"Even before Matt Weston had won his solo gold medal last Friday, skeleton was easily the most watchable sport of the Winter Olympics, because the commentary was so soothing. Tangle with snowboarding and you're going to hear a lot of unfamiliar words grabs, spins, flips and rail manoeuvres accompanied by the modifiers spectacular and ooh, and commentators won't tell you what any of it means because they're too excited, even though that is their one job."
"Skeleton, by contrast, is almost zen: just watch the times. Green times are good; red times are bad. Just watch the little numbers. Don't worry about the ice, and whether or not the sled is hitting the sides, even though I am medium sure that is bad. Wondering, after GB's second gold medal, whether there was anything in our national character that would make us particularly suited to skeleton, I ended up watching the athlete's-eye-view on TikTok."
Skeleton and luge are distinct sliding sports: skeleton is head-first while luge is feet-first, and luge includes a doubles event. The United Kingdom has excelled in skeleton, securing top medals including a recent solo gold. Skeleton watching emphasizes simple metrics—timing and color-coded results—rather than exuberant technical commentary. Snowboarding commentary often uses jargon and excited modifiers without explanation, making it harder to follow. Athlete-viewpoint footage conveys a fast, juddering descent that ends in a foam crash pad. Mixed skeleton adds extra visual and strategic dimensions for attentive viewers.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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