2018 Winter Olympics

[fantasia]

I didn't get to watch figure skating last night as I had other things going on, but I did watch the German team's performance this morning. Fantastic! And I loved their reaction immediately afterwards.

Hoping to watch tonight, but I may be busy again. I want to make sure I catch Ice Dancing as it's my favorite winter olympic sport!

[daughter of the King]

I've watched more than I initially thought I might, when the NBC streams are cooperating that is. So far they've only showed a green screen, played events other than the one the video is labelled as, not allowed the viewer to rewind to an earlier part, and randomly inserted stuff from the start of the stream in at the end of the stream. But when they are working I have greatly enjoyed the figure skating and snowboarding. Chloe Kim's halfpipe victory run was amazing.

I think allowing vocal tracks instead of just instrumental has helped some of the skaters improve their musicality, but others still look like they're just doing the routine without really feeling the emotion of the song. Although that's true of some of the instrumental routines as well.

I'm actually really looking forward to the Paralympics in a few weeks. Sled hockey is probably one of my absolute favorite sports. And the snowmobile cross is almost as exciting as the snowboard cross.

[Grandmama]

I was planning not to stay up as late last night, but with the men's figure skating pushed later, it was a late night again. I've never seen it rain Winnie the Pooh bears before.
It was my first time watching Snowboard Cross--wow, is that wild! Not a sport for the timid.

[waggawerewolf27]

Figure skating is always lovely to see. It must take a lot of practice, trust and perseverance for partners to get to be so good, plus a good sense of balance. I've been ice-skating, but learners like myself have enough trouble balancing themselves on the ice without falling over and without speedsters trying to run learners down from how I perceived them to do . Does anyone know if there are Paralympics for the Winter Games? Surely not, in those temperatures and with such windy weather.

By the way, the Commonwealth Games will be starting on 4th April on the Gold Coast in Southern Queensland. The Queen's baton went through my hometown a couple of Sundays ago. So it sounds as if we will have wall-to-wall sports for a while yet.

[daughter of the King]

Does anyone know if there are Paralympics for the Winter Games?

There are fewer sports, but there are most certainly winter Paralympics: https://www.pyeongchang2018.com/en/paralympics/index

[stargazer]

I was one of those crazy people who stayed up late to watch the gold medal hockey game between the US and Canadian women. Pretty exciting!

Also exciting was the come-from-behind victory in the women's cross-country skiing event. Jessie Diggins (along with Kikkan Randall from Alaska) has been in the local news lately as she hails from the small town of Afton, just southeast of the Twin Cities.

[fantasia]

I saw the cross-country win. I'm not familiar with the skiier (other than she's on a lot of commercials), but one of the announcers for the race was just killing me. He was SOOO excited he about lost his voice.

Didn't see the hockey game, didn't even know it was on, though I did see the USA won today. Way to go ladies!

I was watching the skiing halfpipe last night, but those poor guys kept crashing on the side. Ouch....

[stargazer]

(other than she's on a lot of commercials)

That helps answer something we were a little curious about: were those commercials local (since she's from around here) or more widespread?

The announcers were fun to listen to. (I see they've released an updated version of that commercial including the actual finish of the race, with the announcer losing his voice).

The ladies' figure skating wrapped up last night with some impressive performances.

[lumosdeus]

I've seen a lot of news around the figure skating this year and may I say that the sport has become an absolute art to me

Also, have you guys seen the difference between winning bronze and silver? Apparently the Canadians were crying because they didn't get gold - they got silver. But the Finnish were cheering because they got bronze!

[aileth]

Also, have you guys seen the difference between winning bronze and silver? Apparently the Canadians were crying because they didn't get gold - they got silver. But the Finnish were cheering because they got bronze!

I guess the theory is that if you get silver, you wonder if just a little more effort would have got gold. Whereas with bronze, that question is less likely to arise, so you can be absolutely thrilled to have made the podium.

[fantasia]

Another Olympics come and gone, and now we have to wait until the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
I think my favorite moments were the mens snowboarding half-pipe, Ester Ledecka winning the Super G, and the women's winning gold in cross country (more specifically the announcer).
I have a stupid question. Did they remove ski jumping from the olympics? or did I just miss it?

[waggawerewolf27]

Another Olympics come and gone, and now we have to wait until the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.

We haven't quite finished with similar international sporting competitions this year. When the Winter Olympics finish, then the Commonwealth Games start, exactly a month from next Sunday. Canada is a usual participant, along with all four sections of UK, competing individually. New Zealand and Australia, of course, not to mention India, Pakistan, South Africa, Malaysia and many others, including Jamaica, Tonga, and neighbouring Papua Niugini.

I have a stupid question. Did they remove ski jumping from the olympics? or did I just miss it?

Probably not. I expect it just diversified. At the beginning of the Winter Olympics there were some heats of what looked like aerial skiing, with at least one somersault incorporated. Because of the weather conditions in the Korean Peninsula there seems to have been a lot of accidents, but then skiing always looks dangerous to me.

[stargazer]

I happened upon some of the ski jumping coverage; it was aired in the afternoons here in the central US. The final results can be found here.

[ValiantArcher]

Dot, Snowboard Cross was nerve-wracking to watch as it was, so Snowmobile Cross sounds terrifying! I'm assuming the Paralympics will be doing livestreams just like the Olympics (which also means not available to those who can't confirm cable... :/ )?

Ester Ledecka's win of the Super G was one of my favourite moments of the games. I have never seen the Czech Republic make the news in the Games, so that was great to see.

I enjoyed some of the figure skating work, but I felt like the judges made really weird/odd calls in scoring for the women and ice dance programs. I know it's somewhat subjective, but I thought Papadakis and Cizeron had far more artistry than Virtue and Moir, and the same for Medvedeva over Zagitova.

It was also sad to see a definite lack of graciousness and sportsmanship among some competitors.

[waggawerewolf27]

Oh for a replay of Torvill and Dean. They were sensational in their day.

I've been hearing news that Australia and New Zealand are thinking about putting forward a joint bid for a future Winter Olympics. It would have to be midway through the year, though, in what would be your summer.

[daughter of the King]

I'm assuming the Paralympics will be doing livestreams just like the Olympics (which also means not available to those who can't confirm cable... :/ )?

Probably? The Paralympic youtube channel usually has streams available, but NBC sometimes blocks viewing it in the US until NBC is done covering it.