2012 Youth Winter Olympics

2012 Youth Winter Olympics Logo
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The 1st ever Youth Winter Olympic Games just finished up in Innsbruck, Austria, 88 years after the 1st Winter Olympics. The first Youth Summer Olympics was held in 2010 in Singapore. The Youth Winter Games occur the same year as the Summer Games, while the Youth Summer Games and the Winter Games also occur during the same year. Athletes must be 15-18 years old, depending on each sport. The Games took place from January 13th to the 22nd. It is almost like a regular Olympics, same sports, Torch Relay, mascots, and an Opening and Closing Ceremony. 


There were 15 sports at this year's Youth Winter Olympics, Alpine Skiing, Biathlon, Bobsleigh, Cross-Country Skiing, Curling, Figure Skating, Freestyle Skiing, Ice Hockey, Luge, Nordic Combine, Skeleton, Short Track Speed Skating, Ski Jumping, Snowboarding, and Speed Skating. Here is my report on a few of them.



Alpine Skiing 


Alpine Skiing had the most competitions of any sport at 9. They were Men's and Women's Slalom, Giant Slalom, Super-G, Super Combine, and the Mixed Parallel Team Event. Switzerland's Sandro Simonet was victorious in the Men's Slalom. Marco Schwartz of Austria won the Men's Giant Slalom and the Super Combine. Morocco's Adam Lamhamedi got Gold in the Men's Super-G. The winner of Gold for the Women's Slalom was Slovakia's Petra Vlhova. France's Clara Direz won a gold medal in the Giant Slalom. Estelle Alphand, also of France, won the Women's Super-G. Magdalena Fjaellstroem of Sweden won the Women's Super Combine. Austria won the Mixed Parallel Team Event.


Ice Hockey


Ice Hockey had two tournaments and two Skills Competitions, one for Men and one for Women. In the Men's tournament, Finland defeated Russia 2-1 to win Gold. The game was tied at 1 and  went in to game winning shots (penalty shootout). In the shootout, Finland scored on it's 1st two tries while Russia scored none, giving the Finnish the win. Canada beat the US 7-5 in the Bronze medal game. Latvia's Augusts Valdis Vasilonoks got Gold in the Skills Competition, who won the Fastest Shot competition. 


For the girls, Sweden won it all in a 3-0 victory over Austria in the Gold Medal Game. Sweden did not lose a game all tournament, with it's biggest victory a 17-0 blowout of Kazakhstan. In the Bronze Medal Game, Germany won 7-4 against Kazakhstan. The winner of the Skills Challenge was Julie Zwarthoed of the Netherlands. She won the Fastest Shot and Puck Control contests.


Luge

The USA's Gold Winning Mixed Team Relay for Luge
IOC Young Reporter Photo by Raitis Purins

Luge in Innsbruck was very exciting. In the Men's singles competion, Germany's Christian Paffe edged out Riks Kristens Rozitis of Lativa by about 2 milliseconds. Mirian-Stefanie Kastlunger from Austia beat Saskia Langer by about 2 milliseconds for Gold in Woman's singles. Italy's Florian Gruber and Simon Kainzwaldner won the doubles Gold. USA won the Mixed Team Relay with lugers Summer Britcher, Tucker West, Ty Andersen, and Pat Edmunds. The medal leader for Luge was Germany with 1 Gold, 3 Silvers, and 1 Bronze.


Snowboarding


Ben Ferguson of the USA won the Men's Halfpipe with a best score of 93.25. Micheal Ciccarelli of Canada received Gold in the Men's Slopestyle with a score of 94.25. Hikaru Ohe of Japan won the Women's Halfpipe with a score of 96.25. Canada's Audrey McManiman won the Women's Slopestyle with a score of 84.25.


All in all, Germany had the most medals of the Games with 17 and the 8 Gold medals, most in that category. Japan and Russia both had 16 total medals. The host country Austria had 13 medals, including 6 Gold medals. The USA had 8 medals in all. Morocco and Slovakia both have 1 medal in total. Those medals is a Gold medal.