We all have our favorite events at the Winter Olympics. Some love the Ski Jump, the original extreme winter sport that was introduced at the first Winter Olympic Games in Chamonix in 1924. Others love the team aspect so Hockey rules supreme. And let’s face it: whose heart doesn’t skip a beat when someone lands a triple axel. I’m talking Figure Skating, of course, not Hockey.
Though think of how much more exponentially impressive that would be.
As an ardent promoter of the ski industry, my favorite Olympic event may surprise you: Curling.
You see, I owe my very life to this great sport. My parents MET whilst on a curling team in Calgary. I don’t know what the initial connection was. Maybe she liked the way he threw that big ol’ heavy rock. And I’m sure he was enthralled with her sweeping technique. I mean, what man wouldn’t? It was, after all, the ’60s.
For this reason, I felt it requisite to participate in the curling exhibition during the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. My best friend Stacey was in town from Canada with her sister, Heather. We decided to hit the Olympic Strip, which hosted oodles of entertaining booths and Olympic activities.
The Coca-Cola tent was the highlight of The Strip. Not only could you barrel down a miniature luge run but there were several interactive Olympic sports, including curling.
Remember? The Greatest Of All Winter Olympic Events.
As we waited for our turn, I tried to remain humble. Not only did I have inbred curling roots but I also participated in a semester-long class in high school.
If that didn’t qualify me for Olympic greatness, I didn’t know what would.
I was the first to throw my rocks down the ice towards the house. I made some quality shots and was immediately sent to stand on the gold-medal position of the podium to await the rest of the competitors. I fully expected to stay there.
Until Stacey went. In just a few shots, she knocked me down to silver. And then came Heather. In a seamless throw down the ice, she humbled both Stacey and me, claiming the gold medal. Suddenly I, the person with curling in my blood, was only bronze-worthy.
It got even uglier when a 7-year-old boy knocked me out of contention altogether. Me. The very offspring of curling itself.
In the end, he never actually claimed his medal; something about being knocked out by a curling rock.
Hey, what can I say? Tonya Harding isn’t the only one with a few tricks up her sleeve….
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Thank you thank you thank you for all the wonderful support I have received for my bid to blog at the Olympics in the Microsoft Office Winter Olympics Contest. You may vote daily here until Nov. 29 and believe me, I need all the help I can get.
Special thanks to powerhouse bloggers Design Mom and Loralee for their generous mentions, and also the Denver Westword for running a Q&A.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I'm a Canadian-born mom of two, former Denver Post columnist, family travel writer, editor of MileHighMamas.com and 9News contributor. Expert on all things Utah, Denver, family and travel. Lover of laughter and life. Happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin. 