Kikkan Randall and Kris Freeman are the top Americans in Cross Country opener. From the U.S. XC team:

The U.S. Cross Country Ski Team kicked off the 2010 Olympic season in Norway Saturday with Kikkan Randall (Anchorage) and Kris Freeman (Andover, NH) leading the way for the U.S., finishing 21st and 22nd, respectively.

Ronny Andre Hafsaas of Norway won the men’s 15K freestyle event, and fellow Norwegian Marit Bjoergen won the women’s 10K.
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U.S. skier Resi Stiegler will miss the Olympics and the rest of the season according to the U.S. ski team. She broke her leg in a training run yesterday. Just got this statement from the team:

U.S. Ski Team athlete Resi Stiegler (Jackson Hole, WY) will be out for the season as a result of an injury in giant slalom training Thursday at Copper Mountain, CO. According to U.S. Ski Team Medical Director Richard Quincy, Stiegler suffered a serious complex injury to her left leg, which will keep her out for the rest of the season.

Quincy stated that Stiegler suffered fractures of the tibia and femur, which required surgical intervention. She was treated at the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic at the Vail Valley Medical Center where she was hospitalized following surgery Thursday.
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Well, we said yesterday Whistler Blackcomb – the alpine skiing Olympic venue – was on the verge of breaking its record for snowfall in November. I just got this e-mail from WB’s Amber Turnau:

Whistler Blackcomb has officially surpassed the previous record of snow in the month of November with 418cm (165 inches) of snow falling as of Thursday, November 19. The previous record, set in 2006, was 416cm (164 inches). The snowfall record dates back to 1979.

“This is an unprecedented start to the season,” says Anton Horvath, Whistler Mountain weather forecaster. “The excitement of locals and guests alike

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The city of Richmond, B.C., has invited political satirist Stephen Colbert to work as the ombudsman at the skating oval during the Olympics, the Vancouver Sun reported recently.

Here’s a PDF of the letter from Richmond’s Olympics corporate communications manager Ted Townsend to the Comedy Central show’s host.

On his Nov. 5 show Colbert jokingly ripped the Canadians for not giving the U.S. speed skating team more access to the Olympic track. Colbert is sponsoring the U.S. speed skating team.

If you haven’t seen Colbert hilariously put the “Canadian ice holes” on notice, check …

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Federal Way short track speed skater J.R. Celski could return soon to the national team after a gruesome leg injury sustained in September while qualifying for the Olympics.

Celski was stabbed by his skate and needed surgery to repair his leg. Dr. Eric Heiden – yes the five-time gold medalist – performed the surgery.

Fellow Federal Way skater Apolo Anton Ohno spoke with Celski on Monday and told The News Tribune Celski could start training with the team again as early as next week.

NBC is giving Olympic fans the opportunity to design the helmet of Lindsey Vonn, Team USA’s top ski athlete.  The contest starts monday and all entries must be submitted by Dec. 21. The winner will be decided Jan. 11.

The winner will be awarded a trip for two to Vail. Other prizes include a pair of Head skis and bindings and a Uvex helmet and goggles.

Click here for more information.

Patrick Deneen of Cle Elum is expected to contend for gold at the Olympics. He is the reigning world champ. Check out the run won him the title:

As I wrote earlier, Whistler Blackcomb can make enough snow to compensate for anyting El Nino shortchanges the site of the Olympic alpine ski races. But it looks like Mother Nature will provide help in record-setting fashion.

Just got this message from Tabetha Boot at the ski resort:

The current storm system has blanketed the mountains with over 204 cm (80 inches) of fresh snow in the past week. Operations crews are hard at work preparing more lifts and terrain to open this weekend as conditions allow.

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