2010 Winter Olympics

Joined: 03 Feb 2007 Posts: 6737 Location: Hillside

Not long to go now until the Winter Olympics start, in fact it's 53 days until the opening ceremony in Vancouver.

Is anyone excited about the Winter Olympics?

To all of you have Foxtel out there, are you considering getting the $50 dedicated four channel package or will you just watch the regular coverage on Channel 9?

Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 3101 Location: Vice City

I haven't heard anything about TV1 showing the Winter Games .

Joined: 03 Feb 2007 Posts: 6737 Location: Hillside

I suspect it's only available via pay television across the ditch then, Xpert?

Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 3101 Location: Vice City

ben.carbonaro wrote:

I suspect it's only available via pay television across the ditch then, Xpert?

That would be my guess I could be wrong thou . TV1 will probably show a highlights package .

Joined: 03 Feb 2007 Posts: 6737 Location: Hillside

That's quite poor, you guys should be getting decent coverage like we receive here across the ditch.

Joined: 08 Jul 2008 Posts: 197

I can pretty much remember TVNZ showing highlights on TV - Opening, some special-specky stuff done during rounds and maybe the closing - this all at night off course, perhaps after the 10pm news... Think my favourite would be the ice-skate dancing. Such amazing stuff......

ahhh well, thats my 2 cents worth for the month. I'm pretty sure TVNZ would show at least a bit of coverage.

Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 9:44 am

I'm looking forward to seeing what I can of it. I actually intended to be there - my goal has always been to do a Summer Olympics, a Winter Olympics and a Commonwealth Games. I've done two out of three and I thought Vancouver would be a good one to go to as I always wanted to see Canada as well. Unfortunately it just didn't work out this time, but hopefully I can see a fair amount on TV!

Joined: 28 Sep 2007 Posts: 3069 Location: Auckland

SKY have taken over the rights for the Olympics and CG's, so we're most likely going to get coverage on Prime. And they'll probably leave all the exclusives on Sky Sport to try and get people to sign up. Rolling Eyes

Joined: 04 Feb 2007 Posts: 3245 Location: Sydney, Australia

Just going to watch the regular coverage - as much as the look of the sports on Fox would be nice (especially the tennis!), we just can't justify the expense - the friendly Foxtel ads have done nothing to change that belief whatsoever... Mr. Green

Joined: 03 Feb 2007 Posts: 6737 Location: Hillside

The Opening Ceremony is on Saturday, live coverage on Channel 9 from 12:30-4:30 or a full replay 7:30-11:30 that night.

Best place to follow the games online is at www.olympics.com.au

I will also be covering the games, this is the second time I have covered the Winter Olympics and really enjoy expose myself to some sports that one usually doesn't get to see much of.

Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 1168

http://blog.mpora.com/mpora-news/no-snow-vancouver-winter-olympics.html

With the Winter Olympics due to kick off on February 12th, host city Vancouver has quite a problem on its hands: namely, a lack of snow.

No fewer than six skiing and snowboarding events are due to take place on Cypress Mountain but the uncommonly mild January weather has resulted in a distinct lack of the white stuff and forecasts suggest the situation won’t improve in time for the Games.
To make matters worse, temperatures are even too warm to allow the manufacture of snow with machines. So the organisers are being forced into extreme action to get around this rather fundamental problem.

Organisers had already barred recreational skiers from Cypress Mountain to preserve what little snow there was but now previously manufactured snow, stockpiled during the season, is being brought in from higher land by dump trucks and helicopters, with the Vancouver Organising Committee crossing their fingers that it won’t melt in the warmer temperatures or rain.

Straw and wood is also being used so less snow is needed to form the basis and shaping of the slalom course. And for the snowboard freestyle events, a 22ft diameter ice halfpipe will be used as an alternative to snow.

Despite the weather problems, the Organising Committee are putting on a brave face. Cathy Priestner Allinger, Vancouver’s executive vice president for sport and games operations, said: “This is a normal course of action in temperate conditions, and we have all the technology, equipment, people and expertise to deliver the Games.”
She added: “Our team at Cypress Mountain is working around the clock to preserve and protect the snow, and we’re confident that these efforts will pay off.”

Doubts have lingered over the suitability of Cypress Mountain to host the events (halfpipe, cross and parallel giant slalom for snowboard and aerials, moguls and skier-cross for skiing). Vancouver is known for its relatively mild winters and El Nino conditions have exacerbated the problem this year. But even last February a parallel giant slalom event had to be called off in an Olympic test event because of insufficient snow.

Lack of snow is always a worry for Winter Olympics venues but such drastic contingencies aren’t usually necessary. However, climate change might have a permanent effect on the Games, says Olympics historian

“It leads to the larger issue of, in the long run, are we going to have to re-think where we put the Winter Olympics because of global warming?” he commented in the New York Times"

Could be very interesting to watch some of these events with no snow about! Wink

Joined: 04 Feb 2007 Posts: 3705

ben.carbonaro wrote:

Is anyone excited about the Winter Olympics?

I am, I'll be there! Jumping

Joined: 03 Feb 2007 Posts: 6737 Location: Hillside

You just heading over to watch or are a you a volunteer?

Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:38 am

Hotshot wrote:

SKY have taken over the rights for the Olympics and CG's, so we're most likely going to get coverage on Prime. And they'll probably leave all the exclusives on Sky Sport to try and get people to sign up. Rolling Eyes

Free to air coverage on Prime 6.00am - 6.00pm every day.

FOUR - yes FOUR new channels on Sky just for Winter Olympics coverage.

Now that's the best coverage NZ Winter Olympic fans have ever had.

But of course nearly all of the live coverage is during the night - but at least replays of all events are on during the day and evening. So whatever your sport/sports you will be able to see the whole event - not just chosen highlights as we've had in the past.

Joined: 04 Feb 2007 Posts: 3705

ben.carbonaro wrote:

You just heading over to watch or are a you a volunteer?

Just here to watch, been working at Whistler the last month!