Here Are Six of the Best Winter Sports That the World Has to Offer

  • Jul 01, 2020

Winter is a great time of year as it allows for a wide variety of fun outdoor activities. There are plenty of sports out there that can only be enjoyed during the winter months. Below we are going to take a look at some of the best winter sports.

skeleton-race

Skeleton

This is an adrenaline-filled winter sport where participants hop on a small sled and race down an ice track, often at speeds topping 130 kilometers per hour. The sport gets its name from the bony appearance of the sled that they use. This sport was first introduced to the Olympics back in 2002 and it has since gained a lot of popularity. One thing is certain, you have to have a lot of guts to give this sport a go. There’s something else I need to tell you. I am of Nigerian origin and also a very big fan of winter sports! In 2018 it was a pride for me to see the Nigerian national team qualify for the Winter Olympics in skeleton! So I advise you to have a look at this site about sports in Nigeria : www.sport-betting.ng. If you want more information about the Winter Olympics 2018 here is wikipedia page about the event : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria_aux_Jeux_olympiques_d%27hiver_de_2018#Skeleton

Curling

This winter sport is closely related to boules, bowls, and shuffleboard. There are two teams of four players each and each team takes it in turns to slide heavy and polished granite stones across the ice towards a circular target. The aim is to get the stone as close to the middle of the target as possible (knocking the other team’s stones out the way if need be). This is a game that requires strategy and teamwork. It is not called chess on ice for nothing.

Ski Jumping

In this sport participant ski down a ramp and jump off the end to see how far they can fly. The ramp is known as the inrun and points are dished out according to the style and distance of the jump. The first Winter Olympics was held in 1908 and ski jumping has been part of it since 1924. At the time of writing, the longest ski jump on record was held by Stefan Kraft – he jumped an impressive 253.5m. Two years before that, in 2015, Dimitry Vassiliev jumped 254m but he fell when he landed, making his jump the longest unofficial ski jump ever made.

figure-skating

Figure Skating

If you are looking for some elegance on ice, then you should not look any further than figure skating. This is the first winter sport that was included in the Olympics in 1908. There are different types of figure skating such as four skatings and synchronized skating. There really is nothing more mesmerizing than watching figure skaters complete pirouettes and figures of eight on the ice. What these guys can do on ice will leave you completely in awe.

Ice Hockey

Two teams compete on ice and use sticks to try and get a hard rubber puck into their opponent’s goal. In countries such as the United States, Canada, Sweden, and Latvia it is simply called hockey. It is called ice hockey in those countries that have a popular grass hockey following too. This game has been nicknamed “the fastest game on Earth” and at the time of writing there were 73 countries with Ice Hockey Federations.

Alpine Snowboarding

This is a type of snowboarding that is carried out on groomed pistes. Alpine snowboarding was introduced to the Winter Olympics back in 1998 and it has gone on to become a major event. Since 1998, 38 snowboarders from 11 different countries have picked up Olympic medals. The gear that Alpine skiers use resembles skiing equipment instead of the traditional snowboarding equipment. The boards that are used for Alpine snowboarding are longer, which allows for better carving through the snow. This better carving means that they are traveling at much faster speeds than normal, so helmets have to be worn at all times to ensure safety.