Olympic Games - Korea

[Jaga]

I was watching it today. It is rarely I have time to sit and watch, but it was beautiful to see the parade of the nations, beautiful artistic performance and the ceremony of torch lightening after carrying the torch by two women from North and South Korea.
Pieter - Dutch looked great; Karl - I saw also the German team. I hope we will see many victories from our countries!

www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/olympics/with-extraordinary-political-theater-winter-olympics-begin/2018/02/09/4e373a02-0e0a-11e8-998c-96deb18cca19_story.html?utm_term=.04c6a0553aa5


Not long after, North and South Korean athletes entered Olympic Stadium together, waving flags showing a unified Korea — the long-time dream, in theory at least, of many Koreans both North and South. It was the rivals’ first joint Olympic march since 2007. International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach then handed the podium to Moon, who declared the Olympics officially open.

The ceremony’s signature moment delivered another flash of unity and deft political stage-managing, too. Two athletes from the joint Koreas women’s hockey team climbed stairs to the cauldron with the Olympic torch. At the last moment, though, they handed off the flame to former Olympic champion figure skater Yuna Kim, arguably South Korea’s most famous person. She actually lit the cauldron as the home crowd roared.

Moon, in a statement, said athletes from North and South will “work together for victory.” And Bach lauded the joint march of the two Koreas as a “powerful message.”

“We are all touched by this wonderful gesture. We all join and support you in your message of peace,” Bach said.

After years of frustration, billions of dollars and a nagging national debate about their worth, the opening ceremonies took place before a world watching the moment not only for its athletic significance and global spectacle, but for clues about what the peninsula’s political future could hold.

[karl]

Jaga

I was only able to watch a bit of the opening of the games but thought it was exciting. There are some very good teams there and should be very competitive through out the events. It appears that this may bring both Koreas closer together, hopefully so.

Karl

[pieter]

East-Asian people are spectacular in building a show with new technology and human perfection. Koreans, Japanese and Chinese people.

I hope that in the future we will see a peaceful, prosperous, modern and united Korea again which will merge unique qualities of South-Korea and North-Korea without the negative elements and heritages of both Korea's.

Imagine a united Korea which could have trade ties with i'ts nearest neighbours China (Shanghai, Beijng, Honkong), Japan and Taiwan (Taipei). And further away with Russia, Europe, the USA and the Middle east.

It will be hard to unite indoctrinated North-Koreans and Western oriented South-Koreans into one Korean peoples again, but if West-Germans and East-Germans managed to do so why couldn't the Koreans manage in
doing so.

Confucian tradition has dominated Korean thought, along with contributions by Buddhism, Taoism, and Korean Shamanism. A future Korea will be a Confucianist Korean democracy.
Why, because confucianism is in the culture, mentality and way of living of the Koreans like Calvinism is part of the Dutch people and Roman-Catholicism is part of the Polish people and Lutheranism part of the Scandinavian peoples.

www.britannica.com/place/Korea
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korea

Cheers,
Pieter

[kaima]

It is surprising and nice to see the two Koreas joining together to present their people as a whole. With the madman in Pyongyang and another madman in Washington, it would be great to see the two Koreas pull off a miracle in establishing a peaceful relationship, thus pulling the carpet out from under the feet of war mongers.

The world never expected the miracle of peaceful transition in South Africa. Let us hope and pray something similar happens in Korea!

Kai
PS. Alaska fielded a team of 12 competitors, some native born, some attending our universities, and perhaps others with additional reasons for representing Alaska.


Go to the original article to see the photos
www.adn.com/features/sports/2018/02/08/meet-alaskas-winter-olympians/

Meet Alaska’s Winter Olympians

A record 14 Alaskans -- 11 of them cross-country skiers -- are competing in Pyeongchang.

Beth Bragg

Here's a look at the largest contingent of Alaska athletes in Olympic history.


SADIE BJORNSEN

Sport: Cross-country skiing
Birthday: 11/21/1989
Birthplace: Omak, Washington
Hometown: Winthrop, Washington
Residence: Anchorage
High school: Liberty Bell High School (Winthrop, Washington)
College: UAA, APU
Team/club: Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center
PFD recipient: Yes
Twitter: @sadzarue
Instagram: @sbjornsen
Website: sadiebjornsen.com

Sadie is a two-time Olympian. At the 2014 Olympics, she was a member of the ninth-place women's relay team and placed 18th in the 10K classic and 31st in the 15K skiathlon. At the 2017 World Championships, she teamed up with Jessie Diggins to win a bronze medal in the team sprint.




ERIK BJORNSEN

Sport: Cross-country skiing
Birthday: 7/14/1991
Birthplace: Omak, Washington
Hometown: Winthrop, Washington
Residence: Anchorage
High school: Liberty Bell High School (Winthrop, Washington)
College: UAA, APU
Team/club: Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center
PFD recipient: Yes
Twitter: @erikbjornsen
Instagram: @ebjornsen1991
Website: erikbjornsen.com

Like older sister Sadie, Erik is a two-time Olympian. At the 2014 Olympics, he placed sixth in the team sprint, 11th in the men's relay, 36th in the 15K classic, 38th in the 30K skiathlon and 39th in the freestyle sprint.


ROSIE BRENNAN

Sport: Cross-country skiing
Birthday: 12/2/1988
Birthplace: Salt Lake City
Residence: Anchorage
High school: Park City High (Utah)
College: Dartmouth College, APU
Team/club: Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center
PFD recipient: Yes
Twitter: @rosiewbrennan
Website: rosiebrennan.blogspot.com

Rosie is an Olympic rookie who has been competing on the World Cup tour since the 2012-13 season. She helped the women's relay team win a bronze medal in a 2015 World Cup in Lillehammer, Norway, and owns three other top-10 World Cup finishes.


ROSIE FRANKOWSKI

Sport: Cross-country skiing
Birthday: 7/30/1991
Birthplace: Minneapolis
Hometown: Minneapolis
Residence: Anchorage
High school: Southwest High School (Minneapolis)
College: Northern Michigan University, APU
PFD recipient: Yes
Team/club: Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center
Website: rosiefrankowski.wordpress.com

Rosie is an Olympic rookie who won her first national-championship medal last month by placing third in the women's 20K classic.




LOGAN HANNEMAN

Sport: Cross-country skiing
Birthday: 6/2/1993
Birthplace: Fairbanks
Hometown: Fairbanks
Residence: Anchorage
High school: Lathrop High
College: UAF
Team/club: Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center
PFD recipient: Yes

Logan, Reese's younger brother, is an Olympic rookie who won a silver medal in the classic sprint at last month's national championships and gold medal in the freestyle sprint at last season's national championships. At the 2016 U23 World Championships for skiers under 23, he placed 15th in the freestyle sprint.


REESE HANNEMAN

Sport: Cross-country skiing
Birthday: 12/25/1989
Birthplace: Fairbanks
Hometown: Fairbanks
Residence: Anchorage
High school: Lathrop High
College: UAA
Team/club: Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center
PFD recipient: Yes
Twitter: @reesehanneman
Instagram: @reesehanneman
Website: reesehanneman.com

Reese, Logan's older brother, is an Olympic rookie who won both sprint titles at last month's national championships. At both the 2011 and 2012 U-23 World Championships for skiers under 23, he placed 24th in the sprint race.


TYLER KORNFIELD

Sport: Cross-country skiing
Birthday: 2/9/1991
Birthplace: Anchorage
Hometown/residence: Anchorage
High school: Service
College: UAF
Team/club: Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center; as a junior, Alaska Winter Stars
PFD recipient: Yes
Twitter: @tkxc
Instagram: @tkornfield

Tyler is an Olympic rookie who captured the 30K classic title at last month's national championships. At the 2013 U23 World Championships for skiers under 23, he placed 19th in the freestyle sprint.



ROSIE MANCARI

Sport: Snowboarding
Event: Snowboardcross
Birthday: 1/22/1994
Birthplace: Anchorage
Hometown/residence: Anchorage
College: UAA
Team/club: Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
PFD recipient: Yes
Instagram: @rosiemancari
Website: rosiemancari.com

Rosie is an Olympic rookie who is coming off one of the best World Cup results of her career — she placed eighth at Bansko, Bulgaria, the final World Cup race before the Olympics.


KEEGAN MESSING

Sport: Figure skating
Birthday: 1/23/1992
Birthplace: Girdwood
Hometown/residence: Girdwood
Team/club: Sherwood Park Figure Skating Club, Alberta
PFD recipient: Yes
Twitter: @keeganmonline
Instagram: @sk8erkeeg
Website: keeganmessing.com

Keegan is an Olympic rookie who clinched his spot in the Pyeongchang Games by placing second at last month's Canadian national championships. He skated for the United States until the 2014-15 season, when he took advantage of his dual U.S./Canadian citizenship to join the Canadian federation. Earlier this season, he registered his best Grand Prix result on foreign soil by grabbing fifth place at the NHK Trophy in Japan.


CAITLIN PATTERSON

Sport: Cross-country skiing
Birthday: 1/30/1990
Birthplace: McCall, Idaho
Hometown: Anchorage
Residence: Craftsbury, Vermont
High school: South High
College: University of Vermont
Team/club: Craftsbury Nordic Ski Club; as a junior, Alaska Winter Stars
PFD recipient: Not since 2012
Instagram: @caitlinmpatterson
Website: caitlinpatterson.wordpress.com

Caitlin, Scott's older sister, is an Olympic rookie. She is coming off a sweep at last month's national championships, where she claimed U.S. titles in all four women's races. She rode that momentum to the World Cup tour, where she placed 20th in a 10K classic in Slovenia and 23rd in a 10K freestyle in Austria.


SCOTT PATTERSON

Sport: Cross-country skiing
Birthday: 1/28/1992
Birthplace: McCall, Idaho
Hometown/residence: Anchorage
High school: South High
College: University of Vermont
Team/club: Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center; as a junior, Alaska Winter Stars
PFD recipient: Yes
Instagram: @scottgpatterson
Website: scottgpatterson.wordpress.com

Scott, Caitlin's younger brother, is an Olympic rookie who is coming off a dominant victory in the men's 15K classic at the national championships last month. He scored points in his most recent World Cup race by placing 27th in the 15K freestyle race last month in Austria. He is the reigning Mount Marathon champion.


KIKKAN RANDALL

Sport: Cross-country skiing
Birthday: 12/31/1982
Birthplace: Salt Lake City
Hometown: Anchorage
High school: East High
College: APU
Team/club: Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center
PFD recipient: Yes
Twitter: @kikkanimal
Instagram: @kikkanimal
Website: kikkan.com

Kikkan is Alaska's first five-time Olympian (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018). America's most decorated skier, she is a three-time winner of the World Cup overall sprint title and a three-time World Championship medalist. She and husband Jeff Ellis welcomed a baby boy in 2016, making Randall one of a handful of mothers on the U.S. Olympic team. Her best Olympic results include:
2014 — 7th team sprint, 8th women's relay, 18th freestyle sprint
2010 — 8th classic sprint, 11th women's relay, 23rd 30K freestyle
2006 — 9th freestyle sprint, 10th team sprint, 14th women's relay
2002 — 44th freestyle sprint


RYAN STASSEL

Sport: Snowboarding
Events: Big air, slopestyle
Birthday: 10/23/1992
Birthplace: Anchorage
Hometown: Anchorage
High school: Service High
PFD recipient: Yes
Twitter: @ryanstassel
Instagram: @ryanstassel
Website: ryanstassel.com

Ryan is a two-time Olympian who placed 14th in men's slopestyle in 2014. He won the gold medal in slopestyle at the 2015 World Championships and has collected four World Cup medals, three of them in big air.



JESSICA YEATON

Sport: Cross-country skiing
Birthday: 11/21/1991
Birthplace: Perth, Australia
Residence: Anchorage
College: Montana State
Team/club: Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center
PFD recipient: Yes
Twitter: @jjyeaton
Instagram: @jjyeaton
Website: jessicayeaton.wordpress.com

Jessica is an Olympic rookie who was born in Australia, trained as a skier in Alaska and will compete in Pyeongchang for Australia. Last month in Germany, she made Australian history with teammate Barbara Jezersek by becoming the country's first finalists at a World Cup event, placing 10th. At last season's test event in Pyeongchang, she finished 24th in the skiathlon.

www.adn.com/features/sports/2018/02/08/meet-alaskas-winter-olympians/

[kaima]

You have good people with a solid sense of humor, Pieter!

Dutch speedskating fans troll Donald Trump with message on flag
Yahoo Sports Kevin Kaduk,Yahoo Sports



then again ! ! !



The Olympic speedskating competition is only one event old and the Dutch are already back to their dominant ways. Three women wearing orange finished 1-2-3 in Saturday’s 3,000-meter final with Carlijn Achtereekte taking gold, Ireen Wust winning silver and Antoinette De Jong nabbing bronze.

Achtereekte beating two-time gold medalist Wust and her heir apparent De Jong was a pretty big story in the Netherlands, but the main takeaway for the rest of the world was two Dutch speedskating fans who unfurled a message to U.S. President Donald Trump at the top of the arena.

“Sorry Mr. President,” read the message written on the Dutch flag. “The Netherlands FIRST … and second and third!”

The message, of course, was a funny reference to the nationalist “America First” policy Trump has been pushing both home and abroad.

[pieter]

Yes, The Dutch are speed skating fanatics. These ladies with the flag sure have some sense of humor.

[JustJohn or JJ]

My wife and I have ardently been watching the winter games. But to date what struck me the most was the opening ceremony and the coordinated use of hundreds of drones. I was fascinated by them and just began thinking how they were being manipulated and utilized. Bravo to the IT people and the software that made it possible.


One other thing, I do like the mustache on the Norwegian skier. 





Here’s how Intel produced that amazing drone show at the Winter Olympics



One of the most mesmerizing moments of the Winter Olympics opening ceremony on Friday was the image of more than 1,200 drones working in unison to make the image of a snowboarder that then transformed into the Olympic rings.

It was a site that showed just how gorgeous technology can be.

It broke a world record.

bit.ly/2nWC1nz

[pieter]

www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2018/02/wust-makes-history-as-netherlands-claim-two-more-skating-medals/

[karl]

Sorry for very little to add, not to make excuses, but only able to catch short bits of the games. Yes, also do I agree with kai with the Dutch ice skating, they do have the best training areas with their canals.

Karl

[Jaga]

Kai, thanks for bringing the subject that at least in sport - there are many other countries that do well and even better than the US.

[pieter]

It is great that so many Alaskans participate in the Olympic winter games Kai. The Alaskan climate, land and mentality will create great sport people!