Sochi 2014 Olympic Games Presented by: John Barber, Aaron Cole-Doerr

 Brief Background of Sochi  Introduction to each new sport  Athlete Profile  Predictions  Potential Future Sports Topics of Discussion John Barber, Aaron Cole-Doerr

Sochi John Barber, Aaron Cole-Doerr

 Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated on the Black Sea coast near the border between Georgia and Russia.  Sochi will host the XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter Games in 2014, as well as the Russian Formula 1 Grand Prix from 2014 until at least  It is also one of the host cities for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.  At 145 kilometers (90 mi), Greater Sochi claims to be the longest city in Europe. Sochi Continued… John Barber, Aaron Cole-Doerr

 Figure Skating Team Event  Women’s Ski Jump  Mixed Relay Biathlon  Team Relay Luge  Snowboard Parallel Special Slalom  Ski Half Pipe  Ski Slopestyle  Snowboard Slopestyle New Sports in 2014 John Barber, Aaron Cole-Doerr

 What it is: Each country enters one skater or pair of skaters in all four events: men's, women's, pairs and ice dance. Each event includes short and free programs. The team with the most points across all disciplines wins.  When it will take place: Thursday, Feb. 6 to Sunday, Feb. 9  Canadians to watch: Patrick Chan (men's gold), Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir (ice dance silver), and Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford (pairs bronze) all took home medals at the 2013 world championships, fuelling hopes for a powerful Canadian team in this event. Figure Skating Team Event John Barber, Aaron Cole-Doerr

 What it is: After a long-fought legal battle, women's ski jump finally makes it debut. In Sochi, women will compete in the normal hill competition. Skiers will jump twice in each of two rounds and be judged on style and distance travelled.  When it will take place: Tuesday, Feb. 11  Canadians to watch: Atsuko Tanaka and Alexandra Pretorius are Canada's best bets for a podium performance — if they can stay off the injury list. Women’s Ski Jump John Barber, Aaron Cole-Doerr

 What it is: Two female and two male skiers compete on each team. The women each cross-country ski for six kilometers, the men for 7.5. After the ski segment, each athlete shoots at targets, with every miss bringing a 150- metre penalty lap. The fastest overall team time wins.  When it will take place: Wednesday, Feb. 19  Canadians to watch: The Canadian squad finished 15th at the world championships in February Mixed Relay Biathlon John Barber, Aaron Cole-Doerr

 What it is: Each country fields a team with three sleds — a men's singles, a women's singles and a men's doubles. They all slide down the same course, one after the other. At the finish, the first slider hits a touch pad, which opens the start gate for the next slider. The clock stops when the third sled crosses the line. The fastest overall time wins.  When it will take place: Thursday, Feb. 13  Canadians to watch: The team of Sam Edney, Alex Gough and doubles sliders Tristan Walker and Justin Snith, finished third at a World Cup event on Sochi's track in February Team Relay Luge John Barber, Aaron Cole-Doerr

 What it is: Athletes race head-to-head downhill between gates. The one who makes it to the bottom first, without a dreaded wipeout, wins. This event is seen as more technically challenging than the snowboard parallel giant slalom, which was introduced to the Olympics in  When it will take place: Saturday, Feb. 22 (men's and women's)  Canadians to watch: Caroline Calvé won her first World Cup race in the slalom discipline in Moscow in February 2013 and took home a bronze a few weeks later. Matthew Morison won silver at a March 2013 World Cup event in Switzerland. Snowboard Parallel Special Slalom John Barber, Aaron Cole-Doerr

Ski Half Pipe  What it is: A Winter X Games favourite finally makes its Olympic debut. Skiers perform acrobatic maneuvers in the air — jump, flips and twists after flying off the lip of one of the halfpipe's walls. Judges grade takeoffs, height reached on the halfpipe and overall difficulty.  When it will take place: Men's competition is on Tuesday, Feb. 18; women compete on Thursday, Feb. 20  Canadians to watch: Mike Riddle claimed the men's World Cup season title for Rosalind Groenewoud captured a gold medal in the final women's event of the 2013 World Cup season. John Barber, Aaron Cole-Doerr GoldSilverBronze Men’s David WiseTorin Yater- Wallace Simon Dumont GoldSilverBronze Women’s Maddie Bowman Roz Groenewoud Megan Gunning 2013 X-Games Results

Ski Slopestyle  What it is: Skiers make their way down an obstacle course of rails, jumps and other features. They are judged on the quality, style and originality of their tricks in both men's and women's competitions.  When it will take place: Women's ski slopestyle takes place Tuesday, Feb. 11, while men compete Thursday, Feb. 13.  Canadians to watch: Kaya Turski is the reigning world champion in the women's event and seven-time X Games gold medalist. Teammate Dara Howell finished third on the World Cup circuit in 2013 and is a three-time X Games medalist. John Barber, Aaron Cole-Doerr GoldSilverBronze Men’s Nick Goepper Henrik Harlaut James Woods GoldSilverBronze Women’s Tiril Sjastad Christiansen Kaya TurskiDara Howell 2013 X-Games Results

Snowboard Slopestyle  What it is: Snowboard slopestyle works the same way as its ski counterpart: athletes jump, twist and grind down an obstacle course and are judged on the tricks they perform. Both men and women will compete.  When it will take place: Qualifying rounds for men and women in snowboard are on Thursday, Feb. 6, the day before the Opening Ceremony. Men's finals are on Saturday, Feb. 8; women's are on Sunday, Feb. 9.  Canadians to watch: Canada dominates in slopestyle. Mark McMorris (two-time X Games champion), Spencer O'Brien (gold medalist at the 2013 world championship in Stoneham, Que.) and Sebastian Toutant are good bets for podium finishes GoldSilverBronze Men’s Mark McMorris Maxence Parrot Seppe Smits John Barber, Aaron Cole-Doerr GoldSilverBronze Women’s Jamie Anderson Sarka Pancochova Spencer O’Brien 2013 X-Games Results

Slopestyle Course John Barber, Aaron Cole-Doerr

Athlete Profile: Henrik Harlaut Ski Slopestyle  Hailing from Åre, Sweden, Henrik Harlaut—a.k.a. E’Dollo— struck the industry with his smooth rotations and style while in the air.  Henrik continues to impress and recently did so by winning the 2013 X Games Aspen big air.  When not competing, he’s working on film projects with the likes of Inspired Media, Level 1, Stept, Poor Boyz, 4bi9 Media, Matchstick and more. John Barber, Aaron Cole-Doerr

Athlete Profile: Mark McMorris Snowboard Slopestyle  19 year old Mark McMorris comes from Regina, Saskatchewan  Won his 1 st X-Games Slopestyle medal in 2010, capturing silver behind fellow Canadian rider, Sebastian Toutant.  Consistently wows audiences with his smooth style and huge triple corks  Nominated for the ESPY “Best Male Action Sport Athlete” John Barber, Aaron Cole-Doerr

Aaron and John’s Predictions Aaron (Men's Ski Slopestyle)  Bronze – Tanner Hall  Silver – Bobby Brown  Gold - Henrick Harlaut John (Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle)  Bronze-Torstein Horgmo  Silver-Sebastian Toutant  Gold- Mark McMorris John Barber, Aaron Cole-Doerr Silver Bronze Gold

Snowboard Big AirSki Big AirSnowmobile CrossFreestyle SnowmobileFreeride Ski/SnowboardCrashed Ice Future Sports? John Barber, Aaron Cole-Doerr