Ski-O to the Olympics

[andypat]

Yes, but Ski orienteering is still just a variant of skiing, and not that different to biathlon but with a map instead of a gun.

Isn't this like saying Foot Orienteering is just a variant of XC running, or that MTBO is a variant of XC cycling ...!!

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Well that comment looks worse out of context. Adventure Racer was suggesting that the following sports were not really new sports to the Olympics, just variants of existing sports -

women's ski jumping, ski and snowboard slopestyle, ski halfpipe, mixed biathlon relay and team events in figure skating and luge.

In that context I wasnt sure why ski orienteering wasnt similarly a variant of skiing. After all it is a combination of skiing and orienteering. So its as much a variant of skiing as it is a variant of orienteering isnt it?

As to whether foot orienteering is a variant of cross country running - I'm keeping my trap shut!

[Adventure Racer]

Yes, but Ski orienteering is still just a variant of skiing

No it's not. I mean foot orienteering isn't controlled by the IAAF is it, and neither is ski-O controlled by FIS. It would be a separate sport in the same way biathlon is (that's controlled by the IBU, not FIS). I suppose you could try and get it under the IBU umbrella as a different type of biathlon

Well OK - if you are talking adminstratively rather than in practice

Administratively is the whole point. You can argue all you like about whether ski-o is more like skiing than women's ski jumping, but it doesn't change the fact that it's easier to get another event in which is administered by a body which already has events in.

Of course the reality is that all these "new sports" are actually more closely related to existing events than ski-o is. Some such as mixed biathlon relay are unlikely to even result in more athletes at the games, given those taking part will also be competing in other biathlon events. Indeed women's ski jumping is the only one which is unlikely to have previous Olympians competing.

[andypat]

OK - I take your point. I didnt get that from your initial comment. Lets not get over-exercised about it. I suspect its a bit irrelevant to most british orienteers anyhow as whether you say its skiing or orienteering its probably unlikely most of us will ever participate in it competitively.

If it did make it into the Winter Olympics, my main interest would be in how it was presented since that could have implications for foot O going forward.