Fog Delay; Hockey Trophies Meet -- On the Scene

Fog Causes First Competition Delay

Heavy fog blanketing the mountain venues at Krasnaya Polyana caused the first weather delays for Sochi 2014.

The men’s biathlon 15km mass start was scheduled to take place late on Sunday but was postponed until 3:30 on Monday. Also postponed was the men’s seeding phase of snowboard cross. A sign at the venue said the seeding for finals will be done by the current points list from the International Ski Federation at 1:30.

IOC communications director Mark Adams said the delays were part of the challenges with organizing winter sport events.

"Winter sport is very, very unpredictable," he said.

Adams also pointed out that there have been no complaints from the athletes and that no events have been cancelled, something that has happened at previous Winter Olympics.

Hockey Trophies Meet at Sochi Airport

In the lead-up to the Games, a rare hockey moment took place: both the World Championship Trophy and Stanley Cup were in the same room at the same time.

That room was the customs control station of the Sochi International Airport.

By pure coincidence, the keepers of both trophies were on the same flight to Sochi, Around the Rings understands. Both trophies’ value would necessitate a customs declaration and they were inspected by Russian customs agents.

The agents all took ample opportunity to photograph themselves with hockey’s most coveted trophies.

The Stanley Cup's Olympic tour continues on Monday with a media appearance at Canada House in Sochi Olympic Park.

No Record of Activist Arrest

Sochi 2014 head of communication Aleksandra Kosterina says there is no record of an arrest of Italian activist Vladimir Luxuria.

Reports said that Luxuria, who is transgender, was arrested while carrying a flag in the Sochi Olympic Park that said "Gay is OK."

At the daily join IOC/Sochi 2014 briefing, Kosterina says the police had no indication that she was arrested.

100K Visitors for PyeongChang House

The elaborate exhibition of Korean culture that’s a promotion for PyeongChang 2018, the next winter Olympic Games host, has topped 100,000 visitors since it opened 10 days ago.

The 10-year-old Russian girl who was guest 100,000 was handed several souvenirs. PyeongChang organizers say they plan to award a round-trip ticket to South Korea for guests at number 218,000. There is a catch, however - the ticket is only good if the person who receives it becomes a volunteer for PyeongChang 2018.

Wo ist Thomas?

IOC president Thomas Bach will be at the Sanki Sliding Centre for bobsleigh today.

"Not competing," IOC spokesman Adams quipped.

Bach will spend the night at the IOC hotel next to the Olympic Park.

Written by Ed Hula III

Homepage photo: Getty Images

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