PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics Day 5

Day 5

More fantastic feats and frightening falls on Day 5 of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics.

Highlights:

Men's Snowboarding Halfpipe

What an incredible Men's Halfpipe! No one held anything back as the athletes went hard and threw down their most difficult and challenging tricks.

As a reminder, this is a dangerous and risky sport. Several of the snowboarders crashed hard.

Yuto Totsuka of Japan crashes during the Snowboard Men's Halfpipe Final PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac

Kent Callister of Australia crashes during the Snowboard Men's Halfpipe Final PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac

Jan Scherrer of Switzerland crashes during the Snowboard Men's Halfpipe Final PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac

Yuto Totsuka of Japan crashes during the Snowboard Men's Halfpipe Final PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images AsiaPac

Yuto Totsuka of Japan is attended to by medical staff after crashing in the during the Snowboard Men's Halfpipe Final PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images AsiaPac

And even the best in the field washed out.

Shaun White of the United States crashes in his second run during the Snowboard Men's Halfpipe Final PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac

Scotty James of Australia crashes in his third run during the Snowboard Men's Halfpipe Final PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: David Ramos/Getty Images AsiaPac

Ayumu Hirano of Japan competes during the Snowboard Men's Halfpipe Final PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac

But with the best of three runs determining the winner, there were extraordinary moments of brilliance as some of the athletes soared and dazzled with their fantastic feats.

Patrick Burgener of Switzerland competes in the during the Snowboard Men's Halfpipe Final PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images AsiaPac

Ayumu Hirano of Japan competes in his second run during the Snowboard Men's Halfpipe Final PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac

And in the end, it came down to the final run. Ayumu Hirano washed out in the first run. But he scored the highest in the second run at 95.25, putting him in first place.

Ayumu Hirano of Japan competes during the Snowboard Men's Halfpipe Final PyeongChang 2018 Winter February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac

Ayumu Hirano attempted to do better in the final run, but he had a stumble that ended his run. Now, he had to wait for Australia's Scotty James and USA's Shaun White to do their final run to determine the order on the podium.

Scotty James of Australia competes in his second run during the Snowboard Men's Halfpipe Final PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac

Australia's Scotty James scored a 92 in his first run, washed out the second, and attempted to better score in his third. But he washed out in the last run, guaranteeing him the bronze. Now it was up to Shaun White to determine whether he can best Ayumu Hirano or settle for silver.

Shaun White of the United States competes during the Snowboard Men's Halfpipe Final PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images AsiaPac

And in the end, the American delivers a sensational final run in men's halfpipe, scoring 97.75, higher than Hiramo's 95.25! Shaun White becomes a three time gold medalist in the Halfpipe! With his Torino 2006 and Vancouver 2010 gold, and now PyeongChang 2018 gold, he is the first American male to win gold at three separate Olympics in the same event, and he earns the US's 100th overall gold medal of all Winter Olympics.

It is a fantastic redemption for Shaun White, who left Sochi 2014 empty handed. At 31, he is the oldest athlete in the event, competing against kids he inspired to take up the sport. Ayumu Hirano of Japan adds PyeongChang 2018 silver to his Sochi 2014 silver. And Australia's Scotty James takes the bronze. It was a spectacular ending to an awesome Halfpipe competition.


Figure Skating Pairs Qualification Short Program

Some fantastic performances at the pairs short program.

Paige Conners and Evgeni Krasnopolski of Israel compete during the Pair Skating Short Program PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images AsiaPac

Best Dressed

Figure skating announcers Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir prepare for the start of the Pair Skating Short Program PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018 South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Jamie Squire/Getty Images AsiaPac

World champions Sui Wenjing and Han Cong of China delivered a riveting performance to lead the short program with 82.39 points. Their artistry and technique were exquisite, clearly the best performers of the event.

Wenjing Sui and Cong Han of China compete during the Pair Skating Short Program PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images AsiaPac

Russian skaters Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov displayed a flawless technical performance that earned them 81.68 points, less than a point behind Sui Wenjing and Han Cong, placing them in second.

Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford of Canada were unsure in their performance, landing them in third with 76.82 points. That was less than a point ahead of German favorites Aliona Savchenkno and Bruno Massot, who missed critical elements to earn them fourth place with 76.59 points.

16 out of 22 pairs advance to the Free Skate (Long Program) tonight. Among them are North Koreans Ryom Tae Ok and Kim Ju Sink, who are currently placed 11th, ahead of two Canadian teams and 14th place American husband and wife team of Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Chris Knierim.

I was very impressed with the North Koreans.

Tae Ok Ryom and Ju Sik Kim of North Korea compete during the Pair Skating Short Program PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Jamie Squire/Getty Images AsiaPac

They performed well, very full of zest, and they skated bold and confident. The unbiased, fair, balanced, and smartly dressed audience agrees with me:

North Korean cheerleaders wave flags during the Pair Skating Short Program PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images AsiaPac

I am also happy to see Russian born Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya, 18, and Harley Windsor, 21, of Australia perform. They are the 2017 World Junior Champions and Junior Grand Prix Final champions. They met at a tryout in Moscow two years ago, hit it off, and she was released by the Russian Federation and gained Australian citizenship, making her eligible to compete at the Olympics. Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya and Harley Windsor finished a respectable 18th out of 22, an excellent senior level international performance for the two year old partnership.

Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya and Harley Windsor of Australia compete during the Pair Skating Short Program PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Jamie Squire/Getty Images AsiaPac

Harley Windsor is the first Aboriginal Australian to compete in the Winter Olympics. I'm not sure if I like the word indigenous. What's wrong with native? Anyway, the story goes that when he was eight, his mother took a wrong turn and they ended up outside a skating rink. Curious, he strapped on some skates, found that he enjoyed skating, and never looked back.

It is wonderful to see an up and coming pair qualify to make it to the Olympics, especially from a nontraditional skating country like Australia. Danielle and Stephen Carr were the last Australian pair to compete at Nagano 1998, twenty years ago!

Let's be honest, until recently, the Winter Olympics is skewed towards Europeans and North Americans. It's only in the last two decades that Asian countries have started to take part and have started catching up in the last three Olympics.

The Southern Hemisphere and countries that don't have winter seasons are at a disadvantage. They don't have the experience nor resources like facilities nor the equipment necessary to practice winter sports. There aren't a lot of places to cross-country ski in Africa or Central America or even Australia. I doubt that they are ski jumping in Southeast Asia or figure skating in the Pacific.

Thankfully, the addition of new sports like snowboarding and curling has breathed new life into the Winter Olympics. It has broaden the appeal of the Games and it has brought much needed variety and diversity, attracting athletes and fans from all different parts of the world.

Yes, the Winter Olympics still tends to favor traditionally winter season countries, but serious efforts are made that now provide opportunities for nontraditional skiing/skating nations and winterless countries like Jamaica, Togo, Nigeria, Tonga, and so many others now have a chance to be part of Winter Olympics. And those efforts do make a difference.

If you're a figure skating or Olympics fan, you might have noticed that the coach of China's Sui Wenjing and Han Cong looks familiar.

Wenjing Sui and Cong Han of China celebrate after their program during the Pair Skating Short Program PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images AsiaPac

That's because he is none other than legendary Chinese skater Hongbo Zhao, pair partner of the magnificent Xue Shen, Vancouver 2010 pairs champions.

Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao of China perform at the Exhibition Gala following the Olympic figure skating competition February 27, 2010 Vancouver, Canada. Feb. 26, 2010 - Source: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images North America

Sui Wenjing and Han Cong were inspired by watching Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao win that Salt Lake 2002 bronze, the first figure skating medal for China.

Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao paired up in 1992, and began a long road of trials and triumphs, surviving injuries to claim a bronze at Salt Lake 2002 and Torino 2006 and multiple World championships. They retired in 2007. But two years later, with Olympic dreams still alive, they returned, better than ever, breaking records and making history by becoming the first Chinese pair ever to win Olympic figure skating gold at Vancouver 2010.

Their compatriots, Pang Qing and Tong Jian, took silver for China. And then Grand Prix Final champions from Germany, Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy settled for bronze. Yes, it's the very same Aliona Savchenko competing here at PyeongChang 2018 with a new partner, Bruno Massot!

The man responsible for making China a pairs figure skating powerhouse is Yao Bin.

In 1980, Yao Bin and his partner Luan Bo had a terrible experience at the World Figure Skating Championship in Dortmund, West Germany; Yao has said he remembers people in the audience laughing at their inferior skating. China was a closed country, so Yao Bin and Luan Bo only had photographs to learn figure skating moves! No video, no live performances, no one to even properly train and coach them.

They came in last place at that 1980 World Championship. And were last again at the 1981 World Championship. They placed 15th in the Sarajevo 1984 Winter Olympics. And after these embarrassing experiences, Yao was determined to create a team of world-class figure skaters.

His years of hard work paid off with several of his students becoming world champions and medaling at the Olympics. In 2004 Yao came full circle at the 2004 World Championships in Dortmund. 24 years earlier, he and his partner had finished last, to the laughter and jeers of the crowd. Now, his pair teams placed 2nd, 3rd, and 5th at the 2004 World Championships.

That same year, in recognition of his astounding work, Yao received International Figure Skating Magazine's Coach of the Year award. And his students would go on to win more championships and Olympic medals, the best with the Vancouver 2010 gold and silver wins.

So yes, efforts honestly made to include people and countries that don't normally have winter sports experience do matter. It may take years to develop, but as mighty oaks grow from small acorns, so too will talent blossom from seeds of hard work sown honestly and tended to carefully. It makes a difference to care and help others reach for the stars.


Heavy winds and bad weather has caused the postponing of certain events, and the Olympic Park in the coastal city of Gangneung was evacuated to protect visitors from the dangerous winds.

Women's Alpine Skiing Slalom

Postponed to Friday due to bad weather, gusty winds. Safety first. Safety always.


Women's Individual Biathlon 15km

Postponed to Thursday due to bad weather, gusty winds. Safety first. Safety always.


In other Olympics news, the Unified Korean team finally scored their first Olympics goal against Japan. Japan went on to win 4-1. The Korean team does not advance and is out of play. But they made history with their first ever unified team and for scoring that single goal.

Randi Heesoo Griffin of Korea celebrates after she scored during the Women's Ice Hockey Preliminary Round Group B game between Korea and Japan PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images AsiaPac

Japan also makes history for this is Japan's first Olympic victory in women's hockey.


Meanwhile, over in the Austria House, Prince Albert of Monaco, an International Olympic Committee member, showed up at a chilly outdoor exhibition of snow volleyball at the Pyeongchang Olympics. He put down his mulled wine and served that ball to the delighted cheers of spectators and fans.

It was a very entertaining performance, but I have serious doubts that snow volleyball will make it as a Winter Olympics event. I think ice sculpting has a better chance of being made an Olympics event than snow volleyball. But if the IOC is looking to add some pizzazz and glamour to the Winter Olympics, may I suggest Cheerleading?

North Korean cheerleaders perform during the Women's Ice Hockey Preliminary Round Group B game between Korea and Japan on day five of the PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Carl Court/Getty Images AsiaPac

Do not read below if you plan on watching the recorded broadcast of Nordic Combined Individual Gundersen Normal Hill 10km, Women's Speedskating 1000m, and Men's Luge Doubles. Spoilers below.


Summary:

Nordic Combined Individual Gundersen Normal Hill 10km

In this challenging event, the athletes ski jump off a hill first. The furthest jumper with the most points wins. The winner is the first to go in the second part of the Nordic Combined, skiing the 10km race. Everyone else starts after the winner with time disadvantages according to their jumping score. First across the 10km finish line wins.

Austrian Franz-Josef Rehrl was the surprise winner of the ski jumping phase with a leap of 112 meters that gave him a 15-second head start. Defending Sochi 2014 champion Eric Frenzel of Germany was fifth after the ski jump.

And what a fantastic ski race! Eric Frenzel was able to overcome a 36 second deficit to overtake Japan's Akito Watabe on the last uphill at the 4.8km mark, halfway through the 10km race. And he held on to the lead, right up to the last lap when he broke away from the lead pack, leaving them far behind. He finished a healthy 4.8 seconds ahead of Akito Watabe. Eric Frenzel becomes the first athlete to successfully defend his Nordic Combined Olympic title since Ulrich Wehling of East Germany won the Nordic Combined at Sapporo 1972, Innsbruck 1976, and Lake Placid 1980.

Eric Frenzel of Germany (5) and Lukas Klapfer of Austria (4) compete during the Nordic Combined Individual Gundersen Normal Hill and 10km Cross Country PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Al Bello/Getty Images AsiaPac

Eric Frenzel successfully defends his Sochi 2014 title, winning PyeongChang 2018 gold! It is Germany's sixth gold of the PyeongChang Games.

Akito Watabe of Japan claims silver, adding to a Sochi 2014 silver in the same event. And Austria's Lukas Klapfer took the bronze.


Women's Speedskating 1000m

Jorien ter Mors has set an Olympic record to win the 1,000 meters. She gets The Netherlands its fifth gold medal of the PyeongChang Olympics.

Jorien Ter Mors of the Netherlands competes during the Ladies' 1000m Speed Skating PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Jamie Squire/Getty Images AsiaPac

Japan's Nao Kodaira, a gold favorite, faded over the last half-lap and had to settle for silver. Her teammate, Miho Takagi, the 1500m silver medalist, adds the 1000m bronze to her collection.

Ter Mors set the new Olympics record when she crossed the finish line in 1 minute 13.56 seconds, beating Kodaira by 0.26 seconds and Takagi by 0.42 seconds.

Brittany Bowe of the US was fourth.


Men's Luge Doubles

My favorite event of the day is Men's Luge Doubles. In case you didn't know, mixed gender teams have been allowed to compete in the luge doubles since 1994. However, due to the marked differences in height, weight, and built between the two sexes, compatibility remains an issue, as no one has yet to figure out how to use those differences to gain speed on the luge. So, it remains a mostly heavily male dominated sport.

Yes, a lot of the males are heavy. There's actually a minimum weight requirements for luge: 165lbs for women and 198lbs for men. Lighter athletes are allowed to use weights sewn into their clothing to meet the weight minimum. There is no maximum weight. Heavier objects slide downhill faster. It's just a matter of balancing weight, air resistance, drag, friction, gravity, and mass, etc. In other words, you want to be heavy enough to slide faster but not so heavy as to build up drag.

It was a thrilling and dramatic contest. Coming into the event, Germany's Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken were expected to easily win gold, given how they've dominated the World Cup this season. They are the reigning World Champions. Meanwhile, the Sochi 2014 champions, the two Tobys, Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt of Germany were not expected to win. They've been second best all season.

And it was Peter Penz and Georg Fischler of Austria, who pulled off a surprise final run that put them ahead of Germans Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken! Peter Penz and Georg Fischler first met as 8 year olds starting out in the sport. 15 years ago at the 2002 Junior World Championships in Igls, Austria, there was still no Austrian doubles team. So their coach asked them to try it. They did it. It was fun. And they've been successful partners since. This silver medal is a welcomed surprise for the two hard working athletes and for Austria.

Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt were the last to run. There were many doubting their ability to get the top spot on the podium. And in the middle of their last run, it looked as if they might miss the podium all together. But they used their skills and experience and managed to finish in first place!

Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt of Germany celebrate at the finish as they win gold during the Luge Doubles PyeongChang 2018 February 14, 2018, South Korea. Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images AsiaPac

The two Tobys can now be referred to as Two Time Champions! They are only the third pair to successfully defend their title in this event, after Austrian brothers Andreas and Wolfgang Linger in 2006 and 2010, and Hans Rinn and Norbert Hahn [GDR] in 1976 and 1980.

Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt deliver Germany another gold medal. Peter Penz and Georg Fischler of Austria take silver. And Germany's World Champions Sascha Benecken and Toni Eggert claim bronze.


And so ends another fantastic day of competition on Day 5 of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics. The winds might have blown hard enough to shut down parts of the Olympics, but some athletes managed to blow the field away with their incredible feats. And for three Olympic champions, it was a good day to return to the top!