Hello folks, and welcome to the start of what might become regular coverage of the Marblelympics at The Avocado, depending on reader interest.
We begin with the opening ceremonies, a relatively sedate stop-motion affair compared to what’s about to follow. Then. Greg Woods’ familiar voice rings out, and we’re off to the races… literally. The first event is the underwater race, a Marblelympics staple. This time, the track has been shortened, so there’s only a single turnaround. That results in fewer dramatic reversals of fortune, but it keeps the race tighter and more exciting; no marble can easily develop a runaway lead. And throughout the heats, that’s exactly what we see: photo finishes are just as common as clear winners, if not more so. Collisions and close calls abound.
In the end, the Savage Speeders walk away with the gold (fitting, I guess), with newcomers the Green Ducks and veterans the Chocolatiers taking home silver and bronze, respectively. We’re off to a great start at the 2019 Marblelympics. Up next: the funnel spinning competition, a perennial favourite.
Stray thoughts:
- Since my beloved Limers didn’t qualify this year, I’m rooting for the Green Ducks. Quack quack!
- Major schadenfreude at seeing the O’rangers not just miss the podium, but fail to make it out of the quarterfinals.
- Unlike the Savage Speeders, the Oceanics seem to be ironically named; they continue to be absolutely awful at aquatic events.
- Maybe it has to do with how the marbles are released from the gate, but most of the jostling happened on the side of the track closest to the camera. I’m guessing the track wasn’t on an even surface.
- Greg’s commentary was already spectacular, but I think he’s stepped up his game this year.
Complete stats for the 2019 Marblelympics can be found at the Marblelympics Wiki.