2018 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremonies

From NYTimes.com

"PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — The 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea concluded with a rousing, rocking closing ceremony. Here’s a look at what happened:

The 2018 Olympics End With a Dance Party

The last 15 minutes of the ceremony were listed as an electronic dance music party. The DJs cranking loud music included Raiden (not the Mortal Kombat character), and Martin Garrix, the Dutch superstar of the scene. The athletes streamed out of the stands onto the floor and many of them danced. The American skiing superstar Lindsey Vonn led a conga line. A fun and unregimented way to end things. That wraps up the closing ceremony, and the 2018 Winter Olympics. Annyeong from Pyeongchang!

...And … speeches. Eight minutes of speeches. Lee Hee-beom, president of the organizing committee, and Thomas Bach, Olympic champion in fencing (mentioned for the third time).

Bach spoke directly to North and South Korea. 'You have shown how sport brings people together in our very fragile world, you have shown how sport builds bridges.'”

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Live coverage, podcasts, video highlights, Watch the Olympic Channel now

We look forward to the opening ceremony for 2018 Paralympic Winter Games on March 09!  Link to NBC Sports for live coverage

Olympic Women's Figure Skating

From The New York Times:

"PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — After the women’s figure skating short program, the race for the gold seems to be between two Russians, Alina Zagitova, 15, and Evgenia Medvedeva, 18."

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Women’s Figure Skating Final		Short Program	Technical Elements	Skating Quality	Deductions	Long Program	Total
1	Satoko MiyaharaJapan	75.94	75.20	71.24		146.44	222.38
2	Carolina KostnerItaly	73.15	63.64	75.65		139.29	212.44
3	Choi DabinSouth Korea	67.77	68.74	62.75		131.49	199.26
4	Maria SotskovaOlympic Athletes From Russia	63.86	66.94	67.30		134.24	198.10
5	Bradie TennellUnited States	64.01	65.41	62.93		128.34	192.35
	Kaori SakamotoJapan	73.18					73.18
	Alina ZagitovaOlympic Athletes From Russia	82.92					82.92

Excerpted from NBC News, January 07, 2018

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — By the time the 23rd Olympic Winter Games get around to their Opening Ceremony on Friday, hundreds of athletes will already have been in action for a day and a half, starting Wednesday night with a new version of the ice chess otherwise known as curling.

The pomp and pageantry of the official Opening Ceremony won't get under way in PyeongChang until 6 a.m. ET Friday. But by daybreak Thursday ET, the brooms will already have been out for eight games of mixed doubles curling; men's ski jumping will also be well under way by dawn. Meanwhile, one of the most popular events, figure skating, glides into action Thursday night.

"It's fun, but it's cold," said Rich Lepping, chairman of the U.S. Curling Association, who watched as U.S. siblings Matt and Becca Hamilton won their first match in the inaugural mixed doubles curling competition Thursday morning against a team of Olympic athletes from Russia...

Men's individual normal hill ski jumping, which takes off with qualifying at 7:30 a.m. ET Friday, will feature one of the stars of the Games, three-time medalist Noriaki Kasai of Japan. At 45, Kasai — known as The Legend — is taking part in an unprecedented eighth Winter Olympiad."It's an amazing record," Kasai told The Japan Times. "I'm really excited. My goal is the same every time, and it's to win a gold medal."

NBC is airing 176 hours of live coverage in the United States, concluding with the Closing Ceremony on Feb. 25. NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app, meanwhile, will stream more than 1,800 hours of coverage.

Erik Ortiz and Alex Johnson, reporters

Olympic Update for Sunday, Feb. 04

Excerpted from The Guardian U.S. Edition -- 

AP in Incheon

Wearing a blue logo of a map symbolising peace between North and South Korea, the most talked-about team at the Winter Olympics was in action on Sunday in a friendly that drew thousands of spectators.

The two countries’ female ice hockey players, who only began practising together as a team about a week ago, showed plenty of fight in their first competitive match but never really threatened world no. 5 Sweden who beat them 3-1 in Incheon, South Korea. Korea will play Sweden again on 12 February during the tournament proper. 

https://vectortoons.com

The outcome didn’t seem to matter to the capacity crowd of 3,000 at the Seonhak International ice rink. Fans waved miniature flags showing a unified Korean peninsula, chanted “we are one” and screamed whenever their team went on the attack. The arena erupted when the South Korean forward Park Jong-ah cut the deficit to 2-1...

The Korea team is part of a rapprochement between the two countries for the Pyeongchang Games, which Seoul sees as an opportunity to revive meaningful communication with Pyongyang following an extended period of animosity and diplomatic stalemate over North Korea’s nuclear programmes.

The Olympics begin Friday, with Pyeongchang, which will host the skiing, snowboarding and sliding events, and Gangneung, a coastal city about an hour’s drive away, which will host the ice hockey, skating and curling events. North Korea plans to send hundreds of people to the games, including athletes, officials, artists and a 230-member cheering group...

The Observer view on the Winter Olympics and tensions with North Korea

 

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What Do You Know About Paralympic Winter Sports?

From NBColympics.com, Winter Paralympic Games will occur in PyeongChang, South Korea in March 2018. Nearly 700 athletes will compete in six sports and be classified according to level of disability, including arm, leg and visual impairments.

Para Alpine Skiing features downhill, slalom and super-G events. Watch for Andrew Kurka, Danelle Umstead and Thomas Walsh on Team USA. Para Biathalon combines cross-country skiing with shooting. Keep your eyes on Oksana Masters and Aaron Pike for Team USA.

Paralympic skier Allison Jones

Para Cross-Country Skiing requires dexterity on a course. Para Ice Hockey, also known as sled hockey, features modified frames on hockey blades.

Para Snowboard will make its inaugural debut as its own discipline. Watch for Team USA members Amy Purdy, Evan Strong and Mike Schultz. Wheelchair Curling features co-ed teams, who throw a special stone by hand or with a stick, aiming to reach the center of a target.

Canadian Sledge Hockey Player, photos.newswire.ca

2017-18 World Para Nordic Skiing World Cup

Reposted from www.paralympic.org

The 2017-18 season is a pivotal one for Para Nordic skiers, with all events acting as qualification and preparation for the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.

Three World Cups featuring both biathlon and cross-country races will take place in this Paralympic year across two continents.

The season spans three months, beginning in Canmore, Canada, with the first World Cup from 9-17 December.

Skiers return to action in Europe in 2018, with the second World Cup in Oberried, Germany from 20-28 January, before the final event of the season at Vuokatti, Finland, from 2-10 February.

Those who qualify for the Winter Games will then have one month off before the action kicks off in PyeongChang.

World Cup champions out to defend their titles this season include Germany’s Martin Fleig and Ukraine’s Iurii Utkin in biathlon, and Austria’s Carina Edlinger and Ukraine’s Oleksandra Kononova

How does one become a paralympian? Watch Oksana Masters share her story

Are you ready for winter time in South Korea?

Getting ready for my volunteer role in PyeongChang; enjoying brisk winter hikes on Red Mountain (AL). It felt great to return to the trails atop Red Mountain! Who minds a few snow flurries?

Red Shred -- Gerard Qualifies for Team USA Snowboarding

17-year old Red Gerard qualifies for US Olympic Team as a snowboarder during Toyota US Grand Prix in Snowmass Colorado today. His second-run score was 87.28 and featured a triple cork. 

www.parkrecord.com

Gerard began snowboarding at age 2 and enjoys his own trick park at home. His professional snowboarding began in 2015, earning attention from fellow competitors. Gerard competes as a member of Burton Global Team.

This talented teen earned third place in a slopestyle world cup in Austria one year ago. He also scored high marks last season in California competition, as well as fourth place in the Dew Tour last month. 

Gerard, who hails from Colorado, has his sights on become the youngest American snowboarder to medal during the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang.  Go, Red, Go!

Career Highlights

• 2017 FIS World Cup Standings, 1st (slopestyle), 4th (overall)

• 2015 FIS Junior World Championships, 4th (slopestyle)

Source: Karen Price, contributor to TeamUSA.org

Be a Samsung Paralympic Reporter - win expense-paid trip to Pyeong Chang Winter Games!

Produce and submit a two-minute film showing your reporting abilities on the subject of Do What You Can’t and include five things you’d like to report on during Games time to be in with the chance to be one of the Samsung Paralympic Reporters winning the opportunity of a lifetime – an expenses paid trip to blog from PyeongChang 2018'

If being just a spectator is not enough for you, then how about reporting on the Games? In partnership with Samsung, the IPC will fly three Para sport super-fans to PyeongChang to become Paralympic Bloggers for the Games. Sound good?

Enter by Jan. 08, 2018. HOW TO ENTER

Preparing for PyeongChang - A volunteer's journey

Only 79 days remain before the start of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games!  Excitement builds among host country and international volunteers in support of the Olympic Organizing Committee and People of Korea.

Suzy.bloghaunt.com

Becoming a volunteer for an international sporting event requires patience and much persistence. Steps are many, including researching volunteer opportunities and requirements, submitting an online application nearly one year before the event, and review of credentials by Games Organizing Committee. If all steps are passed, the volunteer is invited to complete timed written and verbal examinations, join a SKYPE interview with a Games official, and confirm volunteer duty assignment. 

It is challenging to assemble a talented workforce of thousands of volunteers for hundreds of work roles. Unfortunately, not all applicants will be selected as Games Time volunteers.

Following successful recruitment, the international volunteer must make travel arrangements, secure accommodations, and schedule training of several phases -- online language and culture and in-country training for the Games Time assignment. Don't neglect to purchase travel and international health insurance!

The PyeongChang 2018 Volunteer must complete Korean Language Cultural Awareness Course of 31 lessons hosted by Pagoda Academy, Inc. Content includes Introduction to the Korean Alphabet, Using Public Transportation, Expressing Emotions, Volunteering, Managing Emergencies, Asking for Help and much more! Training is moderated by bilingual teachers in an interactive video format.

For instance, in the lesson Expressing Emotions, the trainee learns how to express happiness, hunger, thirst, preference for a team and athlete, and the importance of respect for elders. There is much to learn to insure a happy, safe and successful Winter Games. Together, we are a committed PASSION CREW - Ari, Ari!

“When PyeongChang welcomes all the world, it will be your smiles, and your warm welcome that people will remember forever,” said the IOC President. “Your passion will connect the world with a wonderful Korean culture and well-known hospitality. Volunteering brings out the best in us. And the Games could not happen without your participation. You are an essential part of PyeongChang 2018. 

Torchbearers Spread Olympic Fever Across South Korea

Follow the torchbearer tour across South Korea, which began November 1, see itinerary. 
The theme for the torchbearer tour is "Let Everyone Shine!" 

Originating in historic Greece, the torch will follow a journey of 101 days by land, sea and air and be borne by young and old. The specially designed torch can withstand extremes, remaining alight including subzero temperatures. 

Torch arrival with fireworks

Torchbearers represent individuals who are pursuing their dreams and opening new horizons, including individuals with disabilities. The route will pass through 9 provinces, 8 major cities and 151 counties and districts. Many gather to happily greet the torch upon its arrival, celebrating with applause, music and fireworks. 

Day 12 Photo - Olympic Torchbearers

What sports will be featured during 2018 Paralympic Games?

The 2018 Paralympic Games to be held 9-18 March, 2018 will feature exciting snow and ice sports, including Para Alpine Skiing, Para Biathlon, Para Cross-Country Skiing, Para Ice Hockey, Para Snowboard and Wheelchair Curling. 

For instance, Para Alpine Skiing debuted as an Olympic sport in Sweden in 1976 by injured veterans who wanted to practice their sport following WWII. Within this classification are Downhill, Super-G, Super Combined, Giant Slalom and Slalom. Athletes are classified into Visually Impaired (B1-B3), Standing (LW1-LW9) and Sitting (LW10-LW12) categories. 

A second Paralympic Winter sport is Para Ice Hockey. Fifteen athletes compete during three 15-minute periods with a time out between each period. Five players (two defensemen and three forwards), plus a goaltender may be on ice for play at one time. 

Spectators will gather in the Olympic Stadium in PyeongChang for opening and closing ceremonies; snow sports will be held in PyeongChang and Jeongseon Area. Ice sports will be held at Gangneung in Olympic Park and at Kwandong University. Planners have mapped routes for autos, express buses, shuttles and train, moving fans and athletes between venues. 

Identity of the Games - "The emblem symbolises a world open to everyone. It combines the image of ice and snow, winter sports stars (athletes), and people from all over the world, coming together in PyeongChang where heaven meets earth."

Paralympics Emblem

Countdown to Pyeong Chang and 2018 Winter Games

Anticipation is building for 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games hosted by South Korea
in three dynamic alpine regions, Pyeong Chang, Gangneung and Jeongseon beginning 9 February. 

Exciting new venues have been constructed to welcome athletes, coaches and fans from across the Globe! The shape of a pentagon symbolizes five goals of the Winter Games: the economy, the environment, IT, the arts and peace.

Pyeong Chang Olympic Stadium

Pyeong Chang Introduction to the Host City - cited in the Alps of Korea, 700 metres above sea level features many activities, including skiing, cave tours, traditional marketplace, Daegwalryeong Flower Snow Festival, winter trout fishing, and more! 

Two mascots, Soohorang and Bandabi, playfully welcome fans of all ages. Soohorang, the white tiger, is Korea's guardian, who represents protection for the athletes. His partner is Bandabi, an Asiatic black bear. Bandabi stands for equality and harmony and will encourage athletes to excel. 

Watch for more updates!

Looking forward to 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea!

The first Olympic Winter Games was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924 and the 22nd edition was celebrated in Sochi, Russia, in 2014. 

PyeongChang is the host city for the 23rd Olympic Winter Games in 2018. LINK

[Source: Jeongseon-gun]

"Pyeongchang county is the host of the 2018 Winter Olympics. Two main ski resorts in the area, Alpensia and Yongpyong, will host most of the events. Alpensia has the main Olympic Village, hosting the ski jumping, luge, bobsleigh and cross-country skiing, while Yongpyong, which is one of northeast Asia’s better ski resorts, will host the downhill slalom events. The ceremonies will be held in a purpose-built temporary stadium about two kilometres from Alpensia Olympic Village.

The town of Hoenggye (횡계) serves as a transit hub for both ski resorts and provides cheaper eating options, a bit of nightlife, and basic accommodation such as Boutique Olive, which has clean, reasonably priced condo rooms." 

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/south-korea/gang-won-do/yongpyong-ski-resort/introduction#ixzz4L1WUlAlt