Well actually no… not in the UK at least.

I’m truly sad to report but the vast majority of Brits turn decidedly chilly if you mention the Winter Olympics.

Okay, okay. So over the years perhaps there has been the odd blip of passing interest.

The UK did produce a successful Ice Dance pair, Torvill and Dean who managed to make Ravel’s Bolero sexy. (So long as find sliding about on the ice a turn on, which personally I don’t).

Then there was ski jumper Eddie the Eagle Edwards. Famous for being the crazy bloke who really should have known better than throw himself off a mountain. Yet he did it anyway… and came last.

I also recall a team of Scottish women who looked just like the cleaners from my old school. They came away with a Gold medal in Curling. (Clearly down to superior broom handling skills)

There are probably other, less well-known examples that escape me but the undeniable truth is... Sorry folks. When it comes to a tradition of British Winter Olympians, forget it!

Which, hardly surprisingly, equates to practically zero interest.

Me on the other hand? I love the Winter Games. There’s just so much great stuff to watch.

How utterly cool is short track speed skating? It’s Roller Ball on ice.

Bobsleigh! Basically all you need is to strip down an old VW Beetle, put some metal runners underneath and they let you race it down hill.

All the Alpine ski events are awesome. X-Country skiing too.

(Still not sure Snowboarding works as a spectator sport for me although the head to head racing has begun to grow on me.)

But my all time favourite… Biathlon.

Skiing and shooting and skiing and shooting. Sound like anyone familiar?

JAMES BOND, that’s who!!! Incredible athletes, unpredictable results and such tension! (No Martinis true but that’s a small price to pay)

(Oh and before anyone reminds me. I haven’t forgotten about Ice Hockey. I’ll be supporting the Czechs. I hope they go all the way, even if I’m not totally sure on the rules.)

They may not have discovered the Winter Olympics en masse in the UK but that’s their loss. Plenty of other nations, including the Czech Republic, go nuts for them…

And I for one, totally see why!