First Random Olympics Press Release

And the winner is… Omega watches*.

Apparently the Olympics is such a big deal that PR people who usually wouldn’t touch snowboarding with a 10-foot barge pole now feel the need to bombard us with all manner of schlock and awe about the brand they represent and how they keep the five-ring circus ticking over. Get the press database out and click on ‘Endemic Snowboard Media’ and you’re set. We received this mail out from ‘luxury Swiss watch makers’ Omega and feel obliged to share it with you. Aside from some fascinating facts about start gates and how, at the 1936 Olympics in Garmisch, a lone technician brought 27 Omega stopwatches which timed each event, here’s the hard numbers…

“This will be the 24th time Omega has been responsible for all timekeeping and data handling.  I thought that you might be interested in a few things for your website coverage during the games.

–  By the Numbers for timekeeping and data handling:

-         250 tons… of equipment for Timekeeping, OVR and TV services

-         25… public scoreboards

-         83… sports specific scoreboards

-         100 km… of cables and optic fiber

-         45… TV generators, all feeds in HD 16/9

-         218… professional timekeepers/data handlers

-         290… specially-selected and trained volunteers

-         200 tons… of equipment

-         100 km… of cables and optical fibre for timekeeping and On-Venue Results (OVR)”

So if any of you out there are in the market for a scoreboard, personal timekeeper or cables and optical fibres, Omega are the ones backing our proud Olympic sport of snowboarding!

*[Disclaimer - this might not actually be true. It's certainly the first to circumvent our spam filter though.]