Sochi 2014

 The next winter Olympic Games will be held in Sochi, Russia from February 7-23 2014.  It will host the most compact Winter Games in the history of the Olympic Movement as it will be possible to get from one venue to another in just a matter of minutes! The competition this year is intense as some of the world’s best athletes will participate in test events (international tests on the sporting disciplines) which are on a scale comparable to the staging of two Olympic Games. The disciplines covered can be seen below:

Olympic disciplines: ice hockey, speed skating, short track speed skating, figure skating, curling, ski jumping, Nordic combined, biathlon, skiing, alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, snowboard, bobsleigh, skeleton, luge.

Paralympic disciplines: alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, wheelchair curling, biathlon, ice sledge hockey.

Although the summer Olympic Games may be more famous, and boasted a spectacular opening ceremony in 2012, Sochia promises to deliver. Jean-Claude Killy, chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission has said that “The Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Games will be seen by somewhere in the region of two billion people and needs to be a beautiful spectacle”. The Deputy Prime Minister, Dmitry Kozak, is also sure of the upcoming spectacle, commenting that the Winter Games have given a powerful boost the development of technology, and consequently, “The Games in Sochi will be shown entirely in HD format and advanced Ultra High Definition technology will be used in Sochi”. We’re excited to hear this as it demonstrates the long way we have come from 1968 when the first Olympic Games were televised live in Colour in Mexico! If you are not able to get a ticket as they are currently selling out within the first few hours of availability, then the full experience can be brought to you within the comfort of your own home.

However, we’re assured that these games are not to be missed if you have the opportunity as Russia endeavour to surpass the levels of excellence previously achieved. The Olympic Torch Relay itself has broken several records as 14,000 torchbearers will carry the flame through Russia, travelling by various forms of transport (including hot air balloon!) in order to pass through 2,900 Russian cities and villages. The Relay began on 7 October 2013 and will conclude at the ‘Fisht’ Olympic Stadium on 7 March 2014. Wherever you are, make sure you tune in for this special ceremony which will show the world a new Russia based on community instead of stereotypes; the torchbearers range from athletes to volunteers to public figures to people with a disability…the only condition is that they are over 14. 

For more information about the games, or to check out any of the sporting schedules, go to Sochi’s official website!

http://www.sochi2014.com/en/

Heli-Happiness – is skiing outside the crowds worth it?

If you are a ski or snowboard lover and continue to return to the Alps, or perhaps the Rockies, year after year, then maybe this year it is time to leave the chairlift queues and busy pistes behind in search of fresh powder and an unbeatable experience. Be warned though, after embarking on a heli-skiing holiday, or perhaps just a day out, you will undoubtedly realise what all the fuss is about and may find it difficult to return to chilly chairlift rides!

Yes, heli-skiing is very expensive and that fact cannot be ignored but if you are considering it, then it is worth taking the time to appreciate what you get for your money. A helicopter can take you from the ground to the top in a couple of minutes whilst you experience magical and uninterrupted views that people may pay hundreds to see on sightseeing flights. You will then get multiple opportunities throughout your heli-skiing day to experience the pure joy of making your own tracks through fresh powder without being surrounded by the hordes who flock to the obvious off-piste within a ski resort. In nearly all cases you will ski (or snowboard) the kind of conditions that you would be incredibly fortunate to catch even once in a year in a top powder resort such as Whistler or Utah. And it is easy to see why…the heli-ski area covered by a helicopter in one day makes even a big resort seem small in comparison, yet only a tiny fraction of the skiers are dropped onto the terrain! Heli-skiing companies now offer a wide variety of packages from family trips to private tours but on average, you are not likely to be sharing a helicopter with more than 7 people. When you consider the fact that chairlifts nowadays can take up to 8 people, who all depart at the top to ski the same run, you will appreciate the capacity heli-skiing offers for breath-taking experiences away from the routine.

There is also the opportunity to forge new bonds while sharing a trip of a life-time with likeminded people. Whether it is just for the day, or over the course of the week, you will be indulging in the champagne powder luxury of untamed places only accessible by helicopter, and mutual exhilaration can create long-lasting friendships. There is undoubtedly something magical and elemental about standing on top of a deserted mountain with only untouched powder ahead of you, and the knowledge that when you can ski no further, a helicopter will be ready and waiting to take you to the top of the next peak! If you are looking to invest in a week’s long holiday then the bliss continues well into the evening as many companies now offer very comfortable lodging which includes sumptuous three-course dinners, massages and saunas. Finally it has to be said that the best heli-skiing is found in Canada and North America. Although there are several tour operators in the Alps, the snow guarantee and expanse of space unfortunately just doesn’t compare. The industry leader is most likely Canadian Mountain Holidays, who operate 11 fantastic lodges all over north-western Canada.

You can find out more on their website: http://www.canadianmountainholidays.com/

…and as they say, it’s more than a vacation!!

At SportsCover Direct, we are able to offer you a protective insurance policy tailored to the demands of a heli-skiing holiday. We know where you are most likely to need the extra cover, such as repatriation and search and rescue, as well as reimbursement of costs should any natural disaster or extreme conditions affect your holiday. For more information, take a look here: 

https://www.sportscoverdirect.com/insurance/heli_skiing_insurance.html/

The Dangers of Going Head First - Concussion in Sport

For years and years concussion in sport has almost been a taboo when it comes to injury – it sounds potentially worse than something like a sprained ankle but no one is really sure what it means or what to do if you get it. So what do most people tend to do? Well of course, they play on! Let’s say you’re playing rugby and you’re down on the scoreboard and you experience a blow to the head in a tackle. You feel a little dazed, you’re not too sure what just happened and suddenly the referee is asking if you can play on. You don’t want to let your team mates down so you shake it off and continue the match...

This scenario is far from uncommon and underlines some of the problems surrounding concussion in sport. There is more emphasis on performance than safety when it comes to most sports as demonstrated by the ‘culture of resistance’ which faces young athletes today, and has done so for years. Many players, both young and old, are subjected to the implicit pressures of performance and therefore succumb to returning to play prematurely, or worse, do not report their injury, instead choosing to play through the pain, or confusion. This is inadvertently encouraged by the bravado and competitive camaraderie which surrounds male-dominated, physical and often violent sports such as rugby, American football and ice hockey.

Fortunately, new guidelines have emerged recently stating that when athletes are suspected of having concussion, they should be taken out of action immediately. This reflects the new public focus gained by sport concussion over recent years due to the widespread concern regarding the risk of developing long term mental-impairment. These new guidelines differ from their older counterparts in the sense that they advocate a more individualised assessment and management of injury. Whereas the severity of the concussion at the time was once used as the factor which determined the time frame from return to play, the emphasis is now on minimising any risks that could become apparent in the long term.

This has undoubtedly come around as a result of payouts from sporting bodies like NFL, who agreed to settle players’ concussion suits for $765 million earlier this year. This will compensate more than 5,000 ex-players who have been fighting for settlement for head-related injuries, and more money has also been awarded to fund research into the links between head trauma during sport and the delayed development of conditions such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. Players argued in their law suits that NFL had known for over 75 years that concussion posed long-term health risks, but that they did not warn either them or their coaches of it until June 2010. NFL have dismissed this, saying that players have always known the risks of a violent game, but is this a valid argument?

It is arguably evasive of NFL to use this reason as a scapegoat as players may not always associate the game-to-game violence of a sport with long term implications. If a player experiences an injury during a game, particularly a head injury, his or her decision making ability is impaired. If the referee or coach asks a player if he is okay to carry on, should they trust an affirmative response? Absolutely not, and if an athlete has torn his ACL on the field, you wouldn’t expect him to tape it up and play on. The same applies for concussion, which is an injury that is now being taken as seriously as it should have been for the last decade as people become more aware of the long term consequences.

However, it is not just American football which has a high concussion rate. Other sports such as ice hockey, lacrosse, wrestling, soccer, basketball and rugby are all comparably risky when it comes to head trauma. Protective sports equipment is highly recommended and helmets for example can often guard against other injuries such as skull fractures and face injuries. Alongside this, it is a good idea to have a protective insurance policy that will cover you and your finances in the event of an accident. The potential costs incurred by ongoing head trauma could be crippling, not to mention the legal costs involved in taking a body such as NFL to court...

Whether you’re playing at home or abroad, protect yourself now with one of our specialised, tailored and comprehensive policies and get a quote today:

https://www.sportscoverdirect.com/