Travel Home

Well it's finally the travel day to get back to my wife and kids, and family dog. Reece, I know can't wait to see his wife and kids.

I have had a fantastic experience during the last month, met some incredible people that give huge amounts of time and energy to further the sports that they are involved in. The volunteers (smurfs), coaches, wax Technicians, support staff and Athletes have all given so much to allow us to cheer, feel sorrow, joy and pride over something as simple as sport. Thank You!

Well it was one long drive from Vancouver to Rossland we joked endlessly about bad headlights in the red car, funny road signs and small towns all in the attempt to keep awake. Saw a few deer, a fox and a bit of saw dust, but it was a fun drive.

Before we went to the airport we got to experience a great ski at Blackjack and a great breakfast. Thanks for the memories.

As always hard to fit me in the photo's

Stephano and Petra Majdic (one nasty fall with 4 broken ribbs) one tough lady. Qualified then did 4 heats to get a bronze medal!

Well it's quite a view at Blackjack. I couldn't resist finaly putting in a photo of ME.

Remember it's just a game.

The Racing is Over

Well the racing is over but my duties are not. We need to pack up the XC cabin sort out what goes back to Norway and what stays in Canada. Pack the skis, box the boots and bindings. We got back to the house re packed and sorted for a few more hours. Jan our Czech house mate brought by a friend on his way to the airport Katarina Numinova. I barely recognized her in jeans and a T shirt as I had given her some skis early in the games while she was in her ski clothes. Well the tally of 3 ski bags, 14 boxes and a total of about 700 lbs  all going back to Ottawa. This is way more than we took out and will take a bit of time to sort out back home. Well it is off to the bus depot at 5 am to take Stian for the airport shuttle. Then off to Puro for the boxes, the rental van back to Enterprise and our drive to Rossland to return Peter P's car to him.

A few boxes as we begin the packing process

As many of you know this Olympics was to be a Green Olympics (sorry for the pun)

Coke did their part with 3 green coolers at each venue. The Coke employees were from all over the world and were driving hybrid - clean diesel trucks

New bottle shape

New Green Bottles up to 30% plant based and totaly recyclable

Even the Coolers are Cleaner

Theses were filled up continualy during the day as needed.

Men's 50 km

Wow the last day of competition, 50km for men. This is giong to be a great race. The race is the marathon of cross country skiing a little more hilly that the normal running marathon the speeds are not that different. Skiing is a bit faster bit not as much as you might think considering the ability to tuck on the downhills. 

Skiers start together (mass start) and battle it out untill the final sprint for the line.

The 50 begins

Devon, Alex and Ivan begin their quest for the front.

Off into the mist

Womans 30 km

The last day of competition for the Ladies, a 30 km classic race. Boy what a day plus 2 C and rain, non stop unitll the last lap. It must have been quite cold for the ladies going down the hills cause I was awfuly cold walking and standing around.

The Start and they are all there

Steira pushing throught while others get new skis

Near the end, all the contenders are there just not in the finishing order

Sara Renner, pushing like the any other day...but this is her last race.

Kowalczyk and Bjoergen coming through with two to go

The sprint is on

Kowalczyk comes through on the line

Sarra finishing up her last race.

Mens Team Relay 4 x 10

In the relay event, teams of four ski the first two legs of the relay using the classic technique, and the last two legs using free technique. The men ski four x 10-kilometre legs for a total of 40 kilometres. The relay begins in a mass start format with teams lined up in rows; the exchange between skiers is similar to that in the team sprint competition. The winning team is the first to cross the finish line after the fourth leg of the relay has been completed.

I have to tell you how exciting it is to be able to stand on the side of the trail while the best in the world pass in front of you a foot or so away. Most of these shots were taken with a wide angle lens and were not cropped at all. I am very close to the action. The weather changed during the course of the race from snow, to fog, to golf ball sized snow, to almost sun then back to fog.

Devon leading on his second lap

Alex trying to close the gap on his first lap

Try to close to the leaders in the 3rd leg

Ivan trying to make up some time

Lead group on their 1st lap

 

Still together later in the lap but the fog rolls in

George beeing patient

George making a move Inge Braton encourages

Hellner made his move

Northug making his move

Going to second

Who wants to play, this guy has the respect of all of the competitors.

Men's 4 x 7.5 Biathlon Relay

In the relay event, one by one, each member of a four-person team skis a leg (7.5 km for men), tagging the next team member at the completion of his/her leg. Each athlete skis three legs and must stop twice at the shooting range, first shooting prone then shooting standing. In this event, instead of the usual five shots, each athlete is allowed an extra three bullets. If an athlete still misses the target, the athlete must ski a 150-metre penalty lap for each missed shot.

I was able to get into the marking area this morning, all rifles are checked against the registered rifle on file (serial #, make, model), the rifle is check for its triger weight. The athlete also must have his/here skis marked and their bib number is also marked inside after the stamp is applied

Checking gun serial #

Trigger weight

 

Official Olympic Bithlon Stamp

Some of the other duties we must preform during the events include start area duties, as we are the Rottefella service crew for World Cups and Olympics. We need to go into the start area and help the athletes get into their skis, many times there is snow/ice, or in the case of WOP Rocks wedged into the soles of the boots. This deminishes the stress on the athletes and lessens the amount of coaches etc in the start area.

 Reece cleaning boots before the exchange during the Relay (cleaning the hooves)

Not too many shoots today due to the weather and other dutes but I was at the finish line for when it counted

Ole Celibrates

The duel for second

JP Legelec with a best 10 place finish for the team

Biathlon Womans 4 x 6 relay

The Team events are always a great spectator favourite. In the relay event, one by one, each member of a four-person team skis a leg (6 km for women), tagging the next team member at the completion of her leg. Each athlete skis three legs and must stop twice at the shooting range. In this event, instead of the usual five shots, each athlete is allowed an extra three bullets. If an athlete still misses the target, the athlete must ski a 150-metre penalty lap for each missed shot. With each athlete giving it all to tag off to the next, we always see some wonderful shots of the athletes flopping to the ground barely able to breathe.

Magic corduroy rakes

Fans before the event

Kati Wilhelm

Ann Kristin Flatland

 

Semerenko

Filmonova

This is our Canadian Biathlon Team for the Team Relay, They are a very young team and are learning and improving every time they do a race.

Megan Imrie

Zina Kocher

Rosanne Crawford, (yes Chandra's sister)

Megan Tandy

Canadian Fans

Zaitseva Celibrating

Bailly checking her blind spot

Some fans in biathlon have become legendary, Norbert can be seen at almost every World Cup and regional race he can get to.

Paul, Hakan, Norbert, Reece, Bjorn Ivar

Norbert the Uber fan 310 pins and counting

Norbert would like to know where his friend Per Vik is