Winter Olympics: The 5 Most Unusual Demonstration Sports

Several iconic sports for the Olympic Games began their history with the fact that they entered the Olympic program as demonstration ones. Wanting to attract attention, but outside the official competition, some disciplines live up to expectations and get the opportunity to gain a foothold, as was the case with curling and short-track speed skating. Others have failed to pass the test of time or have simply retained their popularity outside of the Olympic Games. It is difficult to argue with the fact that skiers and skaters showed the greatest ingenuity in creating new disciplines at the Winter Olympics, although the majority did not manage to maintain their place in the Olympic program. Here are the 5 most unusual demonstration sports in the Winter Olympics.

One of the Most Original Sports – Sled Dog Racing

We can say that dogs competed at the Olympic Games. But it was only once – in 1932 in Lake Placid, where dog sledding was in the program as an exhibition sport. Like many other winter disciplines, this one was the result of an evolution in the way of transportation, in this case in Alaska, and eventually became a sport. In Lake Placid, six dogs were harnessed to each sled (one athlete sat on the sled), which covered 40 km.

The speed of the sleigh could reach 30 km / h. If the dog had an injury, the athlete put it in the sled until the end of the race. Gold medalist Emile St. Godard (Canada) is the only dog ​​sled racing representative to be inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame of Canada. If you think that 40.5 km was too much, then know that the annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska is held at a distance of 1700 km.

5 Most Unusual Demonstration Sports: Ski Ballet

It would be surprising for many figure skating fans to learn that their favorite sport had a “ski cousin”. This discipline was among the first three in freestyle skiing, along with mogul and ski acrobatics. They featured ski ballet in the 1988 Calgary Olympics and 1992 Albertville Olympics. Participants performed a series of jumps and dance moves on the ski slope, naturally to music.

And judges judged them for technique and artistry. Flamboyant outfits and popular soundtracks perfectly conveyed the rebellious spirit of freestyle. However, as a result, there was a need for ski ballet to introduce certain rules and lost momentum. By the beginning of the 21st century, people remembered this extreme and exciting winter sport as an anecdote.

Forerunner of the Modern Biathlon – Military Patrol

Biathlon has long been entrenched in the Olympic program, but it owes this to its “father” – the military patrol competition, which was officially held at the first Winter Games 1924 in Chamonix. As the online sportsbook news in China states, at the other three Olympics (1928, 1936, 1948), this sport was only one of the exemplary ones. The military patrol combined cross-country skiing and rifle shooting (sounds familiar?)

But it was a team sport with four people on each patrol. Sportsmen in military uniform and with backpacks weighing 24 kg covered 25 km. The shooting took place only at the end of the race. Biathlon replaced the military patrol in Squaw Valley in 1960 and has been a regular at the Olympics ever since. Fortunately, today’s biathletes don’t need to carry around a child’s weight in backpacks!

For Speed, Drive and Extreme Lovers – Equestrian Skijoring

One of the most original sports in the history of the Olympic Games can be equestrian skijoring, where skiers moved with the help of horses pulling them. Competitions were both on a special oval track and a road with obstacles. This sport was exemplary at the 1928 Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland, where the hosts took the entire podium. Currently, the participation of horses in the Olympic Games is limited to equestrian sports and modern pentathlon at the Summer Olympics.

5 Most Unusual Demonstration Sports: Bandy

A hybrid of hockey and football, also known as bandy or Russian hockey, was a showcase sport at the 1952 Oslo Olympics. This sport is incredibly popular in Russia and the Scandinavian countries. And many consider it to be the forerunner of modern hockey. The main similarity to ice hockey is that the players skate on ice and wear a similar shape. But the bandy stick is different in that it is more curved. Goalkeepers in this type of hockey do not use sticks and can hit the balls with their hands. This is the main difference between bandy and ice hockey: players throw balls into the goal, not pucks.

Teams can have up to 11 players and the match consists of two parts of 45 minutes (if the impact of football was not obvious enough …). Football and bandy also share the same offside rules and no play outside the goal area. At the Oslo Olympics, Sweden, Norway, and Finland took the podium. Bandy did not stay in the Olympic program. But it is still one of the most popular winter sports in the world.

So these were the 5 most unusual demonstration sports in the Winter Olympics. You won’t see these events on the Beijing 2022 program, but they left their mark on Olympic history. Yes, you can’t see bandy in the Winter Olympics, but you still can bet on it. 1xBET sportsbook has special bets for the Elitserien league in Sweden. The online sportsbook sites in China offer the best odds for the upcoming Games. Although there is still time ahead for Beijing 2022, you can already bet on the Top Gold Medal at 1xBET.

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