BOBSLED

Bobsleigh racing was developed in search of the ultimate thrill by the 19th century.

Considered the world's first sliding sport, skeleton originated in the Swiss town of St. Moritz in the late 1800s. The first competition was held in 1884. Riders raced down the road from St. Moritz to Celerina, where the winner received a bottle of champagne. It wasn't until 1887 that riders began competing in the prone position used today. The sport took its name in 1892, when a new sled made mostly of metal was introduced. People thought it looked like a skeleton.

The sport's governing body, the Federation Internationale de Bobsleigh et Tobagganing (FIBT), was founded in 1923. This competition has been part of the official programme since the 1st Olympic Winter Games in Chamonix Mont Blanc in 1924.

Considered the world's first sliding sport, skeleton originated in the Swiss town of St. Moritz in the late 1800s. The first competition was held in 1884. Riders raced down the road from St. Moritz to Celerina, where the winner received a bottle of champagne. It wasn't until 1887 that riders began competing in the prone position used today. The sport took its name in 1892, when a new sled made mostly of metal was introduced. People thought it looked like a skeleton.

BOBSLEIGH

The sport's governing body, the Federation Internationale de Bobsleigh et Tobagganing (FIBT), was founded in 1923.This competition has been part of the official programme since the 1st Olympic Winter Games in Chamonix Mont Blanc in 1924.

COMPETITION

Bobsleigh consists of three events in the Olympic programme. Men and women compete in two-man/two-woman, and skeleton events. Men also compete in four-man.

There are slight differences between the men's and women's competitions.

The men's Olympic bobsleigh competition lasts over two days, with two runs staged on each day. The competition consists of four runs timed to 0.01 seconds. The final standings are determined by the total time over the four runs; the winner is the sled with the lowest aggregate time. If two teams complete the competition in a tie, they are awarded the same place.

The women's Olympic bobsleigh competition consists of two runs staged on the same day. Both runs are timed to 0.01 seconds and the final standings are determined by the total time over the two runs; the winner is the sled with the lowest aggregate time. If two teams complete the competition in a tie, they are awarded the same place.

SKELETON

Considered the world's first sliding sport, skeleton originated in the Swiss town of St. Moritz in the late 1800s. The first competition was held in 1884. Riders raced down the road from St. Moritz to Celerina, where the winner received a bottle of champagne. It wasn't until 1887 that riders began competing in the prone position used today. The sport took its name in 1892, when a new sled made mostly of metal was introduced. People thought it looked like a skeleton.

The sport's governing body, the Federation Internationale de Bobsleigh et Tobagganing (FIBT), was founded in 1923. Skeleton has twice been on the Olympic programme, both times at its "ancestral" home of St. Moritz, in 1928 and 1948. However, skeleton for both men and women has also been added to the 2002 Olympic programme.

COMPETITION

Olympic skeleton events consists of two runs timed electronically to 0.01 seconds. The two runs are contested on the same day and the final standings determined by the aggregate time of the two runs. If athletes complete the competition in a tie, they receive the same award.

http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/programme/index_uk.asp?SportCode=IH

BIATHLON

Biathlon is a sport that captures the attention and imagination of everyone who sees it. In so many ways, it is a typical Olympic endeavor - combining the most physically demanding sport of cross-country skiing with the intense precision of rifle marksmanship. These opposing disciplines collide at the shooting range. With their hearts pounding nearly three times a second, the athletes struggle to control their breathing as they shoot, knowing that every shot and the number of seconds it takes to make it, will determine who stands on the podium that day. It is this drama, combined with wonderful visual images of the competitors, which has lead biathlon to be the top rated winter sport on European TV.

Although US Biathletes are relatively unknown in North America, they are well respected and have been producing strong results in Europe. Our Junior Team is among the strongest in the world with numerous medals at World Junior Championships and European Cup, including the best World Junior results for an American team in 2002. These athletes have graduated into the senior ranks and will be competing for spots on the 2006 Olympic Team with a solid core of Olympic veterans. Those veteran athletes include Rachel Steer who currently ranked 36th in the world and had four top-twenty World Cup finishes in 2004; and Jay Hakkinen who has three top-ten finishes in his World Cup career and had the third-fastest time in the Pursuit competition at the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics. They also include Jeremy Teela who has finished in the top-10 at World Championships twice.

Other Biathlon Disciplines: Summer biathlon combines rifle marksmanship and running and has a large following in the USA. Though not yet an Olympic sport, World Championships are held every year. There are also national championships and a series of over twenty competitions throughout the USA.

The Mascots

They are the mascots of the XX Olympic Winter Games to be held in Turino, Italy. Neve is a snowball, kind, gentle, and elegant. Gliz, an ice cube, is lively and playful.

They are the creation of thirty-eight year old Pedro Albuquerque, a Portugeuse designer. Albuquerque won the international competition sponsored by the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games in Turin (TOROC). His inspiration was his passion for water and the shapes water cand take on when it becomes snow or ice. Also inspiring his creations were the Italian spirit and the places which will play host to the games and the characteristics of the various sports disciplines of the Olympics.

Neve and Gliz are the personification of the spirit of Italy and the games, the passion, enthusiasm, culture, elegance, and love of the environment and sport. Neve and Gliz symbolize the young generation that is full of energy and life.

How Much Do You Know About the Winter Games?
Take this quiz to find out.

QUESTIONS

1. Which figure skater was shadowed by the East German spy agency, Stasi, after winning gold in 1988? 2. In 1992, Ye Qiaobo became the first Chinese athlete to win a medal at the Winter Olympics. In what sport did she win a silver?

3. What are male ice dancers prohibited from wearing?

4. Which Norwegian athlete has won the most Olympic medals?

5. How many medals were won by U.S. athletes at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games?

6. In which place did the four-man Jamaican bobsled team finish in 1994?

7. What did Ross Powers, Danny Kass and Jarret Thomas do at the Salt Lake City Games?

8. What caliber rifles are used in biathlon competition?

9. Americans won gold in men's and women's skeleton in 2002. Name the athletes.

10. Curling became a medal sport at the1998 Olympics. Which country won the first curling gold medal?

Bonus: The USA Miracle on Ice upset of the Soviet Union hockey team in 1980 was one of the most memorable sports events of the 20th century. But that was only a semifinal game. Whom did the Americans play in the gold medal game?

Link to USA Olympic Team

Answers next week

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My personal opinion? If you get two or three of these questions right, you either looked up the answers, or you have waaaaaayy too much time on your hands :D

The Election of the Host City

The 108th Extraordinary Session adopted a new reform procedure in March, 1999. Under the new procedures IOC members were prohibited from visiting the candidate cities. Six cities made presentations to the Session on June 19, 1999. A Selection College was elected and appointed to choose two finalist cities.

Sion, Switzerland and Turin, Italy were chosen. The full OIC Session selected Turin to be the Host city for the XX Olympic Winter Games.

The Winter Olympics

The 2006 Winter Olympics will be held in Turino, Italy February 10 through February 26. I'll be doing some posting on some of the events. I may miss some, but I think I've got most of them.

Entitlement

"The only thing I am entitled to in all of Life is a chance to survive--if I am quick and strong."
Steve Solomon

Take some time to ruminate on this quote. It's made me think about just what it is that we as members of the human race are entitled to.

Many think we're entitled to certain things. I won't list any, but I'm sure you can think of a few depending on your political and religious/spiritual views.

Three Things

Three things in life that, once gone, never come back -

Time

Words

Opportunity

Three things in life that may never be lost -

Peace

Hope

Honesty

Three things in life that are most valuable -

Love

Self-confidence

Friends

Three things in life that are never certain -

Dreams

Success

Fortune

Three things that make a man/woman -

Hard work

Sincerity

Commitment

Three things in life that can destroy a man/woman -

Alcohol

Pride

Anger

Three things that are truly constant -

Father

Son

Holy Ghost

I ask the Lord to bless you, as I pray for you today;

to guide you and protect you, as you go along your way.

His love is always with you, His promises are true.

And when you give Him all your cares, you know He'll see you through.

Have the most blessed day possible, tomorrow is not promised!