A spectator travelling on Vancouver's sky train amidst the celebration madness that had thousands storming the streets, breaking into the national anthem on public transport and crying with happiness.

"Whoooo... we won the cross country!"

The other event contested today was the mens 50km cross country race - Canada did not win a medal.

Day 16

Today Austria's last hope, Benny Raich, failed to win a medal in the alpine skiing mens slalom, meaning Austria will take home no mens alpine skiing Olympic medals for the first time in Olympic history. At the race a spectator observed:

"The Austrian guys probably won't be allowed back in the country after this."

There would be more pity for them if they weren't known for their general arrogance and sense of superiority.

Day 15

Jono Brauer, Australian alpine ski racer, who announced his retirement following his run in the super G:

"Now I'm a 'recreational winter sports enthusiast'.

Day 14

A ski technician describing the extremely variable snow conditions at this winter Olympics:

"Since we got here, the snow's been coarse; it's been fine, it's been dirty, it's been clean, it's been sloppy, it's been hard, it's been balled, It's been icy, It's been sharp. It's been kind of like fresh snow, like dull snow. In one run, it's gone from full winter snow at the top, which is really bright and clear and clean, and then down on the bottom, it's that old dirty, marbly snow. So it's been everything all in one race."

Day 13

Australian Winter Olympians in Whistler celebrating the end of their Olympics (all Whistler based athletes are finished competing) at the Monks ice bar where the temperature is minus 5 degrees... general comments:

"It's really cold in here, I'm freezing."

Ummm... guys, aren't you winter athletes?

Day 12

Austria won the Nordic Combined team competition today. But when Anchorman Mario Stecher crossed the line he had other things to worry about:

"I didn't realise at first, because my goggles were full of water"

Day 11

Australian alpine racer Jono Brauer finished his final event on February 19. After a few days off he was ready to ski with his friends and family in Whistler. On the first gondola ride up to start a day on the slopes, someone asked, 'where should we ski?' Jono's reply:

"I don't know, I've only skied one run... and it's pretty icy, I don't want to go there again."

Day 10

American alpine skier Bode Miller finally caught the prize that has alluded him through his long career - an Olympic gold medal. He won the super combined, coming from seventh place in the downhill portion to win with an astounding slalom run. Of the effort he said:

"The last 100 yards, I couldn't even see the gates I was skiing on fumes."

Day 9

Australian alpine skier Craig Branch on bobsleigh-er Jeremy Rolleston's crash in the 2 man bobsleigh:

"He's got some record for crashing on every track in the world, he's crashed more than any other guy on the (international competition) circuit."

Day 8

Bode Miller won the silver in the super G, ahead of team mate Andrew Webrecht, who said:

"Bode wore downhill skis. He's an animal."

As downhill skis aren't designed for turning, the extra gates in super G would make them tricky to manoeuvre, but fast.

Day 7

US figure skater Johnny Weir is at it again:

"As Lady Gaga would say I have all my role models out there. I may not be the most decorated person in the skating world, but judging by the audience reaction at the beginning of my program and at the end, they go on my journeys with me."

Day 6

US snowboarding coach Bun Keaee on how half pipe champion Shaun White spent the night before the biggest competition of his life - kayaking on Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver

"He felt like he'd nailed his run the night before, and he doesn't like to ride four days in a row, "It gave his legs the day off. We sat in kayaks, watched the sunset and had a great night. It was a completely un-halfpipe thing to do, and it was the perfect call."

Day 5

Ok, so he didn't actually say it today, but Figure skater Johnny Weir's quotes are too good to ignore, this is what he had to say about staying in the Olympic Village, he is sharing a room with female figure skater and friend Tanith Belbin - how they managed to organise a male-female room partnership is a mystery.
"I'm a bit of a diva when it comes to living situations, I'm getting everything ready. Today I'm going to buy pink bath mats for the rooms for us. I'm just going to make everything smell nice when Tanith gets in. I've got candles lit at all times. I'm going to try to make it as comfortable as possible."

Day 4

The comments are getting better and better, we can't choose just one any more. Already today we have:

Australian mogul coach Steve Desovich describing his charge Dale Begg-Smith:
"He's very clinical, You know he doesn't really have emotions like normal people. He's cold-blooded."

The Chanel 9 snowboard expert commentator Jayson Onley describing the Snowboardcross event during live broadcast:
"This is the black stallion, you've got to stay on it and ride it to the end."

Day 3

Canadian mogul skier Alexandre Bilodeau claimed Canada's first gold medal on home soil in three Olympics (Montreal summer Games 1976 and Calgary winter Games 1988) today.
"I had it, I took it and now I belong to history. I don't think I realise it, but I belong to history"

Day 2

21 year old lugist Nodar Kumaritashvili from Georgia died in a training accident at the Whistler Sliding Centre on Friday. NBC, the American network covering the Games in the USA, showed the complete footage of the horrific crash and was universally lambasted. The next night they had this to say:

"We assure you in the following coverage of the Luge event, we will NOT be showing you any replays of the deadly crash in practice or will we ever air it again during these Olympic Games.."

We feel for Nodar's the family, team mates and country.

Day 1

Steve Cooper, father of Australian mogul skier Ramone, on the medics approach to getting Ramone - who has a damaged knee and now shoulder - into the start for his event on Sunday.

"They have been injecting some shots of cortisone and anesthetic into the shoulder today (as you do....), and they will again before he competes, so he should be able to feel his hands, head and feet by the time he gets to the start gate and if all three send the right signals to the brain in the correct sequence, then he will be fine!"

tags: olympic, feature, features, quote, ramone, cooper, luge, moguls

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