Olympics

Could we be seeing Slopestyle in the Olympics? Well,  the FIS (International Ski Federation) who govern skiing and snowboarding in the Olympics are meeting at the end of this month at the FIS congress in Turkey and one topic on the agenda will be the inclusion of slopestyle as a recognised event.

So far the the U.S., Canadian, and New Zealand snowsports organizations all have propositions for slopestyle to be recognized as an official FIS Snowboard World Championship event.

If it is recognized, according to U.S. Snowboarding Program Director Jeremy Forester,“ it could then potentially be forwarded by the FIS to the IOC (International Olympic Committee) for evaluation as a new Olympic event.”

I read in The Age that Olympic gold medal hopeful, Aussie Torah Bright was hospitalised last week with her second concussion in three days. Officials said snowboarder Bright was taken to hospital for evaluation after a crash forced her to withdraw from the Winter X Games Superpipe in Aspen.

Just days after Powderroom reported in this here blog about her double cork attempts. It seems Bright was reportedly injured trying this risky double cork trick - a first in a women's SuperPipe competition - which she was rumoured to be working on for Vancouver.

The second Sprint US Grand Prix event of the season has, thus far, followed the same blueprint as the first. Former Olympic Gold medallists Kelly Clark and Shaun White both dominated the qualifiers heading into today's halfpipe finals.

Clark dominated with this run: frontside air, back 5, front 7 tail, cab 7, indie front 5, indie backside air.

"It's always encouraging being able to make it to the finals having done so well. Being able to be consistent in the qualifiers is a great way to head in to the finals," Clark said. "I'm looking for some consistent results, and it should set me up for a fun week."

With the 2010 Winter Games well on their way, Vancouver is beginning to feel the heat of the Olympic torch--quite literally.

The internationally renowned flame is set to make its way across all 10 Canadian provinces, even reaching the northern most part of Nunavut.  The selected 12,000 torchbearers, ranging from athletes to aboriginal participants, are scheduled to carry the flame a celebratory 100 days prior to the opening ceremony.