Sochi, while you were sleeping: Erik Guay and Spencer O’Brien miss podium

A downhill surprise

Amercian star Bode Miller struggled to control his nerves and finished 8th. Norwaya’s pre-race favourite Aksel Lund Svindal missed out on a medal too. The men’s downhill skiing podium was full of surprises, but Erik Guay could not end Canada’s 20-year alpine medal drought, finishing 10th.

Wow that was tough. 10th for Erik Guay. I’m dying on the inside

— Brian Stemmle (@brianstemmle) February 9, 2014

And @erikguay calls it a “difficult day”, telling @adriearsenault he’s going to go pout now for a bit @CBCOlympics pic.twitter.com/FC6lDC2q23

— Stephanie Jenzer (@StephJenzer) February 9, 2014

Tough day out there today but I’m already focusing on the super-g! Congrats to Maier @InnerhoferChris and @Kjansrud for their great runs!

— Erik Guay (@erikguay) February 9, 2014

All four Canadians missed the podium, while Austria’s Matthias Mayer was the surprise gold medallist.

Well not the result I was looking for but I gave it my everything. Such an amazing experience, thank you all. — benjamin thomsen (@BenjaminThomsen) February 9, 2014

For more on Erik Guay, read Ken McQueen reporting from Sochi this morning O’Brien slipes out in slopestyle Spencer O’Brien just couldn’t get that perfect run. The 2013 women’s world champion in slopestyle finished well of the podium as she didn’t complete either of her two attempts in the finals.

Not her day, @spencerobrien has a tough second run. Right now in 8th spot. — CDN Olympic Team (@CDNOlympicTeam) February 9, 2014

 

Spencer O’Brien worked it so hard. Pressure is brutal. Just walked by media, her family, friends. No mood to talk. We get it. #cbc #sochi — Adrienne Arsenault (@adriearsenault) February 9, 2014

 

An emotionally overwhelmed Spencer O’Brien, in tears, after the women’s slopestyle final. pic.twitter.com/z2CJjfgDI3 — Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) February 9, 2014

Like the men’s slopestyle yesterday, the Americans took home the gold medal with Jamie Anderson winning the inaugural Olympic event.

Dispatches from Sochi (Be sure to follow: @ChasGillis, @JonGatehouse and @kmqyvr.)

Jonathon Gatehouse: Gold, silver and a sea of tears for the Dufour-Lapointe sisters

Ken McQueen: Rough ride for ‘Canadian Cowboy’

Ken McQueen: Mark McMorris and the mellow ethos of slopestyle

Charlie Gillis: Sochi, Pyeongchang and hating on the Games

Charlie Gillis: Target practice for Canada women’s hockey

Wake up! Still to come today: figure skating medals and Christine Nesbitt on the oval

It’s impossible to turn off the TV when Patrick Chan, Tessa Virtue or Scott Moir are on the ice. Canada’s best figure skaters will likely get their first medals in Sochi as the team figure skating event wraps up today. It’ll be a tall task to leapfrog the Russians for gold, but Canada currently sits comfortably in 2nd place. 10 a.m. EST/7 a.m.PST

Christine Nesbitt already has a few Olympic medals in her trophy case. The London, Ont.-native won gold in Vancouver and silver in Turin. Nesbitt has fallen off speed skating radar since, fininshing 12th at last year’s world cup event. Can she regain her form in the 3000-m event? Find out at 6:30 a.m. EST/ 3:30 a.m. PST.