British skier Andrew Musgrave has just won the Norwegian XC ski champs, leaving a host of World Cup and World Championship winners in his wake. This is quite a big thing.

http://www.nrk.no/sport/vil-gi-britene-en-ny-skiyndling-1.11477976
http://www.nrk.no/sport/musgrave-vant-nm-sprinten-1.11477246

Not that big by the looks of things….

How do you mean? That the UK media isn’t covering it? I think that says more about the UK media than about how major this is.

How come the Norwegians call him Scottish, but you changed it to British?

If it were as big a deal as you say (to people in the UK) it would receive more coverage.

I’m sure it’s a great achievement. But it would generate its own column inches if it were a bigger deal.

http://www1.skysports.com/other-sports/news/12993/9120632/skiing-british-star-andrew-musgrave-in-shock-victory-in-norway

aracer – Member
How do you mean? That the UK media isn’t covering it? I think that says more about the UK media than about how major this is.

Because it’s a “big thing” in the world of XC skiing. Which, in this country, makes it a very small thing

British Nordic Ski team call him British, he was also born in England so that avoids any controversy over the issue.

As I say, it says more about British media than the scale of the achievement – doubtless back page news and featured on TV in countries which actually care about XC skiing. There’s an Olympic medal in this discipline next month after all, which I think makes it a big thing in its own right whether or not some bloke down the pub in London town cares.

loddrik, aren’t you a little ray of sunshine these days?

😐

If a UK rider wins an mtb event, it barely registers on the nations consciousness, outside of mtb circles. And look at the participation numbers of mtb riders vs cross country skiers in this country.

It really isn’t going to register really is it?

Not denigrating it as an achievement. But it is as niche a sport as its possible to get in this country.

It really isn’t going to register really is it?

Well it’s highlighted on the BBC sport homepage…

Is it as big a thing as all those british world champion mtb downhillers that you never see in the news?

It’s a big thing in Norway. Hence it’s a big thing. As he says, it’s the next biggest race after World Cups. Whether it registers in the UK is irrelevant.

When did a UK rider last win a major international MTB event in an Olympic discipline?

Hint – it’s not in this country.

It really isn’t going to register really is it?

Why not? As pointed out, it is a winter Olympics year, so one of ours winning an event which would be used as preparation by the majority of the elite athletes is a pretty big thing.

Just hope he hasn’t peaked too early.

You’re right. Oh look:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/winter-olympics/25780083

Not denigrating it as an achievement. But it is as niche a sport as its possible to get in this country.

Are you aware that there is a “rest of the world” as well as this country? I’m not sure that bigness of things can only be defined by profile in one small country.

It’s a shame when the Winter Olympics is coming up that it’s not made more prominent to help promote athletes competing in that.

It’s a shame when the Winter Olympics is coming up that it’s not made more prominent to help promote athletes competing in that.

Indeed. If only good news such as this made, oh, I dunno, the front page of the BBC Sport website…

😉

aracer – Member
British Nordic Ski team call him British, he was also born in England so that avoids any controversy over the issue.

Eh? He could still be Scottish.

is he competing in the Olympics?

I think he might just scrape into the British team for that

bokonon – Member
How come the Norwegians call him Scottish, but you changed it to British?

What a strange question! They are not mutually exclusive and (critically) he won. Simples!

Well done Andrew!

aracer – Member
British Nordic Ski team call him British, he was also born in England so that avoids any controversy over the issue.
Eh? He could still be Scottish.

Doesn’t matter where he’s from if he wins at the Olympics he’ll be British, if not, Scottish.

Exactly prawny!

THM: think about it, unless you are trolling.

Doesn’t matter where he’s from if he wins at the Olympics he’ll be British, if not, Scottish.

He isn’t Scottish.

Are you aware that there is a “rest of the world” as well as this country? I’m not sure that bigness of things can only be defined by profile in one small country.

But this is about coverage and recognition in this, his home country isn’t it?

Of course it will be a big deal in other countries.

What proportion of people in this country are likely to take up xc skiing??? I certainly can’t it up in Liverpool. Maybe Northern Scotland. It’s going to be pretty cost prohibitive for the ‘man on the street’.

What proportion of people in this country are likely to take up xc skiing??? I certainly can’t it up in Liverpool. Maybe Northern Scotland. It’s going to be pretty cost prohibitive for the ‘man on the street’.

I believe there are several people in the UK who manage to scrape together the funds to go on skiing holidays.

Drac – Moderator
Doesn’t matter where he’s from if he wins at the Olympics he’ll be British, if not, Scottish.
He isn’t Scottish

How do you know this?

Because he was born is Dorset.

Linford Christie was born in Jamaica

But this is about coverage and recognition in this, his home country isn’t it?

No

Linford Christie was born in Jamaica

😆

@acer thanks for the heads up on this, indeed good news. I’m just stunned at the negativity here. You might have had better luck mind in the skiing / snowboard forum

Before too many here get negative on xc skiing and racing its a lot lot bigger sport than mountain biking.

I believe there are several people in the UK who manage to scrape together the funds to go on skiing holidays.

I certainly can’t, and certainly not on a regular basis where it would enable me to get to a level of competence where I were able to compete. It’s going to require a little more than a week in Livigno every year…. 😕

Before too many here get negative on xc skiing and racing its a lot lot bigger sport than mountain biking.

In countries with the right conditions maybe. Certainly not in the uk.

Before too many here get negative on xc skiing and racing its a lot lot bigger sport than mountain biking.

No, no it’s not, because it’s not massive in Britain, which is the definition we have to use – Loddrik said so.

.

cynic-al – Member
THM: think about it, unless you are trolling.

Its Friday afternoon – SOH required. The chips cant be that big or that ingrained, blimey.

But if they are, the address to “points of view” is PoV@BBC.Com, since they are as bad…

British cross-country skier Andrew Musgrave stunned his Norwegian rivals by winning their national sprint freestyle race in Lillehammer. Though ineligible for gold as a foreign entrant, the Scot, 23, beat a field packed with skiers fighting for places on Norway’s world-leading Olympic team.

Och, its a disgrace I tell you!

It made the BBC, so not that bad and bloody good effort from the Brit! 😉

At least, the Beeb were better with the preview of the Murray match:

Asked how he would go about ending his run of defeats against the Scottish number one, Lopez added: “It’s tough to say what I really need to do to beat Andy.

I don’t understand the thread title ? 😕