Sadly the mainland of North America is drowning in snow and Canada/Vancouver is having a heat wave with no snow

I love the Olympics both the summer and winter Games.
This winter games begin on NINE  on Sunday @ 6am  From Vancouver Live

The winter Olympics HIGHLIGHTS will be shown nightly at 9:30pm for several hours.

Daily live from 8am to 11am and some days to 1pm

Please check your local TV guide programming because it is not consistent.

I hope they do get some decent snow. I've heard it's been in very short supply but plenty of rain instead!!  

They are trucking in snow!

Olympic luger Nodar Kumaritashvili dies after horror crash in training
From correspondents in Canada From: NewsCore February 13, 2010 8:52am


GEORGIAN luge hopeful Nodar Kumaritashvili has been killed in a crash after flying off the Olympic track in Whistler, Canada during a training run, German International Olympic Committee official Thomas Bach confirmed.

"It is a tragedy for his family and the team," said Bach, the IOC vice president. "It casts a shadow over the opening ceremony."

Hundreds of millions of television viewers are expected to watch the opening ceremony starting at 6pm (1pm AEDT), capping off years of planning with some 2500 athletes from 82 nations competing in the February 12-28 games.

The 21-year-old Kumaritashvili suffered the crash during his second training run at one of the fastest points near the bottom of the track at the Whistler Sliding Centre on the final 270-degree turn.

He crashed into both sides of the wall before being hurled over the top of the banking. Witnesses said Kumaritashvili then hit a metal pole on the side after travelling at 148km/h on a track widely-regarded as the fastest in the sport

He was knocked unconscious and immediately placed on a stretcher with blood pouring from his face and airlifted to hospital.

The accident was the second this week for Kumaritashvili, the Toronto Sun reported. The medal hopeful walked away from the first incident shaken but not seriously injured, according to the paper.

The track was closed and training runs were canceled after news of Kumaritashvili’s death, according to CanWest News Service. Team coaches were meeting with FIL, the international luge federation.

One of the favorites in the competition, 2002 and 2006 gold medalist Armin Zoeggler of Italy, also crashed.

On Wednesday there were several crashes during women's luge training runs.

The $105-million sliding centre, on Blackcomb Mountain’s southeast side, has 16 turns and drops steeply for 152 meters (500 feet) — the world’s longest drop.

Romania's Violeta Stramaturaru crashed and was knocked unconscious for a few minutes and was taken to the hospital.

Earlier in the week, other competitors admitted the course was one of the most challenging.

US luger Tony Benshoof, who was fourth at the 2006 Olympics in Turin, said lugers were close to reaching a speed ceiling.

"We're really close. The tracks are getting faster and faster. It's getting pretty crazy. There's that word (dangerous), it's like that word 'fear'," said Benshoof.

"It's getting down to that. I mean, a 100mph is pretty quick. I don't know how much faster we can go."

With AFP

http://www.news.com.au/world/o.....frfkyi-1225829919633

It's the most dangerous luge in the world. I've never been snow luging, it sounds brilliantly fun but so scary after his accident.
I've been in the recreational luge things in New Zealand, they are really fun, and even they are scary. My sister fell off but me and Alice found that funny You'd have to be there

I loveeee snow sports!

this was very sad to happen. im glad he was remembered at such a beautiful opening ceremony.

This was so sad. I felt so sorry for everybody, last but not least also for the poor Canadians who have been working so hard and have been looking forward to this great event. The luge slope for men was ab initio considered to be very dangerous, though. Today the slope course was changed; it starts at the same hight as the one for women. For the poor Georgian guy that was unfortunately too late.


However I'm extremely proud that our Simon Ammann, since Salt Lake City aka the Swiss Harry Potter (ski-jumper) did it again: 138.5 m ! ! ! This is his 3. Olympic Gold Medal !

That's Simon in Salt Lake City 2002

I just heard on the radio that Switzerland had won the first Gold of the games!!! Are the Winter Games even bigger than the 'normal' Olympic Games in Switzerland?? He does look quite a character!  

What I saw of the Opening Ceremony was just amazing!!

Yes, at the Winter Games several rather small countries have their magic moment, apart from Switzerland e.g. Austria, Norway, the Netherlands but also some countries of the former eastern block like e.g. the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lituania, etc. Btw. ice hockey is for me one of the hottest sports for men. This year also women are participating, though.

What I especially liked about the Opening Ceremony was the participation of the audience with drums, lights, etc. and it was the very first indoôre opening of the games ever. I also heard that an Australien was the chief choreographer of the Opening Ceremony !  

Yes Tesla, David Atkins, a Dancer from way back when I was young was the chief Choreographer. Brilliant talent.  

I have been watching and the Swiss gold medal winner is a sweetheart. Harry Potter and his big coat

Quoted from SuziH

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I have been watching and the Swiss gold medal winner is a sweetheart. Harry Potter and his big coat

I saw him get his Gold Medal today. He looks very different now to that 'Harry Potter' look.

Yes, we all grow older.  


This is a promotion vid of David Atkins' work as an event choreographer:



Btw. has anyone of you kissed or been kissed today ?

Quoted from Tesla

Yes, we all grow older.  

in his case it might be a good thing  

I've gotta respond to this nonsense about "mainland" drowning in snow.  First point is that Vancouver, Whistler, Cypress Mtn and Richmond (the main venues) are all on the mainland. Last time I looked, the "mainland" is a big place and varies considerably.  Vancouver is on the west coast of Canada which is about 6000 kms across.  

Second point is that Whistler is the venue for all the lengthier skiing races and they had record snow falls in November.  So they're doing fine.  Third point is that Cypress Mtn is very close to Vancouver which is notorious for warm winters (by Canadian standards).  So they decided to hold only short slope races there.  The first day of skiing (moguls) was all held at Cypress, hence this so-called lack of snow is hitting the headlines.  When it stops snowing at Whistler and they can get the main races started, memories of this will recede.

Final point is - what's this nonsense about "normal" Olympic games in Switzerland?  There's only 1 Olympics which is split into summer and winter sports.  They are awarded to cities after submissions and are held very 4 years  ie last summer Olympics were in 2008, next will be 2012.  Current winter Olympics are 2010, next will be 2014.

Thanks for the unnecessary lesson there tgn.

Loved about 75% of the opening ceremony especially the aboriginal tribes of Canada. What's with KD Lang these days? She looked like she was channeling Elvis. IMHO!

she did didn't she. Loved her performance but.