Paris Olympics

[Bubblesofearth]

Anyone going or thinking of going? I'd love to be there on 5th August to watch Keely Hodgkinson try for gold in the 800m. She was fantastic in the London Diamond League last week. I think I tipped her last year for SPOTY and see she is now favourite this time round. No value there betting wise but I'd love to see her win that as well as the race.

Any other Olympic thoughts/interests?

BoE

[terminal7]

All bets on Dujardin are off - carefully timed disclosure to cause maximum damage.

T7

[didds]

Never quite got this so...

some events start before the opening ceremony. Its presumably because there isn't sufficient time to for everything in - so why not have the opening ceremony earlier?

didds

[scotview]

Logged onto Discovery+ this morning and see some football matches are on later today.

Discovery+ is kind of clunky and not sure if I can record events using SkyQ.

[bungeejumper]

Plenty of tickets still available, or so I gather. According to the FT, there are 270,000 completely unsold tickets, which according to Paris's rules cannot be sold for less than their face value. And presumably that's not counting the millions of seats that were forcibly sold to the punters, who were obliged to buy three lots of tickets if they wanted to see even one event, and who are now getting a bit desperate in their efforts to offload the spares on the official resale system. (Which charges a fat 15% commission on top.) Supply and demand? Pah!!!

https://www.ft.com/content/de62d280-ab4 ... 1b654d8ca2 (may be paywalled):

Fans wanting to attend the summer games were obliged to buy blocks of tickets for three separate events during the first wave of sales. Organisers said any unwanted tickets could then be resold through the official channel.

However, a lack of demand in the secondary market has left many holding tickets they cannot sell, while organisers have continued to release more tickets. Tickets must be resold at face value, but buyers must pay an additional 10 per cent booking fee, while sellers are hit with a 5 per cent charge.

Of course, a basic seat for the opening ceremony will set you back at least 900 euros - the best are close to 3,000 euros. But bring your own umbrella because it's forecast to be wet with thunderstorms.

Me, I'm planning to spend the Olympic fortnight doing something else. Might even unplug the TV.

BJ

[Gerry557]

That would be nice although having watched the rubbishy film Under Paris, I get flashbacks of that every time I think of the Olympics now. How could I watch the triathlon without giggling.

Its a pity the Olympics had to stop the Tour de France finishing in Paris this year, it was so set up for a Cav dream finish.

[bungeejumper]

having watched the rubbishy film Under Paris, I get flashbacks of that every time I think of the Olympics now. How could I watch the triathlon without giggling.

Thanks for that. I hadn't heard of this film, but now that I've watched the preview (and read the crits) I probably wouldn't feel much like going in Seine. So was that why mayor Anne Hidalgo decided to take a dip last week? To show the world that there was nothing to be afraid of?

BJ

[mc2fool]

Plenty of tickets still available, or so I gather.

So it seems. Even some opening ceremony ones for a mere €1,600, but lots for footy at just €15. And that's first-hand tickets, there's also, as you say, the resale platform.

https://tickets.paris2024.org/en/

I'm not quite sure if there still being tickets available is a good or bad sign. Good for those that might want to go and haven't booked already of course ...

Back in early 1977 I had the idea that'd it'd be neat to go to an Olympics and the next one was to be the 1980 Moscow games. So, I found the (only) official ticket agent in the UK (Thomas Cook IIRC) and went to their relevant office in Regent Street to see what I could get tickets for. Over three years before the games the only tickets available were for some wrestling and some equestrian events. I didn't go.

[nimnarb]

The opening ceremony could be spectacular on the Seine, never forget yonks ago staying opp the Arc de Triomphe, and going to Longchamps to see the Prix de L'Arc and all associated races, care of the Evening Standard, plus a fabulous meal all in, including flights, for I think a really cheap price. However, I heard talk about a possible cancellation due to rain. Is this true?

[bungeejumper]

The opening ceremony could be spectacular on the Seine, never forget yonks ago staying opp the Arc de Triomphe, and going to Longchamps to see the Prix de L'Arc and all associated races, care of the Evening Standard, plus a fabulous meal all in, including flights, for I think a really cheap price. However, I heard talk about a possible cancellation due to rain. Is this true?

100 boats carrying 10,000 athletes, and all out on the river at once. River in Paris is 9.5 metres deep, average. What could possibly go wrong? I daresay they've thought of every risk, but I wouldn't want to be in charge of that security operation.

Ceremony ends at 11.15 pm, sunset at 10.30 pm. Middling chance of a few showers, according to the BBC forecast, but weather liable to get a bit more interesting after midnight. Plus ca change.

BJ

[Tedx]

AussieMan Reviews.....Rachel 'Raygun' Gunn's breakdance routine (Some swearing)

https://youtu.be/Zw2175gHXxQ?si=PKkr2KZAGMjrzt_q

[Tedx]

International Medieval Combat Federation = should be an Olympic sport!

https://www.youtube.com/@timothyhines6220


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internati ... Federation

[Hallucigenia]

Well they already have archery, seemed to do a good enough job against men-at-arms at Agincourt and Crécy.

And they had cannon shooting at the 1900 Olympics although like a number of similar events in 1900 it's debated whether it was an "official" event.

Town planning was an official Olympic event until 1948 though...

[kiloran]

International Medieval Combat Federation = should be an Olympic sport!

https://www.youtube.com/@timothyhines6220


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internati ... Federation

They could get the Black Knight involved
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmInkxbvlCs

--kiloran