The Vancouver Olympics have been like a roller coaster thus far. Athletes and fans have experienced a number of highs and lows through the first week of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Here are the top five stories of the first week:
1. Death of Georgian luger - It was the wrong foot to start the Vancouver Games on, but the tragic death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili is the top story of the Games. The safety and planning of the luge track has come into question over the last week and is still under investigation. Kumaritashvili, who was 21, died in a training run crash on Day 1 of the Olympics.
2. Bad weather - It has rained, rained some more, been too warm, and then rained. Weather postponed almost every ski event early in the Games and forced VANOC officials to return roughly 28,000 tickets to fans. As well, the slopes at Cypress Mountain are still being stocked with snow that is being trucked in from hundreds of miles away.
3. Canada's first Gold - Entering the Vancouver Games, Canada stood as the only country to ever host an Olympic Games, without winning a gold medal on home soil. In fact, Canada hosted twice, once in Montreal 1976 and again in Calgary 1988. Moguls skier Alexandre Bilodeau won Canada's first ever gold medal on home soil on Day 3 of the games. Since then, Canada has added another gold medal from snowboarder Maelle Ricker.
4. Hockey blow outs - The only story surrounding hockey in the media, is whether or not it will continue to be an Olympic sport. The world competition has fallen off drastically over the last decade, specifically in the womens game. Many games have been won by 10 or more goals. In womens hockey, Canada destroyed opponents 18-0, 10-1, and 13-1 in round robin play. Without legitimate competition coming from nations not named Canada or the United States, the IOC might pull the plug on Olympic Hockey.
5. American athletes - Skier Lindsey Vonn and snowboarder Shaun White can't seem to escape the media at the Vancouver Games. Nor do these two outgoing athletes wan't to. Lindsey Vonn, who posed in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition and won an early Gold Medal in downhill skiing, is a media dream for her good looks and athletic abiliy. The charismatic Shaun White dominated in the snowboard half pipe showing why he is the Games' biggest star.
Let the games begin.
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