So here’s the deal: the athlete starts at the top of a giant slope, skis down it trying to gain as much speed as possible, and then launches off a giant snow-covered ramp to fly as far as they can. It seems pretty simple, but it’s not. This is arguably the most high-flying sport in the Olympics, and it’s pretty insane.
This event begins on February 8 and runs through February 17.
Again, we head to the slopes to find a crazy sport that the Olympics has to offer. In aerials, the athletes skis down the slope onto and off of a snow-covered ramp, and precede to do a series of flips and twists while in the air. It seems easy, but you better believe this is anything but. The athletes fly high and spin fast, and it would definitely make me lose my breakfast, lunch and dinner if I did anything similar.
This event will run for the women on February 14 and on February 17 for the men.
At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, a luger actually died while completing a practice run on the track. Lugers will reach speeds between 80-100 miles per hour, and all they have keeping them from a fatal crash is a small sled. This ain’t your backyard bunny hill -- this is the big time. The speeds are fast, the danger is real and this sport is nuts to watch.
This event will begin on February 8 and will finish up on February 13.
It’s basically shuffle board on ice with a few more moving parts. There is a target on the other end of the ice that the team members try put the 19.96 kilogram “stone” into the middle of. They slide in front of the stone and use brooms to create water. The water then provides a barrier between the ice and the stone, which reduces friction. This one is weird to watch, but trust me, you’ll really get into it.
Curling will begin on February 8 and will conclude on February 21.
If you thought luge was scary, then you haven’t seen anything yet. Skeleton is basically the same thing as luge, but instead the riders go head first. The name “skeleton” actually comes from early sled designs. Apparently, they were designed to look like skeletons. You will yell at your television and be gripped with fear for each and every rider, and that’s all I have to say about that.
Skeleton will begin on February 13 and end on February 15.
Get our content customized for you directly to your inbox!
