2010 Winter Olympics thread...

[RICHARD]

Richard, are you checking out that blog I sent you? Did you see the bit about the Olympic Torch and the surfboard?


Surfer Raph Bruhwiler, right, lights his Olympic Torch from Ruth Sadler while surfing with the flame along the shores of Pacific Rim National Park outside Tofino, British Columbia, on Sunday.

I have been a little distracted for the last few days, I saw it was lit and made it to Canukia!

Next week I'll start in ernest.

[RICHARD]

I had to smile about the Iraqi skeleton athlete-

Wow, I hope he makes it to the Games.

[RICHARD]

The last two weeks have been great. Speed and short track skating, bobsled and skeleton comps.

A little hawkey tossed in for color?

I can hardly wait for the other 'fringe' sports that do not get the exposure in between the Games.

[fsderek09]

I'm so excited that the Winter Olympics are almost here! I can't believe it's been 4 years since Turin. Thanks so much for the other posts guys, I had no idea of the diversity of transportation methods they were using for the torch's route to Vancouver! For winter sports fanatics like myself (and those who like to watch them in the comfort of a ski lodge), Hilton is sponsoring a contest in which three friends will be chosen as the official guests of Team USA from Hilton and get to hang with the team. The info is available at http://hiltonhhonors.com/officialguest - I'm helping them to spread the word, so let me know if you have any questions!

[Grace]

This does not sound good -

Snowboarder Kevin Pearce

[Puckstop31]

Of course... My main focus is on the hockey tourney...


Canada had a FANTASTIC team. 100% super duper firepower from front to back. Maybe too good. Maybe too good to come together as a team?

My picks... Russia wins gold vs. Canada in OT. USA wins Bronze vs. Slovakia. Slovakia is a surprise 3-1 in the prelims...

[Grace]

Update on Kevin Pearce, from the NY Times -

January 2, 2010, 7:39 pm
Snowboarder Pearce Has ‘Long Recovery Ahead of Him’
By JOHN BRANCH

The snowboarder Kevin Pearce remained in intensive care, in critical but stable condition, at a Salt Lake City hospital two days after sustaining a severe head injury while training in the halfpipe at Utah’s Park City Mountain Resort.

Dr. Holly Ledyard of the University of Utah hospital said in a statement that Pearce had a “severe traumatic brain injury.” She added: “He is intubated and being kept sedated. The focus over the next week will be watching for any swelling in his brain and keeping his brain pressure normal. Kevin has a long recovery ahead of him.”

Pearce, a 22-year-old from Norwich, Vt., was a favorite to make the ultra-competitive United States Olympic team. On Thursday, while practicing a difficult trick (a cab double cork, a sort of twisting double back flip, that Pearce has landed before), he struck his forehead on the icy wall of the halfpipe. Despite wearing a helmet, he was knocked unconscious and evacuated by helicopter to Salt Lake City.

Pearce is one of the few riders to have beaten 2006 Olympic gold medalist Shaun White in head-to-head competition the past couple of years. His father, Simon Pearce, is a well-known glass maker and retailer.