Eileen Gu Freeskiing

[gtu07]

This just popped up in my Youtube suggestions, and wow! I don’t really follow freeskiing, but it’s obvious that she is an incredible talent. The part where she switches “sides” between her 1st and 2nd jump is mind blowing. It’s interesting that she choose to compete for China, but I suppose that might lesson the pressure and give her more flexibility.

 

[JDB]

She made it to the final.



Also the big air course has interesting background scenery.

 

[Indy]

Also the big air course has interesting background scenery.

Seriously!! It looks like they’re skiing next to a sewage treatment plant or something.

Also Eileen Gu is freaking amazing

 

[gtu07]

And she just had an incredible run in the big air final, unveiling a new trick, the Cork 1620.

 

[JaJa]

Apart from winning the Gold medal, Gu is a model,a pianist , a brand ambassador, and is starting Stanford University this Fall.

 

[RAFIKI]

 

[JaJa]

Well that’s the thing. Makes me question what exactly I’ve been doing with my time.

 

[onodian]

you were here with us discussing alternative gym routines that never actually happened

 

[JaJa]

Ha!

 

[gtu07]

The NYTimes broke the skills down with pretty graphics for gym fans/couch warriors that want to ask, so how many twists is that?

How Eileen Gu Won Gold in Big Air With Two Giant Jumps (Published 2022)

Move by move, here’s a look at the two high-scoring tricks that vaulted Gu to victory. Her final jump was one she had never tried in competition.

www.nytimes.com

 

[dweiss324]

Did anyone else find the little meltdown by Ledeux, and then being consoled by the gold and bronze medalists, a little … unsavory? It looked really awkward, and I felt it was ultimately unfair to the others who weren’t able to freely celebrate. I get emotions must have been high, and what a roller coaster, and they’re all young, but… “yikes”, was how I felt watching it.

 

[JaJa]

That wasn’t my reaction at all. I found it touching and made me like Gu tremendously

 

[Bob]

its built on land that used to be a steelworks. Very industrial area. Strange choice but quite quirky

 

[rlayt]

Maybe it’s a creative use of otherwise useless land.

 

[gtu07]

I believe the commentators mentioned that Ledeux lost her Dad this past year: add in the stress of all the Covid mitigation + many athletes practicing extreme isolating + a close competition, and I could see how that could just all sort of fall out of a person at the end of the event. These competitors know each other well, and we’re seeing a lot of positive energy in other snow sports events. I think at the end of the women’s moguls event, the competitors all sort of threw themselves into a giant group hug.

 

[JDB]

Eileen Gu won a silver medal in slopestyle.

 

[makam]

So i think the really interesting part is that China is letting “foreign” athletes have citizenship without giving up their previous citizenship as required by their laws. I read an article where they talked to a hockey player from Michigan who was asked to play for china and he said he would if he didn’t have to give up US citizenship. He was told no problemo. So Gu should have to give up her us citizenship to compete for china but apparently they’ve been bending the rules. But if they are willing to financially support the athletes (and not disappear them), i can see making that decision.

It is very interesting to see how many athletes have country hopped. Speed skating seems to have a lot…

 

[Bob]

I have noticed a lot of speed skaters changing too.

 

[Doug1233]

And another gold last night in half pipe

 

[Big_rock_show]

I might be the minority here, but I am concerned about Gu deciding to compete for China in Beijing. I’ve been a longtime fan of Gu and I understand that she switched to team China for several reasons, but I was sad that by switching her citizenship to China she is no longer a US Citizen. China doesn’t allow dual citizenship. To live in the US, she may have to keep applying for visas. Will she be able to compete for the US again? She misses out on a lot of potential sponsorships, too. I don’t know what kind of support China provides, but I’m hoping this decision doesn’t become a frustration in the long-term for her.