Archive for the 'vancouver 2010 olympics' Category
Simmerling debuts!
Whistler, BC – Today was an exciting day for Georgia Simmerling. With all of her family and friends watching, Georgia skied to a fantastic 27th place on a difficult course, giving her excellent experience at the highest level.
Georgia battled through a long week of adversity, including one DNS due to a treacherous downhill, and a minor injury before the Super Combined which stopped her from racing there as well.
Simmerling now heads to Aspen, CO for some more racing, competing in NORAM races later this week.
We actually made it!
me and most of the family the first day in the village!
After hearing that our training run was already cancelled for the next day we finally got permission in the afternoon to head down to Vancouver for the Opening Ceremonies! Em, Shona and I frantically gathered our outfits and got ready super quickly to make it in time for the last bus leaving from the Athlete’s village down to Vancouver with a coach bus full of other athletes. We were accompanied by multiple police cars for the drive down, as well as a helicopter and a plane! I have to say, it felt a little ridiculous having all that security just for us…
When we finally arrived at BC Place, the folks in charge were frantic themselves because we were apparently “late” for the march into the stadium. Ironically, we thought we had timed it perfectly seeing other canadian athlete’s sitting and leaning against the wall, having been there apparently for hours… When we finally started to march towards the stadium, the buzz and excitement filled the area. The actual performers for the show were along the sides of the corridor as we marched, not yet in the stadium, which was really cool having them cheer their hearts out giving us a taste of what was yet to come. As we marched in to the stadium to the 60,000 people all cheering for us, the canadians, I had never felt so alive. Mostly everyone in that stadium had no idea who I am, but regardless, they screamed as loud as they could. Walking around the arena, looking up into the crowd, the emotion I felt was one I will never forget.
walking in to BC Place! indescribable emotion...
torch bearers entering the stadium. so cool.
Sitting in our seats, watching the breathtaking show performed by so many gifted singers, dancers, athletes, and many more I had never in my entire life felt so happy, and proud to be a Canadian.
Pow skiing instead…
mid inspection photo with my hard working papa!
We finally got up to the mountain today in the late morning, did a pretty epic run on our powder skis before inspection. But the race was cancelled once again… The track of the downhill was not looking ideal when we went down it this morning, and we have been cancelled for tomorrow already. They are focusing on the men’s race tomorrow and shooting for a woman’s training run Sunday and race Monday.
Today was the not mooooost productive day. Whistler was, well… Typical Whistler. With fog rolling in and out, mostly in, the morning consisted of waiting in our “Canadian Athlete’s only” lodge playing cards, while the race was on hold. We trained a few runs of Slalom after the Women’s training run was cancelled which at least ended the morning on a productive note!
Chilled in the afternoon, got some physio on my knee, and worked out before meeting then dinner. But the best part of the evening was playing Cranium with Shona, Britt and Em and trying to move Em’s body without her knowing I was trying to portray “surfing a wave” to Britt. With everyone in hysterics Britt somehow figured it out with how I was moving Emily’s body around!
Tomorrow we have a late start so no 5 am wake up, yay! Hopefully we get a run off!!
Update
Well the website is up! And what amazing timing! Ok… I just have to say…. WHO’S EXCITEDDDDDD???????? (about the Olympics I’m talking about)
Aaaannnd, I’m done. On to the actual update…
So we (the Olympic team) we were just at Nakiska training for the past three days before heading to the craziness at Vancouver and onward to Whistler. Nakiska is a mountain I would NOT suggest go and ski on your vacation out West, but it is an awesome mountain for us racers who love ice and steep runs. It is our western training facility so they accommodate us really well. We trained 3 days of tough gs and super g training. It felt good being back on my skis, skiing with confidence after a not so friendly crash a week previous at St. Moritz. We will be living in our own condos (not the Athlete’s Village) up in Whistler to be on our own, and focus on our game. And besides, who can complain about having a private chef cook for you? Don’t think so…
So that’s the latest, keep checking in because a LOT of craziness is going to happening in the next few days I’m sure!
