That is been the Steamboat Springs mantra as we sent 17 young athletes from the winter Sports Club off to Vancouver and the Olympics. The send off was a party as we blocked off Lincoln Avenue and brought in a huge monitor and stage. More than 2,000 people gathered to celebrate and encourage these great representatives. The lighting of our own Olympic torch on the County Building lawn and fireworks off of the roof helped warm the celebration.
Highlights of the games for the Steamboat crowd were the Nordic Combined which consists of jumping followed by cross-country skiing. Two individual events sandwich a team event. In total there are 9 medals awarded to the Nordic Combined events. The United States team made up of primarily Steamboat born and/or raised athletes won 4 of the 9 possible medals.
It all started on the 2nd day of Olympic competition with the normal hill individual. Steamboat native Johnny Spillane took a silver medal with Steamboat Native Todd Lodwick taking 4th and long time Steamboat’s winter sports club athlete Bill Demong taking 6th place. This set up the team event where 4 team members jump then run a relay of 5k each. At the end the Americans with the three skiers above plus Bret Camerota were able to take 2nd place and walk away with a silver medal. Last of the events is the large hill individual which saw Bill Demong take the gold followed closely by Johnny Spillane. In the history of the Olympics the United States had never won a medal in only two events, Biathlon and Nordic Combined. Thanks to the great teammates and friends from Steamboat Springs that 86 year drought has been snapped.
