Winter Olympics 2014: 10 reasons to be excited Tricks, tricks and more tricks There will be more tricks at Sochi than any other Winter Olympics thanks to the inclusion of spin and grab-heavy disciplines. Ski halfpipe, ski slopestyle and snowboard slopestyle, among others, are all making their Olympic debut. This inclusion represents the rise and rise of freestyle skiing and snowboarding, and brings an extra injection of awe to the Games. Both slopestyle disciplines require competitors to ride a 635m course, making best use of a series of features and jumps to perform technically difficult tricks that link together. Time to bone up on your triple corks, backside rodeos and stalefish. Read Graham Bell's guide to ski slopestyle Unprecedented coverage With a promised 650 hours of coverage from the BBC, Sochi will be one of the most televised Winter Games yet. BBC's Ski Sunday is traditionally the only home of wintersports on the box, with scant else on free to view channels. Over the course of the Games, ski and snowboard virgins will be introduced to the incredible speed and strength required by downhill racers, the creativity and bravery shown by freeriders, and the passion and commitment of those in the crowd who never stop ringing those bloomin' cowbells. Don't let Channel 4's rather pathetic The Jump put you off, the real thing is incredibly entertaining. The Winter Paralympics It's difficult not to draw comparisons with London 2012. Britain is more up for this Winter Olympics because of its positive experience hosting the Games 19 months ago. That summer, the Paralympics was one of the most unexpectedly successful aspects of the Games. Audiences were introduced to disciplines they didn't know existed, and athletes they never knew could exist. It helped raise awareness and understanding about living and competing with disabilities, while providing compelling viewing. The Winter Paralympics, held for a week from March 7, are similarly under the radar - and getting to know them should be just as enjoyable. British medals Team GB is expected to bring home at least three medals, its best Winter Olympics haul since winning a gold, silver and bronze in Germany in 1936. UK Sport's most optimistic target is seven, which would beat Britain's best ever tally of four medals, brought back from the Olympics at Chamonix in 1924. We only managed one medal at Vancouver in 2010 - Amy Williams' skeleton gold (above), our first solo gold at a Winter Olympics for 30 years. Keep an eye out for Lizzy Yarnold and Shelley Rudman in skeleton, freeskier James 'Woodsy' Woods in ski slopestyle, and the women's curling team. Protests. Or conspicuous absence of Billed as the most expensive Winter Olympics ever after the $11bn budget overran to a reported $51bn, the run up to the Games has been plagued by controversy - including allegations that one third of the budget was embezzled. Arguably business as usual in a country that, in the last year alone, has seen furore over the Arctic 30, Pussy Riot and gay rights. It's understood that security has been stepped up for the Games, but with the rest of the world watching, could the sporting events become a mere sideshow to a host of protests? Personalities London 2012 created a number of new household names - Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah, Jonnie Peacock, to name a few - all previously excelling in their sports but not yet fully exposed to the Great British public. Sure, many have slipped back into the shadows as the glow of 2012 dims, but some remain in the spotlight whenever they compete. Team GB's winter contingent is packed full of young, charismatic, interesting athletes who, until now, have competed away from the public eye. Come March it will be no surprise if the likes of James Woods (pictured below), Katie Summerhayes and Billy Morgan are household names too. Read Graham Bell's interview with James Woods Athletes spread too thin The two-time Olympic gold medallist and stalwart of the X-Games Sean White raised eyebrows when he announced he would be competing in both the snowboard halfpipe and the new discipline of snowboard slopestyle. Critics fear splitting his focus may cost White the gold in both events, while others say the veteran snowboarder (relatively, he's only 27) is good enough to compete in slopestyle on top of defending his title in the halfpipe. At the same time fellow US boarder, gold medallist Torah Bright, is competing in an unprecedented three snowboard disciplines: boardercross and slopestyle as well as defending her halfpipe crown. Questionable fashion Mob mentality is a dangerous psychological phenomenon - especially when it comes to fashion. Athletic occasions give teams the opportunity to show off sartorial strength in numbers by boldly sporting what no sane human would ever wear on their own, and wintersports are no different. Between Team GB's Heatpant carrot trousers and the hallucinogenic carnival suits of the Norwegian curling team, kit announcements have already done enough to whet our appetite. Now to await the endless lycra... Read more How to be an Olympian on the slopes Billy Morgan: The Olympic Interview Katie Summerhayes: The Olympic Interview Zoe Gillings: The Olympic Interview Martin Bell interview: I have no regrets on missing out on a medal