Today marks the start of another winter sports TV programme. Potentially not as prestigious as our beloved Ski Sunday, this evening we’ll watch a new team of celebrity snowsports amateurs line up for ‘The Jump’. 12 celebrities will take on a number of winter sports over the course of the show, with the bottom 2 fighting elimination on the famous ski jump. And watch out for a new twist this year as episodes 3 and 6 will include the new air jump for the elimination, it’s the height and not the distance that counts for this one.
Whilst a number of the sports are ski or snowboard related with a ski slalom, banked snowboard slalom and ski cross, the show also introduces some other winter sports. So what are they, and how can you have a go?
Skeleton
The Brits are starting to get quite a name for the skeleton event. Amy Williams has an Olympic gold, World silver and European bronze to her name, and Lizzy Yarnold has an Olympic, World and European gold medal to hers. Reaching speeds of up to 80 mph, head first just inches from the ice, this event isn’t for the faint hearted. The GB team train at a specialist training facility at the University of Bath, and you can have a go too. Or why not combine it with a trip to St Moritz and try is out on the world’s only natural ice track?
Elizabeth Yarnold Wins Gold For Team GB | Sochi Olympic Champions
Snow Cross
Nope, not the one you’re probably thinking of. There are no skis or snowboards involved in this, well not in the traditional sense. This is a race on foot, but the boot is a cross between a ski boot and a ski really, the boot has a flat base with 2 edges like a ski. Then it’s the fastest person down the course, which looks like a snowy version of a luge track, and with obstacles. Expect falls, but luckily they’re all padded up like ice hockey players. As it’s not really a classified competitive sport, it’s difficult to find somewhere to give it a proper go, but a quick slide down the hill on your ski boots will give you an idea.
Bobsleigh
Everyone has a soft spot for the film Cool Runnings, and when watching it “feel the rhythm! Feel the rhyme! Get on up, it’s bobsled time!” is never far from my mind. Either 2 or 4 people run down the icy track in a bobsled, with a sprint start and a pilot steering, reaching speeds of up to 90 mph! Again, like the skeleton, the GB athletes train at the push track at the University of Bath, or if you’re heading out to La Plagne why not try something a bit different for your après-ski.
Tune in at 7.30 tonight on Channel 4 to see 2016’s motley crew of celebrities try their hand at the scarily-named Skeleton. I’m not sure we’ll be seeing a new Lizzie Yarnold emerging, but at least we’ll all be grateful it’s not us who has to fight elimination on Eddie the Eagle’s famous jump.
