Winter Olymics in Sochi!

[louisa05]

Just a tiny bit heartbreaking.

Oh, the figure skating too. That was sad for the Italian skater.

That was some serious score manipulation in figure skating. Home cooking. Possibly the worst case ever of home cooking.

[miffy]

My sisters friend's big brother won a silver medal earlier in the week. :D

[crazyforkate]

OOOOOOO CAAAAAANADAAAAAAAAAA! I hope to God that we win the gold for men's hockey, or my Russian friends will never let me live it down! But congrats to the best women's team in the world. You rock!

[Coconut Flan]

That was some serious score manipulation in figure skating. Home cooking. Possibly the worst case ever of home cooking.

Why do you think that? I watched it and looked at the actual element scores and I didn't see anything that was out of the ordinary.

[louisa05]

Why do you think that? I watched it and looked at the actual element scores and I didn't see anything that was out of the ordinary.

Starting with the short program, Sotnikova's technical content was below Kostner and Kim. She did the easiest triple-triple combination jumps while both Kim and Kostner did the harder ones. Yet she had scores equal to theirs with no other greater technical content.

In both programs, her components scores jumped up radically compared what she got in every other competition this season. Components like choreography and skating skills do not change from one competition to the next. Obviously, they do the same programs all year, so choreo is exactly the same--why would a skater suddenly jump up 2-3 points in choreography scores with a program that did not change at all? Skating skills judges how a skater uses the blades/edges and moves on the ice. This is also, normally, a static score throughout a season as it has to do with basic technique that does not drastically improve without intense long term training. How did Sotnikova's change dramatically from Europeans in December to now?

In the free skate, there were two blatant issues in the technical scoring. On the protocol sheet, she was given a +2 grade of execution on the jump she stepped out of the landing. Stepping out is supposed to result in 0 or negative grade of execution. On her triple lutz (as she often does), she switched edges from the required back outside edge to the front inside just before taking off. This is a common error (usually called "flutzing" since the front inside edge jump is called a flip) and should result in an edge call from the technical caller which takes 10% off the base value of the jump (and often results in loss of grade of execution as well). It was not called in the free skate or when she did the same in the short program. She beat Kim by about four points. Those two things are worth about 3 all by themselves (assuming both net 0 grade of execution--if they had led to negative GOE as they should, it could be the whole four) before you even look at the components.

The South Korean federation has officially asked for an investigation. The Korean press also has interesting photos: a Russian official on the panel hugging Sotnikova after the competition ended.

[crazyforkate]

So, the skiier Kelsey Serwa (who won a silver a couple of days ago) is from my hometown and my family is acquainted with hers. My roommate, a Belarusian living in Moscow, went to Sochi on a business trip. He took a train to an event site, and guess who was sitting next to him? Small world.

[wtylcf]

So, the skiier Kelsey Serwa (who won a silver a couple of days ago) is from my hometown and my family is acquainted with hers. My roommate, a Belarusian living in Moscow, went to Sochi on a business trip. He took a train to an event site, and guess who was sitting next to him? Small world.

I was wondering if Serwa's run at Big White ski resort was named after a relative of hers, and of course it is! I so wish I could take a ski holiday there this year. It was so exciting to watch the Canadian women finish 1-2 in that event.

[crazyforkate]

I was wondering if Serwa's run at Big White ski resort was named after a relative of hers, and of course it is! I so wish I could take a ski holiday there this year. It was so exciting to watch the Canadian women finish 1-2 in that event.

Indeed it is - I've been skiing at Big White basically since I could walk. The Serwas are pretty famous around there, not surprisingly.

And with one last grab for the gold, GO CANADA! Teach those Swedes who's boss.

[crazyforkate]

And we are GOLDEN once again. That'll do, Team Canada. That'll do.

[wtylcf]

And we are GOLDEN once again. That'll do, Team Canada. That'll do.

I was right downtown in Vancouver for the last gold medal game. I'd just moved back in January. Mr. WTYLCF, his brother, and a handful of his friends got a spot for us in our favourite bar on Granville at about 9 am on Sunday morning. We started sipping beer - and doing shots of Fireball for each goal scored. (luckily it wasn't a crazy high-scoring game!) When the final goal was scored in OT, it was pandemonium in that bar - I am a quiet, reserved person, but even I jumped up onto a booth chair, screamed, hugged half the bar, and then did another shot of fireball. We streamed out onto Granville street where it was utter joyful chaos - packed with people as far as the eye could see, yelling, cheering, hugging, waving Canadian flags. We spent the next hour walking up and down Granville soaking in the atmosphere.

It was much quieter this time around - just the two of us in our Toronto apartment watching the game over breakfast. The win was great, but I've already had to find some videos on Youtube of the event four years ago, to remember how crazy and intense the atmosphere was. For me, it was this incredible opportunity to be part of an urban event that really was of our culture. It's still good, but that was something special.

[OkToBeTakei]

Great two weeks. Quite sad it is over :(

The Paralympics start now, will watch that too.

My absolute favourite thing was the ski half pipe. OMG! HOW amazing was that???