Lack of interest in the Olympics.

[TrevA]

I was in the office last week and a work colleague was enthusing about Laura Trott and co. The lack of interest shown by other colleagues was almost total. Most had never heard of Laura Trott and virtually all had not been watching the cycling, despite it being shown at prime TV time in the UK. She asked one lad who cycles to work if he'd seen it and he said No.

I asked the guy who sits next to me if he'd been watching the Olympics and he hadn't, though he showed a passing interest in the number of medals won.

I've noticed during the TDF, a complete lack of interest, even amongst colleagues who cycle to work.

Personally, I was glued to the TV during the whole 2 weeks, but especially during the track cycling.

[Postboxer]

Hardly saw any posts on facebook about them either, compared to London, when there were loads, it's weird, it's like they're in Rio not London so not bothering to watch or something. Maybe people thought Team GB wouldn't be as successful.

[Psamathe]

I was in the office last week and a work colleague was enthusing about Laura Trott and co. The lack of interest shown by other colleagues was almost total. Most had never heard of Laura Trott and virtually all had not been watching the cycling, despite it being shown at prime TV time in the UK. She asked one lad who cycles to work if he'd seen it and he said No.

I asked the guy who sits next to me if he'd been watching the Olympics and he hadn't, though he showed a passing interest in the number of medals won.

I've noticed during the TDF, a complete lack of interest, even amongst colleagues who cycle to work.

Personally, I was glued to the TV during the whole 2 weeks, but especially during the track cycling.

I don't know who Laura Trott is. I caught a few very brief excerpts of Olympics (very very brief) on the news a couple of times (normally fast forwarded through it). I enjoy participating in sport but have little interest in watching it and none watching a few elite ones. How many medals UK competitors won seems irrelevant when we have growing needs for food banks, people living on the streets, NHS crumbling, etc.

I don't see that because somebody enjoys riding their bike that it should follow they are interested in a few elite athletes who also ride bikes (or hit a ball around, etc.). I participate in several sports/activities that also feature as olympic events and am personally not interested (and at £4m a medal ... I have doubts about our priorities). I also cannot see that how successful a few elite athletes are reflects on the state of the UK (as some have suggested, linking the UK's medal count to Brexit and national confidence in the future ...).

But I accept that others might find it interesting (so I'm not declaring it as a non-event, just commenting that I don't think participating in an activity/sport automatically makes to interested in following elite international competition).

Ian

[al_yrpal]

I think there is a lot of apathy. Some people arent interested in sport at all. We are all different.

We werent going to watch much, however the Mrs and I did tune into a few things which were either exciting or entertaining to watch. The dressage and horse dancing or whatever was a spectacle and entertaining too. Watched Nicola Adams in the final - what a sunny and positive young woman? Watched a bit of the track cycling which is quite technical and nailbiting. Bit of the gymnastics. Bit of the heptaphlon with Jess Ennis, some of the sailing which we both understood well because we used to race. The best things were watching the Fijians wipe the floor with GB in the Rugby 7s final and the ladies Hockey final with a team lead by local lasses.

A fantastic event for Brazil which is wracked by political scandal and a recession presently. Lets hope it did something for them.

Al

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
I don't come from a sporting family, but one of necessity in getting around with no money.
But watched 75 % of it.

Did NOT watch the news at all for the whole time and was totally pissed off at the BBC coverage on the news Radio etc as if we all stayed up to 5 am every morning, so the overnight results we weren't bothered about,
Taped so ruining enjoyment for those who work or catch up with daily affairs via media trying to miss any rio results

[TrevA]

Perhaps it's because I belong to a cycling club, where I and many others used to race, so we are all interested in the sporting side of cycling. I spend a lot of time in company of these people and it probably skews my perspective a bit, that's why I find the apathy so surprising, even amongst other cyclists. For me, the sport and the pastime of cycling are intertwined, but I accept that's not the case for everyone.

Hollie Webb, who scored the winning penalty in the hockey, is a work colleague, so many at work are now taking a belated interest in the Games.

[Psamathe]

Perhaps it's because I belong to a cycling club, where I and many others used to race, so we are all interested in the sporting side of cycling. I spend a lot of time in company of these people and it probably skews my perspective a bit, that's why I find the apathy so surprising, even amongst other cyclists. For me, the sport and the pastime of cycling are intertwined, but I accept that's not the case for everyone.
....

I belong to a sailing club where I (and most people) only race and no real interest. I belong to a kayak club which focuses on racing (though I don't race) and no real interest.

Ian

[Psamathe]

Another consideration is the damage and harm the Olympics can do to a sport. The class of dinghy I sail is also an Olympic class (is it a massive class sailed throughout the world) - most people racing the class wish it were not an Olympic class. It is what is called a "strict one design" - gear used/hulls/everything is very tightly controlled and most of it is defined by the class and only available from one or two suppliers. For years the sail has been manufactured from out of date weight of sailcloth making it very expensive (as it is the only class using that cloth - so no volume production). And being too light and with sailing techniques; so go to an event (4 races) with a new sail in a blow and you will probably have ruined that sail by the end of the weekend. New sail had been designed, tested (to ensure no competitive advantage/disadvantage), made, etc. but would not be approved because the Olympic people did not want the olympic sailors to have to learn a new sail. So people participating every weekend in the sport were using sub-standard sails needing frequent replacement all so the elite few could prepare for their Olympics. The sail situation got so bad some people moved to a different class.

Ian

[Spinners]

I loved every minute of it and enjoyed dipping into other sports but my four work colleagues had zero interest. Funny old world.

[al_yrpal]

Is that Lasers? Sounds barmy! The original sails never had problems like that?

Al

[Psamathe]

Is that Lasers? Sounds barmy! The original sails never had problems like that?

Al

Certainly these days you flatten of the sail massively in a blow. To aid in that the class approved a "modified" kicker with quite a bit more purchase (making flattening the sail far more achievable). Previously you had to move inboard, put you weight on the boom, etc. to decently tighten (a manoeuvre that took a bit of skill in a blow). Cunningham as well. Trouble is everything stuck with "the original sails" which were not heavy enough material to cope with it. And they became very expensive as every other class moved on to more modern better/suitable materials but Lasers stuck with the original sail/cloth. Not a major problem as new sail that can cope developed, tested, etc. and then "in-limbo" for ages thanks to the Olympics.

Ian

[al_yrpal]

You always flattened a sail in a blow if you couldnt reef it?

Al

[Psamathe]

You always flattened a sail in a blow if you couldnt reef it?

Al

Reefing Laser completely kills the sail shape (and you are very limited if you want to keep the top batten in as well). Old kicker and cunningham were "limited" whereas new gear allows far better control (as in you can adjust them for different legs, e.g. on a reach you want less kicker (even to play the kicker) whereas downwind and beating you want well on. Original 3:1 kicker didn't really allow adjustment whereas the newer approved ones are up at 15:1.

One major help these days (which also helps preserve sails a tiny bit) if you are a master (35 or older) is rig swapping regattas tend to allow and most club racing as well - allowing you to chose to use a radial and compete without handicap in a full rig race (and you can freely switch between rigs in different races in the regatta).

But the real problem is the cost the sail had got to and that it lasted such a short time.

BUT, whilst discussing sailing, the most fabulous beautiful, etc., etc. yachts in the world (in HD so needs to be watched full screen) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irmfc3uDGTs

Ian

[squeaker]

Another keen dinghy racer here. Just couldn't be bothered to watch as it's so much an arms race, even in the 'strict' one design classes. And don't get me started on the rule bending...

Nice J-class video though

[whoof]

During mid-morning breaks colleagues almost all have been taking about the Olympics. Most watched the track cycling, many of whom weren't quite sure what was going on a lot of the time but still enjoyed it. One chap said he stayed up for the Keirin final and his wife, who never follows any sport really enjoyed it.
None of them cycle regularly, most not at all.

But each to their own. I couldn't name a Cricketer or Rugby player and have no idea of when the Cricket or Rugby world cup is or who won the last one but some people find it exciting. I'm not interested in football either but I know England lost as it's difficult to avoid.