Sebastien Toutant
Shaun White: No regrets about pulling out of slopestyle
By Chris EstradaFeb 8, 2014, 8:15 AM EST
In his first interview since pulling out of the snowboard slopestyle competition to focus on claiming his third consecutive Olympic halfpipe gold, Team USA's Shaun White told the Associated Press that he's okay with the decision he made.
With the slopestyle gold having gone to American teammate Sage Kotsenburg, White will attempt to become the first American man to win three Winter Olympic golds in the same individual event when the halfpipe competition goes off on Tuesday (speed skater Shani Davis can do the same on Wednesday in the 1000m).
"I can understand if it's your first time to the Olympics, you wouldn't understand a decision like the one I made," he said to the AP on Saturday. "But you set your goals according to what's important to you. Halfpipe is important to me and I didn't want to jeopardize that."
White took some heat on social media for dropping slopestyle, with Canadian rivals Max Parrot and Sebastien Toutant accusing him of making the decision because he knew he couldn't win (Parrot later apologized).
MORE: Sage Kotsenburg's tweet sums up historic Olympic gold
It came after White jammed his wrist in a training incident last Tuesday, part of a series of such accidents that included Norway's Torstein Horgmo breaking his collarbone; he was ruled out of the Olympics afterwards.
But as he looks ahead to potential history in the halfpipe, White believes he's better off with his choice.
"It's a tough decision to make, just like anything at the Olympics," he said. "It's always, like, everything's on the line.
"I wanted to be here and wanted to compete in both events. But it just wasn't in the cards."
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Tags: canada, Max Parrot, olympics, sage kotsenberg, Sebastien Toutant, shaun white, Snowboard Slopestyle, sochi 2014, United States, winter olympics
What to watch on Day 1 of Sochi Olympics
By Nick ZaccardiFeb 7, 2014, 8:20 PM EST
Here's a look at the compelling events, athletes and storylines of the Sochi Olympics on Sat., Feb. 8.
(For a complete list of Day 1 live streamed events, click here)
WHAT TO STAY UP LATE FOR …
Men's snowboard slopestyle, 12:30 a.m. ET (semis), 3:45 a.m. ET (finals) — CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE EVENT LIVE
The first gold-medal winner of the Olympics will be crowned at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park. It will not be Shaun White, who pulled out of slopestyle Wednesday (but is still scheduled to go for his third straight halfpipe gold Tuesday).
Canada has a shot to sweep the podium, which the nation has never done before at a Winter Games. It's led by Winter X Games champion Max Parrot, the top qualifier from Thursday. Sebastien Toutant won the 2013 European X Games and also qualified directly into the 12-man final.
Then there's Mark McMorris, the 2012 and 2013 X Games champion who was the prohibitive favorite one month ago. Then he broke a rib at the X Games and did not qualify for the final. He'll go in the semifinals, where 21 men compete to lock up the remaining four spots in the final.
The three Americans — Chas Guldemond, Sage Kotsenburg and Ryan Stassel — are also in the semifinals.
The top medal threats to Canada are Norway's Stale Sandbech and Finland's Roope Tonteri, the 2013 world champion, and Peetu Piiroinen, the 2010 Olympic halfpipe silver medalist. Piiroinen is trying to become the first snowboarder to win medals in multiple disciplines.
Women's hockey: U.S.-Finland, 3 a.m. ET (Live on NBCSN) — CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE EVENT LIVE
The reigning world champion Americans open the women's hockey tournament with a test. Finland handed the U.S. a 3-1 defeat on Nov. 8 at the Four Nations Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Finland was led then as it is now by goalie Noora Raty, who stopped 58 of 59 shots in Lake Placid and backed the University of Minnesota to the 2013 NCAA Championship.
This could be the closest game the U.S. plays outside of a Feb. 12 date with Canada and a probable gold-medal game against Canada. Canada plays Switzerland on Saturday at 10 a.m.
The U.S., Canada, Finland and Switzerland make up one of two four-nation groups. They are the top four nations in the world and are guaranteed spots in the playoff round regardless of group results.
WHAT TO WAKE UP EARLY FOR ….
Men's speed skating 5000m, 6:30 a.m. ET— CLICK HERE TO WATCH EVENT LIVE
Dutch superstar Sven Kramer is the clear favorite to repeat as Olympic champion here. He hasn't lost a 5000m at a major international meet since taking silver at the 2006 Olympics at age 19.
It could be the first of three gold medals in Sochi for Kramer, the best distance skater of his generation and one of the greatest-ever across all distances.
Kramer could lead a Dutch sweep if Jorrit Bergsma and Jan Blokhuijsen are in form. Bergsma is engaged to American skater Heather Richardson.
The best U.S. hope, Jonathan Kuck, is paired with Kramer. Russia has a medal contender in Ivan Skobrev.
WHAT YOU CAN'T MISS DURING THE DAY …
Figure skating, team event, 9;30 a.m. ET (Live on NBCSN, ice dance, women's short, pairs free) — CLICK HERE TO WATCH EVENT LIVE
The U.S. will need to rebound if it's to win a medal in this new Olympic event. Jeremy Abbott and Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir put it in a tie for fifth (but seventh for all intents and purposes) out of 10 nations Thursday.
That puts more pressure on world champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White to win the short dance over Olympic champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada.
Ashley Wagner then makes her Olympic debut in the women's short program. She won't have to deal with Yuna Kim (South Korea isn't entered), but Mao Asada, Yulia Lipnitskaya and Carolina Kostner won't make it easy.
If the U.S. is in the top five as expected after the short programs, it will advance to free skates. The first of four free skates, pairs, concludes Saturday night's session. Castelli and Shnapir will look to improve upon their fifth-place showing from the short program there.
The team event ends with the men's, ice dance and women's long programs on Sunday.
Here are the standings after Thursday's programs:
1. Russia — 19 points
2. Canada — 17 points
3. China — 15 points
4. Japan — 13 points
5. Germany/France/U.S. — 10 points
Men's luge, 9:30 a.m. ET — CLICK HERE TO WATCH EVENT LIVE
German Felix Loch is the favorite as luge begins with the first two of four total runs over two days. Loch will begin a quest to become the third man to win back-to-back Olympic luge titles, joining legends Georg Hackl and Armin Zoeggeler.
Zoeggeler, the 2002 and 2006 Olympic champion, is trying to become the first athlete to win a Winter Olympic medal in six straight Games.
He's also in the medal mix along with countryman Dominik Fischnaller, German David Moller and Russian Albert Demtschenko, who is in his record seventh Winter Olympics.
Chris Mazdzer, who took second in a pair of World Cups this season, is the top U.S. hope. No American has ever won an Olympic singles luge medal.
Medals won't be determined Saturday, but a major mistake in either run could take a slider out of the running for the podium Sunday.
Women's moguls final, 1 p.m. ET — CLICK HERE TO WATCH EVENT LIVE
Hannah Kearney is a heavy favorite to bring home the first U.S. gold medal of the Olympics. That's exactly what she did four years ago in Vancouver, where she upset Canadian Jenn Heil and made up for tearfully washing out of 2006 Olympic qualifying.
Kearney was the top qualifier into the final from Thursday and is trying to become the first freestyle skier to win multiple Olympic gold medals. Freestyle skiing has been in the Olympics since 1992.
Her biggest threats are Canadian sisters Chloe, Justine and Maxime Dufour-Lapointe.
American Eliza Outtrim also made the final, while Heather McPhie must compete in another round of qualifying earlier Saturday to make the 20-woman final. The fourth American, Heidi Kloser, crashed in training and missed qualification.
Tags: Armin Zoeggeler, felix loch, figure skating, Hannah Kearney, Luge, mark mcmorris, Max Parrot, Moguls, Noora Raty, olympics, Sebastien Toutant, Snowboard Slopestyle, snowboarding, sochi 2014, speedskating, Sven Kramer, What to watch, winter olympics, Women's Hockey
Shaun White: No regrets about pulling out of slopestyle February 8, 2014 8:15 am What to watch on Day 1 of Sochi Olympics February 7, 2014 8:20 pm