Which discipline to win a Winter Olympics medal?

[Viper_Larry]

We've had a similar thread before for the summer Olympics, but I was thinking tonight whilst watching the days events what discipline would be easiest to get a medal in if I decided I wanted one on South Korea in 4 years time? OK, it's never going to happen, I'm too old and lazy, but Curling looks like minimal effort at least? I've been skiing 30 years now, but no chance in any of those...

[northwest monkey]

The 3rd man in a 4-man bobsleigh. Can't quite work out what they do but they get a nice medal for it.

[Whitean3]

4-man bobsligh for me. Something I would love to do, and something that I would stand an outside chance of being good at- having been a decent sprinter. As much as I love skiing, I wouldn't stand a chance against the best schoolkids, let alone the pros!

[Cyder]

I'm thinking of going for the Luge next time out, no British men made it this year.

Forget Eddie the Eagle, I'm going to be Cyder the slider!

[Hoofy]

I'm too old for most of the sports... apart from curling. I can scrub my kitchen floor well.

[TheJelley]

I heard a great description of the winter Olympics the other day. A festival dedicated to the multitude of ways of committing suicide in the cold. I love it.

Easiest way in? Become South Korean in the next 4 years, then learn how to Luge, an event where bravery and mass can make up for a lack of talent. (this is based on watching it once every 4 years)

[Justin Cyder]

I reckon boarder cross out of yer actual expending a bit of effort events. Left right, a few jumps & a bit of sneaky pushing the opposition into each other, followed by a cruise to the finish.

It's more or less wacky races on snow.

[roboxm3]

I'd go for Skeleton - leg it, lay down, hope for the best

[john2443]

I suspect that curling is as difficult to be good at as anything else, but you don't have to be young and mega fit and there's not too much chance of breaking a leg, so there might be more chance.

[FatSumo]

Another vote for ice sweeping

[youngsyr]

It's got to be curling - I play ice hockey in the UK so have visited most of the very few ice rinks there are in England and Wales and not one of them has curling markings on it, so I conclude from my experience that there are only one or two ice rinks in Scotland where it's played seriously.

Scrub that, I just googled it - there is one ice rink in England dedicated to it, in Tunbride Wells.

Either way, you're talking about a competion pool of a few hundred at most for a place on team GB.

[z4chris99]

i have an Omani passport so im pretty sure i can take part under the 'st nations' rule..

i know i could have done the summer olympics in a few various events you dont need to qualify for and can compete under the wildcard system.

[z4chris99]

youngsyr said:

It's got to be curling - I play ice hockey in the UK so have visited most of the very few ice rinks there are in England and Wales and not one of them has curling markings on it, so I conclude from my experience that there are only one or two ice rinks in Scotland where it's played seriously.

Scrub that, I just googled it - there is one ice rink in England dedicated to it, in Tunbride Wells.

Either way, you're talking about a competion pool of a few hundred at most for a place on team GB.

Curling is fking massive in scotland, i think there must be thousands playing week in week out.

[youngsyr]

z4chris99 said:

youngsyr said:

It's got to be curling - I play ice hockey in the UK so have visited most of the very few ice rinks there are in England and Wales and not one of them has curling markings on it, so I conclude from my experience that there are only one or two ice rinks in Scotland where it's played seriously.

Scrub that, I just googled it - there is one ice rink in England dedicated to it, in Tunbride Wells.

Either way, you're talking about a competion pool of a few hundred at most for a place on team GB.

Curling is fking massive in scotland, i think there must be thousands playing week in week out.

Looking into it a bit further, you're right - it's a massively more popular in Scotland than I'd thought: there are 22 rinks where you can play it apparently. That's not far below the number of ice rinks in England & Wales combined for any purpose.

Still, your competition pool is only 20,000 maximum (see link below) and let's face it, you do not need to be in peak physical condition to be successful.

http://www.sportscotland.org.uk/sportscotland/Docu...

[The Jolly Todger]

They burn 1800 calories per match apparently, so it's more strenuous than I thought.

[The Nur]

The Jolly Todger said:

They burn 1800 calories per match apparently, so it's more strenuous than I thought.

Burn 1800 calories a match playing Curling? WTF!?

[897sma]

The Jolly Todger said:

They burn 1800 calories per match apparently, so it's more strenuous than I thought.

between them maybe

[The Jolly Todger]

I was surprised too, it does say 'up to 1800'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/winter-olympics/25829...

[Thankyou4calling]

The Jolly Todger said:

I was surprised too, it does say 'up to 1800'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/winter-olympics/25829...

Nobody will burn 1800 calories in a game of curling. It's just a silly headline figure preceded by "Up to" so it can be true. Might as well say up to 20,000 calories.