Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Day 13 (Wednesday Feb 24)

WOOT WOOT Canada!!! Awesome competition day!

I had pretty much zippo to do for the team today, so I sat in the break room and did Sudoku as I watched competitions on TV. Half of the ladies' Giant Slalom got delayed so we were kind of in a holding pattern for most of the day. One of our girls DNF but the other is waiting for the second run, rescheduled for tomorrow! Here's a picture I took today of the fire pit for the athletes: All the Andorrans but one were at Creekside today. We had to laugh when we went to deliver the competition DVDs to the house - Xoke had tidied the common room while everyone was gone and wrote a big note on the whiteboard in English for everyone to keep it tidy!

This is what it said (be forewarned, they like to swear!)

"Hey Mothers Fu**ers - Keeps it Ranged!"

Xoke (that's his nickname; it means "Crash") asked me to correct it, so I did. I am SO glad I majored in English at University, because you just never know when you may need to tell any Mothers Fu**ers to keep the room tidy in proper English.

Anyway, we sat and chatted for a while. Then, since Erin was there, I no longer needed to stick around on call. I had been getting so nervous about the Canada-Russia hockey game, and I just couldn't stand watching it at the NOC Services Centre with a bunch of other assistants. In fact, I got so nervous about the game I couldn't stand to watch it at all. So I found a last-minute Bobsleigh ticket for the Ladies' final tonight. And off I went!

I stopped at home to throw my long underwear and jeans on, and got to the Sliding Centre just in time to watch the first sled. Luckily I can stay well within VANOC rules of posting competition shots as all I could get with my camera was ice after the sled had passed! Here is a nice shot of the bottom of the Sliding Centre, taken from near the top. I worked my way up to the top during Heat 3, and then worked my way down during Heat 4 so I was at the finish for the GLORY GLORY of Canada winning Gold AND Silver in this event!!! I was THERE y'all!

Unfortunately I saw two crashes during the event, but all four of the ladies walked away. The British girls looked pretty shaken, and upset about losing, but the German crash was more freaky for us. The crash knocked the back girl clear out of the sled and she slid by herself for FOREVER. Unbelievable that they can walk away.

So I was already riding the Gold-Silver high when I heard that not only did Clara Hughes get Bronze in speed skating, but the Canadian men had beaten the Russians! Unspeakably Awesome. Now we wait to see if we face Sweden or Slovakia in the semi-finals. Next game: Friday! What event can I distract myself with then???

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I have been sending my regrets to all the swedes that I know....and I promised to them that WE the men in hockey are going to spank Slovakia. No need to be nervous......

Shanty said...

I was right there with you, girl, about mne's hockey. Soooo nervous and then hesitantly excited and then just felt AWESOME. Then the boys and I watched bobsled live on TV - OK, nothing like being there, you lucky duck - and those crashes were heartbreaking and scary. At least everyone walked away...
Sooo pleased for our girls on the podium!

Jen C said...

I hear you!! I can hardly stand to watch any of the events, I almost pee myself with excitement, then I cry when they win, cry when they get 2nd, cry when they get 4th, and so on...Yeesh!! And than I talk about everything the next day at work, all day long. Pretty sure people are tired of listening to me :)

Kathy Newman said...

What a wonderful experience for you Tamsin. I am glad to hear you are enjoying it so much! I am going to be in Whistler for the Paralympics and I get to do the Paralympic Torch Relay (walk in my case :)) in Hope on March 9th!