SLC - World Cup 6 (Feb 8 - 10)

[tabatha]

those were great! thank u...

[doonick]

Some pics from the first day.



Photo credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images





Photo credit: Douglas C. Pizac/AP Photo

[number1fan]

oooh....doonick these pics are great!!!!!!!! ...thank you for sharing!!!

[doonick]

A couple more.





Photo credit: Scott G. Winterton, Deseret Morning News.

[ichibanapolo]

thanks for sharing these pics doonick!! Lovin' them.

[aaosmts19]

Bringing over this link from OZ for pics from day 1.
picasaweb.google.com/stephannie/SLCWorldCupDay1
These are great shots!

I found a few of these particularly interesting:
Apolo with John Schaefer in the background. And it looks like the back of the (blond) head of Dave Creswell...anyone know if he is still working with the team on sports psychology? anyone know who the person is on the left?



Aw....and who can't resist father and son?

[breeze]

About the guy on the left of photo: I think this is one of the guys who posed with Apolo at that party he attended a short while ago. Can't remember the name of the mansion. Someone posted a link in the Picture thread. Apolo was wearing a grey shirt and white suit. Pretty sure that is the same guy he was seen with at the 5 Cents concert.

[mellie]

Thank you Skaterwaltz and Doonick for posting some great pictures.

[mtnme]

Here are some pictures from Mari from todays events. Our guys were doing quite well until the final races.

This is Mari: there were TWO fantastic Apolo moments today. In one race he made a move that totally faked out the guy he was passing and the crowd went "Oooooo".. sort of like faking a guy out in basketball.'

the other moment was in the relay where the pace was blistering and someone suddenly cut in front of Apolo and he JUMPED into the air over the skates in front of him at full speed and kept flying. I did not think it could be humanly possible to do that...

So many incredible experiences... so grateful to have been so close to greatness.




back to mtnme: Today during the men's relay, there was a little hickup that got the men's team quite a bit behind. That didn't dampen their determination. Our guys dug all the way trying to make up the distance. You should have seen their faces as they came around the turn. I've never seen Apolo's face so determined, teeth in full clench, push so hard. Jeff has really been full on agressive with every race, and this one was no exception. He got DQ'd pit of his race, but it wasn't for lack of trying, quite the opposite. Charles and Jordan were equally as determined, and the only difficulty is that they are hard to tell apart when they are going so fast. (We didn't get a roster this time with helmet #, names and in this case, countries as well. Apparently USS and ISU needs some volunteer work to get this information typed up and available)





Watching Jimmy Jang was his usually entertaining self. This photo doesn't have him doing his usual jack knife over the boards, but he certainly was helping the team 'cause' from the sidelines.




Awards ceremony. Apolo came in third in the 1500. There was some jockeying around that caused him to stand up as he was entering the corner. From our vantage point, which was behind him, it looked like he was interfered with. No DQ was called however. Lets just say we got the impression that Apolo was NOT a happy boy.




Personally, we all thought they guys were great. They were all heart and really fought for every race. Jeff, Ryan, Jordan and Apolo put on some unbelievably exciting races. Sometimes winning has nothing to do with getting on the podium. With the exception of Apolo, this is a relatively young team, and they're out there competing with the best of them. I think we're just getting a taste of things to come. By 2010, this team is going to be unstoppable.

The women were AWESOME as well. Katherine #2 with Allison #3 in the 1500. Lana, Kimberly and Tina all faught the good fight. I couldn't be more proud of team USA.





And No, we aren't the the ladys in the green. They are the original Red Sweatshirt ladies from the December competition. They post here, but I'll let them tell you who they are.

[wildfire]

Thanks mtnme and everyone for posting these amazing pics!!! It was an amazing day....will write all about it tomorrow! Promise. I will also try to post some pics...I got some really great ones! Also, just a little fyi, the pic of AO in the stands by his dad...we were on the same row of bleachers to the left of the pic! (about 10-15 ft. away!?)...I had NO idea until someone pointed it out, LOL. I'm completly oblivious!

[mtnme]

You guys are in for a treat. I saw wildfires pics, and they were AMAZING (I need a MUCH better camera)

I tried to modify the above post, but the computer is wigging out. The green sweatshirt ladies are in the big flat screen to the right of the podium. (We had 'flag envy' They had big American flags they were waving, we just had the little 4" ones. But we made up for it by whooping and hollering until we were hoarse!)

[skaterswaltz]

First of all, I THINK APOLO WAS ROBBED tonight in the 1500m. But on to happier things.

The Oval was filled to capacity tonight and it was electric. Everyone was screaming and waving flags and it was such a fantastic experience to be sitting in the middle of all this surrounded by so many fans (the "Red/Green Sweatshirt" ladies were fabulous!). There are many amazing athletes but Apolo is indescribable. When he steps on the ice, the energy cranks up in the arena and you know why he is the best.

Here's the outside of the Oval at dusk:



Here's what greeted you on the Jumbotron - "Welcome Fans"



Apolo on the ice:







And this is how fast he is. I wish they had a way to clock him so you could know how fast he is going because it's incredible.




And my favorite. This was right before the final 1500 tonight while he was warming up:

[aaosmts19]

Skaterswalz, mtme, wildire..thank you all for taking the time to post so that back home in the rank and file have some morsels to grab onto. When you get a moment to absorb the posts from last night, check out the post I put in with commentators call of the race as it happened,...for the 1500 and Men's relay. It will give you an idea of what was being 'called' on the broadcast as it happened...nice complement to what you actually saw.

When I saw the pic of Apolo on the jumbotron with "Welcome Fans", I thought, man what must that pressure be like, and I wonder if he finds it a little embarrassing.... Hm....

[tabatha]

those pics are great.

[mellie]

Thank you Mntme posting the pics and Mari for allowing these pics to be posted.

Thanks again Skaterwaltz for sharing your pics.
I like the last one where he looks like he is lost in thought.