Brits take thirteenth place in women’s downhill

Twickenham’s Chemmy Alcott (above, with her bosom buddy silver medalist Julia Mancuso) finished just twelve places out of first in the women’s downhill skiing competition in Whistler yesterday. That tidbit along with some riveting information on the curling competition typifies the London Times sports coverage of Vancouver 2010. Otherwise their coverage has been a solid round of whinging and snotty critique with a few headline stories squeezed in.

Owen Slot, the Times head sports reporter, had this to say about Shaun White:

“…neither fear nor physical frailty, nor indeed self-awareness nor the remotest glimmer of self-deprecation seem to interrupt the rise of his fame or the expansion of his personal empire.

The Double McRecovery [Mr. Slot's obscure name for White's amazing "Double McTwist 1260"] served only to crank up his rise to the top of the chat-show establishment.”

Dry humour.

The London Times called the bobsled run “the death track,” and styled Vancouver 2010 as “the calamity games.” To underscore the nature of the calamity, Slot cites the case of the Zamboni breakdown. It seems that the ice surfacing machine had some mechanical difficulties, since repaired. It’s ironic that London, perhaps the most cosmopolitan city in the English speaking world, is served by ill-informed and provincial sports hacks such as Slot. Planning and presenting a gathering as complex as the Olympics is a huge challenge. The Brits, more familiar with Goldie Lookin Chain than with Gold Medals, will have their challenge in 2012. One can only hope that the world’s press treats London 2012 better than the London Times has treated Vancouver 2010.