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Would a freeride event in the olympics work?
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After watching the slopestyle event, it got me thinking whether a freeride event would work on the Olympics. Granted the winter location would need to have sufficient terrain to host the event.But I think it would be dope to showcase to the world the skills it takes to rule the entire mountain. Thoughts?
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Slope and Pipe hardly work in the Olympics. Don't get ahead of yourself.
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I was thinking about this too but the IOC would probably deem in too hazardous
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It could probably be done someday, but I dont think the rest of the world is ready for that yet.
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But the downhill racing is way more dangerous. 80mph+ and huge drops.
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I think the talent is to spread out here. Like i would assume 2/3 (wild estiment probably less) of NS could put a decent line together in a freeride comp. But i guess it all depends on whats on the course
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That doesn't make much sense. There's already FWT? It's not like 2/3 of NS can slay those events.
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Maybe someday. It would be awesome to have two of the main factions of freeskiing represented in the Olympics, park/pipe and big-mountain freeride.
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Just googled some of these events exscuse my eastcoast ignorance.
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Never, ever going to happen. Not many places in the world would be able to have a venue good enough, and conditions are too unpredictable. This year the FWT has already postponed the Revy stop from Decmeber to March, AND has moved venues twice to completely different locations due to snow conditions. Logistically, that is a complete nightmare for the Olympics.
Combine that with how disinterested the skiing world is with watching big mountain competitions, I doubt the general public would give a rats ass about it. Not exactly a spectators sport.
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exactly. most of NS doesn't give a shit about big mtn or the FWT circuit. You rarely see a big mtn edit make it to the top of the homepage. and the general public is even less interested.
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Yes but course is more controllable
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Weve already destroyed our beloved sport enough for one olympics, go home
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I understand that it be another aspect of skiing that FIS would ruin but I still think it would be pretty cool to watch. Though as said before very little places in world would have sufficient venues. Definitely not at South Korea in the next Olympics..
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No way in hell. Until we figure out how to make perfect pow all over a huge mountain face its not possible. It would be too dependant on conditions otherwise to be an olympic sport. I dont know if you have noticed but these sports that get into the olympics require every aspect of them to be able to molded and controlled by the "higher power"
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Yeah. I agree. Its still more dangerous
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lol there are very few big mountain comps where there's perfect pow, most of the time it's in shit fuck conditions.
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event would be called mt olympus
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freeride competition= oxymoron
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that is maybe the worst thing on NS. Most of the guys (read=kids) around hear don't appreciate bc and sc skiing . But I guess that comes with years
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I think it will happen. The FWT already has the crudentials of enough counties participating in a world tour championship that halfpipe had to fight to achieve. It would be rad as hell for a venue to be able to highlight natural terrain. Looking around the upper mtn areas of Sochi look impressive! And in reality, the inability to controll natural snow AND terrain may or may not be a factor. Have you guys seen what they do for Olympic kayaking? I think that Atlanta 1996 was the last natural terrain Olympic kayak venue...
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While I agree that the conditions would probably never actually come together perfectly, I am almost positive that the general public would find interest in this. When I show people who don't ski big mountain videos, they are fascinated, and cringe when riders drop cliffs, and ski through sluff, etc. The element of danger is really fun to watch even for people who don't ski.
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Maybe next we can just jump out of a helicopter into pie and whoever doesn't die gets gold
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i do think the average viewer would be into it but the venue would be way too unpredictable. you can make a pipe or slope course pretty much anywhere its cold enough, you cant make a giant mountain.
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I am aware, I was talking strictly for the olimpdicks.
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sickest event would be a slope and pipe combined.. just build a huge pipe after the jumpline.. my god..
Gus, Torin and Wells would kill it!
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As exiting it is to watch for us skiers that format isn't really well suited for an olympic event. Aside from the obvious odds and variables like snow conditions, visibility, avy danger ect. proper media coverage for the average Joe's living room takes major efforts with on course and heli camera teams. Also no on course spectators, all they can pretty much do is sit around the finish area and watching with binoculars.
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Well, no. Normally 'we' are posted up across the valley on an adjacent ridge. I've never been to a venue where spectators needed binocs (but they sure can help sometimes!)
Either way, I don't know why you guys are still talking about this. I already mentioned that the FWT has had to move venues TWICE this year alone because of conditions. That alone kills any prospects of it ever becoming an Olympic competition. So, /thread.
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