The Sochi Games and the Car: Same Combat?

The Sochi Olympic Games are about to begin. The athletes are ready, after four years of intense preparations and countless sacrifices.
Recently, I came across a statistic that shocked the car lover in me…

Did you know that in the super slalom, the spectacular downhill ski event, speeds can reach 100 km/h? What, you’re not impressed? Sure, reaching this speed and surpassing it in under 10 seconds is easy … IN A CAR! But perched on two slats of wood with your only protection being clothes made from synthetic material—that’s a whole other ball game.

I remember something that happened a few years ago. I was out for a walk with a friend. Completely absorbed in our conversation, he didn’t see the post in front of him and struck it full force. It didn’t leave a visible mark, but he got a terrible concussion nonetheless and ended up being taken away in an ambulance and spending two days in hospital. The impact was just at 3 or 4 km/h.

Plummeting downhill on two skis, regardless of how sophisticated they are, no thanks for me. I’ll also pass on flying around a 500-metre ice oval at 50 km/h (Korean speed skater Sang-Hwa Lee set the world record of 36.74 seconds in Calgary on January 20, 2013). It goes without saying that I would be terrified in a bobsled at 200 km/h.  

And yet, a few years ago, I had the opportunity to push the limits of a Mercedes-Benz DTM on the Spa-Francorchamps Circuit. Crossing the Eau Rouge curves at 200 km/h was mind-blowing, but I was never really scared. Probably because I wasn’t the person driving.

You’ve got to admire the athletes who, much like race car drivers, go beyond the limits of the everyday, refining their bodies and their reflexes to practice and contribute to an art form. Hats off to you, Olympic athletes!

As for me, I’m more cut out for sports like curling. And even then, I imagine that the Olympic curlers must be pretty fit. Maybe I’ll just stick to automobile journalism.

What about you? What sports do you find most impressive?