From the USSA:

In classic form, Olympic gold medalists Kelly Clark (Mt. Snow, VT) and Shaun White (Carlsbad, CA) topped the superpipe qualifications Thursday night during Winter X Games 14 in Aspen.

Both White and Clark went four for five in the U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix tour to qualify first for the 2010 Olympic Team, and the X Games are their last competition stop before heading to Vancouver.

“This is all part of the plan and it’s all about the momentum and confidence that the riders are building as we head to Vancouver,” U.S. Snowboarding Halfpipe Head Coach Mike Jankowski said. “It’s all working out and there’s more great things to come.”
Read more »

While Cypress Mountain is struggling to get ready for the games as it hopes for colder weather and more snow, Whistler Blackcomb just released a statement stating that it’s ready to go.

From WB:

With the backdrop of a record snowfall and the blessing of international ski officials, the finishing touches are being applied over the next 16 days to the Olympic alpine ski racing venue. Whistler Blackcomb, host venue for the men’s and women’s alpine skiing competitions, and consistently rated as one of the top ski and snowboard resorts in the world, is Games-ready — with an unprecedented 9.9 metres (32 feet) of snow. The first alpine athletes start their training on designated training runs on February 5 and on the Olympic courses on February 10. The first alpine competition is the Men’s Downhill on February 13, the first day of Games competition. Read more »

So, Brennan LaBrie, the 10-year-old posting Olympic coverage on this blog, has been making quite the name for himself as the youngest journalist covering the Vancouver games.

In addition to several local and regional newspaper and TV features on the Port Townsend resident, LaBrie is currently featured online by People Magazine. Haven’t heard yet if he will be in the print edition of the magazine.  Stay tuned.

From the B.C. government:

As British Columbia prepares to welcome the world to the 2010 Winter Games, the B.C. Government, Better Business Bureau and Consumer Protection BC are reminding both International visitors and Canadian residents to be careful and do their homework before booking vacation rentals. Online classified advertisements have made it easier for people to find things like home rentals. However, the listings are not regulated or vetted, and prone to scams. People seeking accommodations should be wary if: * The supplier requires a substantial deposit before handing over the keys or even showing the home. Don’t pay any money before inspecting the home, inside and out. If you cannot travel early enough to inspect the property, ask for a contract outlining all terms, details and conditions. * The supplier asks the renter to wire money through wire transfer services such as Western Union or MoneyGram. Read more »

The USOC just released this announcement:

The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) is actively responding to the tactics of a small number of U.S. businesses which are employing ambush marketing tactics in an effort to associate with the Olympic Winter Games and the U.S. Olympic Team. The USOC, as the National Olympic Committee of the United States, is charged with protecting the Olympic marks in the United States. Throughout the world, the Olympic marks are used to generate revenue to support the Olympic Movement. In the U.S., using Congress’ grant of exclusive rights to Olympic marks under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, the USOC has built strong sponsor relationships through which it generates revenue to support America’s Olympic athletes. By attempting to create a false association with the Olympic Games, companies using ambush marketing harm the interest and endeavors of athletes.Ambush marketing is unfair and runs contrary to the Olympic spirit because it allows the ambush marketer to benefit from an association with the Olympic marks without providing any financial support to America’s athletes and the global Olympic Movement. These companies damage official Olympic sponsors and undermine the USOC’s financial means to ensure that America’s athletes are given the best chance to perform to their best potential on the field of play. Read more »

I’ve been following Will Brandenburg ever since his breakout season in 2007, but I have to admit I thought his best chance at the Olympics would be in 2014.

In any case, I shot an e-mail last night to Doug Haney, the team’s media liaison, and asked for some more details,

Here’s what he had to say: “Will earned one of the coaches discretionary spots based on his work ethic in coming back this season from injury. He had surgery for meniscus damage and a micro fracture in his knee.”

In 1965, the first snowboard was designed by Sherman Poppen as a toy called the Snurfer (a portmanteau of snow and surfer). It was essentially a skateboard without wheels, steered by a hand-held rope, and lacked bindings, but had provisions to cause footwear to adhere. – Wikipedia: Snowboarding

Team Washington appears to be set for next month’s Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C., after adding two new members Tuesday afternoon

Spokane’s Will Brandenburg earned a surprise appointment to the U.S. alpine ski team and Seattle native Holly Brooks was added to the cross country team when it learned it could expand its roster women’s roster from four to five.

Injury-riddle Scott Macartney of Crystal Mountain was left off the alpine team. Snowboarder Vic Wild of White Salmon also narrowly missed the cut for the Olympics when his team was named Monday night.

Brandenburg and Brooks’ selections give Washington 11 athletes heading to the games.

Brandenburg, 23, was born in Walla Walla, attended Mead High School north of Spokane and was on the U.S. B team this year after injury his knee last season.

Brandenburg started his first World Cup race in ‘08 after a stellar ‘07 season that included a silver medal in the giant slalom at the U.S. Championships and being named the Alpine Junior of theYear. He also won a NorAm giant slalom and three International Ski Federation (FIS) B team races in ‘07.

On his blog, Brandenburg wrote that he has dreamed of competing in the Vancouver games ever since he was sophomore in high school. Read more »