Tokyo Olympics 2021

Jamaica get a free pass to race the bobsled any time they want though.

from the NYT yesterday -

Tokyo initially said it would spend $7.3 billion, but a 2019 government audit put the actual spending at around $28 billion.

Every Olympics since 1960 has run over budget, at an average of 172 percent in inflation-adjusted terms, according to an analysis by researchers at Oxford University. They concluded that this was “the highest overrun on record for any type of megaproject,” far exceeding roads, bridges, dams and other major undertakings.

....

Will Beijing make money?

They’re doing some really crazy, crazy things. They’ve selected two venues 60 and 120 miles to the north of Beijing to host the Nordic and Alpine skiing events. Both of those areas are arid — not far from the Gobi Desert. They have to invest tens of billions of dollars in a water transfer system because they’re going to have to use artificial snow. None of that’s going to appear in the Olympic budget. It’s extremely stupid to spend that kind of money to promote skiing in the north of China when it’s not a very popular sport. They admitted to spending $44 billion for the 2008 Summer Games.

Think I'll wait for the Di2 version
https://www.bmxnews.com/2021/07/19/bmx-racing-shifts-into-controversy-at-tokyo-games/

selected two venues 60 and 120 miles to the north of Beijing to host the Nordic and Alpine skiing events. Both of those areas are arid — not far from the Gobi Desert. They have to invest tens of billions of dollars in a water transfer system because they’re going to have to use artificial snow.

and we wonder why the weather is fucked...

I think to get into sailing family connections and clubs are important. I may be wrong. I used to race Mirror Dingies as a kid and we won locally and did well in regional stuff. Then, trying to keep racing I literally got laughed at trying to join the sailing club in Falmouth with no money (I was a skint student).

Do the rowers have the same blood profiling that the pro riders have?

Yeah, I guess I just can't imagine many inner city kids having a family friend that goes sailing.
Given the weather we're having we might all need to learn how to sail...

If you live near the coast it is very accessible. I raced dinghies on the river Lune as a kid and the milieu was not what you would stereotypically think of as 'yacht club' - probably lower household income than your average rugby or cricket club across the UK. Same at the sailing club where my parents live now on the Clyde.

Overall sailing is less accessible than cycling because there are fewer places to do it, and in some places you may encounter snotty attitudes. Once you get to a competitive racing level it is probably no different in cost per year than cycling though.

I think 1 entry per sport, per country. I don't fucking care that 50 of the best tiddlywinkers come from Paraguay, you can only send 1.

USA have sent 613 athletes.
There are 339 medal winning events.

Not when I am Olympic Overlord.

Yeah, but it's the getting to competitive level that ain't gonna happen if you don't have a car, don't have a boat, or don't have a place to store it, don't live near water, etc. It's not just about the boat or about a bike. If you live in a block of flats you can run, ride, box, do gym stuff, swim maybe but ride horses or sail? nah

Haha London Sailing Club website... 404 error :)

Although this lot offer cheaper membership for students and have an equality policy and stuff: https://www.lcsc.org.uk/club/membership-fees

"Members can rent club boats for £12 per day" so maybe not such the barriers to entry I'm imagining.

That's gonna make the team sports tricky :)

Progressing once at a competitive level will stall for many kids regardless of barrier to entry, swimming you example you only need a trunks/costume and a pool but once you have to start travelling all over the country for gala's, a lot of parents can't/won't be able to support it, is always going to be a barrier for many kids

That was my experience in Exmouth.

Definitely not in Falmouth. But perhaps that was just that particular club at the time.

Yeah, but traveling to an event is still easier when you're not having to tow a boat. :)

Catching up on the skateboarding now and this is the worst. SLS was already the antithesis to everything I care about in skateboarding and all this is going to bring about is an influx of soccer mums and the adoption of uniforms/team kit

and the adoption of uniforms/team kit

pretty weird seeing Olympians competing with headphones in and phone in pocket

I reckon it could take a while before it becomes that lame...

although they did already get into the uniform skinsuits in KOTR2

Looking forward to mtb yomorrow

I’d never seen that KOTR but now I’m all for uniforms. Skateboarding needs more Ben and less Nyjah

My skateboarding 'career' lasted about 30min when I was 10 or something. But I still love KOTR shenanigans and the big trick stuff. Olympic street I barely look at the TV while it was on.

I knew a fair few working class lads who were into sailing when I was growing up. There were a fair few local reservoirs and lakes. A few got as far as national trials where some lad called Ben Ainslie was streets ahead of everyone else.

Has the boxing changed this time round? Just caught a bit of it but looks like no live scoring and no headguards for men

Watching the skateboarding now, of which I know nothing but seems weird to have a sport where everyone falls off so much

Tell that to Geraint.

That's one person falling off all the time - it's a more niche sport.

Except snowboard cross, that shit is amazing.