<p>Did anyone see the snowboard cross competition? That’s the best, most exciting event I’ve seen the whole Olympics so far. Six snowboarders going down a course at the same time. My daughter said it was like NASCAR on snow. Made me think how much more exciting the downhill would be if they sent several skiers down the course at the same time. Now that would be a race! They could do the same with the figure skaters. Put several on the ice at the same time and make part of the competition avoiding the other skaters.</p>
<p>Short track speed skating is like that, too.</p>
<p>I guess this is good thread to put this:</p>
<p><a href=“Sochi skating costumes: Best and worst”>Sochi skating costumes: Best and worst;
<p>My favorite dress was the Russian in red yesterday</p>
<p>I guess this is a good a place to put this: </p>
<p><a href=“Sochi skating costumes: Best and worst”>Sochi skating costumes: Best and worst;
<p>My favorite was the Russian in the red dress yesterday. </p>
<p>I thought the girls looked great today. I love all the costumes btw. </p>
<p>Tara and Johnny hit it out of the park. The gold headbands were the best! Tara looked so pretty. Did anyone notice that Terry Gannon had a gold handkerchief? </p>
<p>I loved the Russian girls costume tonight as well. I don’t like the costumes that have the high necks. Always look like they are choking to me. Also not crazy about the backless dresses. </p>
<p>Didn’t notice the hankie but T&J looked abfab. </p>
<p>One of my problems with ice skating outfits is the illusion netting – the skin-colored fabric that makes it look like they are wearing more revealing outfits. I just don’t get it – especially when the fabric badly matches their skin tone. Several of the women today didn’t use it, and I like their outfits much better. I assume their costumes have to meet certain standards, but I just think it’s ridiculous. If you want them to dress modestly, then don’t allow looks that from a distance make them look like they could be streetwalkers. </p>
<p>DGDzDad - snowboard cross is my favorite thing to watch! What crazy outcomes they have, without the automatic advancement if you fall because someone else fell right in front of you - as in short track speed skating. D3 and I were watching and wondering if there’s ever been a race where NO ONE made it to the finish line. Conditions were crazy enough at Sochi that it seemed plausible, especially in the women’s race. Too bad it’s over!</p>
<p>@DGDzDad, my husband and I totally agree with you about snowcross and skicross…love it. In fact I was joking at work today they ought to put all the skaters on the ice at the same time 
and tonight I read your comment “Looking pretty” isn’t really a measurable quality of a sport. </p>
<p>Frankly, I don’t care whether philistines consider figure skating a “sport” or not. It’s by far my favorite thing to watch at the Olympics, Winter OR Summer.</p>
<p>Watching the women’s long program tonight, most of them have beautiful costumes, some quite extraordinary.</p>
<p>Yes, most costumes tonight were gorgeous. </p>
<p>I think that the figure skaters and ice dancers are by far the best athletes at the Olympics and happily, Sally Jenkins of the Washington Post agrees with me (she’s always been one of my favorite sports writers). Here is her definitive article one the subject with which no one can argue!
<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/figure-skating-offers-more-physical-challenges-than-ice-hockey/2014/02/13/55d14e4c-94e2-11e3-b46a-5a3d0d2130da_story.html”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/figure-skating-offers-more-physical-challenges-than-ice-hockey/2014/02/13/55d14e4c-94e2-11e3-b46a-5a3d0d2130da_story.html</a></p>
<p>Joblue, what a cool article. The hockey players learning figure skating moves to be better on ice is very similar to football players turning to ballet for cross training. Yup, ladies in tutus can teach tough guys a trick or two ;)</p>
<p>Thanks for posting the article Joblue. I think it’s spot on. Spectators are so caught up in the costumes and music and judging in figure skating that they don’t recognize the high-level of athleticism involved in the sport. It seems like figure skating or any sport that involves judging is always going to get a bad rap from folks who have a narrow view of what constitutes a “sport”. </p>