One of Canada’s most accomplished skeleton racers accuses his German rivals of illegally using magnets in their runners, giving them a shock-absorbing advantage over their competitors.
The Germans deny using magnets and say the Canadians are simply jealous that Germany has become a powerhouse in the sport in less than four years.
Jeff Pain, a 39-year-old two-time Olympian from Calgary, stunned a press conference Wednesday with his accusations that part of the reason for Germany’s dominance comes illegally and called on the FIBT (the international bobsled federation that oversees skeleton) to investigate.
“I don’t know 100 per cent how they use it. My belief is they’re creating a magnetic field that provides dampening (or) shock-absorbing,” said Pain, who is ranked 10th in the world.
read more http://olympics.thestar.com/2010/article/763800—fuzzbuster-at-9-58-am
Posted on Feb
17,
2010
Finding a way to win can tempt an athlete to test the boundaries of fair play, as the difference between fortune and failure is measured in fractions of a second.
Whether it’s a deliberate shot in the arm or an innocent cold pill, bending or breaking the rules of competition has been around as long as sport itself.
In some instances, like freestyle skiing or curling, where pure skill far outweighs lung power, cheating isn’t considered a big factor.
However in endurance sports like speed skating, cross-country skiing and biathlon, there’s a worrying history of skullduggery through drug use — a trend that has given rise to squads of medical experts collecting blood samples and statistical analysis of spikes in the oxygen content of red blood cells.
read more http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/story/2010/02/11/spo-olympics-cheating.html
Posted on Feb
17,
2010
Celebrate the 2010 Games at Sun Peaks February 12 to 28
Come celebrate the 2010 Games at Sun Peaks Resort with two weeks of fun, family oriented events. All events are complimentary, but registration is required. Most events include a medal ceremony and complimentary hot chocolate.
Along with our local 2010 themed events, catch all the action live from Vancouver and Whistler on televisions in our village restaurants, pubs, and cafés. Look for daily updates of Canada’s medal placing on the Medal Standings Board in the Village Square.
More information here – http://www.sunpeaksresort.com/2010/index.aspx
Posted on Feb
15,
2010
…good fences make good neighbours.
But don’t tell that to the thousands of locals and tourists who come daily to the north foot of Thurlow Street to take photos of the Olympic cauldron.
Some are able to push their way to the front of the throng so they can squeeze their camera lens through the chain link fence to get a souvenir shot of the Olympic flame. Others climb it, despite numerous police officers guarding the nearby Vancouver Convention Centre.
Read more http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/Sports/vancouver2010/2010/02/14/12881356.html
Posted on Feb
15,
2010
Wow. It turned into a surreal blue ice party at GE Ice Plaza on the evening of the day the public skating rink at Robson Square re-opened after almost a decade-long closure. The BC government and GE reached a sponsorship agreement to re-open in time for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games.
Robson Square in downtown Vancouver is one of a handful of celebration sites for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, with outdoor skating at GE Ice Plaza, live music, multi-media displays and live television broadcasts planned from the British Columbia International Media Centre.
The BC government put up the larger share of an $11 million upgrade to lower Robson Square.
from http://www.flickr.com/photos/susangittins/4130236348/
Posted on Feb
13,
2010
The father of the Georgian luger killed at the Vancouver Olympics said Monday his son worried the track was too dangerous, but insisted on competing because he had come to the games to try to win.
“He told me: I will either win or die,” David Kumaritashvili told The Associated Press. “But that was youthful bravado, he couldn’t be seriously talking about death.”
The 21 year old Nodar Kumaritashvili was traveling at a speed of 90mph when he crashed and got flung into a pole. Doctors tried to revive him but it was too late.
Despite the training-run death earlier in the day of a luger from the country of Georgia, the Olympics’ opening ceremonies unfolded in a mostly jubilant atmosphere, with an upbeat crowd filling BC Place Stadium.
The festive mood, including a snowboarder’s leap through giant Olympic rings, contrasted sharply with the grief that befell the games earlier in the day when luger Nodar Kumaritashvili died in a horrific crash on the sliding track at Whistler.
The ceremonies were dedicated to Kumaritashvili, and a moment of silence was observed in his memory. The seven remaining members of the Georgian team, who decided to stay and compete, wore black armbands as they marched behind a black-trimmed flag. Most of the crowd rose to give respectful applause.
read more http://www.mail.com/Article.aspx/sports/olympics/APNews/Olympics/20100213/U_OLY-Opening-Ceremony?pageid=1
Posted on Feb
13,
2010
