Wow. Sorry for the lagged update, I am just getting settled here at the Games.
It’s been a whirlwind of a start here at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Weather has ravaged the alpine schedule, a terrible tragedy has occurred and thousands of fans crowded the streets of Vancouver for the Opening Ceremonies. I’ll start in Calgary.
Taking off from Calgary yesterday afternoon for the final leg of the trip here, the weather was winter-like and snow covered the surrounding mountains. That scenery changed as the plane descended through pea-soup fog into Vancouver. It was surprising to see green lush green grass and temperatures were in the high 40s. It is a far cry from winter in the host city – there are crocuses coming up already.
Downtown Vancouver was crowded with fans sporting red Canadian scarfs and hats, and restaurants were crowded with festive party-goers.
Five minutes after we got a a table and sat down for lunch at the Cactus Club, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger marched in with his wife, Maria Shriver. The Arnold was not shy as he made eye contact with people passing by. Schwarzenneger is a big fan of ski racing, I have seen him before at Kitzbuehel and at the 2002 Salt Lake Games.
Not long after that a man who ran a leg of the Olympic torch relay stood on a corner with his torch, and a crowd of police officers and other people stood around, taking turns posing for photos or simply touching it. A quick chat with one of the officers shattered the conception that there is just one Olympic torch. There are thousands used along the way, he said. The flame is the only constant.
Leaving Vancouver for the mountains of Whistler you drive by a gorgeous strip of scenery. By gorgeous, I mean stunningly, jaw-dropping beauty. Mountains cascade to the sea, and small spots of sunlight illuminated the water as fog clung to the peaks. The trees tower and bright green moss accents rocks amid lush undergrowth. It is a wild, pure and inviting scene. Even during the pouring rain.
The luge tragedy: sad start to the Games
Nodar Kumaritashvili, a 21-year-old luger from Georgia died during training yesterday at the Whistler sliding center. It was a rare and utterly tragic start, and that is an understatement.
Kumaritashvili had completed 26 training runs on the track, which is considerably faster than most tracks these athletes compete on. Near the end of the course there is a technically difficult turn, turn 15, which must be handled with extreme precision. Officials say Kumaritashvili came out of that turn late, resulting in a late entrance to to turn 16, which he could not navigate.
The young athlete lost control of his sled and careened off the track into one of many metal stantions near the finish. He spun and tumbled wildly at great speed – they have showed the replay numerous times and I have to turn away each time. The most horrific clip is one of medics trying to revive Kumaritashvili, pumping his chest.
Last night I had dinner with Marco Sullivan’s sister, mother and father. Sullivan will race for the US in men’s downhill. When the clip of Kumaritashvili popped up on a large-screen in the restaurant the weight of the tragedy really struck. Marco’s father turned to me and remarked that somewhere the excitement and celebration of an entourage of family and friends, just like theirs, must be experiencing shock and dismay.
Alpine schedule, a mess
Today’s men’s downhill has been canceled and rescheduled for Monday at 10:30 a.m., tomorrow’s women’s super combined has been postponed to a date TBD – it depends on if they can get a training run in tomorrow.
The bottom of the downhill track is the problem right now. Temperatures are very warm and the snow has been described at “bottomless” by athletes.
More later, off to women’s moguls SCHEDULED to start at 4:30 p.m. at Cypress. It’s Hannah’s big moment.

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