One Figure Skating Legacy to Rule Them All

Men's Free Skate

The Men's Free programs begin with Parkinson of Italy, who falls on his initial quadruple salchow. After hitting the ice, he recovers with a slightly shaky combination, but falls again on a triple axel. His late program triple flip and triple loop were much more passable, but his overall performance won't do much to help Italy rise in the standings. He seemed happy with his 121.23 score as his Italian teammates congratulated him.

American skater Jason Brown completes his initial double axel and triple axel, double toe combination well. His next triple axel is clean as well. He seems to flaunt the Irish theme of his program and the audience joins him in thoroughly enjoying the music. Peanut gallery, "He looks like he's dressed for Irish step dancing on ice!" Unfortunately, he falls after another jump, which will harm him more than the other skaters since Brown is the only skater who is not attempting a quadruple jump. His lively program and signature dark ponytail still capture the hearts of the audience and the remainder of his late-program jumps are executed with his customary skill. Even with the fall, he handily beats Parkinson's score with a 153.67.

Canada has replaced short program performer Patrick Chan has been replaced by Kevin Reynolds, who  amazes audiences by beginning with a quadruple jump, then landing a quadruple toe, triple loop combination. He fell slightly on his triple axel, a disappointment after the stellar quality of his initial jumps. The third quadruple jump in his program is just as solid as the first two, but his musical selection and artistry are called into question. A massive climax in the music coincides well with his multiple spinning combinations to end the program. Reynolds tops the standings initially with a 167.92.

The Ice Skating Palace comes alive with the now-familiar welcome for 31 year old Russian skater Plushenko. He lands his initial quad, but changes his second into a triple jump to ensure a solid landing. His program is a combination of fiery strength and smooth elegance as he lands a triple axel triple toe double loop combination. A triple lutz, triple toe loop combination shortly following brings a roar from the audience, but a slip on the takeoff of his triple salchow forces him to turn it into a double. His astonishing leaps, fast spins, and amazing style bring life to the heavy Russian music he skates to and the arena screams out their love for Russia's modern figure skating legend. His score of 168.20 makes him the new leader, but Plushenko and his supporters are clearly disappointed by the number.

Japan's skater will be performing to Tchaikovsky's Firebird and seems to be dressed as the bird himself, with a sparkly fiery red and black outfit complete with feather accents. His initial quadruple jump is excellent, but he is forced to turn the second into a lower-scoring triple. The music roars as he flies across the ice before suddenly changing style to fit the introduction of the slower theme. A late program triple axel shows his stamina, followed by two other clean jumps. The classically jubilant end of the Firebird perfectly accompanies his triumphant finish to an important program for the Japanese team. He moves into third place with a 165.85.

Women's Free Skate

Katelyn Osmond of Canada takes the ice first in the Women's Free Skate as she performs to the soundtrack from Cleopatra. After a disastrous meltdown in warm-up, she lands her first triple flip double toe combination and her double axel triple toe loop combination shortly following. However, she takes a hard fall on her triple lutz that could prove disastrous for Canada's chances at stealing the Russian gold.  Her mental game is on point, but her skating seems to lack some control as she is forced to downgrade a triple jump into a double. The flair in her skating matches the exotic music playing in the background and she ends with great style. While far from her personal best, the Canadian team seems satisfied with her score of 110.73.

Gracie Gold, the United States National Champion, begins her program with a crash of music and a triple lutz, triple toe combination, shortly followed by a double axel, triple toe. She calms down into a graceful elegance as she floats across the ice before landing three more tremendous late program jumps. Her joy for skating and happiness with a well-performed program is apparent as she comes to the end of her free skate. The crowd at the arena rewards Gracie's performance with an impressive round of cheering, even with the prevalence of Russian attendees. A 129.28 is well over her personal best and she turns to her US teammates for a round of high fives and congratulations.

Japanese skater Akiko Suzuki skates to The Phantom of the Opera, beginning with the haunting music box melody and crashing to the theme after her first jumping pass. She lands her first set of jumps securely and turns to the more gracefully choreographed "Music of the Night" melody. Throughout the program, a huge smile is spread across her face as she obviously enjoys every moment of her first Olympic skate. Late program jumps remain solid and she radiates pure joy as she glides to the music that Andrew Lloyd Webber seems to have written just for her. Her score of 112.33 doesn't come close to Gracie Gold's and makes it even more difficult for Japan to squeeze their way onto the podium.

The artistry of the Italian skaters is present in Valentina Marchei's performance with her opening double axel, double toe combination. Her triple flip is solid and she brings an element of drama into her skating that has been lacking in other programs. The final jumping pass of her program is landed equally well and she seems to bring the audience onto the rink with her as the enthusiastic Italian supporters scream their appreciation. She moves into second place with a 112.51, which brings Italy ahead of Japan in the team standings.

Russian president Vladimir Putin is seen making his way into his seat in the arena as the new Russian star, Yulia Lipnitskaya waits to take the ice. She is welcomed with an incredible round of applause as the excitable audience waits to see what she will produce with her Schindler's List program. Her first triple lutz, triple toe combination is completed in her usual effortless style, as is her second jumping pass. The only element of the program that belies her very young age is the astonishing flexibility that allows her to create such beautiful lines as she skates. With each jump that she lands, the arena erupts into applause as they seem to be living the entire skate with her. The last jump of her program, a triple lutz, double toe combination leads into a finale of spinning passes, the flexibility of which leaves the peanut gallery to wonder, "How does she have a spine?" She allows herself a slight smile as she leaves the ice and dons a baseball cap emblazoned with "Russia", but the reaction from the arena tells so much more about just how incredible this free skate program was. With Vladimir Putin on his feet in the stadium, Lipnitskaya smashes Gracie Gold's lead with a tremendous 141.51, which clenches the figure skating gold for Russia as they lead the competition by 11 points.

Free Dance

Charlie and Cathy Reed represent Japan as the first dancers in this final round of competition. Their program has a definitively Japanese feel as the sound of Samurai drums thunders through the arena. The brother and sister whirl across the ice and the advantage of their familial connection is clear with their motions that seem to communicate with each other without any effort on the part of the skaters. Nearly ten points short of their personal best, a 76.34 seems unlikely to be enough to put Japan in the running for a medal.

Italian dance pair dances to a Romeo and Juliet themed program, complete with period-style costumes. In typical Italian style, their theatrics appeal to the audience, who clap along to the lively music. As the storyline develops into the classic romance, the dancers glide together and demonstrate the well-known plight of Shakespeare's lovers, ending with the two lying dead in each others' arms. The Italians end with a 81.25, ahead of the Reed siblings for Japan.

The Russian team takes on a portrayal of the Black Swan as they dance to the music of Swan Lake, harking back to the use of this classic Russian piece in the Opening Ceremonies. A series of astonishingly high lifts showcases the Swan Queen before the couple turns to a light, ballet-like dance. The darker nature of Tchaikovsky's arrangement comes out in their finale, complete with the death of Giselle and the obvious pleasure of both the dancers and the monumentally excitable audience. While initially assumed to be the underdogs in this competition, their score of 103.48 is a personal best and well ahead of both Italy and Japan.

Olympic gold medal pair Virtue and Moir of Canada take on a classical program as they seek to prove the claim that they are still the best ice dancing pair in the world. Although a twizzle error in the short dance caused them to lose to Davis and White of the United States, their twizzles in the free dance went off without a hitch. A near flawless performance proved that the pair has come to this Olympics to defend their gold and that Canada will not give up its fight for the podium, even after Russia has claimed the top spot. They take the top spot with 107.56.

Davis and White of the United States skate to Shaharazod. Peanut Gallery, "She looks like Princess Jasmine!" Like in the short program, the pair demonstrates how well they work together with amazing lifts and impressive synchronization in their skating elements. They seem to float over the ice and move around the rink with great speed while maintaining their effortless style. Davis and White set a record with a score of 114.34, putting the United States in the first place in the ice dance.

Overall, Russia has claimed the first-ever gold medal in Team Figure Skating, with Canada taking the silver and the United States claiming the bronze.

They Dreamed a Dream of a Figure Skating Team

Ice Dancing Short Program

Today's competition begins with the Chinese pair, performing in their second Olympics. They came in 19th in their event in Vancouver, but hope that the team competition at this Olympics will allow them to join their countrymen in a Chinese victory in Sochi. Their lively program is entertaining with a ballroom feel, but some of their timing is off, as well as technical elements lacking in perfection. They were awarded with a 47.88 score.

The Ukrainian team, who trains in Hackensack, New Jersey, lacks both speed and unison as they struggle to create a seamless program. Their music selection has a roaring 20's feel as they spin to the jazzy trumpets in the background, but they just don't appear to be quite as in-sync as other teams. They received a score of 49.19.

Japanese skaters, brother and sister Cathy and Chris Reed, are the 6-time Japanese National Champions. They hope to continue to raise Japan in the team standings following Yuzuru Hanyu's impressive performance in the Men's Short Program. The speed and energy of their dance is infectious, even though this is one of the least-performed dances in this competition. Brother and sister seem to know that their performance has been a success as they share a joyful hug on the ice. Their score is the highest yet, a 52.00.

The German team is welcomed on to the ice with the traditional cowbell. Their dance is based on a story, something that this couple is known for. His costume is every bit the nerdy professor, complete with elbow patches, a sweater vest, a bow tie, and round glasses. She is dressed in a costume that brings to mind a burlesque style as she plays with his heart throughout their dance before he falls head-over-heels for her. The judges reward their story with s  58.04, as the cowbell clangs out its congratulations.

European Championships Bronze medal pair from Great Britain has a distinct height difference, where she stands at 5'1" and he is 6'. This leads to some issues in hold elements of the dance, but allows them to perform some impressive flips that would be much difficult if they were closer in height. Their enjoyment for the sport shows in the performance as they skate off the ice to wait for their scores with the rest of the British team. They come in second in this short program with a 52.93, which seems to be something of a disappointment to the pair.

In the second group of the competition, Team USA gold medal favorites Meryl Davis and Charlie White are matched against their Canadian competitors Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir.

However, the 3-time European Championship French team is first to compete as they dance to the music of Chicago. Their energy, synchronicity, and technical skill put their dance a cut above those in the first group. Having broken 70 in their scores earlier in the season, a score of 69.15 seems to be a disappointment as the dance pair is comforted by the rest of their French teammates.

Italian pair Cappellini and Lanotte bring a high level of drama to the ice. Before becoming skating partners, the two dated for a while. Even after breaking up, their former intimacy seems to have brought an astonishing level of passion to their ice dance. Their broad motions give their dance a larger-than-life quality as they perform brilliant flips to end their program. A 64.92 score places them below the French team as the rest of the Italian skaters comfort them before turning to watch the Russian pair.

The "Rus-si-a" chant echoes through the Ice Palace as the Russians begin their dance to Moulin Rouge. A lack of postural perfection and a greater-than-usual distance between the partners is worrisome in the completion of some required elements of the program, but the cheers and applause of the crowd indicates that their home-team popularity transcends any mistakes they might make. As their score of 70.27 is announced, thunderous applause nearly brings down the house.

Canadian defending Gold Medal Champions Virtue and Moir dance to "Dream a Little Dream" with an elegance and level of unison yet to be surpassed at these Olympics. Virtue makes a slight error in the side-by-side twizzle element of the dance, a mistake which could place them firmly behind their rivals, Davis and White. Their score of 72.98 is low for this team, but places them at the top of the current standings.

Two-season undefeated USA team Meryl Davis and Charlie White perform to "I could have Danced all Night" from My Fair Lady. Their ballroom-style costumes match perfectly with the sophisticated elegance of music and of their dancing. White's coattails flutter in time with Davis's pale pink skirts as they glide across the ice in clear enjoyment of their art. Their beautiful lines and clear synchronicity show that they, like Eliza Dolittle, could truly have danced all night. 75.98 places them definitively ahead of all other competitors, which puts the United States in third place in the team skating competition.
After their performance and before the Ladies' short program, NBC interviewed Davis and White.
"Now that we're done with that, it's nice to see the US back up on the board," Davis said. USA team captain White added, "The beautiful thing about all of our team is that they know what they need to do and we're all really just here to support them."

Ladies' Short Program

Canadian skater Katelyn Osmond will lead off the short programs. A foot injury and torn hamstring have left questions about her abilitiy to compete successfully in this competition. Her initial triple toe, triple toe combination was executed quite well and her modern music selection allowed her to connect the choreography with her music nicely. Her late-program double axel was also strong and it is clear that Osmond enjoyed her skate. She scored a 62.54.

The Chinese National Champion skated to a classical version of the Rolling Stones' "Paint it Black" and opened her program with the same triple-triple combination that Osmond performed. Her choreography seemed somewhat out of sync with the musical arrangement, but the technical aspects of the program were quite solid. A 54.58 represented her technical strength, but was lowered by her lack of connection with the choreography.

Eleven-time British National Champion Jenna McCorkell opened the program with a triple flip, double toe combination, followed by another triple toe. Her vibrant classical selection had some Scottish overtones befitting her country, which matched the elegance of her clean program. She received a 50.09, representing the low difficulty of many of her technical elements.

Ukranian skater Natalia Popova entered with shouts of encouragement from the large Ukranian audience as she executed her triple flip combination. Her double axel was also met with applause as the tempo of her music increased and she spun into the finale of her performance. Surrounded by an enthusiastic Ukranian team, Popova cheered as she received a 53.44.

Nathalie Weinzierl of Germany was greeted with the now familiar German cowbell as her program got off to a sultry style. A slight under rotation on her triple toe loop combination caused some issues, and she fell completely on her late program double axel. She landed her triple lutz, but like the other elements, it lacked solidity. A 52.16 put her in fourth place and ended the first group of skaters in the Ladies' short program.

Starting off the second group is French skater Mae Berenice Meite. Her musical selection by Prince showcases her speed and her powerful triple toe, triple toe combination, followed by a triple loop. She managed to work well with her unusual music and pulled off an impressively unique program for a score of 55.45.

USA skater Ashley Wagner seems nervous as she takes the ice for her short program, which has a rock and roll feel as she goes into her triple triple combination. Her late program triple loop is solid, as is her double axel. The American team gave her a huge round of applause as she finished with the highest score yet, 63.10, but far from her personal best. After the final scores were recorded, Wagner said, "The entire performance was redemption for me."

Fifteen year old Russian skater, Yulia Lipnitskaya, begins with a huge reception from the Russian audience as she enters with an understated elegance. Her triple lutz, triple toe combination is beautiful and among the most difficult performed thus far.  A clean triple flip and amazingly flexible positions bring her into the end of her program as she spends incredibly quickly and ends in the same demure position on the ice as she began. The youngest skater in this competition received a 72.90, placing her firmly above everyone else.

Mao Asada of Japan followed Lipnitskaya with a Chopin piece, but an under rotation on her triple axel caused her to fall to the ice. Her next jumps were clean, but the deductions for the missed axel are difficult to come back from. Despite the triple axel issue, her sophisticated program fully demonstrated what a beautiful skater she truly is, with choreography that showed off her talent and grace. Even with her fall, she scored a 64.07, putting Japan in the top four for the Team Skating event and ensuring her country a place in the free skate.

Italian skater Carolina Kostner skated to Ave Maria by Schubert, music especially fitting to her long lines and well-known elegance. She landed her triple-triple combination well and was cheered on loudly from the enthusiastic Italian contingent. While somewhat slower in her spins than previous performers, Kostner still managed to land all of her jumps and perform an artistic program very fitting for her Italian homeland. Her 70.84 score put her in second place and allowed Italy to gain 5th place and advance to the free skate.

Russia, Canada, the United States, Japan, and Italy have made it to the finals of the Team Figure Skating Competition, where all of their skaters will compete in the free skate programs to try and reach the podium.

Pairs Free Skate

For the Free Skate part of the Pairs Team Competition, the United States and Russia have both chosen to use one of their two substitutions and will be using different pairs in the free skate than they did in the short program. 

The Japanese team starts off the pairs free skate with a side-by-side triple combination, but she two-footed the landing. A later side-by-side triple salchow is performed nearly in unison and the theme from Les Miserable floats through the Ice Skating Palace. On a throw later in the program, she stumbles a bit on the landing, which shows the relatively short amount of time that the pair has been skating together. An 86.33 puts Japan in a difficult situation for the team competition, as this is nowhere near the pair's personal best.

Team USA performs to a trendy "Skyfall" program. A triple twist throw started off the spy theme well, as did the side-by-side triple toe loops. An impressive throw quadruple salchow had an unfortunate landing, but the technique of the initial throw was likely to bring in sufficient points to save the move. A later throw triple salchow and throw triple twist gave a nice recovery as the two skated very much in unison.  Peanut Gallery, "Maybe they shouldn't have have picked something with the word 'fall' in it." The pair received a score of 177.94.

The Italian pair performs to the soundtrack of Dracula, a composition that matches their vampy red and black costume choices. A triple twist throw had a questionable landing, and she fell during what should have been one of the easier elements of the performance. Her fall left the pair out of sync with one another, causing further difficulties. Their throw triple salchow was solid, as were several later lifts in the program. A score of 128.2 puts them in the lead, but her fall seems to have led to an injury, as she was seen icing her hip as they announced the score.

The Canadian skaters performed a classical program with impressive lifts and perfectly synchronized spins. Their throw triple salchow was clean, and the lifts throughout the program showcased the strength of the male skater. However, their later triple salchow left something to be desired with a two-handed landing on her part. Although not a favorite for an individual medal, their performance has helped Canada remain strong in the team competition with a score of 129.74.

Russia's substitution pair is a somewhat risky move because of the immense talent of the pair that performed in the short program. However, Russia's comfortable seat in the team standings, combined with the close timing of the pairs short program in the individual competition, provides a good reason for their decision.
The pair will skate to music from the Addams Family and, in now-familiar Russian style, is hailed with a massive welcome in their home country. Their initial throw triple flip is flawless, but their side by side double toe loops are barely saved from potential disaster as she fails to complete a rotation. "They're so good and so cheesy at the same time." Huge lifts and impressive death spins are incorporated into their program along with choreography that demonstrates the amazing flexibility of both skaters. A throw triple salchow ends their program and it is clear from the reactions of the skaters and the audience that Russia's top place in the team standings has been confirmed. A score of 135.09 is hailed with hugs, tears, and massive celebrations from the Russan team.

Russia now has a six point lead in the standings, which will make it extremely difficult for any other countries to best them in the later competitions.

Join us for another Team Figure Skating Liveblog TOMORROW morning at 10am as we see which countries will make Olympic history in this event!

The Calamities, the Controversy...THE OPENING CEREMONIES!

Possibly the most controversial games in recent history, Sochi has faced threats of terrorism, social protest, and innumerable logistical issues. Accommodations have been found lacking by athletes, tourists, and members of the press, and the courses prepared for competition have already caused serious injuries to some of the top athletes in the world. Just prior to the broadcast of the Opening Ceremonies, President Barack Obama said, "Russians have an enormous stake in preventing any kind of terrorist act or violence at these venues. We are in constant communication with them. We are consistently working with them to make sure that not only are our athletes safe, but that athletes of any country are safe."

In spite of the audiences that wait for the slightest indication of an act of violence, these opening ceremonies hope to have Russia shine through the criticisms and present the modern state that Putin desires.

The set itself of the opening ceremonies performance is massive, with conveyors operating to carry the pieces into the center of the arena.

Beginning with a montage of some of the most monumental events in Russian History, ranging from Catherine the Great to the development of a Russian Empire, to great feats of engineering. Their scientific contributions were recognized, as was the great history of Russian dance, art, and music. Sputnik was given his due, as was Pushkin. The emotions surrounding these achievements were shown at the end of the presentation, followed by a countdown ending in a performance by 5th-grade girl, who represents the feminine spirit of Russia. Her childlike persona provides the beginning of a metaphor based on the Russian people as dreamers. The massive size of the Russian country is represented by a series of islands suspended in midair as the child floats over them all in her dream, singing of Russia.
On the stage below, a white-clad choir marches into the arena, as they accompany the floating girl in singing for the glory of their country. Five bright white snowflakes are dropped from the ceiling and expand to form the Olympic rings. However, the far right ring fails to open, leaving a snowflake to shine next to the other four rings.

After the intruduction of Vladimir Putin of Russia and the President of the IOC, a Russian men's choir hails the event with a rich and full rendition of the state anthem of the Russian federation. As they sing, red, white, and blue clad performers form the shape of the Russian flag on the floor of the arena. For the finale of the anthem, the flag on the floor waves back and forth before six Russian cosmonauts are given the honor of raising the flag.

Parade of Nations: Highlights

An animated globe on the floor highlights the coutries of the world as the Parade of Nations begins. As is tradition, Greece leads the parade, although they only bring seven athletes to the winter games. Australia is next, with their powerful snowboarders that have already proven themselves in yesterday's competitions.
The alpine skiing powerhouse, Austria enters with a sizable contingent. no other nation has won more medals in alpine skiing throughout their Olympic career.
In 1980, Azerbaijann was still a part of the Soviet Republic. All former USSR nations are here, except for Turkmenistan.
Andorra has never medaled at the Olympics, but has attended every games since 1976.
A small contingent from Argentina features a figure skater who intends to defend her gold medal with a rendition accompanied by tango music.
Only one athlete attends from the British Virgin Islands, who intends to compete in the freestyle halfpipe.
Seven athletes hail from Belgium, who was the last country to host both the Summer and Winter Games.
Bermuda's single athlete, a Dartmouth graduate enters in traditional fashion, with bright red knee-length Bermuda shorts.
Great Britain enters, bringing with them their entirely Scottish curling team. Incidentally, all of the stones used in Olympic curling competitions are also sourced in Scotland.
Hungary has medaled 6 times in figure skating, but has failed to make the podium since 1980.
The Venezuelan flag-bearer enters in grand style, bounding and bouncing through the Olympic arena.
Germany's rainbow uniforms brighten the parade, although the country released an official statement that their uniforms were not intended as a form of protest against Russia's anti-gay laws.
Representing the Dominican Republic, Staten Island native Gary D. Silvestri will compete in cross-country skiing.
Zimbabwe's single athlete attends the University of Colorado. Zimbabwe is one of only three African nations represented at the Winter Olympics.
Israel and Iran were paired back-to-back in the parade, leaving spectators to wonder about the potential political ramifications of their proximity.
World Champion figure skater Javier Fernandez gives hope to Spain of ending their 22-year medal drought.
Canada enters with an impressive number of red-clad athletes to accompany their impressive medal record.
China's president looks on as his country's representatives enter with hopes to bring the glory of the summer games to these winter ones.
The Latvian team features bright yellow coats and zig-zag patterned scarves and hats.
Lebanon has a long tradition of skiing in the Winter Olympics, with both athletes planning on competing in ski events.
The independent Olympic Participants are an especially interesting category, as they hail from several nations.
The Nepalese flag-bearer has stated that he "knows he will be last in his event", but he is glad to be an example for others in his country.
The New Zealand flag bearer marched in style with a fur cape that caused much excitement in the Peanut Gallery. "They should just rename New Zeland Middle Earth!"
Paraguay's first ever winter athlete is in the new slopestyle event at these Winter Olympics.
The next Winter Olympics host, South Korea, enters with their defending Women's Figure Skating gold medalist.
Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, 6'9" is the flag bearer for Slovakia.
Peanut Gallery, "USA USA USA!"
Todd Lodwick carries the flag as the United States enters with their eye-poppingly decorated cardigans. This is the largest USA Winter Olympics team ever assembled. Moguls skier Heidi Kloser enters on crutches. Her first question after being injured was, "Do I still count as an Olympian?" Her march tonight answers that question with a resounding, "Yes!"
Thailand athlete Vanessa-Maw is an accomplished violinist in addition to an Olympic skier.
A former French skier is representing Togo at these Olympics as their first ever Winter Olympian.
Ukraine is met with loud cheering as their team enters the arena. The proximity of their country to Russia ensures a respectable number of fans attending the ceremonies.
The Peanut Gallery approved of the Czech Republic's fuzzy white hats, citing pure white uniform elements as the best for the Winter games.
Over 100 Swiss athletes march into the arena with bright red uniforms and even brighter smiles as they seek to carry on the strong Swiss winter tradition.
Jamaica is welcomed with a massive cheer, as its bobsledders fulfill the dreams laid out in the 1993 movie, Cool Runnings.
Russia's team comes forth into the area accompanied by deafening cheers and a pleased expression from Putin. More than 230 athletes, the largest delegation in Winter Olympic history, will seek to bring the host country honor throughout the games.

The next section of the performance, titled "Rite of Spring"begins with an 80-foot tall troika slowly progressing across the arena amidst a light snowfall. Down below, traditional onion domes are surrounded by brightly-colored dancers, which move to form the shape of a whale. The original girl singing is in the center. She is lifted up by a group of brightly colored dancers as the music increases in temp and the onion domes are set aloft to hover over the floor.
Next, the light patterns on the floor create an ocean with a ship of the first Russian Imperial Navy, representing Russias military power. A performer dressed as a captain accompanies the ship, along with other performers dressed as sailor. A map of St. Petersburg unrolls over the ocean and a battalion of performers marches over the map and performs a military-inspired dance. They move through the streets of St. Petersburg as the projections change.
Peanut Gallery, "Is this supposed to be a representation of Russian History?" "Yeah, but they're glossing over the mass murders."
The music shifts and the performers become ballroom dancers acting out the famous ballroom scene in Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace. Columns rise from the ground and ballet dancers take center stage as they showcase one of Russia's proudest arts.
"If there's one thing the Russians do right, it's ballet."
The tone of the ballet instantly changes as the lights dim and strobes illuminate the dancers that have begun to perform in unison.
Imperial Russia ends with the introduction of the propaganda train descending over the arena. Its red color sweeping over the floor overshadows the violence in Russia's past. Putin's focus seems to be on creating a Russian history that Russian can be proud of. Time presses forward as gears are rolled across the floor and scaffolding rises. Uniform performers represent the conformity of Russian society, appearing to be no more than cogs in the industrial revolution.
A flash of white clears the stage of all red elements and the lights go out to reveal floating lights as a means of remembering the great loss of life in WWII. Roads are mapped across the floor as Russia rebuilds. "I'm sure their Russian forefathers would have loved to see their hard work represented in interpretive dance"
Skyscrapers are constructed, Soviet cars drive through, and the late Soviet period is portrayed. The space program takes center stage and the performers have a more western appearance with brightly colored 1950s style clothing. Dancers pair up as they mime weddings, followed by a Russian baby boom. The child from the beginning of the program rises once again, this time holding a red balloon to represent the end of the 20th century dream. The balloon floats away as Russia looks towards the future that Putin has prepared for it.
Speeches from Olympic representatives were met with boos at calls for tolerance and for following Russian guidelines, but ended with a smattering of applause as they welcomes Putin.
Putin himself declared the games to be open, and fireworks lit up the whole of the Olympic complex.
Russia's symbolic "Dove of Peace" was represented by dancers illuminated by dangling strands of LEDs, who performed to Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Their swirling forms produced a jellyfish-like quality as they floated over the floor. "It's the jellyfish of peace." At the end, the dancers formed the shape of a dove on the floor.

Following the raising of the Olympic flag, ice skaters take the stage in a series of concentric circles rotating around each other. Constellation-like figures of winter sport athletes appear over the center of the arena, with hockey players facing off, skiers rotating in the air, and figure skaters balancing on one foot in the sky. The impressive light show increases to a near strobe-like speed and motifs from music throughout the ceremony are replayed and combined in new ways.

Tennis legend Maria Sharapova brings the Olympic torch into the stadium, and after passing through several hands, Irina Rodnina and Vladislav Tretiak carry the flame through a gauntlet of cheering performers and together light the flame of the 2014 Winter Olympics as the finale of Tchaikovsky's Firebird Suite accompanies them.
"Firebird- the perfect piece to light the flame!"

After the flame is lit, Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker lends a festive air to the tremendous fireworks launching across the park and the rings are lowered once again from the ceiling of the arena. This time, all five rings open successfully, providing a more promising outlook for the remainder of the games.

We'll be back! TOMORROW at 9:30am as we Liveblog the next round of Team Figure Skating, including Ice Dance Short Program, Ladies' Short Program, and Pairs Free Skate as they are broadcasted LIVE from Sochi!

The Olympic Pregames Part IV

And now it's time for......

WOMEN'S MOGULS (a favorite here in K301)

Defending gold medalist Hannah Kearney, USA, is trying to make Olympic history in these games by being the first-ever two-time women's moguls gold medalist. 

The course has already proven treacherous, as Heidi Kloser suffered a serious knee injury at an early stage in the competition. 

Eliza Outtrim replaced Kloser in this event for Team USA and got a score of 21.51. Her USA teammate, Heather McPhie completed her signature trick, an off-axis 720 and earned a 19.52
Maxime Dufour-LaPointe of Canada scored 20.88, while her youngest sister, Justine, scored a 22.28. Their third sister, Chloe scored a 22.64, confirming that all three of the Dufour-LaPointes qualified for the finals of women's moguls.
Kearney's qualifying run was not one of her best, but with a score of 23.05, she managed to secure the first spot in the round.

Join us back here TOMORROW at 7:30pm for a Primetime Liveblog of the Opening Ceremonies of the Sochi Olympics!

The Olympic Pregames Part III

Men's Slopestyle Qualifiers

Rosa Khutor Extreme Park includes four features at the top of the course and three bigger ones near the bottom of the course, a combination that allows snowboarders to maximize their scores with their own creativity. Of course, there is one snowboarder whose absence stands out more than anyone else's presence in the slopestyle event. Shaun White pulled out of slopestyle just days before the competition began, citing injuries that, if further complicated, could inhibit him in the halfpipe later in the games. Folllowing his withdrawal from competition, Canadian snowboarder Sebastian Toutant tweeted "Mr. White.... It's easy to find excuses to pull out of a contest when you think you can't win....," creating some tensions between Canada and Team USA.

Toutant completed an impressive 1260 jump, but only managed a score of 74.25 in his first run. In his second run, his jumps brought him a much higher 87.25, placing him within the top four of his heat.
USA snowboarder Chaz Guldemond scored 86.00 in his first run, originally placing him in the fourth place spot and guaranteeing his finals position, but Jamie Nicholls of Great Britain beat out Guldemond and clenched his own place in the finals with a score of 86.75, forcing Guldemond out of the coveted top-four finish in their heat.

Sage Kotzenburg, USA, approaches the slopestyle with a joyful and carefree attitude. Prior to competition, he filmed a first-person video of what it was like to go down the Sochi course. He received a score of 86.50.
Olympic Medal favorite Mark McMorris of Canada has been suffering from a broken rib, which has reportedly made it painful for him to "cough or even laugh". He fell once on his ride down the course as he fails to stop rotation before he lands, an error which was apparent in his score of 29.50. On his second run, he managed to overcome his pain for a score of 89.25, which, while impressive, was not enough to give him the top four finish for automatic placement in the final round.
Canadian Max Parrot demonstrated some of the cleanest landings yet on his second run down the slope, which was apparent in his monstrous 97.50 score, which brought him definitively into first place in his heat.

The Olympic Pregames Part II

Team Figure Skating

Men's Singles

Starting off the men's competition,   Plushenko  is Russia's best bet for starting strong in this competition that has long been an integral part of Russia's dynasty.

Peanut Gallery: "That is the face of someone who was denied his childhood."

His powerful quadruple toe, triple toe combination was an impressive way to begin his short program, and his showmanship commanded the audience's attention to the power that he brought to the ice. The home country reaction to his performance was deafening in the Ice Palace as he blew kisses, waved, and flashed his supporters a brilliant smile accompanied by a classic two thumbs up. He scored a 91.39, his personal best and an impressive start to this stiff competition

Jeremy Abbott, USA, follows Plushenko onto the ice as he battles his nerves and tries to put behind him his disastrous short program at the 2010 games. His style differs greatly from the raw power of Plushenko, but he seeks to maintain the same level of difficulty. Abbott falls hard on his first quadruple toe and although he recovers well with a triple lutz, his failure to complete a double rotation on his axel effectively confirms a similarly disastrous program to his 2010 debacle. While broadcasters estimate a 15 point deduction for the missed elements of his program, his score of 65.65 leaves a bleak outlook for the USA figure skating team. When interviewed by NBC's Andrea Mitchell, Abbott said, "I'm not sure what went wrong, it was just one of those nights."

Canada's Patrick Chan, current World Champion, is described as the "centerpiece" of the Canadian figure skating team. He misses the quadruple toe loop and is only able to complete 2 rotations, as well as losing control of the landing on his triple axel. The triple lutz is landed well, but the performance overall is not up to Chan's normal standards. The program brought in a score of 89.71 for the Canadian team, placing him second, following Plushenko.

Yuzuru Hanyu makes his Olympic debut in this team competition with a clean quadruple toe as he shows off his personality in a vibrant program. The triple axel maintains this level of ease, as does the second half of the program triple lutz, triple toe combination. Hanyu ends his short program with panache, accompanied by crashing drums and a screaming guitar as he spins his way into the hearts of a delighted audience and is honored with a standing ovation from the other figure skaters watching his performance. Hanyu overtakes Plushenko with an incredible 97.98, bringing Japan into a rather unexpected lead in the team figure skating event.

Peanut Gallery, "He's like the Japanese Freddy Mercury on ice." 

Pairs Figure Skating

The Japanese team, Narumi Takahashi and Ryuichi Kihara, opens the pairs element of the Team Figure Skating, but the skaters have only been working together for a year, an astonishingly short time when compared with the lifetime pairs representing other countries. Their relative unfamiliarity shows with the incorporation of slightly easier elements into their program, such as a double toss instead of the usual triple, leaving them with a score of 46.56.

2-Time US Champions Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir, whose family originally hails from Russia, are next to compete. The pair has been working together for 8 years and their familiarity is apparent in the synchronicity of their program. Their signature throw-triple salchow was impressive, but their side-by-side salchow was flawed. They scored 64.25 and ended up in fifth place.

Canadian figure skaters Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford chose an emotional piece of music composed by Eric  to accompany their program, which featured a side-by-side triple lutz, a throw-triple lutz, and creative elements that showcased the best that each partner had to offer. Their performance brought them a 73.10 and second place. After the program, Meagan said, "When he picked me up I could see the Olympic Rings above his head and I was just like, I can't believe we're doing this!"

Tatyana Volosozhar and Maksim Trankov of Russia set as their goal to return the glory of pairs figure skating to Russia. Their theatric costumes and lively music created a truly impressive and entertaining program. The strength of both skaters was evident in the landings of their throws and leaps, which the home country crowd rewarded with massive cheers as they completed every element with aplomb. As they waited for their scores, the Ice Skating Palace shook with the force of the Russian supporters' chanting, which reached a deafening level as their 83.79 score was announced.

The Olympic Pregames Part I

No, this isn't about a drinking game. This first blog post is all about the Olympic games BEFORE the games begin.

Tonight features some of the exciting NEW events at Sochi, including Slopestyle snowboarding and Team Figure Skating.

Heeeeeeere's Slopestyle!

Tonight's events are merely qualifiers for later rounds, with both men and women competing for their chance to compete again later for the first medals in this inaugural round of slopestyle. Jumps can be over 70 feet across in slopestyle and have caused injuries as athletes have practiced on the course.
Only the top 4 qualifiers will make it to the semifinal round, on Sunday.

The Brits have started it off well with a strong performance by Jenny Jones, who scored a 74.25. Each athlete will have two rounds in this qualifier.
The Canadians actually built a replica of this course to practice on, which certainly seems to have given them an advantage. Spencer O'Brien demonstrates this with her score of 82.75, despite some previous issues with the course.
2006 halfpipe bronze medalist, Kjersti Buaas, of Norway wiped out on the course as she over-initiated her spin on a 180 jump.
Torah Bright, AUS, is the reigning gold medalist in Halfpipe and hopes to make the top score in these prelims so she can forgo the semifinal round and focus on defending her medal in halfpipe. She will also compete in snowboard cross, with her immense control of the snowboard proving to be a huge benefit to her in these competitions. She scores an 85.25, bringing her into first place in this first heat. A clean second run, while lower than her first score, clenched her place in the final round and ended the first heat of competition.

Peanut Gallery: "Snowboarders are the surfer dudes of winter sports"

Celia Nordal of Norway, favored to medal in slopestyle, is recovering from a recent illness in which she was ill enough to be moved out of the Olympic Village and into a private hotel. This left her will fewer opportunities to practice on the Sochi Course, putting her at a slight disadvantage to the other competitors.
Jamie Anderson, USA, is described as having a "lethargic" style of jumping and a cool, hippie outlook on life. A few shaky landings left her with some difficulties, but her huge air led to a score of 93.5, the highest of the day, as her family cheered her on.
Late afternoon shadows and faster snow force Silje Norendal, Norway, to sit as she completed her final jump, lowering her score and putting her in seventh place in the heat.
Karly Shorr, USA, had a clean run, which put her into fourth place with 84.75 and directly into the final.
Jessica Jensen had some issues with her landings due to the icy course, similar to those that gave Norendal trouble, leaving her with a 58.52 but a chance to compete again in the SemiFinals.