Countdown to Vancouver Winter Olympics 2010!

Dear Friends and Family, The Olympics are coming, the Olympics are coming!!! In honor of this momentous occasion, I have added a temporary new feature to my blog page – a countdown to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver! Many of my close family and friends can tell you what a huge fan I am of the Olympics. I love the excitement of the medal race, the drama of the competition, and the amazing stories of the talented and dedicated people who overcome challenges to go for gold! I especially love the way so many countries, both large and small/developed and developing, can come together in peace and exhibit their talents, thus communicating a shared passion across language barriers. So in the spirit of my growing anticipation for the games, let’s meet some of our “Team U.S.A.” medal hopefuls: Snowboarding Shaun White a.k.a. “The flying tomato” or just simply called “the Tomato” for his bright red hair is one of the best snowboarders in the world. Just this Saturday at the U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix, the Tomato delivered a near-perfect performance in his halfpipe victory, winning the event with a 49.50 – just a half point off of the perfect 50 score! In a sport where perfect scores are extremely rare, Shaun White told the press that he is doing whatever he can to make judges feel more comfortable with assigning him perfect scores. Also joining White on the U.S. Snowboard team is women’s gold medalist Kelly Clark. Kelly is known for her ability to soar to extreme heights out of the halfpipe – higher than any of her competitors! Team U.S.A. has dominated the halfpipe snowboard event since it made its Olympic debut in 1998. Skiing Have you heard of speed skier Lindsey Vonn yet? If not, prepare to get to know this two time Overall World Cup Champion. Lindsey skied four years ago in Turin, Italy under her maiden name Kildow and in the four years leading up to Vancouver she has dealt with Olympic hype and scrutiny very well. Just this month, Lindsey threw down the Olympic gauntlet when she put a wrist injury she suffered in December behind her to win a World Cup downhill one day, another World Cup downhill the following day, and then won her first super-giant slalom race of the season a day after that! No American has ever won three straight World Cup events! With the Winter Games quickly approaching, alpine skier Lindsey Vonn and Nordic combined skier Todd Lodwick were named the U.S. Olympic Committee’s 2009 sportswoman and sportsman of the year. Speed Skating Perhaps the most recognized of names from the last two Winter Olympics is the swift, short track, speed skater Apolo Ohno. In Turin, Italy, Apolo earned a gold and two bronze medals! However, in the lead up to Vancouver, Apolo had some time to think about continuing with the sport. He took the last half of the 2007 season to compete on “Dancing with the Stars” and won! Apolo is 27 years old, and while he’s in top shape to compete, Vancouver may be his last Olympics. Finally - Last, but not least, my Favorite Winter Sport… Figure Skating Let’s start with our medal hopefuls. Among the men figure skaters we have lots to look forward to. First is 2009 World Champion Evan Lysacek. According to Evan, his first experience on the ice was a disaster so his parents enrolled him in figure skating classes with his sister so he could learn the basics. Having no natural talent for the sport, Evan had to work harder than anyone to learn to skate, but within a year, he competed for and won a spot on the Junior Olympics team. In his first Junior Olympic competition, he convinced his parents to let him design a superhero costume with neon-yellow lightning bolts on the front and back and large yellow arm bands. Evan skated against the top skaters in the country to the music from Top Gun and won! By 10 years old Evan entered international competition and began to recognize that he was among the best skaters in the world. Now, former skater and friend, Vera Wang designs his costumes and he is using music that she used to compete to for his long program. Also worth watching in men’s figure skating are Jeremy Abbott and Johnny Weir. Jeremy won Skate Canada and came in fourth at the Grand Prix Final. He is also the defending U.S. national champion. Johnny Weir competed in Turin but crumbled in the long program to come in fifth. After considering quitting the sport, his mother gave him a pep talk and asked him to give Olympic Gold one more try. Re-energized and in great shape, Weir now joins what could be one of America’s best men’s figure skating contingents to go to the Olympics. [Side Bar: Because Johnny Weir is such a character, I have to mention that he will soon launch his own reality show that will air on the Sundance channel. Here are some excerpts from an Olympics Examiner interview with Johnny: “On his Sunday free skate costume: "I'm wearing fur. Literally, there is fox on my costume." On PETA: "PETA has been up my butt since the 2006 Olympic Games. I get postcards and nasty hate mail and videotapes of animals being skinned. And while I feel bad and I understand their side of things, I still take my little autograph cards I have, I sign my name, I draw a chipmunk with Xs on its eyes, and I sent it back. Don't attack me for a personal choice. You're protecting animals, we have soldiers dying all around the world, and you know, choose your battles. Don't pick on me.".....Ok….] The U.S. Ice Dancing pairs also stand to seriously compete for a medal. Five-time national titlists and 2006 Olympic silver medalists Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto face their toughest competition from new U.S. skating pair Meryl Davis and Charlie White. Davis and White just won their second straight U.S. ice dancing title over the former U.S. Champions. Finally, we look to Women’s figure skating, and I must first begin with a personal lament to Michelle Kwan who has hung up her skates, and to Sasha Cohen, whose Olympic comeback came to a halt this past weekend when she finished fourth at Nationals. Both were great skaters that exhibited a maturity and grace in their skating and they will be missed. This weekend 17 year-old Rachael Flatt won the ladies’ title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Joining Flatt on the Olympic team is 16 year-old Mirai Nagasu. Rachael Flatt is known for her athleticism and fearless jumps. This weekend, Flatt landed seven triples, including two late in her program. Nagasu is known for her artistic presentation and will likely earn higher marks in that category. Both are hopeful that they will be the next young skater to surprise at the Olympics like Tara Lipinski, who won gold in 1998 at age 15. In pairs skating a new team to Olympic competition will be skating and you can see their qualification skate when you click on this link: http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/UfGEUHrMvhhVtBTY?cmpid=jj_fb_self Ha ha... So, I hope this posting has you as excited as I am for the games! Go for Gold USA! Love, Bethie