MOSCOW (AP)—The United Nations has criticized Russia for ignoring the ecological impact of construction projects for the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
In a report obtained Monday by The Associated Press, the United Nations Environment Program says government assessments do not take into account the effects the various projects will have on the region’s unique wildlife.
The report is to be published Tuesday and is based on the U.N. program’s three-day trip to Sochi in January.
CARRABASSET VALLEY, Maine (AP)—Maine’s only two-time Olympic gold medalist made a triumphant return to Sugarloaf, riding his snowboard down a hill accompanied by dozens of kids on Saturday.
Seth Wescott won his first gold medal gold four years ago in the inaugural snowboard cross during the Turin Olympics. He wasn’t favored to win in Vancouver, but came from behind to collect another gold medal.
Vancouver (AFP) - Canadian veteran Jasey Jay Anderson rose to the challange and upset Austrian favourite Benjamin Karl to win the men's snowboard parallel slalom gold on Saturday and spark more celebrations for the host country.
The 34-year-old was behind after his first run but powered through his second in heavy fog on Cypress Mountain to beat Karl, the 2009 parallel slalom world champion, by 0.35sec, with France's Matthieu Bozzetto claiming the bronze.
Snowboarder Jasey-Jay Anderson of Mont-Tremblant, Que., won gold in men's parallel giant slalom Saturday at Cypress Mountain.
VANCOUVER - Nicolien Sauerbreij captured the Netherlands' first Olympic snowboarding medal by winning the women's parallel giant slalom event Friday at Cypress Mountain.
Surmounting soggy conditions, Sauerbreij beat Russia's Ekaterina Ilyukhina in the two-run final. Austria's Marion Kreiner, the reigning world champion, settled for bronze.
Women’s Parallel Giant Snowboard Slalom was closer to surfing than snowboarding today. It was wet, wet, wet, and there were tons of wipeouts. But through it all Nicolien Sauerbreij of the Netherlands managed to make it down the hill all ten runs in one piece and with the best final time, winning the first gold in snowboarding for the Dutch. Marion Kreiner of Austria finished with silver, Ekaterina Ilyukhina of Russia, bronze.
That nasty fog and wet snow continued for the women trying to compete in the slalom. The fog cut visibility so much it was tough for us to see the skiers, let alone them the narrow poles they had to navigate. The comment was made that they were almost forced to ski by feel and memory alone. The wet snow and warmer weather made the course rough and very difficult to navigate.
Vancouver (AFP) - Austrians Benjamin Karl and Andreas Prommegger go into Saturday's men's parallel giant slalom as the top two in the world rankings but could face a shootout with the powerful Canadians.
Karl, the 2009 parallel slalom world champion, is well clear at the top of the World Cup points list, but lurking in third and fourth spots are Jasey Jay Anderson of Canada and his teammate Michael Lambert.
Vancouver (AFP) - Nicolien Sauerbreij captured the Netherlands' first Olympic Games snowboard title on Friday with victory in the women's giant parallel slalom at a rain-swept, fog-bound Cypress Mountain.
The 30-year-old Amsterdam native confirmed her status as world number one, edging out Russian 22-year-old Ekaterina Ilyukhina with Marion Kreiner of Austria taking bronze.
WEST VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP)—Nicolien Sauerbreij of the Netherlands has won the Olympic gold medal in women’s parallel giant slalom, defeating Ekaterina Ilyukhina of Russia.
Sauerbreij made up a .02-second deficit after their first final-round heat to win by .23 on a sloppy, soaking course at Cypress Mountain on Friday.
VANCOUVER ' Alexa Loo started snowboarding before Sidney Crosby started, well, breathing.
It was February 1987 ' a full six months before Crosby met the outside world ' when Loo dropped her poles and traded her skis for a snowboard.
