Cross Country for Winter Olympics?

runjb

http://www.runnersworld.com/olympics/seb-coe-advocates-for-cross-country-to-return-as-olympic-sport

Interesting suggestion from Seb Coe. It wouldn't do any harm to raise the profile of Cross Country running which is currently faltering on the world stage.

robinph

Definitely a good idea, although it's come up several times. As for reducing the number of track and field events from the summer games, first they need to reduce the number of swimming events.

Chivito550

For a sport to be in the Winter Olympics, it must be either snow or ice based. So the only way it would work is if the cross country course was completely covered in snow. Your bog standard (pun intended) XC course will not fit this criteria.

rom

Chivito550 wrote: »

For a sport to be in the Winter Olympics, it must be either snow or ice based. So the only way it would work is if the cross country course was completely covered in snow. Your bog standard (pun intended) XC course will not fit this criteria.

I don't understand your point as most venues are going to be in ski resorts.

feargale

The suggestion of extending the Winter Olympics has been around before. Boxing was mentioned.

KielyUnusual

Chivito550 wrote: »

For a sport to be in the Winter Olympics, it must be either snow or ice based. So the only way it would work is if the cross country course was completely covered in snow. Your bog standard (pun intended) XC course will not fit this criteria.

This is a good point and sort of ridicules what Seb Coe is saying. I only realised now (after wikipediaing it ) that this is the actual definition of the Winter Olympic Games. Having runners compete over a fully snow covered course would be ridiculous and completely unrepresentative of any popular form of the sport that takes place currently.

average_runner

Chivito550 wrote: »

For a sport to be in the Winter Olympics, it must be either snow or ice based. So the only way it would work is if the cross country course was completely covered in snow. Your bog standard (pun intended) XC course will not fit this criteria.

Can always change the rules for the good of sport in general.

Chivito550

average_runner wrote: »

Can always change the rules for the good of sport in general.

Disagree. Cross Country Running may feel it needs the Winter Olympics to help build the profile of what is a dying discipline. But the Winter Olympics certainly doesn't NEED Cross Country Running. So if it wants in, it follows the rules. Simple as that. The course must be snow covered.

average_runner

Chivito550 wrote: »

Disagree. Cross Country Running may feel it needs the Winter Olympics to help build the profile of what is a dying discipline. But the Winter Olympics certainly doesn't NEED Cross Country Running. So if it wants in, it follows the rules. Simple as that. The course must be snow covered.

Sorry but your not in charge of the rules.
The people that make the call will do what it needs to do.


Also all the track runners want cross country to exist as they see vital to the track.

All our coaches pushes us towards it, if u want to do track.
So would of thought u be delighted with this, getting more track runners.
All track

Krusty_Clown

I don't understand the problem with having an XC course covered in snow. We've had a number of the European championships on snow covered terrain. Not a huge amount of difference between running on mud/trail and snow. XC is largely a winter sport. Even if we don't have the kind of climate that would make snow a familiar feature, many other countries do. Irish athletes have shown in the past that they can compete in an equal footing in the snow.

Chivito550

average_runner wrote: »

Sorry but your not in charge of the rules.
The people that make the call will do what it needs to do.


Also all the track runners want cross country to exist as they see vital to the track.

All our coaches pushes us towards it, if u want to do track.
So would of thought u be delighted with this, getting more track runners.
All track

Jaysus, relax there. All I'm saying is that XC will not be allowed in unless it is on a full snow covered course. Just because something is a winter event doesn't mean it is eligible for the winter games. If it did, then why not throw in Indoor Athletics also. That's a winter event too.

average_runner

Chivito550 wrote: »

Jaysus, relax there. All I'm saying is that XC will not be allowed in unless it is on a full snow covered course. Just because something is a winter event doesn't mean it is eligible for the winter games. If it did, then why not throw in Indoor Athletics also. That's a winter event too.

Just run it on snow, it is cross country

KielyUnusual

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I don't understand the problem with having an XC course covered in snow. We've had a number of the European championships on snow covered terrain. Not a huge amount of difference between running on mud/trail and snow. XC is largely a winter sport. Even if we don't have the kind of climate that would make snow a familiar feature, many other countries do. Irish athletes have shown in the past that they can compete in an equal footing in the snow.

The definition of winter sports is "sports which are practised on snow or ice." I think this implies that the sports require snow or ice in order for the sport to be practicable. While cross country can be run on snow or ice, the sport doesn't require it. Perhaps, I am wrong but having watched the recent Olympics, I would say that all the sports I saw required snow or ice and its absence would render the sports unplayable. This is not the case for cross country.

Would a cross country race be run on frozen ground or deep snow? The first would seem dangerous and the latter would just be dull. I'm not too interested in seeing what the best runners in the world could achieve in a pair of snow shoes :P

robinph

Bobsleigh
Speed skating

No ice in sight.

KielyUnusual

robinph wrote: »

Bobsleigh
Speed skating

No ice in sight.

Ah yes, the Great Melt of '94 almost ruined the Nagano games but some great improvisation by the organisers there.