intoronto

Helmy told me his federation wouldn't let him unfortunately  He is now going to try for 2022, which he said is his 'realistic' goal anyways. What has to happen is for a certain number of skiers to actually be active before the Egyptian Olympic body approves the federation. They did just build an indoor ski slope, so it's a start. I said he might be better off representing Algeria or Sudan or something and he said no, it's Egypt or nothing. 
As for Jordan I wrote them a couple of additional times, but they haven't replied. Since they weren't on your accreditation list, I doubt be possible for them to compete anyways. But again from their email they seemed 2022 was their objective.
Haiti wrote me back just now after 2 months (lol). And they have a 'secret project'!
 
Sorry to answer 2 months after your message but sometimes, with new technology, Emails are going in the wrong files.
We are just starting the new season so we pay more attention at this time.
Haiti will probably not compete in the 2018 Olympics. We could have Ski, but our only 2 racers who could have any chance (Benoit ETOC and Celine MARTI www.facebook.com/haitiski ) have difficulties to be present. We planned also to have a new winter sport for Haiti, skating but the Haitian winter spirit is too young to accept that. We have a skater (Maxime Billy FORTIN that took part to the French skating gala one year agowww.youtube.com/watch?v=u4u7qmYzZ58 ), but not the federation until now.
But:
In ski, we have some younger Haitians (until 13yo) that can maybe compete for Haiti. The best and closest goal could be LAUSANNE 2020, the young Olympics game. Then we can have also the skater. And we have also another secret project but we need a lot of money to develop it.
 
Best regards
 
Thierry MONTILLET

Probably not making the difference anyway. Causil will be looking to qualify by time, so his important races will be Calgary/Salt Lake. And there is no mass start at this stage for the other Colombian.

OH HELL NO!!!!!!
 
I'm okay with any toppings of pizza as long as it isn't anchovies and certainly not this abomination 

Not this time, unfortunately... I couldn't resist k.d.'s performance

The second when I noticed your entry the 1st place was booked and closed. Thank you for remembering me those beautiful and unforgettable moments of that 2010 February night

There where 14 non-relay qualifiers in the women's 1500m in Sochi and they where still four short of reaching the max total quota, while in Vancouver they had 15 non-relay qualifiers in the women's 1500m and they where seven short of reaching the max quota, so she's probably fine.

I somehow never received points from Uruguay either

At least a dozen top Russian athletes have been tested........0 times in the first ten months of October 
http://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/21417333/at-least-one-dozen-top-russian-winter-sports-athletes-were-not-tested-russian-anti-doping-agency-first-10-months-2017
 
Including someone like Kulizhnikov who was banned while being a semi-interesting junior and absolutely dominated sprinting all of a sudden after his ban.
 
I mean, I understand RUSADA: if nobody uses doping, you don't need to test, so that's easy  

Winter Olympic qualification tracking is boring versus the Summer Olympics... but the FIS does keep track on their website the quota standings.

is in qualification position in women's bobsleigh as of now. 
http://www.ibsf.org/en/rankings/rankings?season=2017&ctype=3&session=

Only Hockey and Curling so far. 
 
All other sports will be in between next week (short track speed skating) till middle of January (for all skiing disciplines). 

https://streamable.com/vdk56

Well, I can safely assume he is working on the templates, because I've already received mine a few days ago.

This is what the quota situation looks like after the first of four world cups, excluding the time ranking which ads 16 places for the 500m/1000m/1500m, 8 places for the 3000/5000m, 4 places for the 5000/10000m and 2 places for the team pursuit.
 
Max number of athletes is 3 per event for the 500m, 1000m, 1500m and the 3000/5000m while it's 2 per event for the 5000/10000m and the mass start. A country can have up to ten skaters if they qualify in every event, otherwise the limit is eight.
 
Women:
 
  500m 1000m 1500m 3000m 5000m MS TP Max   1 1       2   4             1   1   3 2 3 2 1 2 X 10   2 1       2   5 1 1 2 1 1 2   8  
          1   1       1 2   1 X 4             2   2   3 3 3 3 2 2 X 10   1 1           2   3 1       1 X 5   1 3 3 3 2 2 X 10   1 1 1         3     1 1     1 X 3   2 2 3 3 2 1   8             1   1     1           1             1   1   2 2 3 2   2   8  
Men:
 
  500m 1000m 1500m 5000m 10000m MS TP Max       1     1   2       1     1   2   3 2 1 2 1 1 X 10           1   1             2   2   1 1           2   1 1   1 1 1   3   1 1   2 1     5         2 1 1 X 4   3 1 2 1   2   8             1   1   3 3 1     2 X 9       1     1   2   3 3 3 3 2 2   8         1 1 2 X 4   1 1 3 2 1 1 X 9   1 1 2     1   5   2 3 3 2   1 X 10             1   1   2 3 3     2   8  

Complaints can be directed to the Russian government/sports authorities for f*cking up their athletes and the chances of their athletes. 

Equestrian comments from various NF's
 
http://inside.fei.org/system/files/GA17_Annex_14.3_0.pdf
 
Canada is not happy with any of the disciplines... 

"
The Organising Committee, POCOG, has a bigger focus on gender equality and has decided the Women’s Curling and Cross Country events will be decided on the final day of competition.
Previously, the Men’s events held sway on the final day of both the Winter and Summer Games."
 
http://pyeongchang2018.olympics.com.au/news/women-in-prime-time-in-pyeongchang-in-2018

Behind the scenes scoop here:  Toronto (yes you read that correctly) is investigating a bid right now.

Some interesting info:
The PC2018 organizing committee has an internal list of countries that have confirmed participation (granted not all will qualify).

These ones are on the list (even though they are not in any of the above):
 
Guatemala
American Samoa
Haiti (I forgot this one on my list above)
 
I wonder what the first two will compete in ? This might be just declaring interest in competing... but their names are in the planning this late. Interesting.
 
Also not on the list are:
Puerto Rico
Algeria
 
So I doubt they will compete in 2018, similar to how they refused in 2014.

Also not on the list are:

Dominican Republic
Egypt
Jordan
Vietnam
Indonesia 

(Might be because they started the process late).
 

84 nations have qualified for PyeongChang 2018. I have not included the Cayman Islands as they won't compete and included Ecuador who will make their debut. 
 
The following should qualify (all have athletes meeting part of the standard/good enough to qualify):
India (cross-country skiing)
Philippines (alpine skiing)
Hong Kong (alpine skiing)
Moldova (cross-country skiing)
Venezuela (alpine skiing)
Chinese Taipei (speed skating).
 
= 90 Nations
 
The following have athletes just outside qualification, I rate their chances as good.
Nigeria (women's bobsled)
Jamaica (bobsled)
 
=92 nations
 
The following have athletes just outside qualification, I rate their chances as not that great
Algeria (alpine skiing/snowboard)
Barbados (freestyle skiing)
Costa Rica (freestyle skiing)
 Nepal (cross country skiing, their athlete needs really good results to have any chance).
Paraguay (freestyle skiing)
Senegal (alpine skiing)
Trinidad and Tobago (cross country skiing, their athlete needs really good results to have any chance).
 
=99 nations
 
Almost no chance to qualify, but have athlete(s) competing to qualify:
Afghanistan
Dominican Republic (hard to comment, as this athlete has yet to compete). 
Egypt
Indonesia
Jordan
Sri Lanka
Vietnam
Tonga
Ghana
Uganda
Tajikistan
 
=110 nations
 
Almost no chance to qualify, but have athlete(s) competing to qualify, but have a small glimmer of hope through reallocation in figure skating:
Singapore (their female skater is two spots out of reallocation, and if this were 2010 she would qualify as there were 2 reallocations back then).
 
=111 nations

84 nations have qualified for PyeongChang 2018. I have not included the Cayman Islands as they won't compete and included Ecuador who will make their debut. 
 
The following should qualify (all have athletes meeting part of the standard/good enough to qualify):
India (cross-country skiing)
Philippines (alpine skiing)
Hong Kong (alpine skiing)
Moldova (cross-country skiing)
Venezuela (alpine skiing)
Chinese Taipei (speed skating).
 
= 90 Nations
 
The following have athletes just outside qualification, I rate their chances as good.
Nigeria (women's bobsled)
Jamaica (bobsled)
 
=92 nations
 
The following have athletes just outside qualification, I rate their chances as not that great
Algeria (alpine skiing/snowboard)
Barbados (freestyle skiing)
Costa Rica (freestyle skiing)
 Nepal (cross country skiing, their athlete needs really good results to have any chance).
Paraguay (freestyle skiing)
Senegal (alpine skiing)
Trinidad and Tobago (cross country skiing, their athlete needs really good results to have any chance).
 
=99 nations
 
Almost no chance to qualify, but have athlete(s) competing to qualify:
Afghanistan
Dominican Republic (hard to comment, as this athlete has yet to compete). 
Egypt
Indonesia
Jordan
Sri Lanka
Vietnam
Tonga
Ghana
Uganda
Tajikistan
 
=110 nations
 
Almost no chance to qualify, but have athlete(s) competing to qualify, but have a small glimmer of hope through reallocation in figure skating:
Singapore (their female skater is two spots out of reallocation, and if this were 2010 she would qualify as there were 2 reallocations back then).
 
=111 nations

84 nations have qualified for PyeongChang 2018. I have not included the Cayman Islands as they won't compete and included Ecuador who will make their debut. 
 
The following should qualify (all have athletes meeting part of the standard/good enough to qualify):
India (cross-country skiing)
Philippines (alpine skiing)
Hong Kong (alpine skiing)
Moldova (cross-country skiing)
Venezuela (alpine skiing)
Chinese Taipei (speed skating).
 
= 90 Nations
 
The following have athletes just outside qualification, I rate their chances as good.
Nigeria (women's bobsled)
Jamaica (bobsled)
 
=92 nations
 
The following have athletes just outside qualification, I rate their chances as not that great
Algeria (alpine skiing/snowboard)
Barbados (freestyle skiing)
Costa Rica (freestyle skiing)
 Nepal (cross country skiing, their athlete needs really good results to have any chance).
Paraguay (freestyle skiing)
Senegal (alpine skiing)
Trinidad and Tobago (cross country skiing, their athlete needs really good results to have any chance).
 
=99 nations
 
Almost no chance to qualify, but have athlete(s) competing to qualify:
Afghanistan
Dominican Republic (hard to comment, as this athlete has yet to compete). 
Egypt
Indonesia
Jordan
Sri Lanka
Vietnam
Tonga
Ghana
Uganda
Tajikistan
 
=110 nations
 
Almost no chance to qualify, but have athlete(s) competing to qualify, but have a small glimmer of hope through reallocation in figure skating:
Singapore (their female skater is two spots out of reallocation, and if this were 2010 she would qualify as there were 2 reallocations back then).
 
=111 nations

84 nations have qualified for PyeongChang 2018. I have not included the Cayman Islands as they won't compete and included Ecuador who will make their debut. 
 
The following should qualify (all have athletes meeting part of the standard/good enough to qualify):
India (cross-country skiing)
Philippines (alpine skiing)
Hong Kong (alpine skiing)
Moldova (cross-country skiing)
Venezuela (alpine skiing)
Chinese Taipei (speed skating).
 
= 90 Nations
 
The following have athletes just outside qualification, I rate their chances as good.
Nigeria (women's bobsled)
Jamaica (bobsled)
 
=92 nations
 
The following have athletes just outside qualification, I rate their chances as not that great
Algeria (alpine skiing/snowboard)
Barbados (freestyle skiing)
Costa Rica (freestyle skiing)
 Nepal (cross country skiing, their athlete needs really good results to have any chance).
Paraguay (freestyle skiing)
Senegal (alpine skiing)
Trinidad and Tobago (cross country skiing, their athlete needs really good results to have any chance).
 
=99 nations
 
Almost no chance to qualify, but have athlete(s) competing to qualify:
Afghanistan
Dominican Republic (hard to comment, as this athlete has yet to compete). 
Egypt
Indonesia
Jordan
Sri Lanka
Vietnam
Tonga
Ghana
Uganda
Tajikistan
 
=110 nations
 
Almost no chance to qualify, but have athlete(s) competing to qualify, but have a small glimmer of hope through reallocation in figure skating:
Singapore (their female skater is two spots out of reallocation, and if this were 2010 she would qualify as there were 2 reallocations back then).
 
=111 nations

84 nations have qualified for PyeongChang 2018. I have not included the Cayman Islands as they won't compete and included Ecuador who will make their debut. 
 
The following should qualify (all have athletes meeting part of the standard/good enough to qualify):
India (cross-country skiing)
Philippines (alpine skiing)
Hong Kong (alpine skiing)
Moldova (cross-country skiing)
Venezuela (alpine skiing)
Chinese Taipei (speed skating).
 
= 90 Nations
 
The following have athletes just outside qualification, I rate their chances as good.
Nigeria (women's bobsled)
Jamaica (bobsled)
 
=92 nations
 
The following have athletes just outside qualification, I rate their chances as not that great
Algeria (alpine skiing/snowboard)
Barbados (freestyle skiing)
Costa Rica (freestyle skiing)
 Nepal (cross country skiing, their athlete needs really good results to have any chance).
Paraguay (freestyle skiing)
Senegal (alpine skiing)
Trinidad and Tobago (cross country skiing, their athlete needs really good results to have any chance).
 
=99 nations
 
Almost no chance to qualify, but have athlete(s) competing to qualify:
Afghanistan
Dominican Republic (hard to comment, as this athlete has yet to compete). 
Egypt
Indonesia
Jordan
Sri Lanka
Vietnam
Tonga
Ghana
Uganda
Tajikistan
 
=110 nations
 
Almost no chance to qualify, but have athlete(s) competing to qualify, but have a small glimmer of hope through reallocation in figure skating:
Singapore (their female skater is two spots out of reallocation, and if this were 2010 she would qualify as there were 2 reallocations back then).
 
=111 nations

Jungbluth scored some great FIS points in yesterday's race. His average is now 308, so he should be able to secure first ever Ecuadorian qualification by the end of the Sao Carlos races.