Beth's Top 5 Olympic Moments!

In no particular order, here are my top 5 Vancouver 2010 moments!

1. Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir winning gold, and then seeing the rings change to gold!


2. Being in Whistler and being able to take this amazing picture:


3. The Peak to Peak Gondola between Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains.


4. Sitting in Pacific Coliseum before the Figure Skating Gala and getting really emotional because I know the Olympics are coming to an end and it's been an amazing trip!


5. Team Canada Men's Hockey winning Gold and seeing how happy Scott is!!!

AMAZING TRIP!!!!!!!!!!!!! We're considering Sochi 2014 :)

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Day 13: Snowboarding

So we finally have one day without an event, and what do we do? Snowboard Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains of course!

Beth's Snowboarding Pics:



Scott's Snowboarding Pics:


After coming off the hill, we were able to get to Amsterdam's Pub in time to watch Canada crush Russia 7-3!!

Beth's Post-Snowboarding Pics:

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Day 10: Russia v. Czech Repubic

Started in Row 7...moved to Row 1....Pam got a puck...

Scott's Pics:


Pam's Pics:

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Day 10: Super Sunday!

Woohoo! Super Sunday is here!!

If you need me, I'll be 7 rows behind the benches for the Russia-Czech Republic game...or after that...10 rows behind the net for the Canada-USA game.

Jen and Beth also arrive in town today....they're on the train right now...so all around, its a pretty good day!

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Figure Skating - Men's Long Program

Long Program, here we go, BRING IT ON!!

Chipeur (Canada) - 57.22 - 24th after the short program
-I hope he has a good skate, just for himself
-triple axal, he singled... boo
-triple flip, double toe was great
-triple lutz
-triple loop
-triple axel, he singled again. He's known for his triple axel, but he didn't land ONE at the Olympics
-triple sow was perfect
-double axel
-triple lutz, double toe, doubt toe
-not what he had hoped for at the Olympics, too bad. He's much better than this.
TOTAL SCORE - 170.92

Chipeur

Kozuka (Japan) - 79.59 - 8th after the short program
-quad toe - I think was two footed
-triple axel, triple toe
-triple lutz, double toe
-triple sow, double toe, double loop
-triple axel he fell (and hard! ow!)
-triple flip
-triple loop
-triple lutz
-too bad he didn't land that triple axel, he would have really had a shot at a bronze medal!
TOTAL SCORE - 231.19


Ten (Kazakhstan) - 76.24 - 10th after the short program
-triple axel he stepped out of the landing
-triple axel, triple toe
-triple lutz
-triple flip he lost the edge of his blade on the landing, but held on
-triple loop
-triple lutz, double toe, double loop
-triple sow
-double axel
-double axel
TOTAL SCORE - 211.25


Van Den Perren (Belgium) - 72.90 - 12th after the short program
-triple axel
-triple axel, double toe (I think he touched the ice on the axel landing)
-triple flip, triple toe (he touched the ice on the landing of the flip)
-triple lutz - he doubled
-singled a triple sow
-triple sow, triple toe
-triple sow
-double axel
TOTAL SCORE - 189.84


Amodio (France) - 75.35 - 11th after the short program
-double axel
-triple axel - he stepped out of the landing
-triple loop
-triple axel, double toe
-triple sow, double toe
-triple lutz (it was supposed to be a combo, he missed it)
-triple flip
-doubled a triple lutz
TOTAL SCORE -  210.30


Chan (Canada) - 81.12 - 7th after the short program
-Ok, Patrick, have the skate of your life and prove me wrong! (PLEASE!)
-triple axel, double toe was perfect!
-triple flip, triple toe was great
-triple lutz, he stepped out of the landing
-triple axel he fell
-triple lutz, double toe, double loop
-triple loop
-triple sow
-double axel
-too bad, other than the fall, it was a good skate. He won't get a medal because of that fall. HAHA, Elizabeth Manley just said "my heart is just... empty right now". WOW, that's kind of... pathetic.
TOTAL SCORE - 241.42

 Chan

Brezina (Czech  Republic) - 78.80 - 9th after the short program
-triple axel
-triple flip
-triple sow
-triple axel, double toe
-triple flip, double toe
-double axel
-triple lutz, he fell
-single axel, double toe, double loop
TOTAL SCORE - 216.73


Lysacek (USA) - 90.30 - 2nd after the short program
-triple lutz, triple toe
-triple axel
-triple sow
-triple axel, double toe
-triple loop
-triple flip, double toe, double loop
-triple lutz
-double axel
-WHAT A SKATE!!! Good for him!!! I'd love to see him beat Plushenko!!
TOTAL SCORE - 257.67


Oda (Japan) - 8.85 - 4th after the short program
-triple lutz
-triple axel, triple toe
-triple sow
-triple axel
-triple lutz, double toe, double loop
-triple flip, double toe
-triple loop, he fell, and his skate lace broke. He had 3 minutes to fix it and get back out there. Then he automatically gets a 2 point deduction for needing a pause.
-double axel
TOTAL SCORE - 238.54


Lambiel (Switzerland) - 84.63 - 5th after the short program
-quad toe - he touched down on the landing
-triple lutz, pulled it off
-quad toe, triple toe
-triple flip, triple toe
-double axel
-triple loop, BARELY landed it
-triple flip, double toe, double toe
-triple sow
TOTAL SCORE - 246.72


Takahashi (Japan) - 90.25 - 3rd after the short program
-quad toe and he fell
-triple axel, double toe
-triple loop
-triple flip, triple toe
-triple sow
-triple axel
-triple lutz
-triple lutz, double toe
TOTAL SCORE - 247.23


Weir (USA) - 82.10 - 6th after the short program
-triple toe
-triple axel
-triple sow
-triple axel, double toe
-triple loop
-triple lutz, double (triple?) toe, I missed it a bit
-triple lutz, double toe, double toe
-double axel
-GREAT SKATE! Too bad I detest him and have my fingers crossed that he will end up 3rd or worse! (did I just say that?!)
TOTAL SCORE -238.87


Plushenko (Russia) - 90.85 - 1st after the short program
-quad toe, triple toe
-triple axel
-triple axel, double toe
-triple loop
-triple lutz
-triple lutz, double toe
-triple sow
-double axel
Okay performance, but honestly, I think Lysacek has it, he had a much more difficult and artistic program than Plushenko. We shall see!
TOTAL SCORE - 256.36


LYSACEK WINS! GREAT JOB! GOOD FOR HIM!!

Lysacek

3. Takahashi from Japan

2. Plushenko from Russia

1.  Lysacek from USA

5. Chan

22. Chipeur

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Figure Skating - Men's Short Program

Similar to the pairs, I'm only going to review the last 2 flights, and Vaughn Chipeur as well as Evgeni Plushenko.


Chipeur (Canada)
-GO CANADA!!!
-triple axel, he stepped out of the landing
-triple flip, double toe (supposed to be triple - triple)
-triple lutz was amazing
-stumble in the footwork, too bad... pull it together Vaughn!
SCORE - 57.22

Chipeur

Plushenko (Russia)
-He's back after retirement... let's see how he does
-quad toe, triple toe, perfect!
-triple axel was amazing
-triple lutz was perfect
A-MAZING, like we all knew it would be!
SCORE - 90.85 - New Olympic Record!!!

Plushenko

Joubert (France)
-he stepped out of his quad, he wasn't able to do his combination
-great triple axel
-terrible triple lutz, he slid out of the take off
-you can see how much the pressure has really gotten to him, he's lost the smile, that's for sure
SCORE - 68.00


Kozuka (Japan)
-triple lutz, triple toe was amazing
-triple axel was two footed
-triple toe was great
-good skate for him!
SCORE - 79.59


Contesti (Italy)
-triple lutz, triple toe was great
-triple axel he totally fought the landing, but got it!
-fell on a triple flip
SCORE - 70.60


Chan (Canada)
-YEAY PATRICK! MAKE US PROUD!!
-triple axel was okay, he stepped out a little
-triple flip, triple toe was perfect!
-triple flip was perfect
-great footwork, but he almost tripped!
Well, we will have to wait and see, it wasn't awesome.
SCORE - 81.12

 Chan

Weir (USA)
-oh great, this guy, the flamboyant guy who puts men's skating back 20 years.
-triple lutz triple toe was okay, he was leaning a bit.
-triple axel was great
-triple flip was two footed
-decent skate
SCORE - 82.10


Van Der Perren (Belgium)
-triple axel was great
-triple slip, triple toe was perfect
-great triple loop!
-it looks like he's tired half way through the program
-good performance as far as the jumps go!
SCORE - 72.90


Verner (Czech Republic)
-quad toe which he turned into a double, he's pretty much out of it now
-fell on a triple axel
-triple lutz, triple toe was great
-too bad for him, he's usually much better, not a great time to have a bad skate!
SCORE - 65.32


Lysacek (USA)
-he's so tall!!! 6'2! wow!
-triple axel was perfect!
-triple lutz, triple toe was fantastic
-triple flip was perfect
-what a fantastic skate for him!!! and he's so happy with his skate, I love that!
SCORE - 90.30


Abbott (USA)
-triple flip, triple toe was huge!!
-triple axel, he singled!!!! wow...
-triple lutz, he doubled... that's insane, he's the US champion, this is so not like him! This is so sad. When he was done skating, he mouthed "I'm sorry" to the audience. That's heartbreaking.
SCORE - 69.40


Brezina (Czech Republic)
-triple axel was great
-triple lutz was great
-triple flip, triple toe was fantastic too!
-what a great skate!
SCORE - 78.80


I love David Pelletier as a commentator, he's hilarious :)

1	PLUSHENKO Evgeni
2	LYSACEK Evan
3	TAKAHASHI Daisuke
4	ODA Nobunari
5	LAMBIEL Stephane
6	WEIR Johnny
7	CHAN Patrick
8	KOZUKA Takahiko
9	BREZINA Michal
10	TEN Denis
11	AMODIO Florent
12	VAN DER PERREN Kevin
13	BORODULIN Artem
14	CONTESTI Samuel
15	ABBOTT Jeremy
16	FERNANDEZ Javier
17	LINDEMANN Stefan
18	JOUBERT Brian
19	VERNER Tomáš
20	BACCHINI Paolo
21	KOVALEVSKI Anton
22	SCHULTHEISS Adrian
23	PFEIFER Viktor
24	CHIPEUR Vaughn
25	RI Song Chol
26	RAKIMGALIEV Abzal
27	URBAS Gregor
28	DOMANSKI Przemyslaw
29	KELEMEN Zoltan
30	NURMENKARI Ari-Pekka

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Figure Skating - Pairs Long Program

I've decided to only blog about the top 8 pairs as the others won't have a chance to get on the podium, and the 2 Canadian teams are in the top 8 anyways.

First, I have to say the French team of James and Bonheur really impressed me!!! They had a tremendous long program, they will be a threat in the future for sure!

Volosozhar and Morozov from the Ukraine are skating to Pearl Harbor which is what I skated to for my final program before I stopped skating... yeah yeah, I'm tearing up. They had a good skate, a couple of errors, but still very good.

Langlois / Hay (Canada) 64.20 -7th after the Short Program
-I'm so nervous... GO CANADA GO!!!
-perfect double twist
-side by side triple sows - she fell
-throw triple sow - perfect!
-side by side triple toe - double toes , both were great, they fought for the landings
-throw triple flip, she landed on two feet
TOTAL SCORE - 179.97
Well that's a shame, they won't get a medal. The worst they can do is 9th.

Langlois & Hay

Zhang / Zhang (China) 71.28 -5th after the Short Program
-side by side double axle triple toe combo, he fell
-side by side triple sows, perfect unison
-triple twist - huge!
-throw triple loop looked so easy!
-throw triple sow was perfect as well
TOTAL SCORE - 194.34
What a great skate! Good for them!


Mukhortova / Trankov (Russia) 63.44 - 8th after the Short Program
-huge triple twist
-side by side triple sow, she fell
-another side by side was very off in unison
-great throw triple loop
-throw triple sow was great too
TOTAL SCORE - 185.79
They are skating to Love Story, which is what Jamie Sale and David Pelletier won gold with in Salt Lake City. It's funny because they are commentating, so they keep saying how it brings back all the memories.

Dube / Davison (Canada) 65.36 - 6th after the Short Program
-the nerves are back... A LOT. C'mon Jess and Bryce!!!! You can do it!!!
-triple twist was perfect
-side by side double axle, double axle was perfect
-side by side triple sows she fell... damnit!
-throw triple flip, she two footed the landing
-throw triple loop - landed!!!!!
TOTAL SCORE - 187.11
That's really too bad... they are totally capable or skating better than that.
The worst they can do is 6th.

Dube & Davison

Kavaguti / Smirnov (Russia) 74.16 - 3rd after the Short Program
-throw quad sow - she tripled it and put her hand sown on the landing
-side by side triples were perfect
-great triple twist
-side by side double axles, he stepped out of the landing and then they weren't able to do the 2nd double axle
-she fell on a throw triple
TOTAL SCORE - 194.77
Too bad, they started out strong, it kind of fell apart at the mid-point.

Savchenko / Szolkowy (Germany ) 75.96 - 2nd after the Short Program
-side by side triple toe, triple toe - she doubled the 2nd triple toe
-throw triple flip was beautiful
-they both had problems with the side by side double axles
-unison problems in the side by side spins... similarly to Kavaguti and Smirnov, they are breaking down now
-triple twist was great
-beautiful throw triple jump
TOTAL SCORE - 210.60


Pang / Tong (China) 71.50 - 4th after the Short Program
-side by side double axle, double axle combo were great
-side by side triples were perfect
-HUGE triple twist
-HUGE triple throw!!!
-throw triple loop was perfect too! Good for them!
TOTAL SCORE - 213.31
A podium performance for sure!!! What a great skate!!

Shen / Zhao (China) 76.66 - 1st after the Short Program
-side by side triple toes were perfect
-side by side double axle - double axles, also perfect
-she fell out of a lift! oh my god! That never happens with them!! eeks!!
-huge triple twist
-throw triple loop was amazing
-throw triple sow was perfect as well
TOTAL SCORE - 216.57
I think that even with that lift problem, they've won gold. I'm fairly sure of it. Let's wait and see!

 Shen & Zhao

3. Savchenko / Szolkowy from Germany

2.Pang / Tong from China

1. Shen / Zhao from China

6. Dube / Davison
9. Langlois / Hay

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Figure Skating - Pairs Short Program

I'm watching the Pairs short program, and it's a fantastic competition! Let's break it down now.

Shen / Zhao (China)
-they've been retired for 2 years and are back for the games, personally, I don't think that's fair.
-side by side triple toes were perfect
-great triple twist
-great skate!
SCORE - 76.77 (HUGE, that's a new Olympic Record and World Record)

Shen & Zhao:
Sergejeva / Glebov (Estonia)
-messy skate
-a couple of falls
SCORE - 42.18

Sulej / Chruscinski (Poland)
-lots of falls
SCORE - 39.30

Denney / Barrett (USA)
-weak side by side jumps, she doubled
-okay skate overall
SCORE - 53.26

Hausch / Wende (Germany)
-messy skate
-she touched the ice on the landing of a throw
SCORE - 45.46

James / Bonheur (France)
-both doubled side by side jumps
-they had a huge throw jump
SCORE - 51.16

Bazarova / Larionov (Russia)
-unison problems on side by side jumps
-they had a great throw triple loop
SCORE - 56.54

Evora / Ladwig (USA)
-squeeked out side by side triple toes
-had a great skate!
SCORE - 57.86

Langlois / Hay (Canada)
-their side by side triple toes were perfect
-fantastic double twist
-huge throw triple toe
-YEAY!!! Fantastic skate!!
SCORE - 64.20 (personal best)

Langlois & Hay:

Kostenko / Talan (Ukraine)
-messy double axles
-terrible death spiral
SCORE - 39.54

Della Monica / Kocon (Italy)
-fantastic side by side triple sows
-she stepped out of the landing on a throw jump
SCORE - 56.82

Kemp / King (Great Britian)
-sloppy side by side jumps
-they skated to a piano version of Numb by Linkin Park... it was odd.
SCORE - 48.28

Morand / Dorsaz (Switzerland)
-side by side double axles
-great throw jump
-they skated to Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, again, odd.
SCORE - 55.34

Mukhortova / Trankov (Russia)
-huge triple twist
-he fell on their side by side triple jump, she touched the ice on the landing
-great throw
-it's too bad about the fall, other than that, this was a great skate. He's really upset about it. That's too bad.
SCORE - 63.44

Volosozhar / Morozov (Ukraine)
-first off... what are they wearing? They look like super hero Smurfs!!
-he fell on the side by side triple toes
-great triple twist
-HUGEST triple throw I've seen in a long time!!
SCORE - 62.14

Volosozhar & Morozov:

Kavguti / Smirnov (Russia)
-3 time Russian champions
-side by side triple toes were perfect
-great triple twist
-triple throw jump was perfect as well
-fantastic skate
SCORE - 74.16

Dube / Davison (Canada)
-perfect triple twist
-she fell on the side by side triple sow
-perfect triple throw
-it's such a a shame about the fall on the side by side jump, other than that, it was a perfect performance!
SCORE - 65.36

Dube & Davison:
Pang / Tong (China)
-4th place in Turino
-side by side triple toes were great
-HUGE triple twist
-throw triple loop was gigantic
-they had a great skate!
SCORE - 71.50

Zhang / Zhang (China)
-huge triple twist
-throw triple loop was great
-perfect side by side triple sows
-there was a problem with the side by side spin, he dropped his leg in a Y spin
SCORE - 71.28

Savchenko / Szolkowy (Germany)
-Current world champions
-throw triple flip was great
-side by side triples were perfect
-triple twist was nice
-they skated VERY well
SCORE - 75.96

RESULTS AFTER THE SHORT PROGRAM
1. SHEN Xue/ZHAO Hongbo 76.66

2. SAVCHENKO Aliona/SZOLKOWY Robin 75.96

3. KAVAGUTI Yuko/SMIRNOV Alexander 74.16

4. PANG Qing/TONG Jian 71.50

5. ZHANG Dan/ZHANG Hao 71.28

6. DUBÉ Jessica/DAVISON Bryce 65.36

7. LANGLOIS Anabelle/HAY Cody 64.20

8. MUKHORTOVA Maria/TRANKOV Maxim 63.44

9. VOLOSOZHAR Tatiana/MOROZOV Stanislav 62.14

10. EVORA Amanda/LADWIG Mark 57.86

11. DELLA MONICA /NicoleKOCON Yannick 56.82

12. BAZAROVA Vera/LARIONOV Yuri 56.54

13. MORAND Anais/DORSAZ Antoine 55.34

14. DENNEY Caydee/BARRETT Jeremy 53.26

15. JAMES Vanessa/BONHEUR Yannick 51.16

16. KEMP Stacey/KING David 48.28

17. HAUSCH Maylin/WENDE Daniel 45.46

18. SERGEJEVA Maria/GLEBOV Ilja 42.18

19. KOSTENKO Ekaterina/TALAN Roman 39.54

20. SULEJ Joanna/CHRUSCINSKI Mateusz 39.30

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Men's Olympic Hockey Preview - Russia

On Christmas Day, Russia unveiled their Olympic Men's Hockey Roster. Widely expected to compete with Canada for Gold, the Russians are a study in firepower.

Russia

Olympic Appearances: 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 as Russia. First entered as USSR in 1956.

Best Finish: Gold (1956, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984, 1988, 1992)

Total Medals Won: 12

Pool: Czech Republic, Slovakia, Latvia

As the USSR, the Russians were nigh untouchable. Save for the 'Mircale On Ice' of 1980, the Russians managed to win gold for 8 of 9 Olympic Games. Thats pretty damn intimidating. Of course, those teams were made all the more menacing by the mystery surrouding the players themselves. Held behind the Iron Curtain, the USSR would roll out a team of superstarts otherwise basically unseen or unknown to the Western World. Names like Mikhailov, Kharlamov and Tretiak live on on hockey lore.

Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Russians have not faired quite as well internationally. The breakup of the Soviet Union split off the USSR Talent Pool. No longer would the Russians be joined by Ukrainians, Belarussians, Latvians etc. to form one superteam. The Russians would have to fend for themselves. Since the split, the Russians have only managed two medals in four Olympics: Silver in 1998 and Bronze in 2002. The Russians will look to the following players to win their first Gold as an independant entry:

Goaltenders

Ilya Bryzgalov (Phoenix)
Evgeni Nabokov (San Jose)
Semyon Varlamov (Washington)

Defence

Sergei Gonchar (Pittsburgh)
Denis Grebeshkov (Edmonton)
Dmitri Kalinin (Salavat Ufa)
Konstantin Korneyev (CSKA Moscow)
Andrei Markov (Montreal)
Ilya Nikulin (Ak Bars Kazan)
Fedor Tyutin (Columbus)
Anton Vonchenkov (Ottawa)

Forwards

Maxim Afinogenov (Atlanta)
Pavel Datsyuk (Detroit)
Sergei Fedorov (Metallurg Magnitogorsk)
Ilya Kovalchuk (Atlanta)
Viktor Kozlov (Salavat Ufa)
Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh)
Alexei Morozov (Ak Bars Kazan)
Alexander Ovechkin (Washington)
Alexander Radulov (Salavat Ufa)
Alexander Semin (Washington)
Danis Zaripov (Ak Bars Kazan)
Sergei Zinoviev (Salavat Ufa)

The first thing that jumps out at you about this roster is the sheer amount of skill the Russians have. They just have so many dangerous goal scorers that their third line is going to be better than most countries first line. Ovechkin, Malkin, Kovalchuk, Datsyuk and Semin are all elite snipers, probably all Top 10 in the world...and thats even before you get to 'secondary guys' like Alex Radulov.

The second thing that you'll notice, is the number of players that are coming from the KHL here. I guess as much as its not the USSR now, the 'Politburio' still holds sway. Politics must be played here, and enough players taken from the homefront to satisfy the sponsers. Some of the KHL players are ex-NHLers, and are clearly worthy of selection, but a few of these KHL D-Men are relative unknowns. Were they taken because of what team they play for, rather than on skill?

Which brings me to the third thing here. The Defence. If Russia has a weakness, its on D...where after Gonchar and Markov things get a little thin. If the Russians end up with anything less than a gold medal, it will be because the defence has failed them.

#4 - No Kovalev, No Frolov...victims of the politics I think...

Regardless, the Russians are clearly an elite team, and may even be the class of the tournament. Expect to see them in the medals for sure.

Linkback: Other Rosters

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