Friday, March 24, 2017

Just Slightly Crazy

This is a view from Plaza Bridge of the Crashed Ice course on the 3rd of March, a few hours before the first evening's events were due to start. The course was ready at this point.


A few hours later, I approached to attend the event on what turned out to be a bitterly cold night. Today and tomorrow we have a look at it, including some video tomorrow. The Chateau Laurier was well lit up as I came along from Parliament Hill. Below, there was already a large crowd on site- more than twenty thousand people attended the event on each of the two nights. Large video screens were strategically placed to give one a view of the races, with cameras rigged to overhead lines that followed the action. While the crowds were there, things seemed fluid with people moving about; I had no problem finding spots for photography while I was there.


It helped that I was able to actually pass under the course- a staircase walkway was added into the scaffolding in at least one spot, granting access to both sides of the course. I paused to photographed the underside. The water you see is the water running naturally at the base of the Canal locks this time of year. If I was in this precise spot in the summer, I'd be over my head in water.


The skaters themselves were engaged in two different runs- group runs of four skaters in heats to mark their speeds down the course, as well as solo runs down the course with marks from judges for technique. They ended up appearing as blurs with the camera setting I was using, reaching speeds of seventy kilometres an hour at times. I say this as a rock climber: you have to be bonkers to do this.

36 comments:

  1. Nice series! I especially love your second and fourth photos!

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  2. It looks cold and blue makes it look colder. Canal? Lock? I must investigate.

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  3. That building, the Chateau Laurier, is beautiful and most enlightened.

    Tomás.

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  4. I love the lighted night scenes. Looks like a blue castle!

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  5. The course looks pretty challenging.

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  6. i enjoy all the light. the bokeh ... way cool!! guess you will need your elbow, knee, head all kind of protection so you don't hurt any necessary body parts. looks like of dangerous. ( ;

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  7. @Linda: that first Chateau shot may be my favourite taken of the building.

    @Andrew: it was quite a setting for the event.

    @Tomas: it is!

    @Tom: indeed!

    @Nancy: it does.

    @Kate: I agree.

    @Beth: there were falls!

    @Francisco: thank you.

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  8. The château looks amazing all lit up William.. that's an impressive numbers of spectators, especially in such chilly weather. The skaters whiz by at quite a speed!

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  9. What a spectacle. This is another kind of sport that I don't understand. And all those people out in frigid weather. You Canadians are tough!

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  10. It's amazing at all the outdoor sports y'all have in the bitter cold! Down here, events would just get canceled, unless it's football! :)

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  11. Your new header photo is a more welcome scene than the ones of the cold night! Great shots though. I don't think I could watch this live, it gets my heart thumping just watching it on TV. 70 km an hour?!! Nerves of steel. Rock climbing ... indoor or out?
    Wendy

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  12. It looks fun, but I wouldn't try it either!

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  13. @Grace: it really drew out the crowds.

    @Lowell: a little cold is a good thing!

    @Janet: we do just fine in the cold.

    @Wendy: outdoors. I've done climbing on indoor rock walls, but outdoors is where I prefer to be.

    @Halcyon: it's too out there for my liking!

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  14. A great and entertaining event to witness, even in that cold. The speed is amazing!

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  15. I guess you must be a real lover of speed to try participating in this event.

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  16. Thank you for sharing
    Scary yes, but it does look like a lot of fun.
    If I was in the audience member, I'd be feeling a new meaning for prayer meeting.

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  17. I'd be out there watching this event. It sounds fascinating.

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  18. Fun and crazy but I bet people love it. Dress warm, bring a hot beverage and you should be good to go. I love watching outdoor competitions.
    Excellent images!

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  19. @Marleen: they really picked up speed down the stretch!

    @Sharon: you'd have to be!

    @Maywyn: you're welcome!

    @RedPat: indeed!

    @Red: it was fun to watch.

    @Bill: this was a blast. I enjoyed watching it.

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  20. A nice event to be present at, thanks for sharing.

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  21. They look like scenes from Disney World. Lovely.

    Janis
    GDP

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  22. Fantastic shots. You are quite right. Those skaters are mad.

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  23. Some nice night shots. And some crazy fast competitors.

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  24. @Marianne: you're welcome.

    @Revrunner: it looked to be!

    @Janis: the Chateau looked magical. I love its architectural style. Hopefully it stays this way. The ownership of the place has had a bone headed idea that's run into a whole lot of opposition.

    @Mari: indeed!

    @Kay: very fast!

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  25. It does look like a big blue castle!

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  26. It must have been amazing event!

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  27. Bonkers, indeed. My SIL plans on going camping in antarctica in Nov. sigh.

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