Richards practicing her sharp shooting. Olympians,   Despite the calendar calling it Spring, the weather has brought some late chilly days and snow squalls to Burlington. Rather than fight the mood, we're going to revel in a one more winter event! Coming Up: Figure Skating II: Ice Dance J oin us 6:30-7:30 at Leddy Ice Arena in Burlington on Friday, April 1st (it's really not a joke!). Gustave has rented out the studio rink, which is smaller than a normal hockey rink, for that hour, so please show up in a timely manner. We'll do some warm up skating, and then you'll have one minute to lay down your best free skate routine with a partner. Even if you arrive solo, we'll find you a partner! Feel free to bring your own jams to crush your "well rehearsed" routine to. All attendees and non-skating spectators will serve as honorable ice dance judges. Just Finished: Biathlon I: 5km Sprint O n one of those post-rain, icy days this winter, two of our athletes ventu...

  Our cross country skiers. Olympians,   Winter delivered over the past week in Burlington, giving us roughly a foot of fresh snow! Not taking this weather sitting down, Our Olympics sprung to action in our first ever Cross-country Skiing event! Just Finished: Cross-country Skiing I: Individual Sprint (Classic) I t was a warm and sunny Sunday afternoon in the Intervale, with temperatures soaring 30 degrees higher than the past few weeks. Yes, it was into the low 20s! A great number of skiers with skills from high school racing down to never-evers showed up to get out, function, and enjoy it! Heat one consisted of Phillip "I hate cross-country skiing!", Kelly "Just finished my warm-up laps!", Olivia "If I lose it's because I'm wearing Carharts!", and Katrina "Maybe these loaner skis are for classic?". It was two laps of the course and after lap one, the athletes sufficiently spread out. Coming in first was Kelly, followed by Phillip in sec...

  Directions to the next event: Park at either lot marked with the pink "P" on the right side of Intervale Rd past the McNeil Power Plant and make your way to the pink star. The red, green, and orange trails have (some) markers on the ground. Olympians,   After running events for twelve years, the Vermont winters are finally giving us a chance to delve into the realm of Winter Olympic Events (And just in time for the 2022 Games!) Up Next - Cross-Country Skiing I: Team Sprint (Classic) C ome down to the Intervale Center on Intervale Rd for some cross-country skiing on Sunday, February 6th at 3pm. Use the map above to navigate to the Orange Trail loop, which is a groomed trail part of the Intervale Center's winter trail system. We'll meet at the pink star. You're encouraged to bring any and all cross country skis and boots you have to share with others who might not have their own equipment. The available equipment may dictate who can be on a team and how we relay w...

  Two feet and a board...all it takes to win. Olympians,   For those of you tracking the bottom of these blog posts the past seven months, you'll note that it's time to announce the winners to the send-in-your-video surfing competition! Just Finished - SURFING T alking surfing in the middle of winter? Yep. Although all five competitors braved the Pacific in the summertime or fall when the water was the warmest, I'd like to give a shout out to those who's season just began, surfing the winter storm swells on the Great Lakes. Bryan Tomczak of La Crosse, WI on Lake Michigan in December Back to the endless summer, how did our athletes do? If you missed the action, watch the videos here . Thanks to eight of you who took a seat behind the judge's booth anonymously, we now have an answer. Seemingly a miracle, out of five competitors, all ride off into the sunset with a medal. Yes, Greg Nigon, Gustave Sexauer, and Kate Nigon had a three-way tie with 22 points for the bronze...

  Everyone's a Winner! Olympians,   We'll regale the tale of our wiff waffing as we greet the new year, Our Olympics style! Just Finished - TABLE TENNIS IV: TEAM "W here did all of these people come from?" "What's with the people in the fluorescent vests?" "Did you just get off work?" were all refrains heard in the Miller Center Monday night, when a rag tag group of wannabe ping pong playas infiltrated the normally subdued space of the Champlain Valley Table Tennis Club. After a few stretches and warm up volleys, it was show time for a Team Tennis Tournament with a format that there wasn't time enough to explain (Sorry attendees, the table below helps explain the Olympic format!) With three teams, it was a ripe setting for a classic round-robin. Surely that would sort out the best team! To start, The Unnamed Team's C and Neil drug out a win against the team in the high visibility safety jackets and turquoise-ish pants (Gustave and Luna...

  3x3: "We had a ball" Olympians,   The monthly excitement of  Our Olympics  continues! Next Up - TABLE TENNIS IV: TEAM G rab your paddle and head to the Miller Center, 130 Gosse Ct, Burlington for some team ping pong Monday the 20th at 6:30pm  (updated location/time, also $5/person). (Please RSVP to Gustave first.) We'll be using the Olympic team format which calls for teams of three and a best of five games as shown below. Bring your own team, or we'll find you partners! Note that we'll be "dropping in" on the Champlain Valley Table Tennis Club's public hours. Just Finished -  BASKETBALL II: 30N3 N ovember is a time to curl up in a ball and stay warm in your bed, right? Wrong! It's a time for arcing the ball over the competition and through the hoop while breaking a good sweat. This past month, two eager teams, Team B-Day and Team Elbows squared off on the half court for some 3x3 basketball. The teams were well matched, with little to no expe...

  Gustave on a surfin' safari Olympians,   After a late summer break, Our Olympics is back with a very special competition! Coming up Next: 30N3 BASKETBALL C opying yet another new event in the Olympic Games this year, Our Olympics will foray into 3x3 basketball on Saturday, November 13th from 4pm-6pm at the Miller Center in Burlington. RSVP by adding yourself to a team  here ! All skill levels are welcome (full disclosure: I haven't made a basket since 2019 and never played for school), and we can make teams from individuals and pairs if you don't already know who your two BFFs are. If you're unfamiliar with the rules, consult Wikipedia  for the full rundown, but here's an overview: Played on a half-court with one basket 1 point for baskets made within the arc 2 points for baskets made outside the arc The game ends when one team scores 21 points or 10 minutes of play have passed Otherwise similar to standard 5-a-side basketball Ongoing Event: SURFING I: INDIVUDAL ...