The 2010 Olympics were great. I really got involved in sports that I have never watched before such as the Skeleton and Curling. Since I have begun my internet marketing business, I have been blogging like crazy and that has pushed me to research and read about new and exciting things. I never thought I would have anything to say about the Norwegians and their crazy pants , but I found myself writing about them and then joining their Facebook fanpage!

One thing I have always wondered about but never had the motivation to look up is how the host city is chosen for the Olympics. Of all the cities around the world, how do they choose one? So, I started researching and this is what I found.

Any city that feels they have what it takes to host the Olympics can apply to the International Olympic commission (IOC).  The IOC will then investigate that city over the next ten months.  They will look for things such as:

1. The city must prove that it is big enough to handle Olymp ic games and the huge number of tourists, athletes, journalists and politicians. They must be able to host the games in new stadiums and must be able to house all the people in hotels and provide transportation. They must also be able to provide adequate security.

2. The residents of that city must be convinced that the expenses of covering the Olympics are worth it. The city may raise taxes in order to  cover this endeavor.

3. The media coverage in that city must be highly positive.

If the IOC decides that the city has fulfilled all three points above, it is considered a “Candidate City” and it will move on to the second phase. In this phase, the city sends in an application and fee which can cost up to $150,000. If a city is chosen to host the Olympics, it is a great honor. The city not only is able to show pride for their city and country, they are in the international spotlight and they have the opportunity to bring new jobs to the community and build up tourism.

The 2012 Summer Olympics will be held in London from July 27 through August 12, 2012.  They will be the first city to host the Olympic games three times (it was previously held there in 1908 and 1948).   Applications were submitted in July of 2003 and there were nine cities that submitted bids. These cities were Havana, Istanbul, Leipzig, London, Madrid, Moscow, New York, Paris and Rio de Janeiro.

By July of 2005 it was narrowed down to Paris and London. At the end of the fourth round of voting, London won the right to host the 2012 Games with 54 votes, defeating Paris’s 52. Various French publications blamed the Paris loss on French President Jacques Chirac‘s statements before the vote that “We can’t trust people [the British] who have such bad food. After Finland, it’s the country with the worst food.” Two current members of the IOC are from Finland!

What would entice someone to join a sport named the “Skeleton”? The name alone would cause me to re-think any thoughts I might have that entertain lying belly down on a small sled while enduring forces up to 5g’s as I rocket down a frozen track. The Skeleton, how did they come up with that name? Leaves a lot to the imagination. Could it have to do with the fact that the sleds used in Skeleton have no steering or braking devices? I think Curling would be a better sport for me!

Actually, the sport was named when someone commented that a new metal sled, first used in 1892, resembled a skeleton. The bare-bones design provided a compact sled with metal runners, and the design caught on quickly.

How does one play Skeleton? To start, a skeleton slider grasps the handles on either side of the sled, runs as fast as possible for approximately 55 yards then dives head first onto the sled and speeds down the Labyrinth. Sliders lie on their stomachs and steer by shifting their bodies very slightly and dragging their feet. Wow, how does that sound for fun?

Of course, the equipment the sliders use plays an extremely important role in the sport. Not only is the apparatus of the sled critical, the suit and helmet are paramount in shaving hundredths of a second off the final time. It has been determined that different helmet styles work better for different sliders, which means it is important that each slider find the helmet best suited to the way they ride the sled. It seems that our 2010 Olympians have taken great pride in their helmets this year. There are some very unique and and creative helmets out there. You had better watch closely to see the decorations, as they are traveling at speeds of up to 77 miles per hour down the track!  Check these out!