Run, Karla, Run!

WHISTLER, British Columbia — Imagine jumping out of a 40-story building and gliding the length of a football field—and then some. In the large hill competition, ski jumpers soar for 410 feet from a hill 460 feet high in the air—at 60 miles per hour. It’s the closest thing to flying the Olympics has to offer. And the men of U.S. Ski Jumping love it.

When it comes to Olympic sports, not every team gets the fame and fortune. The U.S. Ski Jumping team is a young group of athletes gambling everything they’ve got on a dream. Without funding from the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, these competitors have forged a program on their own, and put the rest of their lives on hold for the sport they love. Read the rest of this entry →

VANCOUVER, British Columbia—It’s the most exciting Olympic men’s figure skating final perhaps since the famous Battle of the Brians in Calgary in 1988. American Brian Boitano came out on top. Will the USA be that lucky again? It’s certainly possible. With only .6 points separating the three leaders—Russia’s Evgeni Plushenko, USA’s Evan Lysacek, and Japan’s Daisuke Takahashi—they might as well be tied. It’s any man’s medal going into the free skate tonight.

And not to be ruled out are Nobunari Oda of Japan, Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland and Johnny Weir of the USA, who sit in fourth, fifth and sixth place. If any of the three leaders fall apart tonight, one of them could move into medal position.

There’s going to be drama, funky costumes and odd music choices for sure. But there’ll also be some darn good skating. So stay tuned for the Men’s Figure Skating Free Program! Read the rest of this entry →

CYPRESS MOUNTAIN, British Columbia–What a day for Team USA. Lindsey Vonn and Julia Mancuso go gold and silver in Women’s Alpine Skiing Downhill. Shani Davis defends his 2006 Olympic title with another gold, while teammate Chad Hedrick skates to bronze in Men’s Long Track Speed Skating. And then, the American men faced off in Snowboard Halfpipe. Did they pull a double medal stunner like their teammates?

You betcha.

Welcome to the big show.

With four riders competing in the final, Team USA aimed for a podium sweep. Shaun White, Louie Vito, Scotty Lago and Gregory Bretz tricked their hearts out. Read the rest of this entry →

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA–The media tribunes are packed. I hear the constant click of camera shutters in front of me. And that can only mean one thing: Some Olympic magic is about to be made.

I’m live at the opening night of the men’s figure skating competition. It will be a battle for the ages in one of the most competitive fields in recent memory. Defending Olympic Champion Evgeni Plushenko of Russia will go skate to skate with reigning World Champion Evan Lysacek of the U.S., U.S. National Champion Jeremy Abbott and former U.S. Champion Johnny Weir, among a bevy of other heavy hitters. Read the rest of this entry →

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA—The feeling in the room is electric. Maybe it’s the years of watching figure skating as a little girl or maybe it’s because there is a little magic in the air tonight.

Here at the Pacific Coliseum, the second night of pairs figure skating is about to get underway. The first group of couples is warming up on the ice, the crowd is buzzing and the press tribunes are packed. So stay tuned for the free program live from Vancouver!

5:17 p.m.: The first two pairs from Germany and Ukraine have taken the ice, but the pairs to watch are yet to come. Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao come into the free program in first place after a flawless performance in the short program last night. But the room is also buzzing about Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany in second and Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov of Russia in third. Canadian hometown favorites Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison are in sixth, while Team USA’s Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig are in 10th, and Caydee Denney and Jeremy Barrett are 14th of 20 couples. Read the rest of this entry →

WHISTLER, BRITISH COLUMBIA — 1:20 pm: It’s Day 2 of competition and I’m coming to you from the Whistler Sliding Center. The second and final day of men’s singles luge competition has just gotten underway.

It’s rainy and dank here in Whistler. But the show must go on. So I’m coming to you from the Sliding Center’s Media Center. There are no tables out on the course and the viewing areas are standing room only and covered. While—unlike me—my computer is not made of sugar, it is made of many electrical bits that don’t like to get wet.

So unlike yesterday, I won’t be bringing you play by plays from the luge competition. But I hope I’ll be bringing you something just as good.

Welcome to my backstage media tour. Read the rest of this entry →

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA — Short track speed skating is famously unpredictable, often full contact and, above all, fast.

I’m here at Pacific Coliseum watching the men’s 1500 meter. The competition started off with a bang. Right out of the gates in Heat 1, Olivier Jean of Canada set a new Olympic record. In Heat 2, the USA’s Jordan Malone was disqualified. And in Heat 3, Jung-Su Lee of South Korea set yet another Olympic Record and Team USA’s J.R. Celski qualified for the semi-finals. Now, Heat 4 is underway.

But we’re waiting for the legendary Apolo Anton Ohno to take the ice. He’s going for his sixth Olympic medal. If he succeeds, he’ll break the record for most medals won by an American man in the Winter Olympics.

Will he or won’t he? Stay tuned! Read the rest of this entry →

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA — This is what the Colbert Nation has been waiting for: The U.S. Olympic Speedskating team.

First up on the track is the men’s 5000 meters.

“It’s going to be intense,” said Ryan Bedford of Team USA.

Competing for the U.S. is two-time Olympic medalist Shani Davis (gold and silver in 2006), newcomer Trevor Marsicano, and three-time Olympic medalist Chad Hedrick, who won gold in this event in Torino. Today, at the newly built Richmond Olympic Oval, the U.S. has its first shot at gold with a deep field of skaters. Read the rest of this entry →

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Greetings from Vancouver!

It’s 8:57 am and I just woke up to an unexpected treat: the Olympic torch running past my hotel window!

On the corner of Dunsmuir and Seymour, a crowd began forming as I looked out below. Why is there a crowd? I thought. And then it hit me—this could only mean one thing! Read the rest of this entry →