Russia in midst of building boom for 2014 Winter Olympics
Russia’s preparations are already underway for the 2014 Olympics. The country has already begun to build training facilities for every different aspect and event of the Olympics.
It is very exciting that they have already begun their preparations. It brings an assurance that everything will be in good hands in 2014. It seems that they are doing these early preparations for more than just a simple sense of preparation however.
In the most recent Olympics, Russia did not perform at a level that they would have like to. They simply were not able to bring home the success that a high profile country is expected to. With that, Russia was anxious to have these facilities present to prepare early for the next Olympics.
In the Olympics that just took place this year, Russia managed to collect just 15 total medals. That medal count is 22 less than the United States managed to win. Of those 15 medals, only three of the medals were gold medals. The leader in gold medals was Canada, with 14. It is very disturbing for Russia to see that Canada managed almost as many gold medals as Russia did total medals.
One of the specific weaknesses for Russia was the performance of their women. While their men won 10 medals in the Olympics, their women managed just 4 medals in the Olympics. Only one of those medals was a gold medal. Russia hopes to turn around this fate four years from now as they take the Olympics to their home country.
2010 Winter Olympics – Men’s & Women’s Speed Skating
The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics has been all about the United States in men’s speed skating.
While Apollo Anton Ohno has been the talk of the short track world, Shanni Davis and Chad Hedrick have also had impressive performances on the long track. Davis defended his 1500m gold from Torino with a spectacular run and his American teammate Hedrick went back to the medal stand with a bronze medal effort.
The relay prelims in both short and long track are set to be run and it is a pretty good chance that these same men will see the medal podium again. Another medal for Ohno and he sets the record for the most Winter medals ever by an American.
On the women’s side of the speed skating draw, the United States brings nine9 skaters to Vancouver. Rebekah Bradford has been the big U.S. women’s skater. The individual events will be run over the weekend with the pursuit and relay events to be run next week. Three US women ran in the 3000m earlier in the week and did not fair well. Martina Szablikova from the Czech Republic captured gold, Stephanie Bekert of Germany second, and Canada’s own Kristina Groves earning the bronze. The rest of the women’s events will run through the middle of next week.
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Winter Olympics – Speed Skating
Speed skating has kicked into high gear at the Vancouver Winter Olympics and so far the spotlight has been focused on US speed skating phenom, Apollo Anton Ohno.
A former gold medalist at 1500m, Ohno finished with the silver medal in this 1500 edition which tied him with Bonnie Blair for the most Winter Olympics medals by an American. Ohno has more events and should walk away as the most decorated American Winter Olympian.
He currently holds six total medals and the even greater thing is that Ohno is a native of Seattle and trained during his younger days in Vancouver.
Another skater that has been in the spotlight as far as speed skating goes is Canada’s own Jeremy Wortherspoon.
Wortherspoon has been hailed as one of the greatest speed skaters of all time on the World Cup circuit. During the 1998 Nagano Olympics he placed 2nd in the 500m but since then has been a disappointment in the Olympics. Wortherspoon came up short again in Vancouver as he had a 9th place finish. This is probably the last time the Canadian will be at the Olympic games.
Stayed tuned into NBC’s complete coverage of the Vancouver Winter Olympics as there is plenty of speed skating left as the relays and some individual events are still left to be run.
XXI Olympic Winter Games
Winter Olympics will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and promises to be a fascinating collection of winter games you won’t want to miss. Officially recognized as the XXI Olympic Winter Games, the dates of the 21st Winter Olympics will be held February 12 through 28, 2010. For these set of winter games, fans will be able to enjoy the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, which have been organized by the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC).
Starting with the Vancouver 2010 logo, which is called llanaaq the lnunnguaq. This colorful symbol was chosen for its unique design and meaning, which is “friend”. The 2010 winter games mark the third time that the Olympics have been hosted by Canada. In both 1976 and 1988, Montreal and Calgary hosted the summer and winter games respectively. In 2010, it is estimated that more than 80 nations will participate and that roughly 5,500 athletes will be on hand to demonstrate the world’s finest athletic abilities.
The list of sports and games that will be included in the 2020 winter games includes alpine skiing, biathlon, bobsleigh, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, freestyle skiing, ice hockey, Luge, Nordic combine, short track speed skating, skeleton, ski jumping, snowboarding and speed skating. Categorized into ice sports, Nordic events and alpine, the winter games in 2010 are already shaped up to be a fantastic series of events for those who appreciate the beauty of the Canadian countryside and these competitive games.
Those who were expecting to see mixed double curling, team alpine skiing, team bobsled, team skeleton, team luge, women’s ski jumping and biathlon mixed relay will find that these games have been rejected for the 2010 winter games but may be open for consideration in the future and were given consideration for women in the Continental Cup that was held back in January this year.
The 2010 Winter Games ice hockey competitive events will be held at Canada Hockey Place. Located at 800 Griffiths Way in Vancouver, Canada Hockey Place is the home of the Vancouver Canucks. This full sized indoor arena was built in 1995 to replace the Pacific Coliseum and is the main venue destination in Vancouver. With a seating capacity of nearly 19,000, the 2010 Winter Games events being held at Canada Hockey Place promise to be interesting, to say the least.
For the most part, any Olympic event held at this venue tends to sell tickets out quickly and the expectation is that the 2010 Winter Games will be no exception. For those who want to know a little history behind the name Canada Hockey Place, this main venue for Vancouver is actually known as General Motors Place. However, because they are corporate sponsors who cannot brand sporting venues, the building has temporarily been renamed to Canada Hockey Place for the 2010 Winter Games.
Not only is ice hockey regarded by many as the favorite sport of Canada, but the Olympics has traditionally drawn out large crowds of fans who want to get a good seat and view of the action on the ice. Canada Hockey Place, located in the downtown area of Vancouver, has already served more than 10 million visitors. Whether you want options in the upper level seating area or to get close enough to the ice to see the players smile when they score a goal, the choices are available but the best seats in the house are sure to get sold out quickly.
If you’re thinking about getting to Canada Hockey Place and witnessing some of these fantastic sports feats on ice, now is a great time to secure your tickets for the 2010 Winter Games.
British participation in the Winter Olympics
I would have been thinking again about their ambitions and their training plans as the significance of the time remaining to the next Olympics was brought clearly into focus. Potential spectators too would have realised that if they are hoping to be present at their favourite Olympic competitions in just less than three years time, then they should start to put the necessary plans in place to make sure they have access to the finances and tickets to allow them to do so. The London 2012 Olympics are such a huge event in the eyes of the British people that the more imminent Winter Games in Vancouver have almost been forgotten for the time being.
But thoughts of summer Olympics and warm weather sport are bound to change shortly. The weather is turning and the colder temperatures will remind people of the pleasures of winter sports. Vancouver’s own countdown clock will drop down to 100 days shortly and the world media’s attention will divert to the next winter Olympics that start in Canada on 12th February 2010.
British participation in the Winter Olympics has always been at a low level compared to the levels of other nations. The spoils of Winter Olympic success are usually split between a handful of countries which dominate proceedings. The usual suspects are Germany, United States, Canada, Austria, Switzerland, Russia, Norway, Sweden, Korea, China and Italy. The only surprise at the sharp end of the medal table is the Netherlands, whose position is achieved exclusively through their successes in speed skating. It does however illustrate what can be achieved through focus and access to suitable training venues.
The city of Eindhoven boasts an indoor ice sports centre with a 400m ice skating track. The town of Thialf also has an indoor 400 ice skating track which opened in 1986. The facility has hosted many high profile speed skating competitions and has provided an indoor training venue for Dutch Olympic skaters.
Outdoor skating is a favourite sport of the Dutch nation, with the country’s geography providing vast expanses of safe outdoor skating when temperatures fall low enough. But that is not as frequent as the prominence of the sport may suggest. Generations of young Dutch children have grown up in their country without ever experiencing the joys of a national sport, so you can imagine the frenzy that took place as parents and grandparents made the most of the conditions last year to re-introduce their young ones to the pleasures of skating.
The Famous Elfstedentocht ice skating marathon is a one day, long distance skating race over a track of 200 kilometres that passes through the 11 cities indicated by its name. The race is always over subscribed with only 16,000 of the 30,000 candidates able to take part. It does however require sub-zero temperatures to create the course and such has been the weather in the Netherlands recently, that the race was last held in 1997. Even then techniques had to be adopted to make safe the course which needs to have an ice depth of 15 centimetres along the whole route. The measures included transplanting ice to strength weaker sections. Since the 1997 event, when the winner took almost seven hours to complete the race, warm weather has prevented the race taking place. In attempts to uphold the tradition, alternative methods of racing including cycling, rowing and walking have all been tried out.
The fact the Netherlands have had no good outdoor ice for so many years may come home to roost in the Vancouver Olympics though and the nine speed skating medals the Dutch won in the 2006 Torino games may not be repeated.
In Europe a few of the high altitude glacier resorts opened during October but nowhere has the ideal conditions required to emulate those which athletes can expect to find in Vancouver during February. Some Austrian resorts are reporting fresh falls of snow but unless temperatures remain low that snow will not last. The same is to be said of the snow-making initiatives of some Alpine resorts. They now claim to have access to new snow generation technology that can produce snow even when the air temperature is greater than zero. Again the benefits will be limited if that artificially generated snow immediately starts to melt.
Even with 100 days remaining, most winter Olympic athletes will not yet have access to the outdoor conditions required to train effectively for their sport. Where in the world during October can you take part in a full downhill skiing race, where can you drive a bobsleigh down an Olympic-length run and where can you practice your ski jumping technique on a 90m hill? Even though Great Britain has almost no outdoor venues that provide for Olympic winter sports, don’t write off British chances just yet.
With six indoor winter sports centres now fully operational in the UK, it could be argued that Team GB has better training facilities than many of the top winter sports nations at this time of year.
Horse Racing
2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada
Look back at the history of the modern Olympics and hundreds of British names feature in the annals. People like Daley Thompson, Mary Peters, Ann Packer, Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovett, Linford Christie, Steve Redgrave, Ben Ainslie, Kelly Holmes, David Wilkie and Matthew Pinsent are just a few of the sports stars who have won gold medals over the years.
Olympic participation has slowly been growing and now each time the games are held over 10,000 British athletes travel to compete in the summer games. Come London in 2012 and that number will be nearer 15,000 as the rising standards of UK sport, buoyed by several year’s of Lottery funding, will permit Team GB to enter more athletes. Team GB now attempts to win medals in over 400 different disciplines and, as well as participation levels, the medal haul is also on the increase. The tally from the 2008 Beijing games totalled almost 50 medals with 19 being gold.
It’s a slightly different story when you consider British performances at the Winter Olympics and you might expect that, given our winters are more often wet, rather than snowy or icy. For sure we have the odd periods of snowfall but certainly not enough to merit investment in any permanent facilities to take advantage of them or enough to persuade athletes to select a snow-dependant sport as their hobby. There may however, be a change on the horizon due to the development of new indoor facilities that make some typical winter sports perfectly viable as a regular pursuit. We have had our fair share of ice rinks across the country, certainly not enough to given everyone easy access but enough to allow those with Olympic ambitions to get enough “ice time” to meet the standards of Olympic qualification. Some athletes have even gone on to win Olympic medals and even though athletes like Cousins, Curry, Torvill and Dean may now be household names, the number of successes is still relatively low.
Looking at the past twenty years of Winter Olympics, GB athletes have secured just 6 medals, with one, solitary gold. Taking a count across every winter Olympic Games and Team GB has won just 21 medals. The victorious performances, all 8 of them, came in just three sports, namely bobsleigh, curling and the previously mentioned ice skating. Again that is a very low tally when you consider that at just the Beijing games, the Team GB medal scoring rate was more than double that.
Despite that low medal count the team has still enjoyed some legendary performances, many that have lived long in the memories of those who witnessed them. Who can forget Eddie the Eagle? Never before has Britain had a competitor in the ski jumping events, probably because there was literally nowhere for anyone to learn the skill. Eddie Edwards did not let that put him off and he built a ski jump simulator in his back yard and gave up his day job as a plasterer to realise his Olympic ambitions. That was back in the days when qualification targets did not apply to ski jumping (the authorities have since amended the rules to prevent anyone like Eddie even starting an Olympic Games). Eddie the Eagle really had no chance from the start, yet his odd looking image of wearing glasses beneath his goggles and a slight glint of fear in his eyes as he started each jump, was enough to endear him to the crowds. He became a hero, a legend and a role model for anyone who doubts they may have the skill or opportunity to get to an Olympics. Edwards made his own destiny and has been fondly remembered for it. As the games ended and the authorities were worrying that Eddie has brought shame on the Olympic ideal, a mention in the closing speech of the Games and the rapturous cheers of the crowds indicated that there was a place for gutsy performers like him.
Our skating heroes were however very competent and won their gold medals by convincingly beating all who came before them. John Curry, Robin Cousins and the ice dance pairing of Torvill and Dean, were all at the top of their sport when they triumphed to win gold. The consecutive games of 1976, 1980 and 1984, when Torvill and Dean won their gold, brought a run of successes that has never been repeated. Torvill and Dean were also fortunate to benefit from a rescheduling of the Winter games which saw only a two year gap following the 1992 Games in Albertville. In order to separate the Summer and Winter games from running in the same year, the next Winter competition was held in 1994 in Lillehammer. That was soon enough for Torvill and Dean to still be competitive and they returned to secure a bronze medal.
In the forthcoming 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, Britain is again hopeful of some medal successes. Team GB has talented athletes in snowboarding, ice skating, bobsleigh, skeleton, short track speed skating, curling and figure skating. So it remains to be seen if the increased financial investment, new indoor ski slopes and the successes of recent Summer Games will all contribute to richer rewards come February 2010.
Winter Olympics’ plans for 2014
The Olympics games which first were celebrated in Greece to commemorate the mythology God Zeus; have come in today’s modern times one of the main sport and cultural events worldwide in which both; performers and audience are captivated by the magnificence and display of talent. T
The Winter Olympics’ plans for 2014 are on its way and Pyeong Chang seem to be a great contender to sponsor such an important event.
Pyeongchang County or Pyeongchan – gun is located in the region of Taebaek Mountains in the province of Gangwon in South Korea and it is the third biggest county, is home for several Buddhist temples. It counts with an altitude of 700 meters above the sea level and some areas reach 1,000 meters high; it is located 180 kilometers East of Seoul the capital of the country.
In order to be able to host the event PyeonChang created in March 21st 2005 an Olympic Winter Games Committee (POBICO) with some its headquarters in Bongui-dong, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do, Korea, and an office in Seoul.
The sports will be divided in four different areas, PyeongChang will held Alpine – Slalom Giant Slalom – Ski Jump, Cross Country, Biathlon, Luge – Bobsleigh – Skeleton; in Bokwang will be held Freestyle and Snowboard; Downhill and Super G in Jungbong and in Gangneung: Speed Skating, Figure Skating, Short Track, Curling, Ice Hockey in both categories for males and females.
The POBICO Committee has planned everything in the case the city is chosen as to assure optimal conditions for the event, they provide ideal altitude and weather conditions with natural settings and annual snowfall; all venues are thirty minutes away from PyeonhChang and they are working on expressways, national and regional road upgrade, Yangyang International Airport upgrade and construction of Wonju-Gangneung railway.
Regarding Medical and Health services there have 1,400 clinics and 10,000 medical staff in “standby” which is divided in Medical care system: medical committee and medical teams on duty, Olympic medical team: two polyclinics in the Olympic Village and four general hospitals as the Olympic Clinics.
They will prepare cultural events including the Olympic torch spread running around the globe and across the Korean Peninsula; cultural events to promote global peace and harmony with demonstrations of the East and West traditions; art festival with concerts, exhibitions, Snow Festival and more; promotion of the winter sports and friendship among all the participants from all over the world.
To guarantee security they have a committee with secure plans, security task-force for national delegations and VIP characters, they also have a special system to prevent terrorism and international crimes. They even have a “Green Plan” based on environmental friendly construction technology and program… they have definitely thought about everything, if they have the chance to be hosts there is no doubt these will be memorable Olympics.
How to Choose your Ice Skates
Ice skating has come a long way since the sport was first invented. Due to the fact that ice skates themselves have improved dramatically over the years, they are now used for a lot more purposes. Some people skate casually for pleasure, others do it as a profession, there is also ice hockey, speed skating, figure skating and much more.
Due to the increase in the number of activities that are available on the ice there has been a sudden rise in the different types of ice skates that are available. For example, a figure skater would need completely different ice skates to someone who just does it for fun because they need to do turns, jumps and other acrobatics. For this reason, if you are interested in this sport you should choose ice skates with a small heel and steel, hollow ground blades that carry on about an inch past the back of the boot. If you are serious about figure skating then it is recommended that you get skates custom made so that you can ensure the best, most comfortable fit.
You can also get recreational ice skates which are similar to figure skates except they are not as well made because not as much demand is placed on them. These skates are suitable for people who like to go to ice rinks and skate for fun every once in a while.
Speed skates are completely different from any other type of ice skates. The wearers of them need to be able to move forwards very fast as opposed to moving in all sorts of different directions. This means that the blades are much longer than the boot and are flat in order to aid forward skating. A relatively new concept is the slap blade which is a skate blade that detaches from the heel during races. This helps the skater to move faster which increases their chances of winning the race. Another obvious difference between speed skates and any other type of skates is the fact that they are more lightweight, durable and flexible to help the skater move around easier.
Hockey skates are another variation of ice skates that you can find. These have a boot that angles the foot forward, are very durable and hard wearing as they go through a lot. They are also padded and designed like running shoes as the players have to be able to move very fast.
The different types of skates
When you think of ice skates, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?
Is it the pair of blades that glide across the frozen pond in town or the skates that trudge through competitors during an NHL hockey game?
There are numerous reasons why people buy and wear ice skates, from the Olympic ice dancer to the recreational user. While various kinds of skates exist, an assortment of factors separates the skates from one another, in terms of shape, maintenance, and purpose.
Ice skates are really just a pair of boots with blades placed on the bottom. After properly securing this sort of footwear, the ability to glide across a surface made from ice is possible. What we use today are a far cry from the first attempts to move across the ice. It is believed that early man tied leather bands on their feet and then took to the ice. The first official ice skates made in history are thought to have come from animal bones like ox and reindeer.
Different Types of Ice Skates
There are four main kinds of ice skates that individuals use today to achieve a variety of accomplishments, such as professional sports to holiday recreation.
Figure skates that are used to compete in the sport by the same name are often fashioned from stable and very strong metal. Toe picks are placed on the front of the blade to allow the skater to perform jumps. The boot that makes up this type of skate consists of stiff leather that provides protection for the ankle during jumps and other figure skating tricks.
Ice hockey skates are typically made from a molded plastic, leather (usually synthetic), and ballistic nylon. To increase mobility on the ice, hockey ice skates often avoid using molded plastic for the upper portion of the boot. All of the skates used during a hockey game are constructed with safety blades so that injury does not come to the opponent. The exception to this regulation is the goalie’s skates, which is designed in a different manner.
The skates used for racing are often referred to as speed skates, which have longer blades than other selections. In this category, a racer may use a clapper skate, which presents a shoe attached to a blade made with a hinge. For those entering long distance skating, longer blades are placed on the boot with the help of bindings. This type of ice skates is called touring skates (as well as Nordic skates).
The blades of touring skates are about 50 centimeters long and have a rocker that measures close to 25 meters and 1 millimeter wide. It is the length of these that allows more stability for walking on untouched ice that naturally presents uneven distribution. The blades are also easily removable, which proves a convenience.
For the recreational skater, there is a wide range of inexpensive to higher-end options with a variety of bright colors and fancy decoration to choose from. Often, these types of ice skates are much similar to the molded plastic boot associated with inline skates. Depending on where you purchase your pair, they may resemble figure skates or hockey skates.
Additional Differences in Ice Skates The bottom of the blade on modern ice skates offers a crescent-shaped hollow that creates two sharp edges that are parallel on each skate. Varying depths (referred to as the Radius Of Hollow) come into play, where optimal dimensions are influenced through the weight of the skater, as well as the width of the blade. It is the edges of the ice skates that allow skaters to perform a variety of combination moves. When the blades are sharpened, the hollow can be restored. When it comes to speed skates, there is no hollow because this kind of ice skate thrives on a totally flat bottom. The bottom appears squared off with two edges. This is used to increase gliding time without the threat of cutting the ice.
Apolo Ohno’s emergence as one of America’s greatest speed skaters
From stumbles to victory, Apolo Ohno emerged as one of America’s first and greatest Olympic speed skaters
Apolo Anton Ohno was born on May 22, 1982 in Seattle, Washington. His father, Yuki Ohno, was a Japanese-American and his mother, Jerrie Lee, was a white American. They divorced when Ohno was still a baby and he was raised by his father.
Ohno’s father was concerned with his son’s unsupervised time and got him involved in competitive swimming and in-line skating, both of which he excelled at. Ohno became interested in short track ice skating after seeing the sport on television. When he was 14 years old, his father sent him to the Lake Placid Olympic Training Center to train full-time. After training for just six months, he claimed his first overall title at the U.S. Championships.
In the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Ohno finished last in the trials, but went on to become the first American to be the overall World Cup champion during the 2000-01 season. Four years later, he qualified for the U.S. team in the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. Ohno quickly emerged as a popular athlete among U.S. fans for his cheerful attitude and casual style. He became the face of short track speed skating in the U.S., which was a relatively new sport at the time. Ohno earned two medals during the 2002 games, a gold and a silver. The gold medal was won after the leader, Kim Dong-Sung from South Korea, was disqualified for blocking Ohno. This decision resulted in a hailstorm of negative statements and even death threats from South Korean fans.
Ohno decided not to participate in the 2003 World Cup short track event in Korea for security reasons stemming from the 2002 Olympic games. He did, however, go to South Korea for the 2005 World Cup meet, where he won two gold medals, as well as the overall title.
Ohno got off to a rocky start in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, stumbling during a semifinal heat. He finished last in the 1500 meter, but went on to win the bronze medal in the 1000 meter, a gold in the 500 meter, and another bronze in the men’s 5000 meter relay.
So far in 2007, Ohno won his 8th U.S. National title in February, placing first in every event. During the World Championship in March, he won a gold and two bronze medals. On April 23, he announced that he will be competing in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia.
On a personal level, Ohno was inducted into the Asian-American Hall of Fame on April 26, 2007. This honor is given to Asian-Americans who have contributed to their heritage by breaking new ground or achieving excellence in their field at both a national and international level.
2007 also saw Ohno as a contestant on ABC’s popular Dancing with the Stars. He and his partner, Julianne Hough, received the first perfect score of 30 for their samba on the April 16th show. Ohno and his partner eventually reached the show’s final round, alongside Laila Ali and Joey Fatone. Ohno and Julianne were named the season 4 winners on May 22, Ohno’s 25th birthday.
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Born: May 22, 1982
Died: –
Famous For: American short track speed skater.
Key Accomplishments: Five-time Olympic medalist; Reigning U.S. short track champion since 2001; Holds eight U.S. men’s titles; Youngest American to win a World Cup Event (at age 17).
Significant Quote: “Skating was a gift given to me, and it’s a sport I love. I go out there every single day and there isn’t a day I don’t want to be out there.”
Fun Quote: “I’m not a clotheshorse, but I do like to look good.”