NearPup

I think it’s like that because in practice the big countries qualify all the sleds they want up to the quota limit. In bobsleigh / skeleton the comentators are much more aware of how qualification works because very few countries can have the max quota.

The max quota is just an upper bound, a lot of (most?) NOCs won’t use them all.

ISU announced the qualification standings for speed skating, baring any reallocation or issues with the 180 athlete quota. Keep in mind most countries won't use their maximum quota due to athletes competing in multiple events. The Netherlands is the only country with the maximum number of quotas in every event. Canada also has the maximum number of athlete quota. Men 500m 1000m 1500m 5000m 10000m TP MS MAX Australia 1 1 2 Austria 1 1 Belarus 1 1 2 Belgium 1 1 1 3 Canada 3 3 3 1 2 X 1 10 China 2 2 Colombia 1 1 2 Denmark 2 2 Estonia 1 1 Finland 2 1 3 France 1 1 1 3 Germany 1 2 1 2 2 8 Hungary 1 1 2 Italy 1 1 2 3 2 X 1 10 Japan 3 3 3 2 X 2 8 Kazakhstan 2 3 2 7 Latvia 1 1 1 1 4 Netherlands 3 3 3 3 2 X 2 10 New Zealand 2 1 1 X 2 6 Norway 3 2 3 3 1 X 2 10 Poland 3 3 3 1 8 Olympic Athletes from Russia 3 3 3 3 1 2 8 South Korea 3 3 2 1 1 X 2 10 Sweden 1 1 2 Switzerland 1 1 1 3 Taiwan 1 1 United States 3 3 3 X 2 8 Women 500m 1000m 1500m 3000m 5000m TP MS MAX Austria 1 1 1 1 4 Belarus 1 1 1 1 4 Belgium 1 1 Canada 3 3 3 3 2 X 2 10 China 3 3 3 2 X 2 8 Czech Republic 1 2 2 2 1 1 8 Denmark 1 1 Estonia 1 1 Finland 1 1 Germany 2 3 2 2 1 X 1 10 Italy 1 2 1 2 6 Japan 3 3 3 3 2 X 2 10 Kazakhstan 1 1 1 3 Netherlands 3 3 3 3 2 X 2 10 Norway 1 2 2 1 6 Poland 1 1 3 3 X 1 9 Olympic Athletes from Russia 3 3 3 2 2 X 2 10 South Korea 3 3 X 2 8 Switzerland 1 1 Taiwan 1 1 1 3 United States 3 3 3 1 1 2 8

I believe the technical term is “slap on the wrist”.

More than that, if I remember correctly they started to investigate Šmigun-Vähi way back in late 2013/early 2014.

The IOC has announced that there where no positive tests from the Turin 2006 re-tests, which means Kristina Šmigun-Vähi will not be stripped of her medals.

Ya, I agree. I’ll believe he can beat Kramer in a championship when I see it.

Kevin Koe, Marc Kennedy, Brent Laing, Ben Hebert and (presumably) Scott Pfeifer will represent Canada in men's curling at the 2018 Olympics.

I mean, it depends which team shows up. The Netherlands pursuit team has looked like amateurs in two of the three events. FWIW I think Koen Verweij is a heavy favorite since Yuskov and Kulizhnikov probably won't be allowed to compete (even though Yuskov's doping ban was kinda BS).

Man has Ted-Jan ever improved over the past couple years. World record holder in both the 5000 and the 10000, just incredible. Speed Skating Canada sure is lucky his dad happened to have been born in New Brunswick xD

This is what an out of shape Hirscher looks like

BIt disapointed with the result, Carey could have won had she not given ateals in the first two hands, but Homan and company are a safe pair of hands and they should do well in the Olympics.

Very weird that they changed it so late in the process. TBH I'm not sure why there is a need for countries to have five athletes in those sports as long as injury replacements are available.

If Wikipedia is to be believed, Pedro Causil is the first South American to ever qualify for the Olympics in speed skating, while this will be the first Olympics since 1936 (and the first since becoming independent from the Soviet Union) where Estonia competes in Speed Skating.

The way the rules are written curling is very punishing of burned stones and hog line violations. I honestly kind of like it that way, because since the rules are so harsh players are very good at avoiding those situations and they very, very rarely come up. It's very unfortunate it influenced Olympic qualification, but at that level you should just not be burning a stone.

That's curling sometimes. You can win by being better than your opponent or you can win because your opponent made a costly mistake at the wrong time. Congrats to and . It's really good for the quality of the competition that Denmark qualified, they are a legitimate medal contender. As for Italy, nice to see them back after so many years but it's definitively a surprise that they qualified. I feel very bad for and Snitil, though. Second Olympics in a row where he loses his Olympic qualification playoff...

Great race from her and her teamate. But man, what a terrible race by the peloton for the second week in a row xD

Final score is 11-4 for China. Congrats to for qualifying for their third Olympics in a row. Also the second Olympics in a row where there where three teams from Asia in the women's tournament, which very much vindicates the decision to expand the world championship field IMO.

Okay, this Italian team is playing like they where paid to lose. Steal of four for China in the fourth end.

Gee, I wonder why Becky Scott might be suspicious of Russian athletes when it comes to doping...

Eh, it's pretty good but IMO not as good at the one from Sochi or Rio.

China's team is playing terrible right now. It really should be 2-2 right now, but because of some huge mistakes by the Chinese teams Italy leads 3-1 (with hammer) after two ends. Edit: Italy's turn to play terribly. They gave away a steal of 3 (!) in the third, and they aren't playing well in the 4th either.

While I like the Calgary track, I would say that if you where to only hold one IBSF world cup in Canada Whistler is the place to be. IMO Calgary is a better luge track than Whistler and Whistler is a better Bobsleigh / Skeleton track than Calgary. But obviously I would like the IBSF to hold world cups in Whistler and Calgary every year

Did not expect the Canadian team to win, they actually qualified on points (not on time)! Good comeback after the fall in Calgary. The Dutch team was a dumpster fire.

More tragic news out of Alberta. 17 year old Max Burkhart from Germany has died due to injuries he sustained during a training run for a NorAm Downhill in Lake Louise.