25 yr old Travis Ganong from California just beat out a Swed for top place in mens downhill alpine skiing!
Was fun and surprisingly exciting to watch the first few racers, the first 3 racers were ridiculously close.
Never really watched the winter olympics before, digging it.
K. Jansrud the Norwegian just beat Ganong! Funny how the best can always get better.....
M. Mayer just beat Jansrud by -.10! He made it look so effortless....that is to say not a lot of flash. Love the band playing "oleeeee ole ole oleeee" *sigh* I miss pep band..... He ends up with the Gold 26 years after his DAD placed in the top 3 also. He's the 7th Austrian since 1948 to take the Gold.
Ooooo J. Clarey the Frenchie spun out......bummer....first one.
3rd games for P.Fill the Italian....he was ahead of the clock for a good while but came up .5 sec too late for 5th place.
15th racer, B.Miller is a favorite for this event. The American was fastest and broke track record in practice....5 past medals over all....too aggressive at top....but still .27 ahead?! Got behind on Big Pan by +.02.....went a lil wild on the 2nd jump....+.50, ends with +.52, for 6th place. Mayer is very excited about that
It's not always great to go later, gets you amped up and ups the pressure to perform. Personally I just like to get it over with, around 3rd/4th to go is best.
D. Paris skiied his best on game day and that's what matters, as personal goals go. The Italian ended +.90 off the pace.
AT +.29 A.L. Svindal the Norwegian takes bronze place!
-.58 Cristof Innerhofer at the beginning!!!! -.44 next......-.21 at the 3rd.......1952 was last time an Italian won this event.......+.06 for silver!!! He's VERY happy about that.
Good work from G. Streitberger, started strong at -.09 ahead, but finished +1.63 for 15th. Least his teammate is still in 1st!
Marco Sullivan was 4th quickest on the track during practice but the American finished +3.87 for 23rd when it mattered.....
D. Defago, the last Gold winner starts as expected with a green light, -.24 then -.13.......ouch +.79 off the pace.....+.1.28 off the face...... the 37 year old ends his last olympic bout with +1.56.
12 yrs since Austria has taken the Gold.
Poor ? become the 2nd to be disqualified, quite a disappointment for the young Norwegian who finished 7th in the 3rd practice heat.
Figure Skating
2 Russian pairs did great after Yevgeny Plyushenko came out and blew the stadium away, arrogance and controversy aside, he earned a 91; solidifying the lead for the Russia team.
Poor Jeremy Abbott. I can TOTALLY relate to nerves. Shame they destroyed his score, after a huge fall at the beginning and missing a triple spin the ended up with a score in the 60s.
19 yr old Yuzura Hanyu is DEFINITELY the one to watch. The Japanese youngster beat Plushenko in the single skate with a score of 93.
Singles Free Program
Paul Bonifacio Parkinson from Italy, 23 next week, starts it off. Fell on first spin, a magnanimous quad spin, looked great but couldn't control the landing. Successful double spin trick, then fell again on a triple axle, real shame, again looked promising but no finish. Nice flying camel spin. Love the Queen orchestra
Galileo,
galileo.....Lots of pretty and successful spins 3 min in, not bad on tired legs. He had fun and I love his happy attitude. 121.23 very nice score for him!!!
American Jason Brown, 19 and from Chicago training in Colorado Springs is next!!!! Beautiful double axle to start triple axle and triple toe nailed it.......great line technique, gorgeous 2nd triple axle, some back spins.....o no, one major fall after picking up the speed for a triple 'sow co'?, .....incredible Irish inspired routine.....VERY entertaining! Ended with a beautiful grin.
GO AMERICA! Score = 153.67
Peter Pan look alike, 23 yr old Kevin Reynolds from Canada is very elegant and smooth starting out, quad, triple and 'sow co' jumps.....sloppy triple axle landing but no biggie, 2nd quad toe went really well toward the end.....very controlled performance with a regal ending! The Japanese fandom boi gets a score of 167.92!
It's 4 time Olympian, Russian hero/rock star, Plyushchenko's turn again. Quad toe loop for a strong start......triple 'lutz'? then triple axle, both clean, camel spin,.... the announcer says he's free-styling for the sake of competition, that's gotta be a nod to the 3 that went before him to know he switched it up to be more exciting and difficult, anything for the edge. 3 jump spins in a row!! Now the pick up.....triple lutz and triple toe loop...mistake on sow co for just a double. Double loop....still 1.10 to go....double axle.....great music, very epic......very Plyushchenko....score of 168.20.
23 y/o Tatsuki Machida to finish, with Stravensky Firebird outfit, very vibrant. Beautiful quad tow to start.....triple axle then double toe, announcers are puzzled at lack of combinations.....nice triple axle that's a little forward but lands....easy triple loop.....triple flip then a double.....sow co.....very nice finish, but I put him at fourth......165.85 thanks to his technicality.
That puts Machida ahead of Brown for 3rd.....maybe I'm biased but then Brown did have a fall.
Went to store and got back in time to see Gracie Gold's adorable/majestic/sensational Olympic debut. The American youngster got a score of 129.38.
PC's about to over heat and I have an interactive to finish so I had to close out the Olympic videos for the night