditions than ability. My wife (ex-racer and coach) watched the men’s slalom where 45% of the skiers DNF’d the first run and she blamed the skiers not the conditions. They were booting out, stradling the gates, and hooking their tips, pretty basic failures. They all know how to ski when it’s snowing so they should be able to adjust. We hypothesized that placing wasn’t nearly as important in the Olympics where FIS points aren’t counted so they were all more aggressive than normal. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2026, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/105 "2026-02-21T02:40:18Z")
And yet another correction: This friend did not marry the bobsledder. She married his brother, although he was a noted athlete of his own in the area where he grew up. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2026, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/106 "2026-02-21T04:52:44Z")
I just watched a really cool video about curling (gets into the weird physics of it)🙂 [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/p60I9LNHNxg/maxresdefault.jpg "Why This Olympic Sport Bothers Physicists") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p60I9LNHNxg) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2026, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/107 "2026-02-21T15:43:12Z")
Great video. _Nova_ did a short video a few years ago questioning some theories about the Physics of a curling stone, and it was filmed at my club. I thought the “scratches in the ice” theory was accepted now, but I guess it’s still up in the air a bit. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/3kpZ_EWL1wA/maxresdefault.jpg "Curling, The Most Mysterious Olympic Sport") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kpZ_EWL1wA) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2026, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/108 "2026-02-21T18:30:51Z")
Those “Other Sierra Nevadas”. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2026, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/109 "2026-02-21T18:58:51Z")
The _original_ Sierra Nevada 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2026, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/110 "2026-02-21T19:31:49Z")
Olympic Biathlon, only use paintball rifles instead, three shots, with three chances to take out the competition. Add a third of a second to your time for every shot you fire. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/111 "2026-02-22T04:16:23Z")
Random question: why do the Alpine skiers have curvey ski poles? I’ve always used straight poles, and i see the cross country skiers still do that. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/112 "2026-02-22T04:22:22Z")
Aerodynamics. I believe they’re custom curved for each skier. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/113 "2026-02-22T04:26:00Z")
Yes they are curved for aero. The baskets are also specialized aero for racing as well - not what most ski poles at your local resort will require. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/114 "2026-02-22T04:27:01Z")
Huh! Aerodynamics certainly doesn’t matter for my skiing, and really doesn’t matter for cross country, either, su that makes sense. 50K Cross country is wild. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/115 "2026-02-22T04:38:08Z")
Very random question, but is there ever a concern that a bobsled ‘s brake won’t activate due to some mechanical glitch, leading to a head-on crash with the end of the track? I assumed that the track just continues in a loop, but I noticed that there is an end where they finish. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/116 "2026-02-22T05:11:01Z")
This particular track ends going uphill. I would imagine the track end is long enuf such that if a heavy 4-man sled’s brake failed they’d just stop short of the end due to lack of momentum. No idea if other tracks have different safety features. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/117 "2026-02-22T07:15:08Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > This particular track ends going uphill. It appears that this is the norm on bobsled tracks. [This document](https://www.ibsf.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Resources/Sports/Rules_Quotas/IBSF_Track_Rules_am2019.pdf), from the regulatory body for bobsled and skeleton, on track design, says this (note that the final paragraph, about skeleton sleds, is likely because they don’t have brakes, AFAICT): > [@](#): > > **Deceleration Stretch** > The deceleration stretch must be constructed in such a way that the bobsled, the skeleton and the luge can stop even without applying the brakes. The gradient of the deceleration stretch must not be in excess of 20%. > > At the end of the iced stretch, sleds must be able to continue without any obstacle. If considered necessary, at speeds less than 30 km/h, special cushioning devices may be installed, in order to avoid any injury to people and to restrict damage to sleds to a minimum. > > For skeleton, sufficient foam rubber mats have to be made available. If possible water-repellent (approx. 100 x 150 cm, maximal thickness 6 cm). Also: > [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > I assumed that the track just continues in a loop, but I noticed that there is an end where they finish. Bobsled tracks go downhill – it’s how the sleds are able to go so fast. If they connect back up in a loop, then by default, the other half would have to go uphill. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/118 "2026-02-22T07:47:48Z")
I think they meant just the bit after the finish line, so the whole track would look like a figure 6. Well, with a lot more wobbles/bends and the ‘o’ bit being much smaller in relation to the timed part of the track ---
**Author:** ![Mongoose3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3e96dc/32.png) [@Mongoose3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mongoose3)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/119 "2026-02-22T08:00:43Z")
They have uphill skiing, why not uphill bobsleigh? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/120 "2026-02-22T08:49:56Z")
Uphill bobsleigh is a breeze compared to the uphill ski jump. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685.md?page=7)