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We’ve just unwrapped our Christmas presents, now we’re watching speed skating with the family before having Christmas dinner together. Typical Dutch Christmas

You say that as an exaggeration, but it really isn't Although he did win the 5k instead of the 50k (which really would be a way better mass start distance, but that's besides the point)

The rest of the week NOS will talk about nothing other than how each skate influences the chances of Kramer being selected by the matrix. Every time there is a finish time they will show Kramer's 50000m victory in Pyeongchang and talk about how the result affects his chances of repeating. Whenever Kramer is in the arena they will show him at least once every ten minutes. If Kramer qualifies they will stop everything to have a parade and a fireworks display. I actually think that's reasonable. Because the 500m is a bit of a lottery N'tab inherently has a better chance of sneaking in a medal than Kramer does (even though both are extremely unlikely).

Today is the day, day one of arguably the world's strongest speed skating championships: the Dutch Olympic qualifiers At 14:00 it's the women's 1000m, followed by the men's 5000m at 14.45. First chance for some, make or break for others. Some are going to have their worst day of Christmas ever

Καλά Χριστούγεννα σε όλους!

I've seen plenty unfair situations with federations. But this one is on top of a ridiculous ranking. She is the only Argentinian paying full costs in the fight for the ticket. Zero support (and it's not like a season is cheap ☝🏻). THAT without mentioning that she was the only Argentinian trying to get an Olympic quota for her country in the previous World Championship. No one else wanted to go to Oberstdorf. She did it! Only Argentinian, without any support, and still good enough to stay under 300 points by 2 seconds or so and get a quota to have someone representing her country at the Olympics. And now, this bulshit from FASA all because this federation wants to send someone younger at any costs. If the youngest girls were better than her, fine! BUT THEY ARE NOT!

Japan just announced the Olympic list during the conference of National Championships. The list is consistent with the ranking of National Championships as expected. Men: Yuzuru Hanyu, Shoma Uno, Yuma Kagiyama Women: Kaori Sakamoto, Wakabi Huguchi, Mana Kawabe Ice Dance: Misato Komatsubara / Tim Koleto Pairs: Riku Miura/ Ryuichi Kihara

if you want to watch it live, you need a vpn... but if you want to watch any program on delay, it's free all around Europe...just need to wait for the next stint to start and the previous one becomes available... https://www.npostart.nl/gids?date=2021-12-26&type=tv

The Times are saying the Games could be cancelled due to Covid if China decides zero Covid is more important than the games.

I think the 28th will suit better.

so, the IIHF is stealing tsn's stream with a good 5 minute-delay... I'm watching the live feed on satellite and this stream is way behind live pictures... ps spoiler: Germany just tied the game...

and it started

De Jong was giving her interview with fairly mixed feelings. She was 2nd and that way basically had a big hand in making sure her sister Michelle (4th) didn't qualify. I can imagine she's happy she qualified, but also that it just sucks to push your sister out that way. Of course that's part of the sport when you both compete in the same kind of races, but that doesn't make it more fun

And that's a wrap for the 5k and Kramer possibly made it Bergsma was....mediocre. Enough to most likely qualify, but nothing special. Roest was a class of his own Men Women Selection order Distance Rank at OQT Athlete Selection order Distance Rank at OQT Athlete 1 1.000 1 1 5.000 1 2 5.000 1 Patrick Roest 2 MS 1 3 1.500 1 3 3.000 1 4 1.000 2 4 3.000 2 5 10.000 1 5 500 1 6 MS 1 6 1.000 1 Jutta Leerdam 7 1.500 2 7 1.500 1 8 500 1 8 5.000 2 9 1.000 3 9 1.500 2 10 1.500 3 10 1.000 2 Antoinette de Jong 11 5.000 2 Jorrit Bergsma 11 3.000 3 12 10.000 2 12 1.500 3 13 500 2 13 1.000 3 Ireen Wüst 14 5.000 3 Sven Kramer 14 500 2 15 500 3 15 500 3

Should be here, but penguins are attacking it at the moment I think https://liveresults.schaatsen.nl/home Then as backup there's always good old Teletekst, where page 856 is for the live speed skating results and order https://teletekst-data.nos.nl/webplus?p=856 Sweeping the ice now.

I didn't see the mass start event. How to decide the first MS quota? @heywoodu

Basically it's going to be a matter of simply filling in the 'matrix' and at the end picking the first 9 names (including the team pursuit names and the second one in the mass starts). Shouldn't be too complicated, but it's Dutch speed skating qualifiers, there's gonna be a lawsuit here or there Men Women Selection order Distance Rank at OQT Athlete Selection order Distance Rank at OQT Athlete 1 1.000 1 1 5.000 1 2 5.000 1 2 MS 1 3 1.500 1 3 3.000 1 4 1.000 2 4 3.000 2 5 10.000 1 5 500 1 6 MS 1 6 1.000 1 7 1.500 2 7 1.500 1 8 500 1 8 5.000 2 9 1.000 3 9 1.500 2 10 1.500 3 10 1.000 2 11 5.000 2 11 3.000 3 12 10.000 2 12 1.500 3 13 500 2 13 1.000 3 14 5.000 3 14 500 2 15 500 3 15 500 3

If there is, it'll be on the NOS website https://nos.nl/uitzendingen

It was not supposed to be a sarcasm 🙂 .... But I didn't his family has such biathlon background 🙂 ..... No matter what, Czech blood flows through his vains, I will always be cheering for him💪💪

Merry Christmas to all you who celebrate it. And if don't - have a good time anyway.

And just to add more to the drama of Russian Nationals, at yesterday's women's SP the judges placed 15-year-old Muravieva (not eligible for Beijing) 2nd. World Champion Shcherbakova was up next and was placed 3rd. But, the rankings were later changed. Muravieva was deducted one point for going over time limit. Deducting points way after someone's performance is of course against all regulations, but hey, we are talking about Russian Nationals here. It's to be expected. Anyways, looks like Valieva, Trusova and Shcherbakova are going to Beijing, with Valieva being an enormous gold medal favorite.

Great forecast by @Topicmaster1010!!! I'm very happy to see that France has a real chance to be in TOP 7!!!! Though the number of athletes is less than at 2018 Olympics, in 2022 has real chances in many events! p.s. I think that Perrine Laffont and Tess Ledeux deserve more than just silver medals

Stage 14 in Madonna di Campiglio (ITA) Men´s Slalom: 1. Sebastian Foss-Solevaag 1:34.59 2. Alexis Pinturault 1:34.69 3. Kristoffer Jakobsen 1:34.70 Full Final Results HERE

Mixed Doubles Olympic Trials have been cancelled due to COVID-19. Curling Canada will pick the team that goes to the Olympics.

Maria Cecilia Dominguez of Argentina got an amazing 110 points in Turkey today. Argentina has one female ticket and the deciding criteria was easy: the one with the best FIS points - all races count, including rollerskiing and 'obscure' races - goes to the Olympics. Alright, clear enough and with a second or so to spare in the last rollerskiing race in Brazil, Dominguez moved up to first: So today's 110 improved her points to 124 or so. Hooooooowever.....now all of a sudden, criteria have changed: Dominguez has been told she will need to get the A criteria (under 100 points, near-impossible) in order to be sent by the Argentinian federation (FASA). If she doesn't, whoever is in second place will be sent to the Olympics (A criteria or not). It's basically like saying "runner A, you need to run the marathon in 2:10 to qualify, but runner B, you can go as long as runner A doesn't get that time and you have a time of 3:00 or so". It's...insane.

She retired after Pyeongchang due to lack of funds from Spanish federation.