Let the Games Begin!

"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well." ~Pierre de Coubertin, Founder of the International Olympic Committee

Tonight showcases the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 XXI Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Over 80 nations are expected to compete, which would be the most ever for a Winter Olympics.

The first move toward winter Olympics began when figure skating appeared in the 1908 summer games in London. The 1914 outbreak of World War I curtailed plans for a "Skiing Olympia" that was intended to be announced at the 1916 Summer Olympics in Berlin. While figure skating and ice hockey were featured in the 1920 summer games in Antwerp, Belgium, the first International Olympic Committee (IOC) sanctioned Winter Games weren't until 1924 in Chamonix, France.

This year Ski Cross (aka "Skier X," or "Skier Cross") makes its Olympic Debut in the Free Skiing category as a full-medal sport! Skier X combines the thrill of freestyle skiing with the competitive rush of downhill racing. Four skiers are pitted against each other on a technically challenging course of rollers, jumps, and banked turns. It's an exciting, fast-paced test of skiers' skills over varied terrain with one goal: the first across the finish line wins.

Not only is it an immense honor to qualify and compete as an Olympic athlete, it's also notable to be chosen as the first ever participants in a newly sanctioned sport. And while I'm proud of any athlete and humbled by their prowess, I'm even more proud to know fourteen Olympic athletes in this year's games:

Ophelie David (FRA) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yf4qg4n)
Martin Fiala (GER) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/y8nhtrg)
Enak Gavaggio (FRA) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yd4whpt)
Karin Huttary (AUT) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yk6zp9a)
Magdalena Iljans (SWE) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yhcrn9x)
Tomas Kraus (CZE) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yfljdqq)
Xavier Kuhn (FRA) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yhjlxdz)
Jenny Owens (AUS) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yzxm745)
Casey Puckett (USA) - SKIER X (http://tinyurl.com/yarup2q)
Jasey-Jay Anderson (CAN) - SNOWBOARD (http://tinyurl.com/yanjjvz)
Lukas Greuner (AUT) - SNOWBOARD (http://tinyurl.com/yjd9kn4)
Claudia Riegler (AUT) - SNOWBOARD (http://tinyurl.com/yhyc9uj)
Manuela Riegler (AUT) - SNOWBOARD (http://tinyurl.com/yes2wgs)
Graham Watanabe (USA) - SNOWBOARD (http://tinyurl.com/yevxlyl)

Go you! May these games bring you every happiness & success!

Walk on the Wild Side
performed by Lou Reed
http://tinyurl.com/5zxfym
Walk on the Wild Side by Lou Reed

Onward & upward! ;-)