Monday, March 22, 2010

Ending With a Crash

1. The chickens have come home to roost in Russia:

Vladimir Loginov quit as president of the Russian cross-country skiing federation (FLGR) on Monday following the country’s dismal showing at last month’s Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Tell me I'm not the only person who thinks the abbreviation for the Russian ski federation is fantastic.

2. The infamous bridge at Falun - steep and placed at the bottom of a fast descent - claimed quite a few victims in Saturday's pursuit. I know this video clip has already showed up everywhere, but it's still awesome.

The crash itself - especially #20 Teodor Peterson's out-of-control tackle of #53 Brian Gregg (where's the yellow card, ref?) - is amazing, but I particularly enjoyed seeing Lukas Bauer slip through just ahead of the crash on the snow outside of the v-boards. Let the record show that it was Anders Svanebo (#50) who started this whole mess.


3. Then, at the end of the same race, we see Daniel Rickardsson going all out in a sprint against Andrus Veerpalu for 30th place. Until he wasn't.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

That cycle race-like pile-up on the bridge was certainly an accident waiting to happen - or what happens when a bridge model 1974 meets a mass start race model modern.

FWIW and IMHO: as is often the case, the biggest culprit got away unscathed: if Bauer hadn't taken the shortcut, much of the Keystone cops-like hilarity and many of the broken poles could've been avoided; it is his return that sets off the mayhem.

Christopher Tassava said...

I won't entertain the heresy that Saint Lukas, the Petter Slayer, did anything wrong - except maybe going hatless. Cover your bald spot, man!

Steve said...

Look farther up the bridge for the biggest contributor to the crash drama. Heikkenen (#30) goes down slightly after, but in front of, Svanebo. His stumble creates the logjam of skiers who slipped past the fallen Svanebo. By the time the camera pans away from the mayhem, Heikkenen has stolen away from the scene.

Anonymous said...

I`m surprised ppl care so much about crashes.But clearly the bridge needs to be improved if there s going to be more mass starts on that course.

packfiller said...

Having put my pole between by skis and stabbed my boot countless times, I know exactly how Rickardson feels. :)