Cross-Country Skiing, Women’s 30km Freestyle

Gold Katerina Neumannova Czech Republic
Silver Yulia Tchepalova Russia
Bronze Justyna Kowalczyk Poland

Woohoo! Finally, a gold medal for the U.S. women’s Olympic downhill team. Julia Mancuso won the giant slalom today. Julia had an interesting childhood, with a father who was in and out of prison on drug charges. The Italians love her because of her Italian heritage and often wave Italian flags while she is skiing.

Gold Julia Mancuso USA
Silver Tanja Poutiainen Finland
Bronze Anna Ottosson Sweden

Germany (24) 9 gold, 10 silver, 5 bronze (biathlon, Nordic combined, luge, speedskating, cross country, bobsled, snowboarding)
USA (20) 7 gold, 8 silver, 5 bronze (snowboard, speed skating, downhill, freestyle, short track, ice dancing, hockey, bobsled, figure skating)
Austria (19) 8 gold, 6 silver, 5 bronze (downhill, Nordic combined, luge, ski jumping, snowboard)
Russia (19) 8 gold, 3 silver, 8 bronze (biathlon, xcountry, figure skating, luge, speed skating, ice dancing, freestly skiing)
Canada (19) 5 gold, 8 silver, 6 bronze (freestyle, speed skating, x country, short track, figure skating, skeleton, snowboard, bobsled, hockey, curling)
Norway (18) 2 gold, 8 silver, 8 bronze (biathlon, xcountry, freestyle, nordic combined, ski jumping, snowboarding, downhill)
Switzerland (13) 4 gold, 4 silver, 4 bronze (downhill, figure skating, skeleton, snowboard, bobsled, cross country, freestyle, curling)
Sweden (11) 4 gold, 2 Sivler, 4 bronze (xcountry, downhill, biathlon, hockey, snowboard, curling)
Italy (10) 4 gold, 6 bronze (xcountry, luge, speed skating, bobsled)
France (9) 3 gold, 2 silver, 4 bronze (downhill, freestyle, biathlon, snowboarding, xcountry)
China (9) 2 gold, 3 silver, 4 bronze (figure skating, short track, speed skating, freestyle)
South Korea(8) 4 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze (short track, speed skating)
Netherlands (7) 2 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze (speed skating)
Finland (5) 2 silver, 3 bronze (ski jumping, snowboarding, x country, freestyle, nordic combined)
Estonia (3) 3 gold (xcountry)
Croatia (2) 1 gold, 1 silver (downhill)
Australia (2) 1 gold (freestyle)
Czech Republic (2) 2 silver (x country)
Ukraine (2) 2 bronze (biathlon, ice dancing)
Japan (1) 1 gold (figure skating)
Belarus (1) 1 silver (freestly skiing)
Bulgaria (1) 1 silver (short track)
Great Britain (1) 1 silver (skeleton)
Slovakia (1) 1 silver (snowboarding)
Latvia(1) 1 bronze (luge)

Gold Han Xiaopeng China
Silver Dmitry Dashinski Belarus
Bronze Vladimir Lebedev Russia

Gold Sweden
Silver Switzerland
Bronze Canada

Well, it looks like 96% of us were wrong. I wonder how many of the 4% voted BEFORE tonight. Hmmm?

Who do you think will win the gold in ladies figure skating?
Sasha Cohen: 50% (332)
Kimmie Meissner: 5% (36)
Emily Hughes: 9% (60)
Irina Slutskaya: 23% (153)
Carolina Kostner: 0% (3)
Joannie Rochette: 3% (17)
Shizuka Arakawa: 4% (27)
Fumie Suguri: 2% (10)
other: 3% (21)
Total Votes : 659

Forever doomed to be second. Will she be back for another Olympics? I wish she would just have skated a clean program. Rats. I do have great respect for the fact that she didn’t try to blame it on her wrapped leg.

Here are the results, in case you missed them:

Gold Shizuka Arakawa Japan
Silver Sasha Cohen United States
Bronze Irina Slutskaya Russia

Kimmie Meissner and Emily Hughes finished 6th and 7th. They could really be formidable in 4 years.

Biathlon, Women’s 4x6km Relay

Gold Russia
Silver Germany
Bronze France

It should come as no surprise that the USA did not win a medal in this. I’m sure our biathlon athletes work just as hard as our figure skaters, snowboarders, speedskaters and other more decorated athletes, but they just don’t ever seem to even come close. I wonder why that is… Incidentally, the Americans finished over 9 minutes back, in 15th place.

Because, let’s face it, yesterday was not a good day for American competitors and, as much as I like Canada and Italy and Germany, in particular– I really wanted to see the little Stars and Stripes flag next to some results. This morning, my wish was granted. Thank goodness for American snowboarders!

Snowboarding, Women’s Parallel Giant Slalom

Gold Daniela Meuli Switzerland
Silver Amelie Kober Germany
Bronze Rosey Fletcher United States

Yesterday, Sasha Cohen made the somewhat unusual decision to skip her practice sessions yesterday, but she was back on the ice today. Her coach said she didn’t get much sleep Tuesday night. She isn’t suffering any injuries. Hopefully, the extra rest will pay off tonight, and she can stick those landings and bring home a gold. The competition is really close right now. This will not be a “sure thing” like the men’s gold. It’s really anyone’s competition to win or lose for the top skaters.

Short Track, Women’s 3000m relay

Gold South Korea
Silver Canada
Bronze Italy

I have to say I’ve been really impressed by Italy in short track and speed skating. Who knew they would be such a force?

Freestyle skiing, women’s aerials

Gold Evelyne Leu Switzerland
Silver Nina Li China
Bronze Alisa Camplin Australia

Congratulations to Alisa! Not bad for someone they didn’t even think would be able to compete.

Downhill skiing, women’s slalom

Gold Anja Paerson Sweden
Silver Nicole Hosp Austria
Bronze Marlie Schild Austria

What a surprise! Austria won medals in downhill skiing.

Speed skating, women’s 1500m

Gold Cindy Klassen Canada
Silver Kristina Groves Canada
Bronze Ireen Wust Netherlands

By the way, this win made Cindy Klassen the most decorated Canadian woman at a single Olympics.

In other news, U.S. men’s curling and hockey lost today. The men’s curling team will now play Great Britain for the bronze.

Finally.

Bode Miller hurt his ankle playing basketball with teammates on Tuesday. Despite this injury, which is described as mnor, he will still be racing in Saturday’s slalom race.

Germany (22) 9 gold, 8 silver, 5 bronze (biathlon, Nordic combined, luge, speedskating, cross country, bobsled)
Austria (19) 8 gold, 6 silver, 5 bronze (downhill, Nordic combined, luge, ski jumping, snowboard)
USA (18) 7 gold, 7 silver, 4 bronze (snowboard, speed skating, downhill, freestyle, short track, ice dancing, hockey, bobsled)
Canada (18) 5 gold, 8 silver, 5 bronze (freestyle, speed skating, x country, short track, figure skating, skeleton, snowboard, bobsled, hockey)
Norway (18) 2 gold, 8 silver, 8 bronze (biathlon, xcountry, freestyle, nordic combined, ski jumping, snowboarding, downhill)
Russia (16) 7 gold, 3 silver, 6 bronze (biathlon, xcountry, figure skating, luge, speed skating, ice dancing)
Switzerland (11) 3 gold, 3 silver, 4 bronze (downhill, figure skating, skeleton, snowboard, bobsled, cross country, freestyle)
Sweden (10) 3 gold, 2 Sivler, 4 bronze (xcountry, downhill, biathlon, hockey, snowboard)
Italy (10) 4 gold, 6 bronze (xcountry, luge, speed skating, bobsled)
South Korea(8) 4 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze (short track, speed skating)
France (8) 3 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze (downhill, freestyle, biathlon, snowboarding, xcountry)
China (8) 1 gold, 3 silver, 4 bronze (figure skating, short track, speed skating, freestyle)
Netherlands (7) 2 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze (speed skating)
Finland (5) 2 silver, 3 bronze (ski jumping, snowboarding, x country, freestyle, nordic combined)
Estonia (3) 3 gold (xcountry)
Croatia (2) 1 gold, 1 silver (downhill)
Australia (2) 1 gold (freestyle)
Czech Republic (2) 2 silver (x country)
Ukraine (2) 2 bronze (biathlon, ice dancing)
Bulgaria (1) 1 silver (short track)
Great Britain (1) 1 silver (skeleton)
Slovakia (1) 1 silver (snowboarding)
Latvia(1) 1 bronze (luge)

Cross-Country Skiing, Women’s Sprint

Gold Chandra Crawford Canada
Silver Claudia Kuenzel Germany
Bronze Alena Sidko Russia

Cross-Country Skiing, Men’s Sprint

Gold Bjoern Lind Sweden
Silver Roddy Darragon France
Bronze Thobias Fredriksson Sweden