We begin the final weekend, but back to Prime Time last night (post-Hockey game)--Torico from the Duomo sends us off to Men’s Aerials finals. They really need to do something to differentiate this from Ski Big Air/Ski Slopestyle/Ski Jump. The announcer says says the US had a “good day” but did not advance to the finals--how is that a good day? It’s like he’s awarding participation trophies. China wins gold.
Ugh--more Snoop. This really seems like contractual obligation by this point. Over to Women’s 1500m Speed Skating. The Dutch win it--again. Then it’s Two-Woman’s Bobsled. Snoop drops by to sled with with Slider Kaysha Love. Then it’s Men’s Ski Halfpipe. For some reason, NBC thinks people are into this, so it’s shown in prime time. Meanwhile, Tucci hangs out with an Italian chef.
Nick Goepper gets his own “standing in front of home movies” moment before his Ski Halfpipe run. Then it’s back to Two-Woman Bobsled (after we get the final lap of the Women’s 1500m Speed Skating--US gets the silver). Back to Halfpipe, and a video package for the US team. There’s also a weird bit that didn’t work about Alex Ferreira’s internet “character”--an old athlete called “Hot Dog Hans”--interviewing Alex. He apparently also had time to practice, as he takes the gold. Alex Facetimes in to the Duomo afterward, plus a medal ceremony.
Late Night--Taylor checks in at La Scala, sending us to the Women’s Ski Cross final--another example of scrambling the same snow-based components into a different event. I think I prefer the board variety. They try to talk up the “Small Final”, which means no medals. Colin Jost drops by, doing his news parody from Lake Placid.
Taylor does a bit about athlete couples, then it’s off to Women’s 1500m Speed Skating Short Track. Due to apparent ice issues, there’s lot of crashes. There’s been ongoing questions about using the same arena for figure skating and short track, which need very different surfaces. We move over the the Men’s 5000m Relay, which the Dutch win in an upset. There’s a rerun of a Jordan Stolz segment, and back to Women’s Speed Skating--US takes shameful bronze. And back to a Women’s Bobsled rerun before Taylor does an interview about a film that is tangentially involved with Italy. This episode was rather random.
Onto the final Saturday--Lowe is at the Duomo, along with Rippon, who talks Figure Skating. There’s footage of Tenley Albright (the first American to win Women’s Figure Skating in 1956) meeting Alyssa Liu, the newest champion--they both won in Italy.
Over to the Men’s Speed Skating Mass Start. There’s a unnecessarily complicated method to win points. Too much strategy, not enough action. Jordan Stolz is left off the podium. Short Tracker Corinne Stoddard stopped by the Duomo for a chat, then it’s the Women’s Mass Start--US takes bronze.
It’s Klaeboing time! The Men’s 50km Classic Cross-Country--we join an hour into the event (good idea). Norway walks away with the podium, and Klaebo gets his sixth gold of the games, the most of any Winter QISE athlete. 18 total golds and 40 medals for Norway, the most Winter QISE wins ever. Meanwhile, the Milan QISE’s CEO dropped by the Duomo. Considering all the doom and gloom coming into the games (facility barely being completed on time), they did very well overall, IMHO. Later, Alex Ferreira Facetimes in to talk to Lowe.
Then it’s Two Women’s Bobsled final runs, and Jordan Stolz drops by the Duomo for an interview. Shawn White narrates a video package on the use of AI in QISE events (yuck), then it’s over to Team Aerials, and gold for the US. Torico steps in at the ski lodge, noting that the US has won the most golds for a Winter QISE, the most medals for an overseas Winter QISE, and the most golds for women at a Winter QISE--and the US is guaranteed at least a medal in tomorrow’s Hockey match.
Off to Women’s 12.5km Mass Start Biathlon, in the midst of some snow. France wins it. Back to Women’s Bobsled--US gets the bronze. Overall, Germany and US won all the Women’s Bobsled medals. Then it’s off to the Figure Skating Gala--an event created to capitalize on the interest in the sport (it’s also the most expensive ticket at the games). Generally, the medal winners are invited, plus anyone who gained notoriety regardless of their competition performance (looking at you, Quad God). If this was a generation ago, this would be their audition reel for the Ice Capades. Without the pressure of competing, they skate more easily and freely (you know, like Alyssa Liu already did).
Lowe swaps in with a Curling update (Canada won the Men’s gold) before we go back to the Gala. Tara and Johnny’s platitudes abound. Some of the performances will make you smile or cry, while others will make you say--”huh?” Things wrap up with the first run of Men’s Four Man Bobsled. Lots of power, lots of opportunities for chaos.
OK, that’s enough for now. Tomorrow, QISE wraps up with the final event remnants and the Closing Ceremonies.
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