Slopestyle Snowboarding Women Put on a Display of How to Youthfully “Be” at the 2014 Sochi Olympics

© 2014 Peter Free

 

10 February 2014

 

 

Citation — to video

 

 

NBC, Snowboarding: Women's slopestyle final, NBCOlympics.com (09 February 2014) (Sarca Pancochova fall sequence begins at 02:02:32)

 

 

I have a soft spot for the loose and tolerant attitude of snowboarders — here is an example of why

 

As the above video shows, the Czech Republic’s tiny Sarca Pancochova took a fall that cracked her helmet during the women’s slopestyle event at the Sochi Olympics.

 

Note

 

The fall sequence starts at 02:02:32 into the above NBC video.  NBC has marked the exact spot on the video time line.  Just drag your mouse cursor along the line to the appropriate point.  The title will show up.

 

Ms. Pancochova was out for a few seconds.  After being attended by medical staff, she got up and boarded the rest of the way down the hill.  Fellow competitors greeted her.  An Associated Press photographer caught that moment, here.  And the NBC video shows the same sequence from the rear.

 

During the same event, I watched the expressions of the temporary top position holders, as they waited to see whether their standings would hold up.  As subsequent higher scores eliminated them from the top three medal positions, each appeared to suck the news up with a, “That’s life” attitude.

 

Determination and acceptance fueled by the erratic nature of the sport?

 

Perhaps it is the variability of success for each jump and each trick in their sport that sticks this lesson about existence’s often erratic meanderings home to them.

 

Whatever the source, the snowboarders’ tolerant resilience makes for visibly attractive souls.  Salon writer Jen Chaney commented about the same thing:

 

 

Ty Walker, a 16-year-old American who didn’t perform well enough to medal, reacted to missing her big chance by shrugging her shoulders as if to say, “Eh, I tried.”

 

When the camera captured fellow American Jessika Jenson learning that her score wasn’t high enough to put her near the top, she said, “Oh well.” And then: “I heart Idaho!”

 

Every single one of these women had their hearts totally in this thing, but kept their heads about them when the turns didn’t twist their way.

 

As for the woman whose turns were just right, [Jamie] Anderson just seemed incredibly happy and humble to be where she was. “I’m so grateful,” she said upon winning gold. “The course was so fun and life is good.” Her appreciative yet laid-back attitude could not have been more refreshing.

 

© 2014 Jen Chaney, Sochi Olympics: Female snowboarders survive crash landings (and sexist comments), Salon (10 February 2014) (paragraph split)

 

 

The moral? — “Best” comes in many flavors, and some are more laudable (but less evident) than others

 

The Olympics always remind me how evanescent fame is and how willfully erratic in its selection of candidates for glory it is.  Gold does not always bless the most talented or hardworking.

 

Soaring into acrobatic high air, smiling at the conclusion of challenging runs, and living to do it again and again — until youth’s steam runs out — becomes Being’s reward.

 

It is never just about winning.