PyeongChang 2018

[Ad@m]

Genuine question, yet again borne out of my complete lack of knowledge about any event in the Winter Olympics, but why aren't curling teams mixed-sex?

Is there any kind of physiological difference why men competing against women would be unfair in a sport that seems to be more about skill than strength?

[Comrade Blitz]

Genuine question, yet again borne out of my complete lack of knowledge about any event in the Winter Olympics, but why aren't curling teams mixed-sex?

Is there any kind of physiological difference why men competing against women would be unfair in a sport that seems to be more about skill than strength?

There are mixed doubles but no mixed quads. Though you might be able to argue that the Norway (men's) skip could possibly throw a stone faster down the sheet than one of the smaller Japanese women, for example, on a take out?

[Eckybloke]

That's pretty much it at elite/national level, club level it's all fairly mixed.  Some clubs are still quite men only/women only but they are few and fair between in these enlightened times.  It's all down to strength but not necessarily in the speed of the stone although that is part of it. 

Most of the stone speed is generated by the legs and as you can see from cycling/sprinting/weightlifting women can be fairly hefty in that regard too.  Some people will give it a shove to generate extra speed but that's at the expense of accuracy so at the elite level it's all about the leg drive.

The extra strength comes in the upper body strength required to sweep the stone.  That's where the men have a massive advantage.  There was a rule change a couple of years ago because the brush technology (don't laugh) was causing an unfair advantage however this was exploited more by the elite men than the elite women.

Don't get me wrong the elite women sweep a lot better than probably 99% of male curlers but they're not as powerful as the elite men.

[paulcomben]

The BBC and Clare Balding could have saved vast quantities of cash and time, by summing up the Team GB Winter Olympics in advance: Crashed. Crushed. Crocked.

[Proposition Joe]

How on earth did a shower like Germany end up in the Ice Hockey gold match?

Canada has probably declared 4 years of national mourning.

[UK Redsox]

How on earth did a shower like Germany end up in the Ice Hockey gold match?

Canada has probably declared 4 years of national mourning.

No NHL players

Still, given that the German squad are all home based, that's a good win

Germany no play the Russians (shh...don't let on Russia has a team at the Olympics) in the final

KHL players are playing, so the Russians were probably favourites all along

[Comrade Blitz]

Was FIFA hired as a consultant for the women's curling event? Japan & Korea in the semi-finals? Korea in the final?

[paul_e]

The BBC and Clare Balding could have saved vast quantities of cash and time, by summing up the Team GB Winter Olympics in advance: Crashed. Crushed. Crocked.

Or, to offer an alternative view, our most successful winters ever despite missing medals in 3-4 events where we had a real chance.

[andyh]

I am a little in love with the skip of the Japanese women’s curling team.

[Meanwood Villa]

Fucked that up

[UK Redsox]

Based on my extensive experience of having had a go at curling for an hour a decade ago....that last shot by Muirhead was rubbish

Also, I agree about the Japanese skip

[cdbearsfan]

Didn't mind the last shot. No point playing a safe shot for one, we would have lost in extra time with them having the hammer anyway. Worth gambling on getting a jammy two. The damage was done on the end (I forget which) when we missed an easy shot and let them steal.

Plus one for the Japanese skip love-in, though I'd be more than happy to console Eve or Anna, in the spirit of patriotism, obviously.

[TopDeck113]

Good result for a small country like Scotland to come fourth in the Olympics...

[Ad@m]

I'd be more than happy to console Eve or Anna, in the spirit of patriotism, obviously.

100% this!

[Comrade Blitz]

Congrats to Team Hasselborg