This week Ian Felton of the British Snowboarding Association travels to Salt Lake City to cover the snowboarding element of the Olympics for BBC's Grandstand. Ian is the Cultural Attaché for British Snowboarding.
He says:
Snowboarding in the Olympics has always been exposed to controversial points of view. However snowboarding now has a firm place in the Olympic schedule and the possible inclusion of 'Big Air' and 'Snowboarder Cross' disciplines are being discussed for future Olympic Games.
Whatever your beliefs, the Olympics do hold an opportunity for snowboarding to be exposed to a wider audience. I have been given a media opportunity to ensure that our sport is portrayed in it's true light at this Olympics. To assist me in this task I am aiming to deliver imagery of surfing and skateboarding in biographic relation to the Halfpipe events being shown on the screens of BBC's Grandstand.
My personal aim through this coverage is to educate the wider audience of British television further to the activity in which we all partake. Many of you understand the technical elements of snowboard competition in far more detail than I. In my commentary I will therefore allow you to enjoy what you know and concentrate on explaining to the general viewer what is happening. I will be greatly assisted in this mission by the experienced TV presenter and former Olympiad Graham Bell who will be keeping us all informed as to the riders and their qualifying and final positions.
You will be able to pick up the coverage live on BBC interactive from 8th Feb. For this and other details check the
BBC web site and The Boarder's own
Olympic pages.
