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Surprised we haven't had one yet but hey, it's the opening ceremony and things kick off tomorrow (Wed 4th Feb 2026) with mixed curling - Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds go up against the Norwegians who knocked them out in the 2018 semi-finals
Looking forward to most things, especially the skiing: Dave Ryding in in final race ever 🙁
Other things on my list
Snowboard cross mixed team kicks off Sunday 15th Feb. Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale have been doing well and stand a real chance. Huw and CHarlotte also compete solo - Mens starts Thurs 12th, and Womens on Friday 13 (eek)
Ski Cross starts on Friday 20th Feb
Men's Slalom is on Monday 16th Feb
We do have major chances in Big Air and Freestyle, I wish our competitors the best of luck and will watch and and it's amazing what they do and all that, but I just can't get as excited about it as i do for proper "fastest to get down the hill" racing. I do though love the extremely exctiable commentary from Woodsy and Ed Leigh (who won the UK Air Guitar Championship three times: stage name "Satan Whoppercock")
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/c338y36kngzo
Oh, I edited the post to add some stuff and that's not worked.
Day six: Thursday, 12 February
Men's snowboard cross (09:00-14:25)
Day seven: Friday, 13 February
Women's snowboard cross (09:00-14:10)
Britain's former world champion Charlotte Bankes has enjoyed plenty of success in snowboard cross but the Winter Olympics have so far produced only frustration.
Bankes, who was born in Hemel Hempstead but grew up in the French Alps, has competed at three previous Games (twice for France) but is yet to make the final.
She has overcome recent injury to get back to the top of the World Cup podium so she should have every chance in Livigno.
Day nine: Sunday, 15 February
Snowboard cross mixed team (12:45-14:00)
This event made its debut in 2022, with American Lindsey Jacobellis capping a memorable Games by clinching her second gold alongside fellow veteran Nick Baumgartner.
Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale finished sixth but went on to win the world title in 2023 and will be competing again today.
Day 10: Monday, 16 February
Men's slalom (run one 09:00; run two 12:30)
Dave 'the Rocket' Ryding will compete in this event at his fifth and final Games. The 38-year-old slalom specialist became the first British alpine skier to win World Cup gold in 2022 and earlier this year he sealed the nation's best World Championship result by a male since 1934 by finishing sixth. However, he is not expected to reach the podium.
Clement Noel of France is the defending Olympic champion, Switzerland's Loic Meillard the 2025 world champion and Henrik Kristoffersen is the most successful slalom skier ever produced by Norway, although Olympic gold has so far eluded him.
Day 14: Friday, 20 February
Women's ski cross (09:00-12:35)
Day 15: Saturday, 21 February
Men's ski cross (09:00-12:40)
We also have an excellent chance of medals in some of the freestyle ski / snowboard events like Big Air and Slopestyle. I wish our competitors all the best and will probalbly tune in to wacth, but I just can;t get as excited as I for "proper" racing where the winner is the fastest across the finish line. I do though enjoy the extremely excitable commentary from Tim Warwood, James "Woodsy" Woods and Ed Leigh (3 time UK Air Guitar Champion under the stage name "Satan Whoppercock")
I agree. Big air is just someone spinning about a few times. Its very repetitive and dull. The ski or snowboard cross events have way more excitement about them.
Also people racing other people is always a better watch than people racing a clock.
We usually do well in the 'sliding down on a tea tray' events, bobsleigh and even have a chance in the ice dancing skating.
I’m here (at the games) working. I say working, mostly on call so should have plenty of free time. Despite never indulging in winter sports I’ve grown up watching ski Sunday so looking forward to seeing it for real (even though telly is undoubtedly the best option for actually following what’s happening
Whatcha doin' out there @captain_bastard? I'd love to watch an event live more for the atmosphere than the visibility
I’m an electrician, specialise in temporary power so spend a lot of time travelling around. Once you get behind the scenes most events are the same, but still interesting to see things up close
I agree. Big air is just someone spinning about a few times. Its very repetitive and dull. The ski or snowboard cross events have way more excitement about them.
Also people racing other people is always a better watch than people racing a clock.
it’s like mtb slopesytle. Very skilled but a bit meh to watch as the tricks are too similar to tell apart
Looking forward to the ski cross
ski cross and board cross are the best by far to watch.
new this year is ski mountaineering which seems to be someone watched cyclocross racing and decided that they should try it on skis with uphill; downhill and mandatory unclip and run.
in general:
head to head racing > timed racing > judged performaces > curling
You had me till that last bit. Love a bit of curling, especially having tried it and realising just how chuffing hard it is. What they can do with a chunk of granite is amazing
Does it annoy anyone else that they games start before the opening ceremony?
I agree. Big air is just someone spinning about a few times. Its very repetitive and dull. The ski or snowboard cross events have way more excitement about them.
Also people racing other people is always a better watch than people racing a clock.
Not always 90 seconds of mad rush to the bottom is fun for 90 seconds, but 30 people each racing for 90 seconds can be interesting for 45 minutes with potential for any run to be dramatic but 30 people doing cross country skiing for 90 minutes is difficult to get drama.
100% this - skill, strategy, teamwork, even some surprising physicality and always the potential for unexpected results - one of the few sports I’ll watch without a national interest to support! Whilst it’s also technically very hard it’s much more accessible on a come and try basis than probably any other winter sport.You had me till that last bit. Love a bit of curling, especially having tried it and realising just how chuffing hard it is. What they can do with a chunk of granite is amazing
Really developed an appreciation for curling over the last few Olympics, but I’ll make an effort to watch most things.
I do like the cross-country skiing, I think the bi-athlon where they carry a rifle and shoot at a series of targets at set distances is always worth a watch.
(Wonders if there’s any scope for an archery version… 🤔)
@captain_bastard did you have anything to do with the suspicious power outage at the start of tonight's curling session?!
I'll just leave this here!...
I've been snowboarding for 32 years
Watching the mens big air qualifications and it's just so dull.
Of course it's unbelievably difficult and the riders are amazing but it's so relentlessly spinny and they're all so closely matched skill wise that there really is no variety to it.
It was definitely more of a spectacle in the earlier days of the sport where there was real progression and differentiation between the riders
The fun thing about those trick based competitions is trying to work out whether the commentators are actually using proper names for the tricks or just making stuff up. "That's a great reverse rattly pillbox" yeah right.
pretty sure you will find Ed and Tim on the beeb are pretty on it with their trick nomenclature! They make a great commentary team I reckon.
@boardinbob I’m similar age and I think the big air has become the least interesting spectacle, especially as the riders who are doing something different rarely beat the spinning tops ( see Eli Bouchard and Rene Rinnekangas )
I’ve much preferred watching the Natural selection events the last few years. Watching people like Mikel bang mix freestyle with sketchy freeride exposure is mind blowing.
That said, really looking forward to watch8g Mia Brookes in the women’s slope style. Really hope she nails the run she’s capable of. She’s got the spins, is perhaps the best female rail rider ever but also possibly the best style of any current comp rider male or female. Her x games run a couple of weeks ago was pure class.
Is the penis injection story just a fluff piece?
the penis injection story just a fluff piece?
Is there any hard evidence?
A lot of these sports don’t have any utility beyond recreation. With the exceptions of Nordic skiing and the skating events, many of the rest were literally invented by British aristocrats on holiday in St Moritz as something fun to do during the winter. And away from the handful of countries across the northern hemisphere that have their own indigenous cultures of skiing and skating, they still exist largely as a privilege for the increasingly small band of well resourced tourists who can afford them.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/feb/06/italy-winter-olympics-financial-environmental-costs
The drone footage on the Downhill skiing is quite impressive. Can see the big drone in the background from the static camera shots, chasing them down the hill at 100kph!
the penis injection story just a fluff piece?
Is there any hard evidence?
Nothing that would stand up in court
It's not Winter Olympics but the 2026 UCI Snow Biking Champs is on YouTube NOW:
https://www.youtube.com/live/Fqv5tuoS7L8?si=9rHMnVE3h87N8CL6
I never knew this was a thing, it's basically Dual Slalom on snow. Mental!
Watching the mens big air qualifications and it's just so dull.
Yeah, I've got no time for the twissly shit. Dull Dull Dull. Like ice dancing I can admire the skill but know 30 seconds is about my boredom threshold.
And I've fallen asleep at an ice hockey match - good lord it was shite.
Highlights for me will be the ski and snowboard cross and skimo (not convinced it'll make great viewing, but as I ski tour it'll be relatable).
I know people talk about downhill racers being wired differently, but I think someone needs to check Lindsey Vonn actually has any wiring at all
The drone footage on the Downhill skiing is quite impressive.
Drones are the Vuvuzelas of this years games aren't they 🙂
I think the coverage from the drone is interesting once, (if its really interesting at all, I'm not really sure if it adds anything) but its not worth the distraction the rest of the time, either of the sound or seeing little bots chasing around the behind the competitors.
There was an excellent radio documentary a few years back about the sound designer for the Olympics and about the role of sound in sport coverage generally. That guy must be so depressed about the drones.
I know people talk about downhill racers being wired differently, but I think someone needs to check Lindsey Vonn actually has any wiring at all
I don't know anything about downhill skiiing (other than y'know, snow + mountain...) but even without knowing anything, that crash looked pretty horrific. Hope she's OK.
Enjoyed the mixed biathlon and ladies' downhill. Dual slalom courses didn't inspire and the classic/ skate X-C disappointed because classic only gets interesting when there are hills too steep to punt up.
Interesting comment from Alpin. It's true that in every discipline the courses get more artificial and more "perfect" which takes them ever further from their origins.Sledging down an iced concrete tunnel, pistes of groomed artificial ice, ski jump towers and talk of banning women, perfect ice for curling indoors rather than on lakes.
Still, I've got a cold and it keeps me entertained while Madame is out skiing.
The Vonn crash actually made me cry. I spoke to another female recreational skier after the women's downhill and she also said it made her cry. For that athlete to scream out like that in pain (when they're normally as tough as anything) was awful to hear.
The snowboard big air and freestyle language is very funny, I just wish I could understand some of it. Best commentators - Timmy and Eddie :0)
I'm watching German free to view, it's plain bizarre the mix of daft English; "back side switch tail fish triple bla bla..." and ernestly enthusiastic German " kann nicht stehen -leider gesturtz - gar nicht geklappt".
'Drunk driver' and 'dead sailor' or allyoop in German must be interesting :0)
I'm clueless about the sport anyhow, it means no more to me than a triple lutz on ice, I've no idea why one flight gets twice tbe points another one does Of one thing I'm certain though, that Japanese couple on the ice earlier, just wow !
The drone footage on the Downhill skiing is quite impressive. Can see the big drone in the background from the static camera shots, chasing them down the hill at 100kph!
How about the drones following the luge? I'm still not sure how that is possible without a big pile of broken drones at the bottom of the run, yet there they are.
Some of the drone footage of the downhill races (especially from behind), does at least give some indication of steepness and speed on course. It's hard to imagine if one isn't a skier/snowboarder, how steep these runs are in the flesh.
In 87 I was in Val and watched le Criterium des Premières Neiges which was the French world cup round. Next morning the course and start box were still in place so many of us went up to try the course. 27 years old with the confidence of youth. The confidence lasted till the first compression and contact between knees and chin. From then on I turned to reduce speed. At the bottom my Casio told me I'd taken nearly twice as long as the racers. Yup, the courses are steep and the forces considerable.
I see Julia Simon has another medal, biathlon, I was a bit surprised she was even in the squad given her recent conviction but medals obviously trump ethics.
I wondered if anyone would be unpleasant about Julia and surprise surprise (not) it's the member who dislikes anything French. You're gonna love reading about the French ice danse pair, kilo.
You'll be horrified to hear that this household were bouncing around the room after each shoot and cheered Julia to the line.
Justice should include rehabiliation and reintegration and happily sometimes does.
Fingers crossed for the sk8ers.
Norwegian XC skier Johannes Klaebo has won 2 gold medals already and is potentially up for another 4 - the way he just dropped everyone on the uphill in the sprint was incredible. He’s pretty got gold nailed on in the team sprint, 10km free and relay, and unless they go out hard in the 50km, he’ll win that too.
The way Kleabo went up the last hill on the skate leg of the classic/skate was a WTF moment for myself and Madame We raced X-C for ten years. Never seen aything like it as he leapt from ski to ski.
I wondered if anyone would be unpleasant about Julia and surprise surprise (not) it's the member who dislikes anything French. You're gonna love reading about the French ice danse pair, kilo.
If you're going to accuse me of racism please show your evidence.
I quite like France And French culture and have spent many pleasant visits there, particularly Lille which I have a very soft spot for. Bitd I also did a lot of work with various French units in the north of France - great fun. Hell I even had a Peugeot 205 bitd.
Moving on to biathlon Martin Fourcade is also very cool although as a rule I usually shout for Norway or before she retired Mäkäreinen (sp?) in biathlons. So on the matter of me being anti-french, again, put up or shut up.
I think it's quite rational to expect Simon to been hoofed off the team given that she stole cash from her teammate and team staff - any other professional environment and you'd be sacked but as with most Olympic teams / professional sports teams ethics get left at the door. That's not just a French thing it seems to permiate modern day sports.
I will admit to not being a fan of ice dancing though - guilty as charged.
But, as I said, I await your evidence.
Of vourse you're not racist kilo that's in your head, I haven't said that, disliking French things and slagging off French athletes on STW isn't racist. ( no need to look beyond this very page for evidence if it were needed but it's not because I'm not saying you're racist, that's just you trying to make me look bad when it was you making a post attacking a French athlete)
Love the bit about even having a 205 back in the day . I can't dislike the French, my favourite car's a Peugeot.
Anyhow the French ice dancers won. 🙂