Inspiring paralympics

Re: Inspiring paralympics

Hannah Wynne Richards — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:53:46 GMT

Is that why you cycle don't ride?

Wynne

Re: Inspiring paralympics

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:25:54 GMT

[quote user="Simon Neuhoff"]

For interest the top teams in their qualifying runs were hitting average speeds of 71 kph for the timed 200m. Can you imagine flying into a banked turn like that? Their faith in their pilots must be absolute.

[/quote] Actually I think it would more scary seeing where you were going and not being able to do a thing about it. There's no way I'd be stoker on a tandem I'm too much of a control freak!

Re: Inspiring paralympics

Simon Neuhoff — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:23:39 GMT

Re: Inspiring paralympics

Simon Neuhoff — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:20:02 GMT

The announcer explained that the pilot had to have been out of normal competition for a minimum of three years.

I do agree though that the tandem events seem a tiny bit dubious. The advantage given by the sighted pilot could be enormous and the sighted pilot is also awarded the medal if they win. So nothing really to stop someone like for example Vorsteman ie someone who nearly but not quite wins against the Kenny's Bauges/Hoys of the world taking on a blind second and clearing up in the Paralympics. No way around that of course.

Re: Inspiring paralympics

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 14:55:51 GMT

[quote user="Simon Neuhoff"]We were at the Velodrome on Sunday morning for some of the qualifiers for things like the "individual" sprint (raced on tandems!) [/quote] Not wishing to denigrate any of the performances because all the disabled athletes deserve all the praise and respect they can get (clearly this prefaces a denigration) but what I found hard to come to terms with is how fair the tandem events can be. AFAIA the only restriction on who the sighted pilot can be is someone who is not in current competition for their country as an able bodied athlete. This strikes me as particularly unbalanced as someone could get Chris Hoy if he'd just retired and some other poor sod could get me. Hardly a fair match, at least in visually impaired running the blind athlete can't be pulled round by is sighted companion on the leash.

Re: Inspiring paralympics

Mark Hedberg — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 14:26:14 GMT

It's gobsmacking how good these people are!

Gold Medal 100m Olympics 2012: 9.63 seconds

Gold Medal 100m Paralympics 2012: 10.46 seconds

That's right, folks - 0.83 seconds slower than Usain Bolt. Hats off.

Re: Inspiring paralympics

Hannah Wynne Richards — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 13:45:01 GMT

The Olympics were wonderful-I enjoyed every minute I was able to watch-but the Paralympics are something else I really admire these people-

Wynne

Re: Inspiring paralympics

Simon Neuhoff — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 12:50:46 GMT

We were at the Velodrome on Sunday morning for some of the qualifiers for things like the "individual" sprint (raced on tandems!) and the team sprint. Wide range of disabilities but all fierce competitors and doing amazing things. Many teams had amputees obviously - one of the American team sprinters lost his right arm just below the shoulder joint in a construction accident. After their brilliant efforts he rode around the track aknowledging the crowds cheers by waving his stump at us. For some reason I was particularly struck by that.

Re: Inspiring paralympics

Virginia Campbell — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 12:44:34 GMT

Saw her race on Saturday night....what a great last 100m, nearly bit my nails off.