Nick Timmings Interview
As we get closer and closer to the Beijing Olympics it's time to chat with another athlete who is set to compete at the games as we speak with Australian Skeleton racer Nick Timmings about his journey in the sport and his hopes for his first ever Olympics! We find out from Nick just how he got into the sport and how he remembers those first moments of getting on a sled and the adrenaline addiction it created for him. We also find out just what unique training he has to do in order to compete at the top level and why he prefers certain types of tracks over others around the world. Added to this we also learn more about his love of collecting an iconic video game console, why he wants to bring Baby Yoda with him to a desert island and just why there might be some penguins featured on his sled in Beijing. It's an amazing chat that will get you deep into the Olympic zone ahead of the games, so get to listening and get entertained!
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Please note this is an automated transcript that may contain errors.
BEN WATERWORTH: It is Off The Podium, An Olympics Podcast, coming to you today for another athlete interview, as we are only days away now from the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. So busy, so exciting. We've got double episodes coming your way right now in the lead up to make sure we catch you up on everything. And we have another athlete today who is going to be at the Beijing Olympics. Nick Timmings, skeleton racer from Australia, will be competing in only a matter of days in Beijing, making his Olympic debut. And a great chat here with Nick learning about his journey in the sport, how he got involved, the training and everything else in between, his hopes for Beijing, the track, the very unique track we're going to see in Beijing and everything else in between. Fun chat here to learn a lot about a man that you're going to be watching a lot of on your TV screens in the coming days. So I'm going to shut up. I'm going to hand over to myself to introduce Nick right now. Here is our chat with Australian skeleton racer Nick Timmings.
BEN WATERWORTH: We are so, so, so, so close to the Beijing Olympics. We're getting all very, very excited here at Off The Podium, as is every single Olympic fan right now. And we are extra excited today to welcome another guest to the show who is going to be competing in Beijing in only a matter of days in the sport of skeleton, a sport that we haven't actually had an athlete on in quite some time. So I'm very excited to go back to skeleton to talk about a sport, which I think everybody loves at the Winter Olympics. It's such a great sport to be able to watch. He's heading into his very first Olympic Games with some great form. He recently finished 19th in the World Cup, a top finish for him, also won the North America Cup as well. And world ranking of 32 heading into the Olympics. So there's lots to get excited for for today's guests. And we're going to learn a little bit more about his season and everything else going into the Olympics. Pleasure to welcome off the podium, the one, the only Mr. Nick Timmings. Nick, first of all, welcome to the show. It's exciting to have you on the program today. Yeah, awesome.
NICK TIMMINGS: Thank you so much for having me, Ben.
BEN WATERWORTH: It's it's an exciting time. We're just talking about off air about how, again, so close to the Olympics. You've just literally been named as part of the team, your first ever Olympics. I mean, how how can you put that into words to officially hear that you are an Olympian, that you are going to an Olympic Games and that it is so close now, Nick, that you can sniff it, you can sniff the ice and the snow of Beijing, I'm sure.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, I actually don't know if words can really put into what we feel when we get announced and officially on the Olympic team. Actually, I don't think it's quite sunk in completely yet. I think when I get on the plane to actually go to China, I think it'll start creeping in a bit more then. And then I think when I'm in the opening ceremony, I think that's when it will really hit.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, for sure, because it's kind of one of those things where some athletes I know say they will officially classify themselves as an Olympian the moment they're on the starting line. Some take it from the moment they're announced or the opening ceremony. I mean, is it something that you've kind of thought about that you will classify yourself as having made it to the Olympics on the start line? Anything? I mean, are you already saying that right now because you've been announced? You're an Olympian. They can't take that away from you now.
NICK TIMMINGS: I'm like, I'm still a little nervous, like with all the situation around the world. But I think once I put that uniform on, then I'll like classify myself as an Olympian. So I think it's once you get that Australian Olympic uniform on, I think, yeah, that's when I'll, it'll, it'll hit me that, yeah, I'm an Olympian.
BEN WATERWORTH: And do you know when? Like, is that, do you get it when you get to Beijing? Is it on the way now? Because again, that's also, as you were saying, an exciting moment to open it up. And there it is. There's the emblem, the green and gold, all of that kind of stuff on the way to you.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah. So, it'll be waiting for me when I get to Beijing. Like, I'm in Austria at the moment. So I think them sending it here, then me having it to take over there was, was too, too much logistical, yeah, too much of a dilemma. So I think they're just going to take it there. I'm going to meet it there. And yeah, that's when I'll have it.
BEN WATERWORTH: All the exciting things I can imagine going with that. It's a question I'm sure, Nick, though, you've been asked a thousand times in your career as a skeleton athlete. How do you get involved in skeleton? Because I believe you were a bit of a late starter to the sport. So how did it all come about for you?
NICK TIMMINGS: Well, for a country like Australia, so I started at 21. That's not really a late start. Just because obviously there's no opportunity to do skeleton locally here. It does require a lot of time, effort and money. So I think around that late teens to early 20s age is pretty normal for a lot of nations who don't actually have a track. So it's not that late of a start. And the longevity of a skeleton slider's career is, it can span to like late 30s. So even if you do start a bit later, like you do have a lot of time in the sport. And yeah, like if anyone wants to start late, definitely don't worry about it. Like you can get to that level even in your mid to late 30s.
BEN WATERWORTH: So you're saying I still have a chance then basically as a 34 year old at the time of this interview that maybe, hey, if I decide to in the coming months to take it up, that Milan 2026, I could be in with a crack. All right. I'm still trying to break that streak of being Tasmania's first ever Winter Olympian. We're the only state of territory to never have had a Winter Olympian. So look, I'm always trying to find an in somewhere to create history for Tasmania.
NICK TIMMINGS: I didn't actually know that, so yeah, there you go.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, I actually recently just went through all the numbers of Winter Olympians from Australia. And we've had Winter Olympians from the Northern Territory and the ACT, but Tasmania is the solitary state or territory that we have not had one. But I don't know if you're aware, you're the first male skeleton athlete from Western Australia too, only the second from Western Australia. So there's a stat that you can add to your list there as well. So little things like that are great to kind of, I guess, keeping you back pocket for a trivia night in the future, potentially.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, there you go. So you asked me that question, I guess I'll know it.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, exactly, exactly. But when it came to making that decision to go into skeleton, sort of were you approached? Was it something that you kind of looked into? Because I remember talking to Emily Kinsmitha a long time ago, and she sort of got the letter in the mail saying like, hey, you know, have you thought about trying out for skeleton? So was it kind of one of those invitation based things, or was there another connection that got you into the sport?
NICK TIMMINGS: No, I kind of fell into it. The National Federation was just going around Australia, holding these recruitment camps, like testing camps. And I knew a couple of people who were doing bobsled. I was training athletics with them at the time. So I knew that this testing day was coming around, and a couple of people said, why don't you just go try it, even if you don't want to do the sport. At least you can get some numbers on the board, and yeah, treat it as a training session. So I ended up going to that testing day, and then yeah, kind of got invited from there, and yeah, that's how it happened for me. So I kind of fell into it, and then, yeah, once I tried it, I loved it. So yeah, that's how it started. I kind of just fell into it.
BEN WATERWORTH: Was it something that you were overly familiar with? Had you watched it at the Olympics before or met any, I mean, if you said you knew some bobsled athletes, had you come across any of the other Aussie skeleton races at that time?
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, so in our athletics training group, we had like two bobsledders at the time and Lucy Schaefer, who went to the Sochi Olympics, was actually training with us at the same time. So yeah, I did know about all the sliding sports. So yeah, I was familiar with that at the time. And that's kind of, yeah, what I guess was the incentive to just even try out at the time.
BEN WATERWORTH: And did any of your bobsled mates try to get you into to bobsled? Was that kind of a temptation there as well to maybe give that a bit of a crack?
NICK TIMMINGS: Not really. I was, so my body shape is a lot more suited to skeleton rather than bobsled. And I knew like, yeah, if I went down the bobsled road, I wouldn't be able to get to that top level. So it was always skeleton for me from the beginning.
BEN WATERWORTH: What is it like when you do those trials and then you go to that point where you get onto a sled the very first time? I mean, is there kind of a training regimen? You've got to do before you can get onto a sled, or do they literally throw you in the deep end? You go somewhere in the world to attract. Here's a sled. Boom, you were going down there right now to experience this literally head first.
NICK TIMMINGS: So when we got there, we thought we would do like, it was a two week camp. We thought like the first couple of days might be like theory, learning, like all this stuff, like getting to know it. But literally, we got there the first day. They were like, lie down, put a helmet on and they literally kicked us off. Luckily, it wasn't from the very top of the hill. But yeah, so we were all a bit shocked about that. But I think that's kind of how you need to just get into the sport. It's just, just do it like they just throw you off and you either love it or you hate it. And yeah, I think that's how they separate the people who they think will be able to do it and want to do it. And the people who say, no, I can't do this and just end up going home.
BEN WATERWORTH: Do you remember that first time then when they do push you down? And what was your thoughts the minute you stopped?
NICK TIMMINGS: I don't remember it exactly, but I remember like getting to the bottom and just thinking like, what the hell just happened? Like, I don't remember any of it. Like all I remember was just like skidding, hitting some walls. Like, yeah, like, I don't know, these ice walls coming at me and yeah, getting down to the bottom, like stopping and just being like, I don't know what just happened.
BEN WATERWORTH: That's crazy. Because I can imagine it's one of those sports that if you say into things like roller coasters, and sort of adrenaline based activities where you're going to get something more out of it. But potentially, if you're like me in a wimp and don't like roller coasters, then you're probably going to be shitting yourself halfway down going, what the fuck is this? I'm never going to do this ever again.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, so I say this to a lot of people, but skeleton has ruined like roller coasters and all these adrenaline kind of activities. Yeah, for me. So yeah, they're completely dull now.
BEN WATERWORTH: So just roller coasters are boring. You're just on your phone basically checking your Instagram or something like that if you're on a roller coaster.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, you know how like on a roller coaster, you'll get that kind of rush with inside you and you feel kind of like light and that. Yeah, that's completely gone now.
BEN WATERWORTH: Wow, that's insane. So is this a case where you've got to like really find something, I don't know, even more adrenaline based than skeleton, which I don't know what there is like Formula One car, skydiving. I mean, even then, I don't know like how that would work. Is this kind of just the peak now? You can't find anything to really, you know, quench that adrenaline rush taste that skeleton gives you.
NICK TIMMINGS: I definitely like to try Formula One car. I think that would be great. But we actually have a guy who slides Australia, who has skydived before. He said skeleton is way more intense than skydiving.
BEN WATERWORTH: Wow, that's insane. There you go. That's a good selling point for the sport. This is where, if they were to build a track in Australia, bit of a pipe dream, but sell it for the tourism aspect, the adrenaline junkies, like it's kind of bugger skydiving, try skeleton. And then we can also build the team up a little bit more and challenge the Germans, the Brits, all these sort of great nations of skeletons, so we can really push it up there. There's win-win for everyone there by building a track in Australia.
NICK TIMMINGS: It would be great because then we could slide in our winter, which is the Northern Hemisphere summer, so we could be sliding all year round, and that means we could even bring the internationals over here. They would want to come to slide in their off season while it's summer for them. So I think, yeah, obviously, it would be very costly to build a track here, but yeah, I think you'd definitely get a lot of people coming.
BEN WATERWORTH: I keep thinking, given that the Brisbane 2032 Olympics are technically a winter Olympics, given they're being held in July in Australia, that, you know, you play your cards right with the AOC and the IOC and just be like, well, hey, it's a winter Olympics. We might need a sliding track to go along with them. So again, there's some cards you might be able to play there.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, well, even if we don't actually build like a concrete track there, there's a track in St Marys actually, they compact it and build it every year from the snow. So maybe even if like during that time, we could just get a couple of hundred volunteers to like handpack a snow in the mounds. Yeah, that'd be great.
BEN WATERWORTH: That works, because there are natural tracks still, aren't they? Like I think New Zealand has like a natural track, don't they? And I'm sure as you're saying, like other countries in the world probably have them. So I mean, it's a thing that doesn't have to be permanent. It could just be, you know, like thread bow or something like that, get one out of Mount Hoffman, but you could probably do something there with it.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, I think the one in New Zealand is more like a tourist kind of spog and run. But I think blues do have natural, I think they have a World Cup like natural circuit. So they do like naturally carve it each year. And yeah, there is one skillet and bobsled track that is used on the World Cup circuit each year. So it's definitely possible. And yeah, yeah, why not? That'd be great. How much fun would that be?
BEN WATERWORTH: The right people are listening to this today, Nick, to try and make that happen. Did you growing up sort of as a, you know, going through your athletics career and I believe you've been in soccer as well, was it something that you always looked towards like an Olympics? Was this something that while you were doing athletics, I mean, dreaming, playing for the soccer ruse and maybe, you know, the only ruse on the way, I mean, was the Olympics always a goal for you growing up?
NICK TIMMINGS: I don't think, yeah, like you said, I did a lot of different sports. I don't think there was one like pinnacle I was aiming for. I think I just wanted to be like, see how high I could take myself. So I think I just wanted to just be really the best athlete I could be and see where that took me. And I'm very fortunate now that it has taken me to like the pinnacle event in my sport.
BEN WATERWORTH: In terms of once you got over that first run on the sled and then kind of working your way through it, what's it like then going from the beginning stages to going on to say the World Cup scene and making your way up through the ranks, particularly from somewhere like Australia, whereas you mentioned, you know, we're not obviously a country known too much for skeleton. I mean, is it challenging to come from a place like Australia to enter that scene? Or are there sort of pathways that are created to help nations like Australia get involved in the sport more, so you can go to the World Cup and then push towards an Olympics one day?
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, so it is very challenging. I'd say coming from like a nation like Australia or a smaller nation, as they call it, I think your development curve takes longer, whereas these bigger nations who have so much funding, so much coaching, their development and improvement is a lot quicker just because they have that support network around them. But that doesn't mean you can't get to that level. I think it just takes a lot more time, patience, and yeah, just the determination within the individual to get there. And the International Federation do try to put on, they put on like camps and they give a bit of funding for these development athletes to kind of keep them in the sport and try help them get to the next level. So there is a bit of help, but it's nowhere near the level. But if the individual definitely is dedicated enough, then yeah, you can get to that level.
BEN WATERWORTH: What did you find the most challenging aspect of it? Once again, you had that first run, you were doing more and more runs along the way. Was it the sliding aspect, the steering, making sure you were getting your lines right, everything like that? Was it involved in the starts? What parts did you find it the most challenging when you were really getting heavily involved in the sport?
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, so I think sliding-wise, that first camp, because I was so new to it, I was just taking everything in, I had no expectations. But the start, because I came from a sprinting background, I thought I would be a good startup, but that wasn't the case. Like, a skeleton start is completely different to a sprint. So I had the kind of expectation that I would be quick from the get-go. And it took me probably two to three years to actually figure out the technique and get quicker at the start. So I think that was frustrating. But all that time, like, my sliding ability was improving. So I was happy in that regard. But yeah, there was definitely some challenges on the start. And yeah, I think adjusting to new tracks as you get to them, like, there's different steering styles. So adjusting to them, like I said, we don't have the support network. So I think that takes us longer to maybe figure out corners and figure out tracks compared to some of the other nations. So yeah, sometimes that does get a bit, like, if you see some of these other bigger nations, like, get quicker and improve rapidly, then you might get a bit of, I don't know, self-doubt in yourself. But yeah, if you stick with it and go back to the fundamentals and what you learn as a rookie, then yeah, you definitely can improve yourself.
BEN WATERWORTH: What is it, coming from athletics into skeleton, the technique, is it, I mean, obviously, as a sprinter, you're sort of more upright, whereas skeleton, I guess, you're leaning over more, aren't you? I mean, is that kind of the main aspect of it, or is it a different style of sprinting that you've got to do for skeleton, and obviously, not just for the surface differences between track and running on ice? I mean, kind of what was that that took you those couple of years to really try to overcome to adapt to that style?
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, I think the main thing is obviously sprinting, you're upright, and skeleton, you're bent over. So, like, getting your back and hip angle into a fast position, I think that is, that's probably the thing that takes you the longest. You also got to remember, when you're sprinting, it's just all your body weight, but pushing a skeleton, so those first three to five steps, we're actually pushing the sled. So there is a bit of, like, strength aspect to it. And sometimes if you add weight to, like, a sprint, like your technique goes out of the window. So that's kind of something you have to learn as you're new to the sport and getting into it.
BEN WATERWORTH: We had a couple of luge athletes on recently and sort of they explained the methods involved in steering by laying on their back and kind of how there's a lot more to it than most people do. I know a couple of them mentioned about how Roy and HG destroyed the sport a lot for Australians because they just thought it was a lazy person's sport. You just lay there and you don't do anything when there's obviously a lot more to it. Is that similar to skeleton? Is it in the fact that you're using different parts of your body to steer, just like they do in luge, or is there something a little bit more different to it given you're facing a different way?
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, it's definitely the case. So we use our shoulders and knees to steer. And if you watch a skeleton run and you don't see anything noticeable, then they are doing hundreds of micro steers to get down the track. And that means they're doing a very good job of it. If you see someone stick their foot out or drop their toe, that's an aggressive steer. That means they kind of put themselves into trouble or want to aggressively get on a different line. So if you don't know anything about the sport and you see that, you might think, oh, this person only did one steer down the whole track. But that was only one aggressive steer, one safety steer that they've done. But if, say, we got someone who didn't know about the sport and put them down the track, they would be flying out of corners, hitting walls. Not doing those little steers will put them into trouble. And I don't think just the average person watching on the screen sees this.
BEN WATERWORTH: Fascinating. So is it a case of, obviously, you can work on that technique off the set, I can imagine. I mean, how do you work your body into a way where you can do micro steers and kind of get it so it does look seamless, that you are doing it without sort of those obvious movements that somebody like me would be seeing when I'm watching the sport?
NICK TIMMINGS: It just comes from practice, really. Like, I'll go down the track and I'll think I didn't do too much, like too many steers, or I'll think my form is good on the sled. But then you watch video and you'll see that your head's up, your shoulders up, like you're kind of not relaxed on the sled. So that's when you have to take in that feedback and go, okay, I need to relax more, I need to put my shoulders down, like I need to, yeah, not stick my leg out here. And yeah, I think as you get more confident on the track, it becomes easier to relax and put your head down. So it just takes practice, really.
BEN WATERWORTH: Do you have a favourite track that you compete on on the world stage and a least favourite track of all the ones that you do compete on?
NICK TIMMINGS: I'd say I've got a couple of favourite tracks. Yeah, the more high speed, like technical tracks that kind of you need to do a lot of steers to get down like safely and fast. I think those are my more enjoyed tracks. There are tracks out there that like being very relaxed and doing subtle like soft steers is the fast line. But I think I'm more suited to the high speed technical tracks. So those probably would be Altenberg in Germany and Whistler in Canada. Tracks I don't like. Let me think about that. I'd say there are a couple of, we call them boring tracks, but yeah, those tracks where you don't need to do those aggressive steers and the speed is lower. There's one in Austria called Eels and I'd say Winterberg in Germany is like that. So yeah, it's like I came into this sport to go fast. So when you have to go to those tracks, you kind of just like, oh, it's kind of boring.
BEN WATERWORTH: May as well go on a roller coaster, basically, if you want to go slow, right? Like, you know? Yeah. Who needs to go on those ones? Is it a case with tracks that, I mean, particularly say in the Olympics where you've got three sports happening, you've obviously got luge, bobsled and skeleton. And for the most part on World Cups, you don't have all three going. Does it get affected by those sports, or is there sort of ways that they fix the tracks up? So for example, say, if you're competing later towards the end of an Olympics, and they've had the bobsled and the luge, does the track feel different on day 10 as it would to day one? Like, whoever's competing first out of the three sports, are they getting the rub of the green, or are you getting the rub of the green? Because the track's worn in a lot more by the time you're competing, if that makes sense.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, so the different sports definitely do affect the tracks. Like on World Cup or even the lowest circuits on tour during the seasons, if the Luge circuit has been there before us, the corners will be a lot rounder. It's just for, I don't know why they need rounder corners to get out, really. But yeah, so when we go to these tracks after Luge, we can notice that the corners are rounder. It generally makes them a bit easier to get out of. There's not sharp drop-offs that we might have. And in terms of Bob said, at something like the Olympics, the track crew is going to do maintenance between and after every session, so it's good. But sometimes we'll go to tracks maybe on the lower circuits, and Bob said, we'll have gone before us, and they won't do any track maintenance. So the tracks, it is visibly beaten up a bit, and some of the walls are jagged, and you see ice chunks taken out from where they've hit. And yeah, you can definitely notice them. If you hit those walls, yeah, geez, that hurts.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, I can imagine. Those bloody bobsledders just ruin everything, right? Like, come on, guys. Like, they should be going down and fixing it up themselves, basically, if there's no maintenance people to do that in between them at some of those events.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, well, like, we say that, but they say we ruin the track, but it's like, no, like, come on, you guys are doing all the damage.
BEN WATERWORTH: And then we don't even get started on the luge. Like, come on, they just make it even worse, you know? Like, gosh, you know, they go that way. So when you're making your progress, sort of, you started, I believe, in around 2012. So it was 2014, 2018, sort of Olympics. Were they either realistic possibilities? I mean, kind of what happened on the road to both Sochi and Pyeongchang in the fact that did you nearly sort of make the team in either of those games?
NICK TIMMINGS: So the first one, Sochi, definitely not. Like, two years into the sport is definitely not enough time. Like, you can't really get to like an Olympic level in that time. This is a very, like, experience based sport, so you need the years, you need the track runs. So yeah, that was never in the back of my mind. Like, I was just still developing and learning. Sochi, sorry, Pyeongchang definitely, I did give it a good crack. I think I was in the top 60 in the world, which is the criteria for the Olympics at the moment. But so we had another slide of John Farrow, who represented Australia at those Olympics. So unfortunately, we couldn't, I wasn't able to qualify us two sleds at those Olympics. But having said that, if he wasn't competing at that time, my ranking and performance was good enough to get us one spot. So it was just unfortunate that we couldn't get the two spots. I think we would have had to beat either Switzerland or Austria for that second spot. So yeah, it's pretty tough. And Australia, I mean, beating those kind of winter sport countries. So yeah, unfortunately, I'm about to stick it out. And yeah, finally got here now.
BEN WATERWORTH: Is it a case of when that happens and say you miss out on an Olympics or you get that close to it? I mean, do you use that as inspiration to kind of spur you on for another four years to go, okay, well, this close, I'm going to keep going? Or do you kind of take a step back for a little bit and kind of reassess your options to see if you're willing to go through another four year cycle?
NICK TIMMINGS: At that time, I was definitely certain I was going to go for another one. Like I knew for us to get that second spot in me to qualify, like my performance needed to be better. And I knew I wasn't like at that level where we could qualify two slays yet. So I knew I had a lot of development left and a lot of improvement. And yeah, at that time, I was definitely certain I was going to go for another four years. And yeah, I didn't take a break at all. So yeah, I'm happy I didn't.
BEN WATERWORTH: And obviously in the lead up now, as we get closer to Beijing, I kind of gave a bit of a run through of some of the achievements that have happened literally in the last couple of months. Before we get to those, I mean, the challenges of COVID, though, I believe you sort of decided to go and base yourself in North America and Europe, obviously in the midst of a bit of uncertainty when it came to things like travel and border restrictions and all things like that. I mean, tell us a little bit about kind of everything that happened with that. And obviously it's paid off for you. But I can imagine it was obviously a bit of a tricky sort of decision to try and navigate everything that was happening ahead of the World Cup season.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, I think last season was actually the most difficult because, like, obviously COVID was a lot newer back then. No one really knew what was happening with it. There was a lot of lockdowns, lots of closures. But so the skeleton season was running ahead. They did actually freeze the rankings from the previous year. So none of those results counted towards like quota positions for this World Cup season this year. So I knew the results didn't really matter. But I said to myself, I need to go over and just slide and compete just so it could keep fresh and I could try and make some improvements. So, yeah, I think it was January 2020. I decided to go to Europe and, yeah, keep sliding. It was a big challenge, but I'm really glad I did. I ended up competing World Champs that year, so it was definitely a worthwhile trip. But it was hard getting out. It was hard coming back in. Yeah, but I think it definitely put me in a good standing coming into the start of this season.
BEN WATERWORTH: So how long now, Nick, have you been away from Australia? Like, how many months have you been out? And do you know if you can even get back in, particularly with WA's border laws at the moment?
NICK TIMMINGS: So I'll go back to the end of last season. So I went away in January, February, I came back, I had to do two weeks in hotel quarantine. And so I was back in Perth for my off season, so up until October. And then so for this Olympic season, I left at the start of October, and I've been outside of Australia since then. Yeah, and I just got told recently that my flight from Beijing, Singapore, Singapore Perth, so that Singapore Perth leg has been cancelled because of the closure. So they are flying me to Brisbane now. So I have to land in Brisbane, and then I'll sort out how to get home from there.
BEN WATERWORTH: Wow. Okay, then. Geez, yeah, because it seems to be a thing that every time the border is about to open in Western Australia, it seems to be being closed. So it might be a bit of a...
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, it's a nightmare.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, Western Australian refugee for a while there until they sort of... But again, you can play the Olympic card, Nick. Come on, you're an Olympian. Surely they can give you something there coming back home from the Olympics. It's got to give you some sort of special treatment at the border.
NICK TIMMINGS: Luckily, I've got a friend who lives in Brisbane, so I can stay with him for at least a few days or however long. But yeah, I am currently talking with Waze about trying to get back into WA, and I think they're asking a few questions here and there, so I'll see what they come back with. But at least if that does become a struggle, I have a friend in Brisbane I can stay with.
BEN WATERWORTH: I'm sure a gold medal might also help, but we can talk about that. But I mean, your season obviously had a fantastic season, as I mentioned at the top. I mean, you finished 19th in Altenburg, your highest ever position in the World Cup. I mean, what was that like to get a top 20? I mean, that must be a pretty amazing feeling to get that place, particularly in a season which is in the lead up to the Olympic Games.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, so that result was special. So this year, the World Cup field has actually increased and it's become a lot stronger. Like China has come really come in strong. There's three Korean sleds in the World Cup now. I think there's three GB, there's three Germans, three Russians. So it is a very stacked field. So that 19th for me. So my previous World Cup best was I've got two 20th before. So this 19th was actually my best World Cup result. And in such a strong field, I was definitely pleased with that. But not only that, it was on the Altenberg track, which previously I'd only been to twice before. So I didn't have much experience there. So getting that result was, yeah, it was definitely a big bonus. And yeah, something I'm very proud of.
BEN WATERWORTH: And then to add to that, North America's Cup champion won a couple of races in that as well. I believe the first time you've won some skeleton races. So yeah, must be feeling pretty confident with some pretty good results in your back pocket leading into Beijing.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, so I was fortunate enough to get my first win and then back it up with another win in Lake Placid. But yeah, that North American Cup overall title, I didn't even realise I'd won it until it was the Spanish slider who came second. On the last day, he told me that I'd got him by two points. And I wasn't even factoring that overall title in at that time. I was just looking, I just needed some good goals from my Olympic standing. So yeah, that was an added bonus while I was there. Yeah, it was good to get that one.
BEN WATERWORTH: So what do you get for that? Is there some sort of like, is a nice trophy? I mean, kind of some perks, you know, kind of what kinds of winning the North American Cup?
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, it's more just a little trophy and a bit of bragging rights, I think. Yeah, not much else. But yeah, I think the more important thing was those two wins and the points that came with that for the Olympic qualification.
BEN WATERWORTH: Not like I fancy one of these Crystal Globe style things that they have in some of the other events, you know, because I think some winter sports have some of the best trophies out there. I mean, when we had Greta Small on, she said she won a tub of Chuppa Chups for winning a race once. So I don't know if there was like something special for North America. They need to make something then if it's only a little trophy. Come on, North America, you guys are the home of excess. This should be something giant and big going on with it.
NICK TIMMINGS: So they actually, yes. So the trophy, yeah, like you said, Crystal Globe, that would be nice. But yeah, I think that's the World Cup overall title. So I didn't get one of those, unfortunately, but they did give us maple syrup as a prize for it. So we enjoyed that.
BEN WATERWORTH: OK, well, that's something. I mean, was this, I'm hoping, Canadian maple syrup, at least. It wasn't, you know, American maple syrup, was it?
NICK TIMMINGS: It was American maple syrup, but it was from the Adirondack region, which is where the track is. So it was local maple syrup. And it was actually pretty nice. So yeah, I can't complain.
BEN WATERWORTH: OK, that's good then. All right. Can you use maple syrup for any benefit in skeleton? Like, you know, if you put a bit on the slides or anything like that going down, or is that considered maybe a little bit illegal potentially?
NICK TIMMINGS: I think that would slow you down more than anything. Yeah, I think it's more energy in the morning, really. That's the only benefit, yeah.
BEN WATERWORTH: OK, helps with the legs, helps with the burn, kind of going on there for that one as well. I mean, heading into the Olympics, obviously, with yourself and Jacqueline, I mean, obviously Jacqueline's just, you know, won a World Cup event. Great result for her. So I mean, what is the mood between you and her kind of going in, heading into these Olympics? I mean, I think there's a bit of attention for you both with how successful you've been, and do you kind of set yourself targets? Do you set yourself goals going into the Olympics, position, medals, things like that?
NICK TIMMINGS: I think the first goal was just getting to the Olympics. So many athletes are going down with COVID and not being able to do some races and getting around to different countries. So I think our goal before the actual last qualifying race was to get all the races in, like get us in good standing, to be able to qualify the sport. And now that we've got it, I think we can reassess our goals for the Olympics. But I'll have to speak to my coach, and we'll do some homework and that. And then after training is finished, I think we can really assess where the goal for the positioning will be at the Olympics. But yeah, like I said, just because of COVID, I think getting to this point and staying healthy was like the major and a very big win.
BEN WATERWORTH: You mentioned Lucy before you, the other Western Australian skeleton athlete. She finished 17th in 2014. Best result by a male skeleton racer was from John Farabek and Sochi, also 17th. So I'm just trying to just see here that if we can go at least for 16th, that would be pretty good. Emma's got the record at 10th. So, you know, I'm just trying to put a bit of pressure on you and Jacqueline's shoulders here a bit, but, you know, we always like to top previous results. So just think 17th or better or 10th or better, and then you come home and then boom, it's been a great result.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, all right, I'll aim for that 17th, and that'll be my target.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yes, exactly. Perfect. I like that. The track itself, which looks amazing, you've got a 360-degree turn, which I believe is the longest in the world, goes under a hotel, and there's sort of inclines and declines, kind of almost looks like a Mario Kart track. I mean, have you ever seen a track like this? Can this be compared to anything at all? And how much are you looking forward to kind of going out there in anger and competing on this track in Beijing?
NICK TIMMINGS: Yes, I haven't actually seen it in person. I've only seen video and photos of it. I wasn't able to get to the test event in October just because of costs involved and COVID. But I'm very much looking forward to this track. I've heard that it's very challenging, which is kind of up my alley, and which is what I enjoy. So I'm definitely excited to get out there and see it for myself.
BEN WATERWORTH: With a 360 degree turn, how far are we away then from a loop-de-loop? So basically, I'm thinking the roller coasters, they're boring. So if a skeleton track can have one in it, I'm sure it will go faster and better. I mean, is that logistically possible? Can we think Milan 2026 if the Italians are listening and they haven't built their track yet, we can just go full-on fancy like that to really, you know, attract some more eyes to the sport and make it even more awesome?
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, that would be amazing if it had a chemo car loop in it, wouldn't it? Yeah, I would definitely pay to slide in that and pay to see that there. I'll flick some emails around and send some messages like, hey, why don't we add this to the next skeleton track?
BEN WATERWORTH: Please do. And if not, the Brisbane track. I mean, look, I can see it working for the illusion skeleton. I don't know about the bobsled, but they can have their own track. You know, again, the bobsled has ruined everything. So just we'll stick to that for that one there. But I mean, again, it's always about attracting the kids into the sport. We want more people involved in skeleton. So I mean, you have that aspect to it. Boom, you lock yourself in, I feel.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, I don't think these kids' parents and mums in particular will be too happy about that, though.
BEN WATERWORTH: Well, you know, sometimes you got to go against kind of everything with that in itself and, you know, create your own sort of things there. So, I mean, again, we were talking a little bit about Off Air, and you were sort of mentioning before things like the opening ceremony, everything along those lines. We're talking to you now from Austria at the time of recording this. So you fly to Beijing, you get yourself ready into the village, training, everything along those lines. Do you kind of look, obviously get a schedule planned, everything along those lines, but how do you find yourself mentally and able to keep yourself in the zone when it comes to a competition? Because I can imagine the Olympics is a little bit different to say a World Cup. I mean, do you have preferences? Do you meditate? Do you read? Do you listen to some music? Kind of what's some mental preparation that you like to try and keep yourself in a zone for when it comes up to the lead up to a competition like this?
NICK TIMMINGS: I think kind of getting out of the skeleton brain, like being able to focus on something else while you're away from the track is very important. You don't want to be thinking about all the corners, like what you need to do, like all the time. You're just going to mentally burn out. So I think downtime and relaxing outside of the track is very important. But then when you get to the track, I think that's when the concentration and the focus needs to come in. I think I'd say most athletes, it would come naturally, just the size of the tracks and the kind of occasion kind of brings that focus to everyone. And yeah, it's definitely the same with me. I'll get to a track and be like, OK, it's go time now. I'll think about what I need to do, the preparation I've done and yeah, yeah, trust the training I've done. I think it, luckily for me, it seems to come naturally that I can focus when I do get to the track on race days. But yeah, I think it might be different for some athletes, but I'm sure it will be the same in the Olympics, just a bigger occasion. I'll probably definitely have more nerves, but I think the processes will be the same.
BEN WATERWORTH: And it also must be a case of the attention that an Olympics does bring to the sport. And this is what I always love talking to our winter Olympians about, because a lot of the time, you're not getting the attention, say, in Australia, that other sports, say a summer sport, would get. So this is a real opportunity to showcase everything that you and Jaclyn and the sport have been working towards, but just the sport itself. So do you find that that adds pressure, or do you find that that is something that you relish, the fact that you can now have people experience something that you've dedicated a large chunk of your life towards, and now people can finally see what you've achieved, but also what the sport is like, and hopefully might be able to attract some people to it in the future?
NICK TIMMINGS: I think I can't speak for Jacqui, but I think I'm definitely going to relish the chance to show what we do to the rest of Australia. Yeah, like obviously you don't see it a lot back home. No one really knows what it is. Like I said before, like a lot of people just think by laying there, they don't really understand the steers and that. So I think being able to talk about it and show people, yeah, what we do, I'm sure the commentary team, like while we're sliding, will give some insights into the sport and yeah, be able to give a little bit of what we do and how we go about it to the general public. And I hope, yeah, like I think most people think it's like a pretty cool sport and pretty out there, but if we can get some more interest into people actually wanting to try it, yeah, that'd be great. I'm definitely relishing the chance to show what we do to the rest of Australia.
BEN WATERWORTH: Do you name your sled, Nick? Does it have a name and do you talk to it when you're going down a track at all?
NICK TIMMINGS: I actually don't have a name for mine. I know a lot of people do, but yeah, I just call mine my sled and yeah, I definitely do talk to it down the bottom. If I have a good run, I'll pat it and say, yeah, good job. Yeah, that's the kind of extent of it.
BEN WATERWORTH: I've got to try and get this out then. I've tried this. I did this with Bree and Chiara for the Bob sled, you know, just if you want to call it Ben, it's fine. You're allowed to. I'll give you permission. And we can cheer on Ben down the track. And technically then, can we consider myself to be in a Winter Olympian? Because you've named the sled Ben. So, you know, living through the journey as well. So again, you haven't got a name, but take Ben if you want. That's all yours to use.
NICK TIMMINGS: All right, I'll consider that. Even if I don't name it, it can spiritually be Ben.
BEN WATERWORTH: I like it. There you go. See, kind of working these ways to sneak in there, Nick, anyway we can. We've got some questions that we like to close out just in terms of just a fun little get to know you style questions. But one thing I've actually noticed is I'm very happy for that the AOC have done on the olympics.com.au website. They've actually done their own sort of bit of a questionnaire with you heading into it. And just a couple of things I wanted to touch on here. First of all, your favourite sporting moment. Great one here. Soccer is qualifying for the 2006 World Cup. Where were you? Where were you watching it? And do you remember it vividly when Aloeisi kicked that penalty to send us to Germany back then in 2005?
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, I think I do remember that moment. I think I was, so my first job was at Hungry Jacks back in Perth. And I think I was on shift that day and we were watching it in the back when he scored it. We were just like, we ran out into the shop and everyone was yelling.
BEN WATERWORTH: And yeah, it was definitely a great moment. I can imagine everybody getting their burgers that day. We were going, what the hell is going on? But when they realised what it was, it was just like free burgers for everyone. Come on, celebrate the occasion.
NICK TIMMINGS: The funny thing was like during the penalty shootout, no one was getting their burgers because we weren't doing anything.
BEN WATERWORTH: It was slow that time.
NICK TIMMINGS: It was like, please hold on. We've got the socket award.
BEN WATERWORTH: Perfect excuse, essentially, to not serve there. Another thing I like here on your hobbies when you're not training, watching movies, collecting Game Boys and sipping coffee. Now, collecting Game Boys, Nick, how many do you have and how did this hobby come about?
NICK TIMMINGS: Oh, I've probably got about like 10, but like I think COVID kind of inspired this hobby. Like I was in quarantine and I was just playing Pokemon on my Game Boy. And yeah, I was like, I wonder if there's a bit of Game Boy. Like, can I get other ones and different games? And yeah, that's kind of where it inspired from. And yeah, I think I've got about 10 now. And yeah, yeah. Do you do it?
BEN WATERWORTH: Do you use them all or is it kind of a case of like, oh, no, I can't touch like the clear Game Boy Pocket. You know, that's my special one. I'll never play that one.
NICK TIMMINGS: Like I don't have that kind of rule that I won't play certain ones, but obviously can't play them all at the same time. So I'll just pick one and play the game on it. Like obviously, depending on which game you have, you're going to use the attached Game Boy to it. So yeah, like I don't have any rules about protecting this one or kind of that thing. But yeah, I just love playing them. And yeah, like I said, like quarantine brought about that, I guess bored them to start playing them again.
BEN WATERWORTH: I got to ask you, you mentioned Pokemon. It's the first time I think I've ever been asked this question to one of our guests on the show. But do you have a preference? Like are you old school? We go on blue, red, yellow, gold, silver. Or are we kind of going more into the newer versions of it or a bit of a mix of all of them?
NICK TIMMINGS: I think definitely the older ones like, yeah, red, blue, green, yellow, and then probably crystal and ruby, I'd say. Yeah. So like obviously these were from back in the day when I was a kid. So yeah, they definitely have a soft spot within me. I haven't played too much of the newer ones, obviously, just because of life. But yeah, I'd say I do enjoy the older ones.
BEN WATERWORTH: I think the first one I ever had was yellow. And I...
NICK TIMMINGS: Me too, actually.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah. And I'm sure you're the same when you get it. You're just completely addicted. And you just never want to get off the damn thing. And then I remember when gold and silver comes about, you're like, how am I going to learn 100 new Pokemon? Like, I've memorised all 150, and now there's like about 3000 or something like that. I don't even know how many there are now. I've lost track.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, I don't know either. But yeah, yeah, like, it was definitely like that. Like, I think it's exciting. Like when you were that young and new ones were coming out, you're like, yes, like I've got another game. I've got all these things to catch. Yeah, I think back then it was great. And yeah, like you said, I didn't get off it either.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, that's what you do. And the other one here I like, if you're stuck on a desert island, it can only have three things. You've got a coffee machine, a fishing rod, and a baby Yoda figurine. Is that for luck? Is that just because you love baby Yoda? I mean, what purpose does that serve you on the desert island there, Nick?
NICK TIMMINGS: Actually, so I forgot I wrote that, and my cousin in Japan actually sent me that, and yeah, I was laughing. But I think at the time, I was just like, if I was stuck on a desert island by myself, I need a couple things, but then just something to keep me company. And everyone loves baby Yoda, so yeah, that's what I put.
BEN WATERWORTH: That's a good one. I like that. That works very, very well. Now, another thing or two I like, obviously, and I'm sure people will learn a lot of this throughout the coverage, that you're obviously, you're a twin, of course. Now, does Dean do Skeleton as well? Is he sort of out there with it, or is he kind of too, you know, doesn't want to go out there, and is he a bit of a wimp or something like that? I don't know.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, no, he's done Skeleton since I started as well, so he's been on the 10-year journey I have as well. And unfortunately, we again couldn't qualify the two sleds this time, so yeah, only one of us gets to go. But yeah, he came with me at the start of the season. We did some races together, and yeah, unfortunately, obviously, we couldn't qualify too, so yeah, he's going home back to Perth now.
BEN WATERWORTH: Right, and not mean to call him a wimp, of course. He's not a wimp, obviously, out there doing that. So he can't, obviously, is it down to restrictions and things like that? He unfortunately can't travel with you to Beijing to cheer you on?
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, so we only have a certain amount of allocated staff spots and that kind of thing. They're being very strict with it, so yeah, that's the reason why we can't have the people we want there, really.
BEN WATERWORTH: Does it, though, then allow him to create a big watch party back in Perth, like I was already talking about? Because obviously, with the time difference, it's not going to be too bad, so I can imagine that it's going to be at a good time, that maybe you can get the family and the friends over to the house or a pub or something like that to kind of cheer you on when you're competing.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yes, I think there is one already organised at the Western Australian Institute of Sport. So I think, yeah, that's going to happen, and that's been organised. So hopefully, they get a lot of people there.
BEN WATERWORTH: Fantastic. Great. Well, there you go. Everybody listening in that part of the world, keep an eye out. Maybe you can go along and cheer Nick along the way. Now, Nick, we like to close out with a set of get to know you style questions. Now, these are based off a Team Canada questionnaire that they gave their athletes ahead of both Pyeongchang and Rio. And we're really hoping they are bringing it back for Beijing because they didn't, unfortunately, have it for Tokyo. And as always, we like to use the questionnaire that they give to an athlete from the same sport. And luckily for us, there is a Canadian skeleton racer here by the name of Jane Chanel. And we're going to base these off this question. There's a drawing element, Nick, which again, as we always say, you don't have to, if you feel the need to do some extra homework, you're most welcome to do some drawings. But, you know, how are your drawing skills? Are you an avid drawer or don't really give a shit?
NICK TIMMINGS: I'd say they're average to mediocre.
BEN WATERWORTH: Okay, all right then. Well, again, I'll leave that up to you. You might have some things that you kind of got arranged in the coming days ahead of the Olympics. But we'll start off, your favourite all time Olympic moment is?
NICK TIMMINGS: I'd say it has to be Stephen Bradbury winning the gold in 2002. As an Australian, I'd say it has to be that one.
BEN WATERWORTH: Absolutely. I always appreciate that answer. And 20th anniversary of it, can you believe in the coming weeks? We're going to be celebrating 20 years of that. So amazing. I do love here that Jane, of course, has mentioned John Montgomery's win back in Vancouver. We had John on the show last year. And I mean, that really, I think, boosted the sport, watching him skull beers and just go off and that sort of stuff. Have you ever had a chance to bump into John at all or meet John Montgomery in the past?
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, when I was a young slide, I think, as I was starting, he was kind of wrapping up his career. So I definitely did see him around. He did some commentary as well for some of the World Cups early on. Yeah, so he has been around.
BEN WATERWORTH: Nice. And of course, host of Amazing Race Canada. So just saying, when you do retire, the guy who's hosting the Amazing Race in Australia right now, he's no Grant Bowler. So I mean, if you're looking for a secondary career, you can host Amazing Race Australia. It seems to be the path of a lot of skeleton athletes. So it's in your cards, maybe.
NICK TIMMINGS: I think I'd rather be on the Amazing Race Australia rather than host it.
BEN WATERWORTH: There you go. All right. You and Dean, that's perfect pairing, you know, skeleton races touring the world. That would work. There you go. If the producers are listening, hopefully they'll get you on board there. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
NICK TIMMINGS: I think it has to be to be able to fly.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yep. You're kind of halfway there in a weird way, aren't you? Because I think I read in an interview you did that it almost feels like flying sometimes. So just kind of that adrenaline, everything along those lines, you want to add to it a little bit more?
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, well, like feeling like flying and actually flying is really different. And on that, like just I've been in so many airplanes and I'm getting so sick of them with all the bag fees as well. So if I can just fly to these places myself, that would be perfect.
BEN WATERWORTH: That's the best way of looking at it, saving on those damn bag fees. So yeah, no, I like that one. Your favourite sports movie is?
NICK TIMMINGS: I reckon 42.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yes, that's a great movie. Doesn't get answered a lot. But yeah, fantastic. How many years was that before Chad?
NICK TIMMINGS: That's a good movie.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, it was a while before Black Panther as well, wasn't it? So, yeah.
NICK TIMMINGS: Maybe a couple of years.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah. And I always forget Harrison Ford's in that movie. Just randomly like, oh, there's Harrison Ford just popping up in it.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, that's a great movie.
BEN WATERWORTH: Good answer. Love it. Your funniest childhood memory is?
NICK TIMMINGS: I'd say, so obviously having a twin brother, we were a handful for our parents. I reckon we had these laundry baskets. There was two of them, and we used to put them on our heads and just like run at each other. And so our mum used to like come outside and just see us like running into each other with these laundry baskets. I remember us just like toppling over and like just cracking up laughing. I think that's probably the funniest childhood memory.
BEN WATERWORTH: Wow, I like it. Laundry baskets were never safe in the household, it sounds like. You know, just constantly being used. Great. Your favourite pump up song is?
NICK TIMMINGS: I don't know if I have a particular one, but I definitely like house music to get me going. Just the high tempo of it really gets me going. I'd say something from Swedish House Mafia probably up there.
BEN WATERWORTH: Oh, nice. You like their new ones that they've got? It sounds a little bit different to some of their stuff, but it's not too bad.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, I do like it actually. Yeah, I've been listening to it. Yeah, it's definitely different, but yeah, I'm enjoying it. I'm glad they're back together.
BEN WATERWORTH: Is it a case of pre-run, like you're about to go down the track, do you have the air pods in, do you have yourself kind of in your zone listening to it, or is that kind of something that's done a little bit more sort of earlier in the day potentially to pump you up?
NICK TIMMINGS: I'd say definitely when I'm at the track, but maybe like 15 to 20 minutes before the run, I'll take them out and start focusing. And yeah, just like you'll obviously have to watch out for the start list, so you don't miss your run. So you'll take note of that. Yeah, so I'd say about 15 to 20 minutes before the run, I take them out. But yeah, before that, like while I'm warming up, I'll have them in.
BEN WATERWORTH: Perfect. What is the most recent TV show that you binge watched?
NICK TIMMINGS: So I'm watching Ozark at the moment, the new season.
BEN WATERWORTH: Okay. And what do you think of it?
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, I'm enjoying it. Yeah. And while I was in Whistler this season, because I knew the new season was coming out, I watched all three seasons in one week. So definitely Ozark is the one I've been to watch.
BEN WATERWORTH: Go through it. I love it. Good work. Growing up, who was your favourite sports team?
NICK TIMMINGS: So I was always a soccer player. So I did like soccer teams, but my dad was actually born in Melbourne, and he is a big AFL fan. So we grew up barracking for the Saints. So I'd say, even though I liked soccer and played soccer more, I'd say we probably barracked for the Saints like the most, yeah.
BEN WATERWORTH: Well, I was going to actually ask you if there was AFL in the blood, if you're an Eagles or a Dockers fan, but in a bugger, both of them, you go for the Saints, all right. Yeah, does that mean then with the soccer side of things, though, that you're a big Glory fan kind of on that page?
NICK TIMMINGS: Like, yeah, we do enjoy going to watch Glory games, but I think I'm more interested in the Premier League.
BEN WATERWORTH: Okay, who's your team? Who's your team then, Nick, in the Premier League?
NICK TIMMINGS: So I've supported Liverpool ever since Harry Kuehl moved there. Ever since then, it's been Liverpool.
BEN WATERWORTH: You've had a good couple of years, you'd be pretty happy then. So, you know, you're doing all right. That's okay.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah. I don't like saying it now because people are like, oh, you're just supporting them because they're good.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah. Yeah. Well, that's the thing. Like, I'm a Manchester United guy. So as a kid, I was allowed to gladly say that and jumped on the bandwagon. But now, I mean, you know, at least I still say I'm still stuck by them, even though we haven't done well in a while. So, you know, swings around.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, that's true.
BEN WATERWORTH: You got to go through the heart. I mean, as a St Kilda supporter, I mean, I don't need to say that about, you know, you got to stick with them for a while. So, you know, yeah, definitely. Yeah, I'm a Carlton supporter. So I'm just like, I'm hopeful that you don't win a premiership soon, because if you, if St Kilda win a premiership, Carlton officially had the longest drought in the AFL for premiership. So that's not a good thing as a Carlton supporter. So just if St Kilda supporters out there hate Carlton, then even more incentive to win the premiership sometime soon. So, yeah, all these droughts have been broken. Well, true. Yeah, you know, bugger, bugger Collingwood. Your least favourite foods are?
NICK TIMMINGS: I'm very, I'm like not fussy with food at all, but my least favourite, I'd say yoghurt, actually. Like I do eat it for the benefits, but yeah, I don't enjoy eating yoghurt.
BEN WATERWORTH: Interesting. Is that like a texture thing or just not a fan of it in general? Because I know it's kind of one of those things where the texture can put people off.
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, I think texture and maybe smell sometimes and taste, yeah, just all combined, yeah. Like I do eat yoghurt because for the benefits, but yeah, I definitely say I don't enjoy eating yoghurt.
BEN WATERWORTH: There you go. If you weren't an athlete, what would you be?
NICK TIMMINGS: If I wasn't an athlete, what would I be? I'd say I would be working in some business firm somewhere, yeah, like I do. I think I have more of a math sprain, so I think yeah, something to do with numbers or something like that maybe.
BEN WATERWORTH: Okay, I like that. I love Jane's answer here. She says a dinosaur expert, something we all should strive to be.
NICK TIMMINGS: I should have said astronaut then.
BEN WATERWORTH: Hey, well, look, you could be an astronaut, dinosaur expert, accountant, all in one who wins Olympic golds and goes on the amazing race. So ticking off all the boxes. What is your favourite or where is your favourite vacation spot?
NICK TIMMINGS: I'd say it'd have to be Japan.
BEN WATERWORTH: Nice, nice, which obviously given the current restrictions, it's not like you can kind of sneak over there after the Olympics, sadly. Have you been there multiple times or just just the once or?
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, so since I was about 15, we have gone to Japan every single year before COVID hit.
BEN WATERWORTH: Nice. And obviously, I don't know if the track in Nagano or Sapporo still exists, but do they have any tracks on the World Cup stage at all that you can compete on?
NICK TIMMINGS: So, yeah, like you said, the Nagano tracks, I think they stopped doing the races on that track in probably about 2008, maybe. But it was open just for general sliding for the Japanese up until I think it was about three years ago. So we were actually fortunate enough to be able to slide on that track. But you have never actually done a proper race on that.
BEN WATERWORTH: Does that make is Beijing the closest track then to Australia now? Or, I mean, in terms of distance, or is Pyeongchang closer? Or is there another one that I'm not thinking of that's closest to Australia?
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, it has to be Beijing or Pyeongchang. I don't actually know which one would technically be closer. I think maybe Beijing. So Beijing might be the actual closest track to Australia now.
BEN WATERWORTH: There you go. Home track, Nick. Just extra pressure for you. It's the home track for you and Jackie because it's the closest to Australia.
NICK TIMMINGS: Just got to get through all the PCR tests and get it in the country.
BEN WATERWORTH: Exactly. There you go. Simple. What is something that people usually describe you as?
NICK TIMMINGS: I'd say definitely laid back.
BEN WATERWORTH: Laid back. Okay. That's a good one. I like it. If you could be an Olympian in any other sport other than your own, what would it be?
NICK TIMMINGS: With the additions in Toko, I reckon now definitely skateboarding.
BEN WATERWORTH: Ah, yes. Nice. That would work. I could see that. I'm actually intrigued. I believe in Milan, we've got our ski mountaineering making its debut. So I think this is something we can do.
NICK TIMMINGS: I heard some of the skiing events are coming back. Yeah.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah. Which looks pretty amazing. So, you know, we've obviously got breakdancing coming into Paris. So there's these kind of new unique sports that a lot of people don't really think of. So, yeah, skateboarding was pretty popular. So just, yeah, I like it. Kind of keeping those options open. What is your guilty pleasure? Now, this isn't a guilty... Usually it's guilty pleasure food. It's just guilty pleasure in general. Do you have one at all?
NICK TIMMINGS: Oh, I'd say mine would be food. Yeah, I love food. It's got to be pizza.
BEN WATERWORTH: Now, two part question, first of all, pineapple, yes or no on pizza?
NICK TIMMINGS: Like I said before, I'm not fussy with food at all, so I'll eat pineapple.
BEN WATERWORTH: Anything on it? And well, my next part was like, do you have a favourite pizza, or is it just a case of just, I don't give a shit, just give me all the pizza?
NICK TIMMINGS: Before I left Perth for the season, I was actually going around to like the different restaurants and like trying their margaritas to see which one was the best. I did eat a lot of margaritas before I left, but I'm definitely a toppings guy, so I do enjoy toppings. Like salami, mushroom, yeah, those kind of things.
BEN WATERWORTH: Have you been to many of those ones where it's kind of like, I like to call them the subway of pizza, where you basically just get the blank canvas and you can make whatever the hell you want. Those are my favourite places. I mean, do you enjoy those ones where you can be a bit of experimental and kind of just have whatever you want on it? With those toppings?
NICK TIMMINGS: So we actually don't have too many of them back in Perth, but there is one of them in Park City, which is one of our stops and which is one of the stops I visited this year. So yeah, I was making my own pizzas. Yeah, I do enjoy that as well.
BEN WATERWORTH: They're fun. They're really good. I feel I need to take off in more places. So there you go. The last bit on here, which again, it's the drawing bit, Nick, if you want to, if you're an animal, you can draw one here. I mean, Jane's drawn a sloth because she's written, they're my favourite. It's an okay drawing of a sloth. So if you were to draw an animal, what would you draw? What would you think yourself as?
NICK TIMMINGS: Probably a penguin, actually.
BEN WATERWORTH: Nice. Any particular reason? Just a fan of the penguins or relate to a penguin?
NICK TIMMINGS: Well, they're kind of chilled out. They like to stand around all day, like very chilled. And obviously they slide on their bellies.
BEN WATERWORTH: That's perfect, see? I mean, look, sled, bend the penguin. That's the sled. That's right there. You can put penguin stickers on it next to the Australian sort of insignia there. You know, you can decorate or put it on the helmet, all that kind of stuff. You can be the penguin skeleton racer. I can see this really taken off. Put it out there. Fantastic. Nick, before we let you go, for people who want to follow you during the Olympics, the journey, anything along those lines, social media, websites, anything like that, where can people sort of stay up to date with what you're up to?
NICK TIMMINGS: Yeah, I usually use Instagram the most. So it's n.timmings on Instagram. Yeah, I think I'm active there at the most. Yeah, and I'll try to be as active as I can during the Olympics.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, perfect. We'll be keeping an eye on that. Of course, we're going to be really excited to cheer you on, watch the Olympics, everything along those lines to see you out there. 10th of February is when you're going out there on runs one and two, and then the 11th of February. So into basically the second week. So we'll be counting down. Then here on Off The Podium, we'll be talking you up, we'll be making sure we're following it every step of the way and really cheering you on, Nick. But best of luck. We're looking forward to seeing you go out there 17th or better. We know it's possible and keep on pushing through there. And yeah, best of luck and we really appreciate your time here on Off The Podium today.
NICK TIMMINGS: Awesome. Thank you so much. I hope everyone can watch all the Australians during the Winter Olympics and get behind us all. So yeah, thank you.
BEN WATERWORTH: And a massive, massive thanks there to Nick for his time. And as always, if you want to see the video version of this chat, hit us up on our YouTube channel, you can watch the video version there. And a lot of great things, learning their penguins, definitely something there. Potentially is Sled, Ben the Penguin, I'll take that on board there. Love of Game Boys. And everything else in between there. Fun chat, really, from Nick, and we are really looking forward to seeing him hit that track and aim for that 17th or better. It can happen. It's going to be, I don't say a drought broken, but more of an excitement there that Nick can achieve something. And obviously, we've got Jacqueline going very well, as I said, World Cup winner recently. So high chances for our skeleton team in Beijing for a career-best finish in the history of the sport. Emma Lincoln-Smith, 10th in Vancouver, the best ever finished by a skeleton athlete for Australia. So we'll see how that comes along there. But Nick, thank you very much for your time. It was a pleasure to chat. We have so many more happening for you in the lead-up, as I said, days away right now. Stay tuned to our social media. Stay tuned to everything else and episodes. Dropping left, right, and centre, our big Beijing preview, of course, coming your way very, very shortly, our special athletes to watch episode. We will feature clips from every athlete that has been on the show in the lead-up to Beijing. You can hear some little memories of them as well. And also, big interview, our last interview that we will be airing ahead, and this is the time I'm going to announce this, because this will be dropping tomorrow. The one, the only, Apollo Ono, the greatest ever US Winter Olympian in terms of medals won, one of the greatest short track speed skaters of all time. Many people, of course, if you remember Stephen Bradbury winning gold, will remember that Apollo Ono was the guy who finished second, was meant to win that race. The guy favoured to win eight Olympic medals in total, just an all time great of the sport of short track speed skating, but a great chant we have got for you with the legend that is Apollo Ono as our last interview that we will air ahead of the Olympics as we get very busy. We've been very busy, daily episodes, multiple episodes in a day, and continuing that all the way through. So stay tuned. And of course, if you like what we're putting out there, we know you do, you're listening. Remember to vote for us. You hear it at the beginning of this episode. You hear it at the end. sportspodcastawards.com. Sign up. Click on the best Olympics and Paralympics podcast section. Vote for us. We're up for the award. We're very honoured, and we'd appreciate a vote. Help us out there. And we very much would appreciate that all along the way. So Saddle the Little Plugs, of course, goes there. Other little plugs, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, subscribe to us and all good podcast platforms, YouTube as well, as I said. You'll never miss a beat here on Off The Podium. It's such an exciting time to be an Olympic fan. Days, days, people, the Olympics are here. The Olympics are here. Get excited. We are very excited. And you are very excited as well. Big thanks to Nick again for joining us. As always, a shout out goes towards Jason Momoa. And until we next week again, my name is Ben. This is Off The Podium. And as always, go left.
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