Sochi 2014: Winter Olympics

Part of complete coverage on

Aiming for Gold

Share this on:

Facebook Twitter Digg delicious reddit MySpace StumbleUpon LinkedIn

Sochi 2014: Winter Olympics

CNN brings you daily coverage of the Winter Games, with in-depth analysis and behind-the scenes shots from our dedicated teams on the ground in Sochi.

3rd & 7 37yd

Canadian skip, Jennifer Jones, is smiling as she leads her team into this final end.

Does she know something we don't?

by eoghan.macguire 2/20/2014 4:04:19 PM
Is that the killer blow in the final of the ladies curling?

Canada have gone 6 - 3 up as we enter the final end and a despairing Margaretha Sigfridsson (Sweden's normally ice cool skip) looks to the heavens.

Sweden still have the hammer but a three stone deficit to overcome is a tough ask ... even for the reigning Olympic champions.

11 days and of competition all come down to this!

by eoghan.macguire 2/20/2014 3:59:14 PM
Gold medal winner David Wise lends his support to his team USA freestyle sisters...
David Wise
@mrDavidWise
So stoked to watch ladies halfpipe tonight! Hoping the #TeamUSAhalfpipe girls crush it! @Angeli_V @britasig @maddiebowman @ANNA_DREW_
Feb. 20, 2014
Reply
Retweet
Favorite
by eoghan.macguire 2/20/2014 3:54:26 PM
Woooosshhhtt!

Got thisclose to the bobsleds during testing. Very cool.
#sochi2014 #cnnsochi
by rachel_nichols via Instagram

by eoghan.macguire 2/20/2014 3:47:59 PM
CURLING UPDATE!

We are all level at the halfway stage as Swedish skip Margaretha Sigfridsson plays a delightful stone to conclude the fifth end.

That makes the scores 3 - 3. Canada have the hammer as we head in to end six.

by eoghan.macguire 2/20/2014 2:58:47 PM
With all that hockey and curling medal hullabaloo, I almost neglected to tell you that the women's ski halfpipe event is underway at the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park. Plenty of gnarly flicks and tricks to follow before the medals are handed out later this evening .... (Getty Images)

by eoghan.macguire 2/20/2014 2:45:56 PM
And here is the medal back when they were all metal #cnnsochi #winterolympics
by mikeflasch via Instagram

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 2:42:18 PM
Sweden's female curlers will be hoping to make up for their compatriots' crushing defeat.

The reigning Olympic champions are taking on Canada in a repeat of the Vancouver 2010 final and it looks like Sweden might be set for more heartbreak.

Canada has just taken a 3-1 lead after the fourth end, although there are still plenty of stones left to throw.

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 2:34:35 PM
Spare a thought for the Swedes, who threw it away in the third period. (Getty Images)

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 2:30:14 PM
A first ever Olympics medal for Switzerland's female ice hockey stars (Getty Images).

by eoghan.macguire 2/20/2014 2:27:51 PM
We're back underway at the Bolshoy as Sweden and Switzerland battle it out for bronze (Getty Images).

by eoghan.macguire 2/20/2014 1:01:25 PM
I can't help but wonder if this is ice hockey superstar, Alexander Ovechkin, escaping after Russia's surprise quarter-finals loss to Finland yesterday...
Sochi 2014
@Sochi2014
Getting around on your ice skates can be a bit of a drag at times...unless you flag down a passing #Sochi2014 buggy! pic.twitter.com/g7GKQkNagg
Feb. 20, 2014
Reply
Retweet
Favorite
by eoghan.macguire 2/20/2014 12:53:01 PM
End of the first period in the women's ice hockey bronze medal match.

Michelle Lowenhielm's strike separates the two sides as they head to the dressing room.

Still plenty of time for the Swiss to pull this one back though!

by eoghan.macguire 2/20/2014 12:46:38 PM
How are the French reporting that un, doux, trois in the men's ski cross final?
CNN France
@CNNFrancePR
#Sotchi2014 : Un triplé pour la #France en skicross bit.ly/1jfvBXq #CNNSochi
Feb. 20, 2014
Reply
Retweet
Favorite
by eoghan.macguire 2/20/2014 12:42:07 PM
GOAL FOR SWEDEN!

Michelle Lowenhielm stretches to find the goal after a neat pass from Maria Lindh!

The Swedes take a 1-0 against Switzerland in the women's ice hockey bronze medal match.

We've got a couple of minutes left of the first period at the Bolshoy Ice Dome.

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 12:40:07 PM
Thanks Tom and hello everyone.

In the next hour we get underway in ladies’ curling final at the cube as Canada face off against reigning Olympic champions, Sweden. We’ll be keeping you up to date with every stone cast!

Then, later on this evening, our attention will turn to the ladies' ice hockey, free-skating and ski-half pipe finals. Gnarly!!!

Keep us company by leaving a comment in the aptly titled “leave a comment box” atop the page or tweet us using the hasthag #CNNSochi

by eoghan.macguire 2/20/2014 12:34:50 PM
As a proud Scot, Eoghan Macguire is still beaming after his compatriot Eve Muirhead guided Britain's curlers to a bronze medal.

But he's mopped the tears of joy from the corners of his eyes and he's settling down to bring you the best action from the forthcoming night in Sochi.

Eoghan, what have we got to look forward to?

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 12:22:55 PM
Joergen Graabak gets Norway over the line in the team Gundersen. (Getty Images)

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 12:16:33 PM
The Bolshoy Ice Dome is filling up ahead of tonight's grudge match between the USA and Canada.

Before that we've got the bronze medal showdown between Turin 2006 silver medallists Sweden and Switzerland.

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 12:05:10 PM
Norway wins the Team Gundersen LH/ 4x5km relay! Joergen Graabak beats Germany's Fabian Riessle by 0.30 seconds to claim Norway's first medal in this event for 16 years. It was an incredibly tight finish, with Austria taking the bronze.

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 11:55:32 AM
It's the anchor legs in the Nordic combined Team Gundersen final.

It's still Noway, Austria and Germany miles ahead of the rest of the field, with just 5km left of this epic competition.

Individual 10km gold medal winner Joergen Graabak is up for Norway, while the bronze medalist in that event Fabian Riessle goes for Germany.

Mario Stecher will bring Austria home.

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 11:44:53 AM
Here's a closer look at the photo finish in the ski cross quaterfinal which saw Russia's Egor Korotkov advance.

The tightest race in sporting history? Korotkov eventually took fifth place in the overall classification by winning the small final.
Sochi 2014
@Sochi2014
Is this the greatest photo finish ever? The action has been fast and crazy in the #SkiCross this morning. pic.twitter.com/hUDzw2z53t
Feb. 20, 2014
Reply
Retweet
Favorite
by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 11:38:53 AM
We're at the halfway stage of the relay in the Team Gunderson, the final event of the Nordic combined program.

It's neck and neck and neck between Germany, Austria and Norway at the head of the field with just two 5km legs remaining.

Which of these three proud cross-country nations will take the gold medal?

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 11:33:10 AM
Vive la France! A red, white and blue podium. (Getty Images)

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 11:30:09 AM
Jean Frederic Chapuis takes gold in the men's ski cross final. Chapuis is a former member of the Swiss alpine skiing team. (Getty Images)

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 11:18:43 AM
It's all over at the Ice Cube Curling Center!

Tears of joy for Eve Muirhead and her British team, who have won their bronze medal match against Switzerland by a score of 6-5.

Imagine how they would have reacted if they would have won gold?!

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 11:12:48 AM
For a taste of what our finalists are going to experience, check out this incredible footage filmed exclusively for CNN by British snowboard cross racer Zoe Gillings:

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 10:38:24 AM
We know the line-up for the final in the men's ski cross final.

Bad news for moustache fans, Slovenia's Filip Flisar fell in the second of the two semifinals.

For those of you not familiar with his facial hair, see my entry from 0840 GMT.

So here are your finalists, Canada's Brady Leman is the pre-race favorite but he's up against three Frenchmen in the decider.

Could it be a French un, deux, trois?

Remember, ANYTHING can happen in ski cross:

Jean Frederic-Chapuis (France)
Jonathan Midol (France)
Brady Leman (Canada)
Arnaud Bovolenta (France)

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 10:36:46 AM
Russia's Egor Korotkov successfully reaches for the finish line. (Getty Images)

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 10:23:46 AM
The ski cross has reached the quarterfinal stage and we've just seen a race which sums up why everybody should watch this event.

Our four racers were level going over the final jump, with Switzerland's Armin Niederer taking first place.

But all three of his fellow quarterfinalists -- Egor Korotkov of Russia, Sweden's Victor Oehling Norberg and Finn Jouni Pellinen -- fell, sliding across the line prostrate in a photo finish.

After much deliberation, officials decided the outstretched hand of Korotkov was enough to send him into the semifinals alongside Niederer.

For pure adrenaline-fuelled action, you can't beat ski or snowboard cross.

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 10:16:30 AM
Team GB's Anna Sloan takes aim against Switzerland. (Getty Images)

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 10:03:43 AM
We're at the halfway stage of the women's curling bronze medal match.

It's all tied at 3-3 after the fifth end with skipper Eve Muirhead showing steely nerves to take two a bring the Brits level against the Swiss.

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 9:50:47 AM
Time for some incredible footage from inside the athletes' village.

Kate Hansen is a member of the U.S. luge team who finished 10th in the women's singles competition.

But that's not what she will be remembered for. After these Games, she will forever be known as "The Girl Who Cried Wolf."

Here's why:

Epic #SochiFail: Wolf in my hall
by katehansen92 via YouTube

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 9:45:02 AM
Ivana Kottasová
@IvanaKottasova
Nordic Combined is the last men-only Olympic discipline. So ladies, if you pick it up now and train really hard, you'll never win. #CNNSochi
Feb. 20, 2014
Reply
Retweet
Favorite
by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 9:35:48 AM
Yesterday saw Canada clinch a dramatic women's bobsleigh gold medal, denying Team USA the title with the penultimate run of the competition.

Further down the standings were Australia, who came 14th with their pairing of Astrid Radjenovic and Jana Pittman.

For Pittman, it was an historic day as she became the first Australian to compete in both the Summer and Winter Games.

The former 400m hurdles world champion is also the subject of this week's Human to Hero.

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 9:33:19 AM
To infinity, and beyond. (Getty Images)

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 9:22:28 AM
The view from the top of the Large Hill, where nordic combined competitors have been jumping from. (Getty Images)

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 9:18:04 AM
Heading up to the "sloding" center - looking for bobsleds
#sochi2014 #cnnsochi
by rachel_nichols via Instagram

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 9:12:30 AM
Now, if you're anything like me, at some point over the last two weeks you will have found yourself asking "what is Nordic combined?"

Well, I have the answer.

Nordic combined is an event which sees athletes compete across two disciplines; ski jumping and cross-country skiing.

According to a format developed by Norwegian Gunder Gundersen, the start times of athletes in the cross-country skiing section of the competition are staggered according to their performance in the ski jumping competition.

So if you're leading after the ski jumping, you will start first in cross-country skiing section.

This is why all Olympic Nordic combined events at Sochi 2014 carry the "Gundersen" name.

For the "Team Gundersen", the cross-country skiing element of the event is a 4 x 5km relay.

Germany holds the lead after the ski jumping, so they will set off first at 1100 GMT.

by tom.mcgowan 2/20/2014 9:10:51 AM
Hannah Banana
@HClorley
I have been waiting the whole of the Olympics for Julia Lipnitskaia to perform
Feb. 19, 2014
Reply
Retweet
Favorite
by Chris Murphy 2/19/2014 6:49:16 PM
Back at the Iceberg Skating Palace, it is the turn of teenage sensation Julia Lipnitskaya, who wowed the crowds as she helped to bring home team figure skating gold last week.

Can the 15-year-old repeat the feat and go above Yuna Kim? We're about to find out....

by Chris Murphy 2/19/2014 6:48:34 PM
Morgan Till
@mtill50
If #Latvia beats #Canada my brother says the Latvian goalie "should be put on their currency" #CANvsLAT
Feb. 19, 2014
Reply
Retweet
Favorite
Delete
by Chris Murphy 2/19/2014 6:46:20 PM
In the other semifinal, the Canadians are still being held at 1-1 by Latvia despite out-shooting their opponents 35 to 11.

It would be a remarkable story if the defending champions were toppled by lowly Latvia.

by Chris Murphy 2/19/2014 6:45:20 PM
Czech Republic goaltender Ondrej Pavelec does his best to keep the USA at bay.

(Getty Images)
by Chris Murphy

by Chris Murphy 2/19/2014 6:42:32 PM
Sorry guys, Ivana is NOT being gloomy - she's being defensive.

I joke, of course. But her Czech Republic team has a mountain to climb if they are to get back into their semifinal with the USA.

They trail 4-1 towards the end of the second period.

by Chris Murphy 2/19/2014 6:39:22 PM