When the Olympics end, the Paralympics begin, and damned if the 2006 Winter Paralympics don't sound way more interesting.
Alpine Skiing / Nordic Skiing
Blind skiers are guided through the course by sighted guides using voice signals to indicate the course to follow.
Ice Sledge Hockey
Instead of skates, players use two-blade sledges that allow the puck to pass beneath. They also have sticks with a spike-end for pushing and a blade-end for shooting.
Wheelchair Curling (new)
One modification — no sweeping.
Only four Winter Paralympic events exist, compared to 21 summer events (blind Judo!), but that's understandable. Can you imagine Paralympic luge or ski jumping?
Alas, no American network expressed any interest in covering this year's Winter Paralympics, although NBC has committed to broadcasting them in 2010.
Fortunately, paralympicsport.tv will provide over 100 hours of live coverage of all four events when the games begin March 10 in Torino.
Here's a sampling of the bonuses that countries will give to (non-dicapped) athletes who win an individual gold medal:
ITALY: $157,385 (130,000 Euros)
CZECH REPUBLIC: $42,762 (1 million koruna)
JAPAN: $25,582 (3 million yen)
U.S.: $25,000
SWITZERLAND: $15,587 (20,000 Swiss francs)
AUSTRALIA: $7,512 (10,000 Australian dollars)
CANADA: None
Well, there is no "I" in Canada…
The Olympic Album
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