Behind the scenes with OBS at the WSC

Welcome to the acronym Olympics!  It took awhile, but I have learned a new acronym language during the past few weeks, and something about TV coverage of the Olympics as well!

OBS (Olympic Broadcasting Services) was created in 2001 by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) in order to have a HB (Host Broadcaster) for Olympic Games.  Starting with the 2008 Games in Bejing, the on-site HB (Bejing Olympic Broadcasting) was a joint venture between OBS and the local Organizing Committee.  This year the HB is solely an OBS operation. 

OBS has a LOT of gear and this is only a small pile of it! 

What does OBS do?  Essentially OBS manages all Olympic Broadcasting, offering a consistent approach across all venues. 

OBS is responsible for producing and transmitting unbiased live radio and TV coverage, and provides facilities for RHB (Rights Holding Broadcasters) as well. 

Here in this TV trailer all 56 OBS cameras in the WSC can be monitored.  Each venue has a team and simlar set-up....

Lighting at outdoor venues can be a challenge, especially where snow turns bright white in sunny areas and dark in shadows. 

Some of the crew in another room of the TV trailer focus only on colour balance between cameras.   Other rooms are for sound, others are for timing....our compound was packed with trailers of working teams. 

Some other crew members work inside the venue, just 5 minutes walk away, and maintain connectivity for all systems, including the RHb. 

At the WSC there were three other networks working in our compound:  CTV, NBC and a German network.  Sliding is particularly popular in Germany!

Of the 56 cameras used at the WSC, about 15 were managed remotely. 

 

Can you see the camera in this photo?

It is a long, narrow item located in the ice.  Because I know it's there I can see the tiny 4mm lens that looks like a small black dot in the trough.  Can you?  Each time before a sled passes the camera is raised up remotely to catch an amazing view of the sled approaching.   Then the lens is wiped off and the camera is lowered again to keep it clean and dry while the human zambonis sweep the ice.

My favourite remotely-managed camera is the railcam. 
 

It looks more like something from the observatory!  When a sled moves the camera races along it's rails at the same speed for some great coverage of the action.  It is managed by crew members located inside a small shed on the side of the track.

Of course most of the cameras require camera operators - at least 45 of them - and some require camera assistants too. 

Some of the cameras of this size were called hand held .  This camera operator has a tripod but most others got a little sore from balancing their hand held cameras on their shoulders throughout the events.   

Creating the infrastructure started long before the Games.   OBS has introduced HDTV and Surround Sound, the use of Dartfish and numerous sport-specific views during this Olympics.  I was amazed and almost overwhelmed by the amount high tech gear and the endless possiblies! 

My role as runner at the WSC involved getting behind the scenes from pre-event set-up to tear-down. 

One of my jobs was checking the in crew each day, which usually took place in our catering tent. Remembering this basically like a movie production, it's not surprising the catering was amazing.  Most days two full buffet meals were prepared for about 115 crew. 

Here is the final photo for your WSC education and entertainment.  Do you know what it is?

These are the finger tips of gloves wore by luge competitors.  They push on the ice when they leave the start and need the little claws to avoid simply rubbing the slippery ice and going nowhere!

 

Whistler Sliding Centre

During the Olympics Irene worked with the OBS (Olympic Broadcasting Services).  Although the original plan was to be at the Alpine venues, the final assignment was at the WSC (Whistler Sliding Centre).  

Here is a view of the WSC looking uphill from the media booths near the Finish.  Note the number of spectators roaming the venue and how close they can get to the track.

Competitions included: 
luge, skeleton & bobsleigh

Here a 4-man bobsleigh is being lifted into the start area.  The competitors will soon arrive, the sled will be turned over, and the countdown will begin.

Between sleds WSC course workers scrape and sweep the ice, rather like human zambonis (those grooming machines that clear ice rinks).

Note the large screen positioned up high on the right side for spectators to watch the entire course while seated at the Start.

Here is a photo of a 4-man bobsleigh coming around the final big turn towards the Finish.  The WSC track is the fastest in the world, with greater vertical drop and more technical turns than other tracks built in the past. 

Note the huge crowd of spectators and the big screen located above the track for spectators to watch the entire race from start to finish.  Most days well over 6,000 people were out to watch and cheer on the athletes.

It's another beautiful day for ski racing!

Alpine races have been going well here at Whistler and - after a slow start due to weather - the speed events for both genders are almost done.  There is a lot of pressure on our local athletes to excel, especially on home turf.  Competition has been tough and so far US athletes are ahead overall in the standings.  You may have heard that six of our top contenders became injured this winter.  Toria filled in all the accreditation paperwork in order to compete but she was also injured mid-January.  Consequently, her Olympic experience has been limited to running with the torch and watching her team mates compete. 

For excellent coverage and replays of all events we visit ctv.ca

While I have been at the sliding centre, Al has been at the alpine venues.  His team set up all the timing connections prior to the races, then ran the manual timing, intervals and speed traps during the races.  

Here is the DH Start, complete with the beautiful Olympic facade and banners.  Note the volunteers in their blue jackets along the side.  About 5,000 volunteers were in Whistler for the February events, over 1,000 of them working on alpine race tracks to keep them safe and fair for the racers.

Here are a couple members of Al's timing crew inside the start tent prior to the races.  Each day they were up early to set up and test systems.   Then the Swiss timing team Omega can plug and play!

Once the race starts the tent gets busy! 

Rules allow only one coach in the tent with each athlete, but often the physio or ski tech comes in too.   The tent should remain quiet for the racer can focus on the job at hand.

The Start crew consists of a Starter, in this case the person wearing a red jacket at the entrace.  He gives the start signal (10 seconds.....5, 4, 3 ....) and confirms with Timing the number of each racer in the Start, then on course.  Over and over.....

The Start Referee is also in the tent, watching to see all goes according to the rules.  If there is any reason to stop the start it is the Start Referee who quickly responds.   If a racer breaks any rules it is the Start Referee who must report to the Jury. 

So long as all goes well there is no dialogue among the Start officials.  Any talk with the athlete can be considered interference and grounds for a protest. 

You will notice the camera operator inside the tent too, zooming in to catch facial expressions as the racer gets ready to depart, and going for those action shots between the legs when the racer departs. 

Manual timers work outside the tent.

 Here is a section of the race course called the Weasel, a steep section that used to be groomed by humans linking arms and boot-packing the soft snow.  Hence the Weasel Workers! 

Can you see the racer coming down?  This was a challenging part of the course because this is a steep pitch (even though it may not look steep in this photo) and the transition from bright sun to shade is always challenging.  Some racers made major mistakes at the red gate....

The Finish was filled with ticketed spectators, so not accessible for me with my camera.  However, I will soon be at this venue for the Para events and will get more photos then.

Sad start to the Games

In a training run on February 11th a young Georgian luger died after a horrific crash near the Finish.  Memorials were soon set up on the track where he fell, and among the Olympic rings in the village.  Soon after, a permanent memorial was built near the Olympic rings.  Everyone sends their condolences to his family, friends and coaches.

Let the Games begin!

The Olympic rings in Whistler.

On February 10th Games volunteers were invited to attend the Opening Ceremonies rehearsal in Vancouver.  Audience excitement was impressive, as was the sincere and passionate appreciation expressed by CEO John Furlong.  We were all sworn to secrecy so the Opening Ceremonies on February 12th could be a surprise.....If you can't be there to watch in person you can still watch the full coverage on CTV.  If you miss the live coverage you can still find a link on the internet and watch it anytime after February 12th.

Here is Al in his Olympic blue uniform, heading off to the bus for a day of set-up. 

His role during the Games is to lead a timing team.  They set up all the connections for 12 different Starts as well as the single Finish for all the races, and manage manual back-up timing.  

Toria on TV

President's Choice has just released a short video and an article featuring their support of athletes with Alpine Canada.  In this photo you will see Toria on the left, enjoying a President's Choice Blue Menu (healthy choice) pie. 

Here is a link to the article:
http://www.presidentschoice.ca/LCLOnline/liveArticles.jsp?type=details&articleId=lcloa22015

The video is shown on the big screens all over Whistler this month, so we can still see Toria DH skiing during the Olympics even though she is really spending her days with her physio and at the gym! 

Below is a link to the video.  It features Toria DH skiing (in white helmet) and pouring juice (in white fleece top with long, blond hair).

http://www.presidentschoice.ca/LCLOnline/video_landing_page.jsp

Olympic Torch arrives in Whistler!

Here is Toria carrying the Olympic flame along a road in the Callaghan valley.....

Passing the flame to the next person in the relay.

And, celebrating this exciting moment with an exuberant hug after passing the flame.

Even though she would rather be competing here in 2010, she is getting to experience many aspects of the Olympics which will prepare her for competing at the next Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Pre-Games Evacuation?

Where have all the skiers gone? 

Note the Emerald Express line-up, or lack of? 

The ski resort is very quiet this week!  

Around 2,000 skiers/riders on Whistler and about 3,000 on Blackcomb....

Lack of parking, fear of Olympic crowds...?

Oh well, I had great skiing on empty runs!

Olympic commuting

The Whistler public transport system is now operating at  "Olympic proportions".  On  February 1 the bus fleet went from around 35 to around 135.   We now have 24-hour service, and a bus passing by our home every 7 minutes from 5am to midnight. 

Bus drivers have been imported from all over and are just now learning their new routes, often taking a wrong turn or arriving several at a time at the same bus stop.  Hopefully they will find their way and enjoy their Olympic adventure!
 
Parking is going to be very limited this month but our volunteer accreditation gives us free, unlimited bus travel.  Hopefully many of us will develop better routines about using public transport rather than private vehicles.

Welcome to a new learning phase:  today my ride home from the ski hill involved three buses, rather than the usual one. For your entertainment....

1st  ~ I took the "village shuttle"  from the bus exchange at base of the mountain because our neighbourhood bus route has been changed for the Olympics and doesn't come to the main bus loop anymore.  Instead, my "Alpine" bus  now stops a fair distance away, further than I wanted to walk in (and wear down) my ski boots.  However, the "village shuttle" route has also changed for GamesTime so instead of a quick circuit around the village to my new bus stop, I enjoyed a long, scenic tour of the Benchlands before I got out at another "usual" stop on Lorimer Road.

2cd ~ I found out my "Alpine" bus route has been changed too and no longer passes by the "usual" stop on Lorimer Road.  To avoid a long walk to the new correct stop I jumped on a passing "Emerald" bus, which I knew would take me closer to home and a guaranteed Alpine  stop.   As it turns out the "Emerald" bus driver had taken a wrong turn (he is just learning his route) and should not have come by the stop where I was waiting.... His mistake was my gain. 

3rd ~ I got off the Emerald  bus at the Rec Centre just as the Alpine  bus pulled in, jumped on my 3rd bus and enjoyed the ride home!  

Getting tickets

Tickets are still available for many of the events at this kiosk by the Awards Presentation Plaza.

We have tickets for five of the local Awards Presentations, but not for any of the events.  Instead of "spectating", we will be fully occupied with our Olympic "volunteering".  

Al will be involved with Timing at the Alpine Ski venues every day, setting up timing connections prior to each race, then working with his manual timing team at the Finish line during races.

I will be involved with the Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS),  on the move between sport venues and inside areas which are restricted to public and spectators. 

We will both gain some interesting experiences as part of the team putting on the event, rather than as spectators.  However, we plan to use our tickets to evening events at the Awards Presentation Plaza, and enjoy entertainment in the village as we pass through each day.