July 29, 2011 Leave a comment
Park City, UT – On Saturday, Utah Olympic Park will host the Festival of Flight from noon until the completion of the 5 p.m. Flying Ace All Stars Fre…
via Festival of Flight at Utah Olympic Park Tomorrow to Honor Memory of Jeret Peterson.
July 6, 2011 Leave a comment
The following is an article from Yahoo! Sports:
The Winter Olympics are going back to the Far East.
After two heartbreaking near-misses, Pyeongchang was named the host city of the 2018 Winter Games, winning in the first round of voting at the IOC bid meeting in South Africa. The South Korean city defeated Annecy, France, and Munich, Germany, in the vote.
Twice before, the South Korean city had come up short in bids to win the Olympics. Pyeongchang won the first two rounds of voting in 2010 and 2014 before being narrowly defeated on a second ballot by Vancover and Sochi, respectively. It entered Wednesday’s vote as the favorite, a position which hardly guaranteed a victory given the IOC’s penchant for surprises.
Those past votes, plus the fact that a win for France or Germany would have meant putting the Winter Games back in Europe for the fifth time in eight Olympics, gave Pyeongchang the status as a clear frontrunner. The power of the bid was confirmed when the city won on the initial vote, the first time that’s happened since 2001. Pyeongchang earned 63 votes compared to 25 for Munich and seven for Annecy.
Given those circumstances, two European cities going up against an Asian country was like a Democrat challenging Barack Obama in next year’s primaries. Not even the IOC could screw up this decision. Going to Pyeongchang was the easy call.
It’s the first time a Winter Olympics will be held in South Korea. The 1988 Summer Games were held in the capital city of Seoul.
Japan has hosted two Olympics, in 1972 in Sapparo and in 1988 in Nagano. South Korea’s victory is bad news for that country, which had been considered a favorite to win the 2020 Summer Games. It’s unlikely the IOC would go back to Asia for back-to-back Olympics.
Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yu-Na was in Durban, South Africa, for the announcement. The greatest living figure skater will be 27 when the flame is lit in South Korea. She was a key component of Pyeongchang’s bid, though it’s unknown whether she’ll still be competing at that time.
May 31, 2011 Leave a comment
The following is an article posted on theskichannel.com.
Photo: The Ski Channel
PARK CITY, UT – World Champion alpine skier Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) and Olympic silver medalist for nordic combined Brett Camerota (Park City, UT) became the first inductees into the Youth Winter Sports Alliance Hall of Fame during the Alliance’s annual Circle of Excellence Awards May 25 in Park City.
Based in Utah’s Summit and Wasatch counties, the YWSA involves over 1000 children in a variety of sports activities each winter through programs supported by their 13 local clubs and organizations. Both Ligety and Camerota have roots in YWSA programs through the Park City Ski Team and the Park City Nordic Ski Club.
“Each of our organizations nominated one of their former athletes for the Hall of Fame,” said YWSA Executive Director Aimee Preston. “The committee then chose Ted and Brett because of their outstanding athletic success and because they’ve become such amazing people who continue to support the club they grew up with. They’re just great examples for our young athletes.”
Olympic combined gold medalist in 2006 and recent 2011 World Champion for giant slalom, Ligety (pictured left) continues to stay closely connected to the Park City Ski Team. Young racers make the trek to Beaver Creek, CO for the Audi Birds of Prey race week each winter.
Last winter was especially a good time for all the young racers. After Ligety won the giant slalom in Beaver Creek, he took photographs and celebrated with his young fans. ”I remember being one of those kids trying to hang out with my heros,” Ligety said after showing the kids how to raise their arms in victory after coming across the Winter Park finish line. “It’s important to help them out. Maybe one or two of them will be the next big star on the U.S. Ski Team.” This win was the first of a three race win streak that eventually led Ligety to his third Audi FIS Alpine World Cup giant slalom title.
Photo: The Ski Channel
Camerota (pictured above), who spoke at the event, grew up with a view of the Utah Olympic Park. He got his own Olympic glory winning a silver medal in the team event at Vancouver. As a young skier with the Park City Nordic Ski Club, Camerota would go on to compete in three Junior World Championships in addition to two Olympics and World Championships. Now a student at Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Camerota encouraged the young athletes to persist through discouraging times, citing a moment he considered giving up skijumping after a huge crash.
The awards ceremony also honored 73 young athletes for their accomplishments throughout the winter and recognized Russ Coburn and Pete Dunmire for their outstanding commitment to volunteerism.
For more information on the YWSA and its programs, check out www.ywsa.org.
May 21, 2011 Leave a comment
Stop by Utah Olympic Park today between 8:00 a.m. and Noon to support your runners and the Park City Education Foundation! Music, bouncy houses, kids activities, coffee, food, FUN!
May 19, 2011 Leave a comment
Come ride the steepest zipline in the world this Saturday and Sunday! Bobsled, zipline, and alpine slide rides from 11am – 6pm. Visit our website for more information.
May 17, 2011 Leave a comment
Congratulations to Ty Anderson, Pat Edmunds, Anthony Espinoza, Jake Farquharson, Samantha Carone, and Katy Simi for making the USA Luge Junior National Team.
The following is an article from The Salt Lake Tribune:
Lake Placid, N.Y. • Six young Utah athletes and another with Utah ties were named to USA Luge’s junior nationals teams for the coming year.
Ty Anderson of Alpine and Pat Edmunds and Anthony Espinoza of Park City were named to the Junior National C Team. Park City junior lugers Jake Farquharson, Samantha Carone and Katy Simi will compete on the D Team.
Kate Hansen of La Canada, Calif., the 2008 Junior World Champion, was named to the junior national team. She took half of last season off to matriculate as a freshman at BYU, but still managed to finish fifth at the 2011 Junior World Championships.
Reigning Junior World Cup Champions and Andrew Sherk, Junior World Cup Medalist Emily Sweeney and 2010-11 Youth World Cup Champion Sukmmer Britcher will lead the team.
May 17, 2011 Leave a comment
We are excited to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City and cannot believe it has been 10 years since our state transformed in to a winter-sport competition arena for some of the world’s best athletes!
We are planning a celebration in conjunction with other businesses and venues involved with the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and wanted to include you in the process. How would you like to celebrate the 10 year anniversary?
May 10, 2011 Leave a comment
Click here to go to our website for more information and registration.
May 9, 2011 Leave a comment
The following is an article posted on Times LIVE.
Photograph by: EDDIE KEOGH via TimesLIVE
Durban is preparing to catapult itself to the head of the queue as the host of the 2020 summer Olympics.
In July, an expected 2000 affiliates and guests of the International Olympic Commitee (IOC) will take over the city for its 123rd annual meeting – a first for Africa.
The gathering, from July 4 to 9, will allow Durban to display its wares when the name of the host city for the 2018 winter Olympics is announced.
Among those due to attend is Fifa boss Sepp Blatter, a key figure in securing the 2010 World Cup for South Africa, as well as A-list dignitaries, royalty and heads of state .
Durban has already played host to Fifa at the 2007 preliminary draw for the World Cup.
Tubby Reddy of South Africa’s Olympic governing body, Sascoc, this week had the fifth and final meeting with IOC officials and declared the city ready to host the Olympic movement’s plenary session.
Reddy said of the July gathering: “It’s a major opportunity. Of the 115 IOC members who are coming, 99% will be making the final decision in Buenos Aires in 2013. That’s why it is so important – impressions stay.”
The city – despite facing competition from Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth – is the frontrunner, thanks to the King’s Park sports precinct.
It boasts the Moses Mabhida Stadium, which was built for the World Cup, the Sharks’ rugby stadium, King’s Park Aquatic Centre, athletic facilities, country club and Umgeni River.
Reddy said that after the plenary session, he would start the formal process ahead of the announcement of South Africa’s candidate city by September 1.
The key to Durban’s chances is ensuring that the plenary session is faultless.
The communications manager of King Shaka International Airport, Colin Naidoo, said airport staff were already working to avoid a repeat of the debacle during last year’s World Cup, when scores of VIP jets on the tarmac prevented many fans from reaching the semifinal match between Spain and Germany.
Durban has built a reputation as a top sports destination. Established annual events include the Durban July horse race, the Comrades Marathon and the Dusi canoe marathon.
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