US and Canada May Have Won Winter Gold, But Not As Successful in Green Olympics

By Nicole Malczan

Although both the United States and Canada were very successful in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, there is apparently much improvement that could be made in terms of going green. According to an article from The Star, both the US and Canada rank amongst the top ten per-capita emissions, landing them at about 20 tons per person, while countries like India or China rank at one ton and four tons respectively.

Despite that in the United States climate change bills have been passed, polls reflect that Americans are focusing somewhat less on climate change and its effects. A recent poll conducted this year found that only 57 percent of Americans believed that climate change is actively occurring, as opposed to the 71 percent from 2008’s poll. In Canada, a poll from this year discovered that Canadians find climate change to be a bigger threat than terrorism.

Still, both the United States and Canada should be doing more on their part to ensure a greener future, not just for the Olympic games, but for the world as well.

Q & A With Oakley Sunglasses

I had the chance to interview Jason Bielawski an employee of Oakley Sunglasses who spent a week at 2010 Vancouver Games while on assignment for his company. I asked him several questions about his experiences in Vancouver and the type of work he did.

Q: What is your position at Oakley, that gave you the opportunity to travel to the Olympic Games?

Jason: Actually, I work in the finance department and a friend of mine in a management position at the company asked if I'd be interested in going up to Vancouver to represent the company. Normally, I don't do work like this as I'm a finance guy, but given the opportunity I couldn't say no.

Q:What type of work did you do in Vancouver?

Jason: To be honest it felt more like a vacation than work. My typical day was meeting with represenatives from other companies and networking with them in order to promote Oakley's name. I spoke about new products and ideas the company is throwing around and got ideas from other companies and competitiors.

Q:Would you consider it public relations work, considering you were there to speak about and represent your company?

Jason: You could definitley say that. The purpose of my trip was to be a positive representation of the company and speak on behalf of them. I was very concious of what I said and how I presented myself knowing I was representing the company. I had never done public relations work before, but I really enjoyed it and who knows maybe I'll be moving into their department soon.

Q: Did you attend any of the events or ceremonies?

Jason: Unfortunatley, I wasn't able to get a chance to go to the Opening Ceremonies, but I attended alot of the events mostly the snowboarding and skiing events. Oakley does alot of work with snowboarding and has partial representation with some of the athletes. I was most drawn to watching Shaun White's runs just like everyone else there. You don't realize how amazing these athletes are until you see them live.

Q:Do you think companies such as your own can profit off the Olympic Games and how so?

Jason: Definitley, from a marketing standpoint there is a great opportunity to get your name seen and talked about. When the best athletes in the world are wearing your equipment your sales will definitley increase. I don't know the numbers exactly, but I do know the industry has profited as a direct result of the games.

Q&A with Olympic Manager Brian Eaton

With a little help from a family friend, Brianna Burns had the opportunity to interview Brian Eaton, venue general manager for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics/Paralympics Centre. Eaton has eight years of experience working for the Olympics, National Governing Body event management, public relations, marketing and management. Brianna Burns spoke to Eaton about working within the Olympics and any future goals he has regarding the Olympics.

BB: First off, how did you end up working for the Olympics’ eight years ago?

BE: Well actually the first Olympics I technically went to was in 2000 in Sydney but I wasn’t working for the Olympic committee. It was the best experience going there and after that I knew I wanted to start working for something in the Olympic fields. After that I started real low going to the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics as a supervisor and working my way up to being the general manager.

BB: So, how did the position of general manager get in your hands this year?

BE: Well in September 2009, I joined the Vancouver Olympic Committee only as general manager for Whistler Media Centre, which was where the athletes housing and media centre’s and parking lots were. But then in December I got moved to the Vancouver Olympic centre which was where all the competitions were held.

BB: Does being the general manager of such a big organization like the Olympics ever get stressful?

BE: Absolutely. It can get really stressful having to make sure everything goes smoothly, every event starts on time, making sure all the other people working for the committee are getting their jobs done and more. Being manager of any company would be stressful, it comes with the job title but I would never give it up.

BB: Looking back now in 2002 in Salt Lake City, did you ever picture yourself becoming general manager for the 2010 Olympics?

BE: To be honest, I don’t want to sound cocky but I had a good feeling. I’m good at what I do. I’m a hard worker, determined and optimistic about things. So, when I started at the bottom then I knew I could work my way up eventually to something big.

BB: What has been your most memorable Olympic experience or performance?

BE: That is a hard question because there has been so many to choose from. But one recent one that stands out the most to me was during the Vancouver Olympics Shaun White’s amazing performance where he gained two gold medals and unveiled his death defying trick, the Tomahawk.

BB: Do you see yourself in this position for the 2012 Olympics in London?

BE: I’m hoping to continue my career on the Olympic committee because it has been a dream come true these past years and an experience that is invaluable. If all goes well, I will be in London to experience more amazing performances that I can take with me for the rest of my life.

By:Brianna Burns

Advertising Remains

By: Stephanie Trabold

The Olympics has traveled across the globe and has been hosted by approximately 20 different countries worldwide within the past 200 years.

Like a parasite traveling from host to host, the Olympics leave remains of advertising in each host city.

As one can view from the pictures above, people can buy Olympic brand merchandise in the Vancouver airport. This method of advertising draws tourists to Olympic host cities and further draws in revenue for both the hosting country and the Olympic brand long after the Olympics are over.

Also featured above is the slogan for the Beijing 2008 summer games. This was located at the Great Wall located in Badaling, China. Badaling, China is the closest Great Wall location to Beijing and is about a two-hour drive from the city. The Great Wall is undoubtedly the largest tourist spot within mainland China.

People travel from across the globe to see this iconic ancient relic and as tourists travel up the stairs, one can see the sign over the hills. This is very reminiscent to the American “Hollywood” sign in terms of its location and structure.

The sign’s placement is very interesting. In terms of advertising, the sign is in an ideal location as thousands of tourists will see an ancient relic with an advertisement for the Olympics. The fusion of the modern and ancient times is somewhat inspiring yet demeaning to China’s history.

The Great Wall stretches over 8000 miles and was intended to keep invaders out of the country. Ironically in comparison, the Olympic sign brings a message bringing people into the country, stands right next to the wall that protected and isolated China for thousands of years.

Q&A with Sarah Hughes!

BY: Stephanie Pugliese

Sarah Hughes is a professional ice skater who won a gold medal at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. Sarah Hughes graduated from Yale in May, 2009. I recently got the chance to have an interview with her. I would like to thank Jessica Abruzzo, who she was the one who helped me get in contacted with Hughes. I also would like to thank Hughes for taking time out in her busy schedule to take part in this Q&A.





SP: I saw in a recent article that you attended the United States Olympic Committee's celebration at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan, how does it feel to be part of this?

SH: I started ice skating at the age of three/four so ever since then I always knew I wanted to be apart of such a committee. I felt honored that I made it that far. Just knowing that I was able to meet some big timers.


SP: How did you jungle your social life and skating?

SH: It was hard. I had to travel every day to Hackensack NJ, may I add I lived in Great Neck NY! I personally didn’t have trouble jungle my social life and skating since I didn’t have a social life in high school. I would and still rather be in the rink then going to the mall. It’s nice having that time to me in the rink. I can think about what’s going on in my life at that moment.


SP:Knowing that you wanted to be a Yale student and being an Olympian, how did you jungle your studies?

SH:It was hard but I got through it. Let’s just say, I didn’t sleep a lot. It was hard since my studies was and still is really important to me but yet again, so was ice skating. I tried to get my studies done before training, or on the days I didn’t train.



SP:After winning gold in the 2002 Olympics, did you have a hard time with the students at Yale?

SH:I actually get this question a lot. I was only 16 at the time I won gold, but when I an incoming freshman, Yale’s newspaper wrote an article about my story. So a lot of people knew who I was but they just congratulated me in passes.


SP: Since you graduated in May 2009, what have you been doing?

SH:I teach figure skating and support figure skating in Harlem New York. It provides free skating lessons and tutoring to girls in the area who have the love of the rink as I do.

Countdown to 2014

By:Corey Diamond

Although four years may seem far off, preparation for the 2014 games in Sochi, Russia has already began. The first stages of construction have begun on the Olympic venues as cement and other materials bearing the Olympic Rings have arrived in Sochi's port.

The port which will be used to transport in all construction materials for the games, is set to recieve 5 million tons of material from now until December in order to begin the first stages of construction.

After the port has recieved all of its shipments it will transform into a luxury bay where the wealthy can park the yachts while enjoying the Olympic Games. The port will be able to house 6,000 to 7,000 yachts and provide ammenties and hospitality for the more priveleged Olympic goers.

Vancouver Committee Makes bucks for Olympic Pucks

BY: Brianna Burns

After watching Canada’s hockey team defeat the United States in the final, the Vancouver Olympic committee is auctioning off certain items from the number one team in the world.

Scoring the winning goal for Canada, Sydney Crosby is getting his jersey that he wore during the Olympics auctioned off for roughly $35,000.


An Ohio state resident has the puck from the overtime period of the gold-medal from the hockey game, which was $13,088. The tray that held the medals of the gold-medal winning men's hockey team sold for $4,990.

The committee is also using an online auction site to sell artwork, replica tickets, mascots and copies of their pitch book, including one signed by CEO John Furlong.

A Q&A With Rider Alum/Bobsledder Jazmine Fenlator

By Nicole Malczan



2007 Rider alum Jazmine Fenlator might have graduated with a degree in journalism and a promised job at Johnson & Johnson, but she soon found herself shooting for Olympic gold. At the advice of her coaches, Fenlator began pursuing her Olympic dream, training and preparing as a bobsled breakman for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. However, with not enough time on her side for the 2010 games, Fenlator has firmly set her sights on the 2014 Winter Olympics, this time as a bobsled driver. Nicole Malczan spoke to Fenlator regarding her career shift and what it means to train for the Olympic games.

NM: First of all, the jump from journalism to bobsledding is quite a big one. Did you ever envision yourself pursuing bobsledding as a career path?

JF: No, I didn’t. I did track and field at Rider. I was successful at it but never intended to pursue it as a career. My coach told me that I should try bobsledding. I thought it’d be a good idea, so I jumped on board with bobsledding, and now my goal is to get to the Olympics.

NM: What got you interested in bobsledding?

JF: It was really my coach that mentioned it. I didn’t take him too seriously at the time, but my coach did some research and forwarded my athletic resume to some people. By April I was being contacted for tryouts from NCAA until the summer or fall. In August I got an invite from the NCAA to attend a rookie camp for five days, right before I started at Johnson & Johnson in September. I told myself, ‘if it doesn’t work out, then I’m going to work tomorrow.’

NM: How did you wind up joining the US national bobsled team?

JF: It involved taking a pushing test, and then I was asked to a camp where I was invited to slide on the bobsled. It’s hard to say if you’ll like it; you can slide and not like it or be great and love it. I got on the bobsled and loved it and said I’m in to stay. I had to go through the test to discover my weaknesses and strengths and to test better until I made the national team.

NM: Have you always been interested in competing in the Olympics?

JF: Well I grew up watching it, and although I didn’t prefer any team, I admired people with that much athleticism.

NM: What was the most significant experience you had in preparing for the 2010 Winter Games?

JF: During my residency at the Olympic Training Center at Lake Placid I was spending time with previous Olympians. That pushed me to want to do better. The US team really worked on development a lot. Being competitive really helps you to do better. I was training with the elite as one of the elite.

NM: What preparations do you believe need to be made for the 2014 Olympics?

JF: I changed my position from breakman to driver, and so I need to focus more on driving skills, learn the tracks, and find sponsorship for the equipment. Bobsledding is actually the second priciest sport behind equestrian sports. Then there’s help with the budget, travel, and keeping up to par to be bigger and stronger.

An Interview with Olympic Volunteer Liang Zhao

by: Stephanie Trabold



While on spring break in Beijing, China, Stephanie Trabold had the opportunity to visit the Bird’s Nest, home of the 2008 summer Olympic games. Trabold had interviewed tour guide Liang “Simon” Zhao. Zhao explains his personal volunteer experiences in the massive Olympic family and the impact the games have had on China.



ST: What was your position?

LZ: I was a volunteer with the Olympic Committee during the Beijing 2008 summer games. I was the translator and lesion for the president of Canadian Manual life. Canadian Manual Life was a five-time sponsor for the Olympic games. It was a very important spot.

ST: How did you get the opportunity to work at the Olympic Games?

LZ: A friend had told me about the opportunity. I filled out the online application and was accepted.

ST: Wow. The application was open to the public?

LZ: Yes. Anyone could have applied. The local government was even encouraging university students to volunteer, so they could improve their English. The Olympic committee would offer training through a series of tests, and depending on the degree of one’s English skills would determine his/ her placement.

ST: Have the Olympics benefited any local industries?

LZ: The tourism industry was highly impacted. During the games, it was harder to get a tourism Visa into the country because of the security. Local businesses were able to connect with Olympic sponsors. Many foreign companies were connected to the locals as a result of the bigger Olympic sponsors.

ST: How have the Olympics changed China if at all?

LZ: Before the games, people didn’t really see the climate and living conditions as a problem. During the preparation for the Olympics, the government really took initiative to clean up the area. As a result, people can see the blue skies and more people are learning English. People wanted to learn as much English as possible to become a part of the Olympic family, and as a whole people are more cooperative.

ST: What was the biggest highlight for you?

LZ: I got to see some of the stadium events live and for free. Also while working for Canadian Manual Life, I was given a special access badge that allowed me to be in the same room as President George W. Bush.

Injury Holding Up for Future Olympian

By: Stephanie Pugliese
American skiing celebrity Bode Miller hoped his right ankle, which he injured in December, would make it through the the World Cup season.




Even with his injuries, Miller won gold in the “super combined”, silver in the “super-G”, and bronze in the “downhill” events and became the most victorious American skier. Except, Miller will not finish the World Cup schedule according to a broadcast on Tuesday. Miller will skip the rest of the season due to the lasting injury.

Miller who is 32, sustained a serious sprain while playing volleyball on his spare time and unfortunately the ankle has not fully healed.

“My ankle is still bothering me, so I am going to stay home and get treatment,” Miller said, then stated, “My goal at the beginning of the season was to get ready for the Olympics and to win races in February. I just focused on that and I did that. If I wasn’t injured, I would have a made a separate decision about going to World Cup Finals, but that’s not the case.I feel like I accomplished everything I wanted to this season so it’s nice to just be able to relax.”

Since Miller’s injury, he is not in a position to win a World Cup points title because of his injury. Miller is still trying to beat his rival, Benjamin Raich of Austria.

Paralympics Media Coverage Falls Short

By Corey Diamond

The Paralympics is one of the largest sporting events in the world, and the largest showcase for disabled athletes. This has concluded last week in Vancouver and flew under the radar with little to no media coverage.

The 2010 games were not broadcasted on any major television outlets and was only available to watch in the U.S. via the internet and select highlights on NBC.

The Paralympics are an important event which should raise awarness across the globe about those with disabilities and their rights. This is a tremendous event with extraordinary athletes. The media should broadcast these games and let the whole world see how talented these athletes with severe disabilities are.

Since there are so many misconceptions and stereotypes of those with disabilities, the Paralympics is an important event to show the world that these people are talented beings and able to accomplish spectacular feats. It is an injustice to the handicapped population to not broadcast the Paralympics.

Hopefully, in future years there will be enough protest and public uprising to have the games more visible and talked about in the media.

Paralympics in Vancouver

When the Olympics come to mind people just automatically think of the top sports with the top athletes. But what we shouldn’t forget is the Paralympics, for the disabled.

The Paralympics is a smaller and less crowded event with the top notch athletes who have disabilities. It previously just took place in Vancouver on March 12 to the 21st. This event is very much similar to the regular Olympic Games, it just features different athletes that have disabilities and can’t compete with the other athletes.

One of the events that they had was the 2010 Paralympics Torch relay. The ten day relay was very critical to Canadians because it gave them a chance to discover the inspiring stories about the Paralympics.

Lighting of the Paralympic Flame during a ceremony in Ottawa involves torchbearers who represent each province and territory.


By:Brianna Burns

Canadian Pride at a High Since Winter Olympics

By Nicole Malczan

Although the Winter Olympics are over with, the sense of national pride for Canada is only bolstering since the completion of the games. In a poll conducted by Leger Marketing and reported about in The Montreal Gazette, over eight-five percent of Canadians feel a burst of pride due to the gold medal winnings that their country has earned during the games.


Another interesting result from the survey that was conducted found that about three-quarters of Canadians believe in increasing funding for aspiring Olympic athletes under a program called Own the Podium. This program seeks to improve Canadian sports and althletics.

Earlier this March, Canada's Finance Minister Jim Flaherty approved a federal budget which would include a boost towards the Own the Podium program. All of this should lead to further Canadian pride on Olympic performances in the future.

The Paralympic Games

by: Stephanie Trabold

Tonight begins a new generation for the Olympic games. Although not as popular and publicized as the original Olympics, the Paralympic Games hosts a variety of courageous athletes as they battle not only against the elements, but the challenges of their everyday lives.

The Paralympic Games celebrate its opening ceremony and continues in Vancouver, BC. Viewers can watch the action from their computers through Paralympicsport.tv a live video stream feature offered through the Vancouver Olympics website.

The attitude of the Paralympic games is reflected in its slogan; "With glowing hearts." The Paralympic Games do not emphasize competition but learning and unity.

The dedication and perseverance of these athletes is illustrated with the passing of the torch.




With Glowing Hearts the world can be inspired.

The Aftermath of the Olympics

By: Stephanie Pugliese



This was the situation for Vancouver, who had the honor of having the first Olympics Games in the height of the most latest global recession

For Vancouver, having the 2010 Winter Olympics Games cost around $6 billion (an estimate) and records have shown that for Canada, having the Olympics could either be a good thing or a curse. Canada has seen its previous host cities see millions in returns on its investment, as well as losses.



Canada found themselves in debt for about 30 years after the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics. The debts rocketed up to $1 billion; it wasn’t until December 2006 that the cost of the Olympic Stadium was paid off.

After the 1976 Montreal Games suffered such massive financial losses, in 1984 only Los Angeles and New York showed any interest of hosting the Games.

Nevertheless, Calgary turned what was the priciest Winter Olympics at that time ($1 billion), into a financial accomplishment by protected unprecedented $430 million in television rights. By the end, the coordinator had made $130 million profit.

When it was declare that Vancouver would be having the 2010 Olympics, eye browser were raised when the news came about. Questions were asked whether the city would be able to do so, particularly after the fact that it took decades to pay off the Montreal Games.

However, Vancouver managed to raise $5.7 billion to put on the event by fund-raising... and the section is hoping to see the payback.

Ralph Lauren Cashing in on the Games

By: Corey Diamond

The US olympic team went with a trendier look this winter moving away from its former official outfitter Roots, to team up with the Ralph Lauren Polo co. Ralph Lauren released an entire line of clothing to outfit America's athletes and partnered with a select few to model the new look.

Ralph Lauren's Olympic line features jackets, pants, polo shirts, winter hats, sweaters and fleeces and are available for purchase at any retailer who carries Ralph Lauren Polo.

“It is a proud moment for us to watch these esteemed athletes as they walk out onto a global stage representing America in
front of billions of people worldwide,” said David Lauren, Senior Vice President of Advertising, Marketing and Corporate
Communications.

The line Polo has released stays true to their preppy roots and their high price tags. Luckily, for those looking to save money, the Olympic line is currently on Sale at locations such as Macy's since the conclusion of the Olympic games.

Canada says Goodbye to the World's top athletes and teams.

After 17 exciting days of top athletic competition, Canada says Congratulations and goodbye to the world’s top winter athletes during the Closing ceremony of the 2010 Olympic Games.

Around 2,600 Olympians who competed at Canada’s Games entered Vancouver’s indoor stadium no longer grouped by nation but altogether as “one nation of athletes.”



The night was filled with many different emotions. Tears and smiles filled the room by congratulating all the Olympians on their success. The night was also a musical festival with Canadian bands Nickelback, Avril Lavigne, Simple Plan and many more.

By:Brianna Burns

The Olympics Boost NHL's Reputation

By Nicole Malczan

The 2010 men's hockey tournament was amongst the highest rated of the entire games, bolstering pride and support for both the US and Canada. In turn, the National Hockey League, or NHL, has been reaping some of the benefits taken from Sunday's game.

Despite that, according to this link , Gary Bettman, NHL's Commissioner, is debating whether or not to allow his team to play hockey for the next Olympic games, set to take place in Russia in 2014. However, with hockey rated as fourth in terms of American sports, it could use the boost in reputation, although the article cites that moving NHL players to the 2014 Olympics may not boost its reputation to American fans.

However, it could be worth a try to attempt to get American fans enthusiastic about both the upcoming games and hockey.

The Olympics goes digitally interactive

by: Stephanie Trabold

As the Vancouver Olympics draws to a close, one can still participate in the action from the comforts of home. The Vancouver 2010 Olympics has teamed with SEGA to recently release the official video game released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 systems.

The game features most of the events featured at the games including luge, skiing, shortboard, snowboarding, and speed skating.

The Vancouver Olympics website offers interested gamers the opportunity to preview the game with their online videos.

This is not a new concept to the Olympics to capitalize on the success of the previous games. For example, SEGA has also created Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games for the Wii. The first game released surrounded the 2008 summer games in Beijing, China.

To relate to the recent Vancouver 2010 games, SEGA has released Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games.



As a gamer, SEGA would do better to stay with the Wii system for this type of game. Wii is a more interactive system that allows players to move with the familiar characters which are a favorite to all Nintendo fans. To play the Olympic games on a stationary system such as Xbox or PS3 is going to get very boring very quickly and will mostly fade with as the excitement for the Vancouver Olympics draws to a close.

Canada Drinking on the Ice

By: Stephanie Pugliese


Last night after winning 2-0 over Team USA, Team Canada partied like “true hockey players” with cigars, beer and of course champagne.





According to Howard Berkers a report from Vancouver, the International Olympic Committee weren’t too thrilled about how the celebrations came about.







The Olympic gold medalists were still in their uniform and on the ice! Also, one of the players were underage.

Marie-Philip Poulin who scored both of the goals for Canada, is only 18, she won’t be 19 until next month. Which is the legal drinking age in British Columbia

Gold Medal Earners

By: Corey Diamond

American snowboarder Shaun White stands with his own private half-pipe built by one of his many corporate sponsors. This Olympics top earner flies by his private helicopter in order to even to reach the highly secretive practice location. Shaun White is currently pocketing eight million dollars from this winter's Olympics. The majority of his earnings are made through his lucrative sponsorship deals with Red Bull, Target, Oakley, Ubisoft and At&T.

Joining White atop the list is South Korean figure skater Kim Yu- Na. Her dominance of the sport has land her a purse size close to Shaun White's eight million. She has sponsorship agreements with several brands ranging from Hyundai to Nike to Samsung.

Other popular earners on Forbes list of top earning Olympians includes U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn who earns three million and speed skating phenom Apolo Anton Ohno who snagged one and a half million from this winters games.

The complete list of earners is available through Forbes website

USA is in the Lead

by:Brianna Burns

With the 2010 Vancouver Olympics already two weeks in, the United States is on top with the most medals. The USA currently has 25 medals with Germany not too far behind with 23.

There have been so many exciting matches and games that it is hard not to stay addicted to watching the Olympics.

One of my favorite games so far was when USA beat Canada in hockey. Everybody thought Canada was going to pull through and beat them but USA did it and they got to move on.

While Americans were enjoying the win, Canadians were in shock after the defeat. Here is a video of some Canadians that got interviewed about the game.

Olympics Ratings Highest in Over a Decade

By Nicole Malczan

Although the Olympics only occur on a two-to-four-year basis, in the past that fact hasn’t exactly influenced viewership for the better. Afterall, numbers were in decline for the last winter games, held in Turin, Italy in 2006. However, according to the Huffington Post, the ratings for this year's Olympic games are definitely picking up. The opening ceremony scored ratings almost fifty percent higher than that of the 2006 games. This is also one of the strongest standings for an Olympic opening ceremony ever, with only the infamous 1994 Olympics outshining the current games.


However, with the games running for a week now, a ratings decline is probably expected at some point. On this past Tuesday, February 17th, it’s reported that American Idol beat out the Olympic games in terms of viewership for that evening.


While this is a minor setback, the strong appeal of the Olympics, even a week into the games, should still compel viewers and draw out some pretty high numbers as the games continue.

Ensuring safety brings skepticism

By: Stephanie Trabold

On Saturday February 13, tragedy hit the Whistler Riding Centre luge area as 21 year old, Nodar Kumaritashvili from Georgia, died while practicing on the track.

Officials have claimed that while Kumaritashvili was completing the final curve of the track, he made a technical error that had caused the sled to lose control and crash at 90 miles an hour into a steel pole.

British reporter Tony Lambert provides further details.

The International Luge Federation (ILF) officials have also stated that the fatal accident had left "no indication that the accident was caused by deficiencies in the track."





As an additional safety precaution, walls have been raised higher to prevent any further tragedy.

It would be more demeaning to Nodar Kumaritashvili’s memory, and a detriment to Vancouver, British Columbia if no actions were performed after his death.

Although safety is always a high priority, several athletes had complained about the fatal final curve before Kumaritashvili’s death.

The Olympics are designed to bring about world peace and competition through sports, but could the pressure of the Olympics itself overlook its initial purpose?

Generally, a hosting country receives a bid four years in advanced to prepare for the Olympic games and is under enormous pressure to build state-of-the-art facilities to host these international athletes.

Hopefully, this will be the final fatality at the Vancouver games.

American High School Skaters are Getting Pumped
By: Stephanie Pugliese


The American figure skaters Mirai Nagasu and Rachael Flatt are planning to head back to their home rinks Monday, where they will train in peace for several days. They will return to Vancouver on Friday, several days before the women’s event which begins Feb. 23.

“Mirai and I are both incredibly excited,” Flatt said, who won the national championship last month.

This video from Access Hollywood is an interview with the skater about her trip to the Olympics.

http://www.accesshollywood.com/2010-winter-olympics-rachael-flatt-ready-for-the-games_video_1201388


Both Nagasu and Flatt’s are entering into these Olympics as underdogs. Since the world championships in 2006 no American woman has won a medal.

For now, Flatt’s a 17-year-old high school student has no time to think about that. She is heading back to classes at Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs.

Flatt’s stated, “I’m still trying to juggle my schoolwork with the Olympics, so it hasn’t been that easy…I can’t wait to get back here, so I can focus on the competition.”

The Torch Has Arrived

By: Corey Diamond

The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics will officially kick off tonight at 9PM (EST) with the opening ceremony festivities. The event will be broadcasted on NBC and is expected to reach record breaking numbers in terms of viewership. Tonight's event will be a media frenzy, as the celebration is expected to provide the same spectacle the 2008 Beijing summer games. It was leaked earlier today that viewers can expect performances by the likes of Nelly Furtado and Sarah McLachan and speeches by legends such as Wayne Gretzky. NBC has been running many TV ad's and promotional programs in order to promote tonight's ceremony.

In this promotonial video NBC is promoting the Opening Ceremonies which take place tonight at 9PM on NBC.

Canadian Pride Advertisment

By: Brianna Burns

Although the Olympics are a crucial time that media companies like to advertise their products, it is also a perfect opportunity to advertise the location of the event. Every year the location of the Olympics change and it brings publicity to each hosting country. The 2010 Olympic Games are taking place in Vancouver, Canada.

Looking through various commercials, media companies like to promote their product through the country that is hosting the Olympic Games. Not only does that bring publicity to the product but the country as well because then people are interested in the Country or city that’s hosting it.

This television ad is for the Vancouver Olympics 2010. In this media coverage it promotes Canada’s logo “Believe” and the city of Vancouver.



Advertisements like this help promote the city and it’s patriotisms through their logo of “Believe.”

Media Advertising for the 2010 Olympic Games

By: Nicole Malczan

The Olympics are a critical time for media companies to advertise their product while tying it into the games themselves. While rarely the big companies supporting the Olympics are smaller or unknown brands, it is a chance for these companies to increase revenue by tying their name with the interest surrounding the Olympics.

I will be looking into two different big brand commercials tying into the Olympics in this post.

The first is a commercial for Visa, as voiced by Morgan Freeman. All of the visuals are Olympic related, with the tie-in at the end being that Visa is "the only card accepted at the Olympic games."



Advertisements such as these help raise awareness of the product (in this case, Visa credit cards) to the consumer while also raising excitement for the Olympic games.

The second commercial I found is for McDonald's, featuring figure skater Patrick Chan. In the commercial, the tie-in to the Olympics is the young girl asking for Chan's autograph, yet addressing the autograph to her mother. At the end, McDonald's is sure to advertise their Olympic water bottles.



These two advertisements are great examples of big-name media companies tying in their products or brands with the Olympic games. This week our blog will be looking further into Olympic advertising.

Introduction and Following the Winter Flame

By: Stephanie Trabold

During this semester, our team of students will be researching and investigating the public relations and publicity techniques surrounding the 2010 winter Olympic games in Vancouver, Canada.

We will be following the winter flame all season long, while critically analyzing these key features that surround the games:

-Athletes & Teams
-Attendance & Audience Demographics
-TV Ratings & Coverage
-Companies & Sponsorships

-Advertising &...
-athletes
-media
-corporate influence (i.e. product placement)

-Vancouver & ....
-preparation for the games
-hosting abilities
-travel to destination & tourism
-the Olympic city process (how the cities are selected).

-Olympic History & current trends
- Olympic Traditions & intercultural interpretations


Vancouver & following the 2010 winter flame

With the Olympics only a few days away, tensions are heating up in Vancouver. To gain crowd excitement, the Olympic Torch has been circling around Canada and slowly making its way toward Vancouver.

The press created a countdown and has followed the torch since its arrival in Canada on October 30, 2009.

During this time, reporters and bloggers have showcased many nearby towns and the sights around British Columbia. Anyone can follow the torch on an interactive map on the Vancouver Olympics website.

http://www.vancouver2010.com/more-2010-information/olympic-torch-relay/torch-relay-videos/

Viewers can enjoy the latest information and news with interactive videos and photos while following the torch from the comfort of their homes.


The Vancouver Olympic Games website brings energy and is very clearly organized with their structure. Their tab system located at the top of the web page makes it clear to find any specific information.