The Winter Olympics have always been my favorite Olympics. They are a multi-sport event which is hel...

1. A Brief History of Winter Olympic Sports
The Winter Olympics have always been my favorite Olympics. They are a multi-sport event which is
held every four years, alternating with the Summer games. Both used to take place in the same
years but now alternate so that some type of Olympic event takes place every two years. The last
time both Olympics were held in the same year was in 2002.
The first Winter games were held in France, in 1924. Originally there was alpine skiing, cross-
country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping, and speed skating. Sports
such as luge, short track speed skating, and freestyle skiing have been added more recently.
Since 1924, the United States has hosted the Winter games 4 times; twice in Lake Placid (1932 and
1980), once in Squaw Valley (1960) and once in Salt Lake City ( 2002). Canada has hosted the games
2 times; in Calgary in 1988 and Vancouver in 2010.
 One of my favorite events to watch is figure skating. Figure skating is a sport in which individuals,
pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps and fancy footwork on ice skates and to music.. Figure skating
for both men and women includes all of these events. One of the most prolific skaters in United
States history is Scott Hamilton. Hamilton won 4 World Championships, 4 US Championships, and 1
gold medal. Below is Scott Hamilton staring in an ice show.
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Ski Jumping has been a Winter Olympic sport since 1924. There are generally 3 events; Men's
Individual large hill, small hill and a team event. It is a sport in which skiers go down a take-off

2. ramp, jump, and attempt to soar as far as possible. They are judged on their technique and distance
in flight. View from top of the ski jump at Lake Placid is shown below.
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Ice hockey too has been an Olympic sport since 1924. Up until the 1980?s competitors were suppose
to be amateurs (although there was some question as to whether this was always the case). However
in the 1980?s it was decided that all hockey players could compete in the Winter Olympics making it
one of the sports where professionals were allowed to participate.
In 1992 the International Olympic Committee approved the addition of women's hockey teams to the
Olympics starting in 1998. The US won the gold medal in 1998 followed by Canada in the next 3
Olympics. The US Men's team has won gold medals in 1960 at Squaw Valley and in 1980 at Lake
Placid. They won silver in 2002 at Salt Lake City (losing to Canada) and in 2010 in Vancouver, again
losing to Canada. Below is the standard size Olympic and NHL rink.

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Men's four man bobsleigh appeared in 1924, and men's two man bobsleigh was added in 1932.
Bobsleigh was not an event in the 1960 Winter Olympics, but it has been in every Olympics since.
Women's bobsleigh competition began in the US in 1983 with two demonstration races in Lake
Placid, New York. The actual debut of women's two woman bobsleigh was in the 2002 Winter
Olympic Games.
Skiing started as a Winter  event in 1924. That year Cross Country was the main skiing event other
than the ski jump. Downhill skiing (Alpine) was added in 1936. There are 12 cross country ski events
and 10 downhill ski events. Unlike the ski jump, both downhill and cross country have women's
events. Women's cross country skiing was added at the 1952 Olympics.

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Speedskating has been an Olympic event since 1924. Short track speed skating became an event in
1992. Short track features men's and women's 500, 1000, and1500, meter events, as well as the
3000 and 5000 meters men's relay. Regular speed skating offers 12 events for men and women
competitors. American Apolo Anton Ohno helped to increase interest in short track speed skating
and is a much celebrated Olympian.
Freestyle skiing is a recent addition to the Olympics. This type of skiing includes mogels, half pipes
and aerials. Mogels were a demonstration sport in 1988, becoming a contested Olympic sport in
1992 in Albertville France. Aerials were added in 1994 in the Lillehammer Norway Olympics. Half
Pipes made their debut in Sochi, Russia in 2014. American Shaun White is a noted Olympian in the
half pipe competition.
Luge is a one or two person competition on a sled, which goes down a track at a fast speed, feet
first. The first Olympics for Luge was in 1964 with both men's and women's events.
This is just a brief overview of Winter Olympic events. I am sure that more events will be added in
the future.
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