Olympics biathlon

[Mac in Mo]

Coverage of the biathlon is on network television. I can only imagine the wailing and gnashing of teeth that is going on in Hoplophobiaville.

Kevin

[AJMD429]

It's OK, because those are clearly just 'sporting rifles', and since they are merely sort of a side-prop to the 'legitimate sport' of skiing, they can be tolerated.

Since the original Olympics featured competition related to individual physical prowess, and in many instances related to one's battlefield abilities, we SHOULD be having modern-day Olympics that feature competition shooting at human silhouette targets with AR-15's out to 600 yards, and 338 Lapuas from 600-1200 yards. Grenade throwing into small openings, and directed mortar-fire, could be legitimate Olympic competitions, as well. Then of course there would be scrambling across an obstacle-course while firing a semiautomatic handgun (and the sports commentators could 'debate' the trend towards competitors using the 9mm M-92's vs 45 ACP 1911's, just as they debate new types of skis ).

Can you imagine Piers Morgan's blood-pressure if we had such events in the Olympics...?

. . . but instead we have "Olympic Figure Skating". . . ??? I'm all for beauty and grace and dance and athletics, and the female skaters' perfectly-contoured gluteals certainly are pleasant to watch, but I just can't relate them to 'Olympics' in the historically original context.

[MrMurphy]

Modern pentathalon was deliberately founded to represent the skills an officer courier needed to survive on the battlefield delivering messages. Riding horseback (in the 1890s, normal for officers), fencing and pistol shooting, swimming (rivers) and running (obvious).

Up until around the 1930s, competitors used service pistols. George Patton competed in the 1912 Olympics in the pentathalon using his issued revolver I think, set up with a trigger job.

Norway just won the Biathalon 10k sprint, despite the guy having a penalty. Much wailing and gnashing of teeth among the Russians.

[rjohns94]

They did interrupt the coverage to have a discussion about speed skating. You can tell they hated to cover it. American took 19th. (I did my own biathlon today, snow shoeing and shooting. Had a blast)

[Old Ironsights]

PArt of the reason I got my HS Letter in Small Bore Rifle was Biathalon training...

Seems like Cross Country Skiing, Shooting, and Alpine Wyoming just go together...

[Mac in Mo]

Mike,

Is that the one you posted about before, using BP rifles? Let us know how it went for you.


Kevin

[BrentD]

They did interrupt the coverage to have a discussion about speed skating. You can tell they hated to cover it.

You must have been watching a different Olympic Biathalong than I was. The announcers were really pumped and yet, the best American was a distant chance, at best, to score even a bronze, which he didn't.

I thought it was great coverage and some fairly knowledgeable announcing that commented on each competitor's personal strengths and weaknesses. They had done their homework.

I'd like to try one of those biathalon rifles some day.

[rjohns94]

Once they finished the interview the coverage was good, I agree!

[rjohns94]

Kevin,

No it wasn't that event, this was a self event. I snowshoed around the game lands for exercise, about 6 miles, along the way, breaking in my 22 straight pull "biathlon " rifle on a limit of bushy tails !

Mike

[BrentD]

Once they finished the interview the coverage was good, I agree!

I just watched the whole thing. Pretty good from start to end I thought. When I lived in Oslo, it was common to see guys and gals loading cars with skiis and rifles for a Saturday of practice.

[rjohns94]

I down loaded the app for NBC in order to watch the more interesting stuff rather than figure skating

[Ysabel Kid]

The biathlon is probably one of the few things I am genuinely interested in (or more apt, can relate to).

[Rusty]

Does anyone know about the app?

Can You watch the events on demand with the app?

[rjohns94]

You can watch the events live and watch any of the past events on demand.

[Rusty]

Thanks Mike, I can't watch during the day when they're live. I work nights now and sleep days.

There are two twin girls in the ladies biathlon from the U.S. I'd like to see.