Zen and the Art of Speedskating

For the third installment of the Speedskaters International Photos, I bring you some pictures that American Eva Rodansky took of Torino, both of the city and the new Olympic Facilities. Eva was just there competing in the speedskating World Cup, and even though she is no longer writing in her blog, her howitzer of irony and sarcasm comes through in these photos.

Here is the interior of the new rink, as the Italians would say “bellissimo!”. As usual, the huge interior of an indoor long track is a golden opportunity for an architect to get weird. That looks like Kip Carpenter walking along, and some Japanese skaters in the far distance.

And this is the outside of the Torino Long track facility, there is a dark side to this gorgeous building, I hear that after the Olympics, it will simply become a convention center, and never have ice again!!!

Here is the building they will have the short-track and figure skating events in. Eva is a surfer as well as a speedskater. This large swooping structure reminded her of a cresting wave just before it really mashes you. It gave her nightmares, as this view was from her hotel room window.

Urban Torino was a very pretty place, supposedly this city has 18 kilometers of colonnaded walking like this. Wow.

Outdoor ice, Italian style. Now seeing this, I only have one question, why didn’t they schedule at least one short track event to be around this thing? Maybe the B relay final or something. Do it at night, big floodlights, half-drunk crowds jamming the streets & lining fire escapes & rooftops, snow lightly sifting down, and incredible athletes going blade to blade under the watchful eye of a bearded hero & his anguished horse. It would be epic.

There was this gruesome statue right in the middle of town, it was a memorial to workers who died in an industrial mining accident. Eva said that the foot of this crushed figure seems to be pointing right down the street in the background, and what is at the end of that street? The Medal awards stand!

And here is where the doomed foot was pointing, the Piazza where they will be awarding the Olympic medals, its….. it could be really nice looking, but….. ummm, it’s still under construction. Deadlines anyone? You have known this party was gonna happen for the last decade!

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