Jakelapham
Member
Torah Bright Slams Slopestyle Course; interesting
Course concerns overtook funding worries for Torah Bright on Sunday as the snowboarder and her coach expressed reservations about the building of the slopestyle facility for the Winter Olympics.
Bright, who'd been outspoken about a number of national team affairs, softened on those issues on Sunday but seemed sceptical about who Games organisers had contracted to construct the slopestyle course.
She said the Russian organising committee had not engaged the best course builders for the job.
"When jumps aren't built properly and they don't match up in height, it can be a safety issue," she said.
"As long as the jumps are built fine ... we'll be able to manage it.
"When we put our lives and our bodies on the line too, you want things built very well and as safe as they could be."
Brother and coach Ben said that not choosing the best builders was "potentially an issue" but that he needed to have a full course inspection to make a final call.
Their comments come after an Australian ski and snowboard cross course shaper left Sochi in a huff last week, complaining about conditions and fearing he wouldn't be paid.
Others seemed more enthused about the course, including men's competitor Scotty James.
"It looks awesome," he said. "Obviously it is pretty big. I'd like to think that I am not scared of big jumps anymore but I think these ones will definitely test my limits."
Torah Bright has a hectic schedule at the Games, competing in three snowboard disciplines of slopestyle, halfpipe and cross.
She only just qualified for snowboard cross but, in doing so, became the first person to manage the feat of making three disciplines in the sport at a Winter Olympics.
As for talk of "team outcast", James and Bright were keen to put it to bed for now, both not wanting to go into any further detail about their social media sign-off which is based around what they perceive as unequal treatment in the national set-up.
"I have empathy and compassion for all athletes in their individual journeys and no two athletes have the same road and that is what team outcast is for me," Bright said.
And of her brief experience of Sochi so far this trip?
"There's a lot of unfinished buildings," she said.
"Apparently the water is brown sometimes coming out of the tap. I haven't witnessed that but ... it will be great no matter what quirky things happen."
Course concerns overtook funding worries for Torah Bright on Sunday as the snowboarder and her coach expressed reservations about the building of the slopestyle facility for the Winter Olympics.
Bright, who'd been outspoken about a number of national team affairs, softened on those issues on Sunday but seemed sceptical about who Games organisers had contracted to construct the slopestyle course.
She said the Russian organising committee had not engaged the best course builders for the job.
"When jumps aren't built properly and they don't match up in height, it can be a safety issue," she said.
"As long as the jumps are built fine ... we'll be able to manage it.
"When we put our lives and our bodies on the line too, you want things built very well and as safe as they could be."
Brother and coach Ben said that not choosing the best builders was "potentially an issue" but that he needed to have a full course inspection to make a final call.
Their comments come after an Australian ski and snowboard cross course shaper left Sochi in a huff last week, complaining about conditions and fearing he wouldn't be paid.
Others seemed more enthused about the course, including men's competitor Scotty James.
"It looks awesome," he said. "Obviously it is pretty big. I'd like to think that I am not scared of big jumps anymore but I think these ones will definitely test my limits."
Torah Bright has a hectic schedule at the Games, competing in three snowboard disciplines of slopestyle, halfpipe and cross.
She only just qualified for snowboard cross but, in doing so, became the first person to manage the feat of making three disciplines in the sport at a Winter Olympics.
As for talk of "team outcast", James and Bright were keen to put it to bed for now, both not wanting to go into any further detail about their social media sign-off which is based around what they perceive as unequal treatment in the national set-up.
"I have empathy and compassion for all athletes in their individual journeys and no two athletes have the same road and that is what team outcast is for me," Bright said.
And of her brief experience of Sochi so far this trip?
"There's a lot of unfinished buildings," she said.
"Apparently the water is brown sometimes coming out of the tap. I haven't witnessed that but ... it will be great no matter what quirky things happen."
