By Mohammad Yousuf and Fayaz Ahmad Bala
Winter Sports can be said to have originated from Norway where skiing of planks, tied under the feet, was used as a way of getting about and later it developed into a way of having fun. With the addition of more events winter sports were given the Olympic status.
First Winter Olympic Games came into being in 1924 when an International Sports Week held at Chamonix in France, under the patronage of International Olympic Committee, was accorded the title of First Olympic Winter Games. There were 13 events in this Olympic and294 athletes from 16 countries participated. After this the Winter Games continued to be organized after every four years coinciding with the year in which Summer Games are being held.. From 1940 ro 1946 the Games could not be conducted due to World War II. However, after 1948 these were held regularly and many new events were included.
Second Winter Olympic Games were held in 1928 at Saint Maurice, Switzerland. Third in 1932 at Lake Placid, USA. Bobsleigh was introduced in this Olympics. Fourth was held in 1936 at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. The 4X10 Km Cross-Country event was introduced in this Olympics. Fifth in 1948 at Saint Maurice, Switzerland and Slalom and Downhill events were introduced Sixth Olympics was held in 1952 at Oslo, Norway. Giant Slalom and 10 Km Cross-Country events were introduced. Seventh Olympics was held at Cortina d’Ampezoo, Italy in 1956. The 30 Km Cross-Country and 4X5 Km Relay events were introduced. Eight was held in 1960 at Squaw Valley, USA in in which Biathlon and Speed Skating of 500 mtrs, 1000 mtrs. 1500 mtrs and 3000 mtrs for women were introduced. Ninth was held at Innsbruck, Austria in 1964 and Luge, Ski Jumping (90 Mtrs) and 5 Km Cross-Country events for women were introduced. Tenth was held at Grenoble, France in 1968. Biathlon Relay was included in this Olympics. Eleventh was held in 1972 at Sapporo, Japan. Twelfth was held at Innsbruck, Austria in 1976 Thirteenth was conducted at Lake Placid, USA in 1980 in which 1000 mtrs Speed Skating has been introduced and Fourteenth was held at Sarajevo, Yugoslavia in 1984.
The Motto
15th Olympic Winter Games will be opened on 13th Feb. 1988 at Calgary, Canada. “Get together in Calgary” is motto of the Games. Two cute polar-bear cubs, named Hindy and Hondy are mascots of this Olympics. Calgary is adjacent to the spectacular Rocky Mountains of Canada. The resort has a population of about 6.4 lacs. It is famous for its special brand of western hospitality and multi-faceted cultural community. Millions of spectators will see the competitions featuring world class 2000 athletes from over 40 countries. The events would be simultaneously telecast from Moscow, San Francisco and Calgary. Superb new facilities have been constructed at each of the five major sports venues in and near Calgary. All the venues have already been tried out with a series of pre-Olympic events. A numbers of engineering innovations have been employed to make the games independent of weather which often causes trouble in that part of Canada. All open air facilities including the ski jumps are being furnished with snow making equipment.
Winter Sports can be said to have originated from Norway where skiing of planks, tied under the feet, was used as a way of getting about and later it developed into a way of having fun. With the addition of more events winter sports were given the Olympic status.
First Winter Olympic Games came into being in 1924 when an International Sports Week held at Chamonix in France, under the patronage of International Olympic Committee, was accorded the title of First Olympic Winter Games. There were 13 events in this Olympic and294 athletes from 16 countries participated. After this the Winter Games continued to be organized after every four years coinciding with the year in which Summer Games are being held.. From 1940 ro 1946 the Games could not be conducted due to World War II. However, after 1948 these were held regularly and many new events were included.
Second Winter Olympic Games were held in 1928 at Saint Maurice, Switzerland. Third in 1932 at Lake Placid, USA. Bobsleigh was introduced in this Olympics. Fourth was held in 1936 at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. The 4X10 Km Cross-Country event was introduced in this Olympics. Fifth in 1948 at Saint Maurice, Switzerland and Slalom and Downhill events were introduced Sixth Olympics was held in 1952 at Oslo, Norway. Giant Slalom and 10 Km Cross-Country events were introduced. Seventh Olympics was held at Cortina d’Ampezoo, Italy in 1956. The 30 Km Cross-Country and 4X5 Km Relay events were introduced. Eight was held in 1960 at Squaw Valley, USA in in which Biathlon and Speed Skating of 500 mtrs, 1000 mtrs. 1500 mtrs and 3000 mtrs for women were introduced. Ninth was held at Innsbruck, Austria in 1964 and Luge, Ski Jumping (90 Mtrs) and 5 Km Cross-Country events for women were introduced. Tenth was held at Grenoble, France in 1968. Biathlon Relay was included in this Olympics. Eleventh was held in 1972 at Sapporo, Japan. Twelfth was held at Innsbruck, Austria in 1976 Thirteenth was conducted at Lake Placid, USA in 1980 in which 1000 mtrs Speed Skating has been introduced and Fourteenth was held at Sarajevo, Yugoslavia in 1984.
The Motto
15th Olympic Winter Games will be opened on 13th Feb. 1988 at Calgary, Canada. “Get together in Calgary” is motto of the Games. Two cute polar-bear cubs, named Hindy and Hondy are mascots of this Olympics. Calgary is adjacent to the spectacular Rocky Mountains of Canada. The resort has a population of about 6.4 lacs. It is famous for its special brand of western hospitality and multi-faceted cultural community. Millions of spectators will see the competitions featuring world class 2000 athletes from over 40 countries. The events would be simultaneously telecast from Moscow, San Francisco and Calgary. Superb new facilities have been constructed at each of the five major sports venues in and near Calgary. All the venues have already been tried out with a series of pre-Olympic events. A numbers of engineering innovations have been employed to make the games independent of weather which often causes trouble in that part of Canada. All open air facilities including the ski jumps are being furnished with snow making equipment.
According to a press report 1,000 million dollars have been estimated as cost for organizing the Calgary Olympics. Mr. Billpratt, President of the Organizing Committee has said that the profits, if any, made from the Games will be spent on maintaining the Olympic sports facilities and centers.
The colorful opening and closing ceremonies would be held at famous McMahon stadium of Calgary. The city streets have been adorned by ice sculptures. International exposition of Sports stamps is being organized for interest of philatelists and large Canadian books have been kept for display. There would also be an Olympic Carnival and the Art Festival, which has already started from 23rd January.
The Torch Rally of 10,656 Kms has started from the town of Saint John’s in Nov. 1987. It is being carried across all ten provinces and territories of Canada coming to end on 13th Feb. at Calgary, coinciding with the date of commencement of the games.
Travelling arrangements and accommodation for Olympians and official delegates has already been pre-fixed. The Calgary University Campus will serve as the main Olympic village. The Organizing Committee has employed about 400 hostesses to cater to day-to-day needs of the participants. It has been agreed for the first time that IOC will reimburse 45 dollars a day charges for food and accommodation from every official delegate for up to 22 days. Food packs would be provided to those who cannot find time for meals before practice session ro events. Round the clock catering services would be available le at Olympic villages.
The Events
The XV Olympics will feature events in 10 official Olympic events, three demonstration sports and events and two disabled skiing exhibitions.
Ice-Hockey: daily games with two teams competing within two pools of six teams. The matches will be played on league basis. Intra-division winners will play off against each other in the final medal round of play aggregate points in the final round shall determine medal standings. The matches will be played at Olympic Saddledome and stampede Corral indoor stadiums. Figure Skating: competitions will be held in men’s and ladies singles; ice dancing (compulsory figure, short programme, free skating). Free Skating: competitions are evaluated by competing nations’ appointed judges. Average scores are added to determine medal standings. Ski Jumping: points are awarded, based on distance and jumping style. Competitions include 70 mtrs and 90 mtrs ski jumping. Nordic combined, combines points earned in ski jumping with points earned in across country ski race. Ski jumping points determine start times in the Cross-Country race and standings are determined by final skiing position. Bobsleigh is the team completion. Team “drives” an enclosed sled down a serpentine ice-covered course. Combined elapsed times determine team medal results. The Calgary naturbann Luge and Bobsleigh track has 14 challenging curves and has 48 sections. Bobsleigh athlete s will reach speed of 135Kph over 1480 meter In Luge competitions are held in singles and doubles. Races lying on their backs are their legs and shoulders to steer an open sled down an iced, refrigerated course. The sled has some resemblance with the one we use in Gulmarg. Luge athletes reach speed of 115 Kph over 1086 mtrs. Combined elapsed times determine individual standings. Alpine ski competitors ski down gates courses in the shortest time. Downhill race is the fastest and most dangerous event. Biathlon is the combination of cross country skiing and rifle shooting competition. Cross-Country skiers cover a prescribed course in a designated technique in the shortest possible time. Skis are different than the alpine skis. Speed skaters race in pairs, against time, on 400 meter Oval track. Curling, free skiing and short track speed skating are demonstration sports and events. There would also be exhibition on blind cross country skiing and disabled alpine skiing.
Indian Participation
While everything is set at Calgary for holding XV Olympics, India is still in the process of selecting its team for participation in different ski events. This will be for the first time that the country will be represented in Winter Olympics. The trials for selecting the team were scheduled to be conducted on 27th and 28th January this year at Gulmarg. However, the selection trials were delayed as majority of the ace skiers of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh have boycotted and protested against the belated idea of choosing the team. Surprisingly the Winter Games Federation of India informed some limited ski clubs to depute their 3 skiers for the selection trails at a short notice. Most of the ace skiers were unaware of the selection trials, as there was no proper advertisement and publicity made in the national media. As a result of this many good skiers have been deprived from participating in the competitions. In fact, the team should have been chosen at least two years before the event so that selected team could have received intensive coaching. Instead of this the God Fathers of winter sports in India have woke up at the last moment with the sole purpose to create the possibility of foreign trip rather than bringing laurels to the country. The better course would have been to send the team after conducting the National Games and making selection out of those who could have come out from those competitions. The promising skiers of the state criticized the role of WGFI in the development of winter sports.
Skiers from prominent organization, namely Jammu and Kashmir Ski and Mountaineering Association which had actively participated in the 1st National Winter Games in 1986 and had fielded largest contingent in all skiing events were kept out of the selection trials and their several pleas to the WGFI for prior information with regard to holding of Olympic selection trials were ignored.
It has been demanded that the Federation overseeing the activities of Winter Games in India should be based in Kashmir rather that at Bombay. The Federation should comprise of sportsmen who have done pioneering work in the promotion of winter sports in the country and are purely of civilian nature. Should the authorities concerned give a serious thought to the development of winter sports we shall be able to quantum leap forward and enhance our facilities on the country’s premier arena for action packed skiing in Gulmarg?
The article was published in daily Kashmir Time on 7th February, 1988. The co-author Mr. Fayaz Ahmad Bala is a KAS officer, presently working as Secretary, J&K Housing Board. Mr. Fayaz is an avid adventurer and has participated and led several climbing expeditions in the Himalayas. He has also graduated advanced skiing course. He was a member on first Ski-touring expedition to Lidder valley in 1984. He worked as Hony. Secretary for J&K Mountaineering and Hiking Club for nearly 20 years.
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