NearPup

Would be a bit of a travesty to take Makarainen’s title away…

Women’s mass start at the four continents championship. An 11 minute snoozer with six skaters.

has earned the second Olympic spot. The third and final spot will be decided by a playoff between and

has won the second spot. The final spot in the women’s tournament will be decided in a playoff between and

In case anyone else wants to suffer through this complete abomination of a race:

DSC is one of the worst tie-breaker in sports and I absolutely hate it. Especially now that they have eliminated tie-breakers in International curling...

bizarrely won against the top three teams ( ) and lost to everyone else. Anyway, three way tie at the top, qualifies for the Olympics due to having a better DCS (bleh). and will play-off for the second Olympic spot, the loser of that game will play-off against for the final Olympic spot. The number of NOCs is now final at 14, one up from Pyeongchang.

That's a lot of Ariannas...

Lineup for the Canadian Olympic trials, to be concluded on January 2nd. The athletes who's name are stricken are not competing because they are a non-alternate member of the men's or women's team and were replaced by their partner. In the case of Peterman / Gallant since both athletes qualified their team was replaced by ranking. Jocelyn Peterman / Brett Gallant Jennifer Jones Selena Njegovan / Brent Laing Nancy Martin / Tyrel Griffith Rachel Homan / John Morris Kerri Einarson / Brad Gushue Brad Jacobs Kadriana Sahaidak / Colton Lott Lisa Weagle / John Epping Laurie St-Georges / Félix Asselin Chelsea Carey / Colin Hodgson Shannon Birchard / Catlin Schneider Val Sweeting / Marc Kennedy Clancy Grandy / Patrick Janssen Laura Walker / Kirk Muyres Kim Tuck / Wayne Tuck Émilie Desjardins / Robert Desjardins Bobbie Sauder / Brendan Bottcher Lauren Wasylkiw / Shane Konings

Ted-Jan Bloemen becomes the first person outside of Europe to be a World and continental champion after winning the 5000m (again, don't look up the opposition). Not really much of an achievement given how new the Four continents championship is, but this is still a neat little piece of trivia.

Rodriguez won a bronze medal in the women's 500m at the Four Continent Championships, which is South America's first ever medal at a senior ISU championship of any kind. (Just don't look too deeply at the depth of the competition) also won it's first ever medal at a senior ISU championship in the event.

Has qualified for the Olympics (even before having to play their final game). has clinched a playoff spot.

You laugh but someone falling down while celebrating and knocking over a stone has decided a curling world championship before.

is almost guaranteed to win the round robin at the final qualification tournament, and to qualify directly for the Olympics. All they need is to win one of their remaining two matches or to have lose one of it's three remaining matches.

Not to speak ill of the retired, but she completely ruined the women's 500m final with an attempted pass that was so ill advised that you wouldn't be surprised to learn she was paid to take a dive.

Elise Christie, 2017 overall world champion in short track, has retired https://www.bbc.com/sport/winter-sports/59650586

In line to lose quotas, in order: Men: Women: (This is very quick and dirty)

This has to be an all time low for in speed skating. Kind of in line with the general decline of Finish winter sports.

It's Goatifi to you.

I don't think there would have been a non-controversial way to end this race.

Just saw a video of Samkova's accident and it's such a freak accident. Happened as she was breaking after the line. Just terribly bad luck.

Only Michael and Silovs. The way the document is written implies you have to be on the reserve list to benefit of D.2.6, they don't provide any alternative method to rank who gets an additional place. The reserve list is limited to eight places, and there is no way to re-allocate a place on the reserve list.

Ineligible athletes are already removed.

didn't qualify by points (Morozov got DQed), got the final points place. Qualified by time: x2 x2

Six pairs to go in the 1500m B group but I think both Silovs and Michael are assured qualification!