Team GB Head for Sochi and Olympic Glory in 2014
Today sees the start of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and we are all looking forward to the opening ceremony. With much build-up to the Winter Games (along with the odd bit of controversy we all come to expect), Sochi is sure to prove a challenge to competitors on and off the slopes.
Olympic glory is a dream many of us have and to reach the Olympics itself is a huge reward for years of hard work. In the SkiBound office we all have our favourite sport disciplines and needless to say ski is ranked pretty high! However, there are also a number of other athletes we will be looking out for as Team GB look to rank up the medals. Once such athlete is Shelley Rudman who will be competing in the Women’s Skeleton and aiming to add to her silver medal she won at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. With consistent performances in the run up to the Games in Sochi we think she could improve on her 6th place finish in Vancouver (2010).Flying the flag
While the skeleton is something we have to admire, even if it is for the sheer bravery of the athletes throwing themselves down an icy chute, snowboarding is definitely one competition the SkiBound team are keeping an eye on. With fellow south coast athlete Billy Morgan entering the slopestyle event this year it won’t just be the city of Southampton shouting his name. At the age of 24 we think Sochi could be Billy’s year as he goes up against the big boys of the USA and Canada. Some positive news for Billy will surely be the withdrawal of Shaun White from the slopestyle event due to insecurities about the course. With the halfpipe competition still to play for, maybe Billy can capitalise on this opportunity to break into the medals on the slope.
James Woods will be entering the freestyle skiing (slopestyle) competition and the young lad from Sheffield has already built up quite the following already. Brave, bold, and an outgoing personality are probably qualities you would expect from a skier attempting a triple cork 1440. Achieving third place in the Winter X Games in Aspen has certainly provided Woodsy with a platform from which he can jump to Olympic success and we anticipate some extreme tricks to come from this Yorkshire Terrier.
Last but not least is our very own Brighton and Hove born Chemmy Alcott. A famous face on the alpine skiing circuit we will be keeping an eagle eye on this star. With 3 Olympic Games already under her belt we feel confident experience will come through to finally help her onto the podium this year. We all know she is one tough cookie after her accident in 2010, but a fully fit Chemmy who has been skiing since she was just 18 months is raring to hit the slopes of Sochi. Remarkable? Of course, and we wouldn’t expect anything else from this Sussex Star!
Be sure to keep your ears open for more Olympic updates from SkiBound.
About the Author
Tim Jenkins
A former primary school teacher, Tim has been writing for educational travel websites, educational publications and leisure magazines for the past three years. His first-hand experience in leading adventure residential trips and seeing the benefits of learning outside the classroom has further fuelled his interest into studying the impact of outdoor education on young learners. Always seeking his next trip to the slopes, Tim’s favourite ski resort is Les Menuires from where you can explore the Three Valleys ski area.