The last week on the snow
FREESTYLE SKIING – HALFPIPE:
Canada’s Cassie Sharpe annihilated the competition in ladies ski-pipe. She held first place with her first run, and didn’t even need her second and third runs to beat out the French Silver Medalist and American Bronze. She topped her first run with her second run and went for a victory lap on the third.
SKICROSS:
We saw Canada’s Brady Leman seek the ultimate redemption. The day before the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, Leman suffered a broken leg; in Sochi 2014, he had a disappointing 4th place finish off the podium; finally, PyeongChang 2018: Gold Medal!
In the women’s event, for the third games in a row, Canada took the Gold medal, and for the second games in a row Canada took Silver, as well. Reigning gold medallist Marielle Thompson crashed in the qualifying round, while Sochi silver medallist Kelsey Serwa upgraded her medal to Gold in Korea. Her best bud, Brittany Phelan took silver and Switzerland Bronze.
SNOWBOARDING
This was the first year for the Big Air event at the Olympics. Everyone wants to be the first.
Ladies’ Big Air – Austrian Anna Gasser pushed American snowboard pioneer Jamie Anderson to the silver medal spot. New Zealander Sadowski took Bronze, New Zealand’s first Winter Olympic medal in 26 years. At 16 years old, she also became NZ’s youngest flag bearer (for the closing ceremony).
Men’s Big Air – I might say that the highlight of all the freestyle snowboarding commentary and CBC Olympic overnight has been Craig McMorris. He obviously knows what he’s talking about and delivers it with just enough oddity, similes you’d never hear on TV, and a hint of comical drama. As McMorris put it, Max Parrott overcooked some landings and Mark McMorris was unable to stomp either of his first two jumps (you get three jumps, and the top two are summed up for your final score). It would be Sebastien Toutant who would prevail for Canada as the sport’s first Olympic Gold Medallist. USA took silver, and GBR took bronze.
In the women’s parallel giant slalom, Czech Ester Ledecka made history becoming the first athlete to win gold in a snowboard event as well as a ski event.
CROSS COUNTRY –
WOMEN’S TEAM SPRINT:
In the sprint, teams of two compete. The women ski 1.25km circuits and have to tag their teammate. This continues for 7.5 km. Americans Kikkan Randall and Jessica Diggins surprised everyone by winning gold, becoming the first American women to earn an Olympic medal in cross country. Norway’s Marit Bjorgen conquered her quest and became the most decorated Winter Olympian of all time, as she claimed bronze for her 14th career Olympic medal.
30km MASS START:
Bjorgen would go on to also win the 30km Mass Start (and received her medal at the Closing Ceremony, much like marathoners at the Summer Games). She blew way the Finnish Silver medalist by 2 minutes! Sweden captured the Bronze.
In the Men’s 50km MASS START:
Canadian Alex Harvey competing in his final event in his last Olympics. He led the pack, then stuck with the chase pack, then ended up sprinting for fourth place, capturing it by 0.1 seconds. This is the second time that Alex Harvey finished in 4th place. Always a bridesmaid.
Don’t worry Alex, 4th place is important! OAR finished 2nd and 3rd, so we need to sit tight for a few days while their doping results come back. Finland took the Gold.
Interestingly, the 3rd place OAR almost took a wrong turn! It seems impossible, but it happened to Stadlober of Austria in the women’s 30KM Mass Start, who finished 9th.
How is Norway so good:
Norway accumulated 14 medals in Cross Country and 6 medals in Biathlon.
Per the elite director of development:
Until they are 13 years old, score is not tracked in any sport. One of their Olympic Sports psychologists says even on the Olympic team, the emphasis is still on fun and friendships, and only medals after all of that. They are a tight knit group.
Amazing to have a national mentality like that – good, fun, clean sport.
Tidbit: Norway House ran out of golden shoes – they celebrate every gold medal by presenting the medallist with golden shoes, but Norway, who set a record medal haul by any country at a Winter Olympics, won so many gold medals that they ran out of shoes! We’re sure Gold shoes are on backorder.
Some final thoughts:
- Canada’s best medal haul ever at a Winter Games! (This might be the first time that we actually held and kept a consistent top 4 medal standing throughout the entirety of the Games – and ahead of the USA that whole time, too).
- Wear your medals with pride, no matter the colour.
- Kim Boutin – Canada’s Closing Ceremony flag bearer – we are looking forward to seeing more of her. Well-deserved. Mind over matter.
- EDM originated in Korean nightclubs – I had no idea (though, I’m not surprised)!
- We are looking forward to sleeping again!
As quickly as we said Annyeonghaseo, we say Gamsahamnida! Thank you, PyeongChang!