ttention sports editors:
The Winter Olympics kick off Feb. 4 and The Canadian Press will have a team of reporters and photographers on the ground in Beijing.
Beijing is 13 hours ahead of eastern daylight time, meaning most events will take place between 9 p.m. and 11 a.m.
The Canadian Press Sports desk will be staffed 24 hours a day starting Feb. 4 until the end of the Games on Feb. 20. The desk can be reached at sports@thecanadianpress.com.
The Canadian Press is offering a premium Olympic service that includes text, graphics, video and photos.
Here is a look at what Olympic PREMIUM TEXT subscribers will receive during the Games:
— 100 daily stories in English and 30 daily stories in French during the Olympics, perhaps more on heavy competition days
— Tee-ups – Up to 20 Canadian-focused features to move in advance of key events during the Games
— QuickQuotes – A daily list of the day’s most memorable quotes
— Five things to watch – Daily lookahead focusing on Canada’s upcoming events and key performances
— Five things to know – Daily item focusing on Canada’s highlights that day
— Spot news – Wide array of AP and CP spot stories and features, both news and sports
— Daily column – AP’s columnists’ take on the biggest stories of the Games
— Daily viewing highlights – A look at Canadian TV and online streaming highlights each day
Regular sports wire clients who ARE NOT premium text subscribers will receive the following:
— A daily roundup focusing on Canada's results.
— A daily international roundup focusing on all other news of the day.
— NewsAlerts and urgent quick hits on all Canadian medal winners.
— Major breaking/spot news.
— What Canada Did agate item, a look at the day's Canadian performances.
If you have yet to sign up for our premium package, contact sales@thecanadianpress.com. Premium stories started moving Jan. 19. Here is a closer look at those plans:
MOVED Jan. 19
UNDATED — Skier Cassidy Gray will be wearing a helmet that honours the First Nations around her hometown of Invermere, B.C. The Columbia Valley is on the unceded territory of the Secwépemc, Ktunaxa, and Niitsitapi people. Her helmet features a salmon and is designed by 17-year-old Trinda Cote, a member of the Shuswap Band. 800 words. By John Chidley-Hill. MOVED.
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Moving Jan. 20
OLY-CURL-MIXED
UNDATED – A look at the controversy surrounding Canadian curling athletes not able to play in both mixed doubles and team events. Olympians In other disciplines are allowed to compete in multiple events, why not curlers? 700 words. By Gregory Strong
OLY-COVID-Quarantine
UNDATED -- Eric Radford was forced to get creative during his 10 days in isolation. He and pairs partner Vaness James tested positive for COVID-19 around Christmas Day. Radford said he would play their four-minute long program music in his apartment, and do high knees throughout it. Every time there was a jump or throw in the program, the 36-year-old would do burpees. The fast-spreading Omicron variant has seen numerous Olympians in lockdown just a few weeks out for the Games. Keeping fit hasn't been easy. 800 words, by Lori Ewing.
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Moving Jan. 21
OLY-FIG-Gilles-Poirier
UNDATED -- Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier narrowly missed qualifying for the 2014 Sochi Olympics. It was a huge disappointment after Poirier had come back from a broken leg that was so severe there were questions about whether he'd even walk again, let alone skate, and Gilles had just received her Canadian citizenship. Four years later in Pyeongchang, Gilles' mom Bonnie was in the late stages of brain cancer. So, their choice of music for Beijing -- "The Long and Winding Road" -- was strategic and fitting. The reigning world ice dance bronze medallists, who long skated in the shadow of Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, are Canada best hopes for a medal in figure skating at the Beijing Games. 800 words, by Lori Ewing.
OLY-BOBSLED-KRIPPS
Undated – Profile on Canadian Justin Kripps, the reigning co-champion in the two-man bobsleigh. 700 words. By Donna Spencer.
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Moving Jan. 22
OLY-MEDIA-CHINA
UNDATED – Canadian athletes for the most part of have been muzzled when it comes to commenting on human rights abuses in the host country. What about the media? Do travelling broadcasters and commentators feel like they’ll be able to speak/write about China freely in Beijing? 800 words. By Gregory Strong.
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OLY-WINTER-TOKYO
UNDATED - A story on how emotionally invested Canada's winter Olympians were after the Tokyo Games. 700 words. By Donna Spencer.
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Moving Jan. 23
OLY-POLI-CHINA
UNDATED – Athletes’ thoughts on China’s international reputation. 800 words. By Donna Spencer.
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Moving Jan. 24
OLY-HKN-FILLIER
UNDATED – Profile on Canadian women’s hockey team star Sarah Fillier. 800 words. By Donna Spencer.
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Moving Jan. 25
OLY-SKI-MEN
UNDATED – Previewing Canadian men’s chances in alpine events in Beijing. 800 words. By John Chidley-Hill.
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Moving Jan. 26
OLY-SKI-WOMEN
UNDATED – Previewing Canadian women’s chances in alpine events in Beijing. 800 words. By John Chidley-Hill.
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Moving Jan. 27
OLY-CANADA-GEAR
UNDATED – Transporting athletes and their gear to Beijing during a pandemic is proving to be a logistical nightmare for the Canadian Olympic Committee. 800 words. By Lori Ewing
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Moving Jan. 28
OLY-HKN-2018
UNDATED – Catching up with the collection of non-NHLers who formed the 2018 Canadian Olympic hockey team. 800 words. By Joshua Clipperton
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Moving Jan. 29
OLY-SKICROSS-MEN
UNDATED – Previewing Canadian men’s chances in ski cross events in Beijing. 800 words. By John Chidley-Hill.
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OLY-MOGULS-KINGSBURY
UNDATED - Profile on Canada’s Mikaël Kingsbury, who enters the Games as a gold-medal favourite and having to live up to his title of greatest moguls skier ever. 700 words. By Donna Spencer
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Moving Jan. 30
OLY-SKICROSS-WOMEN
UNDATED – Previewing Canadian women’s chances in ski cross events in Beijing. 800 words. By John Chidley-Hill.
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Moving Jan. 31
OLY-HKN-MEN
UNDATED – Team Canada men’s hockey feature. Topic TBA. 800 words. By Joshua Clipperton
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OLY-DUBREUIL
UNDATED - Profile on Canadian speed skater Laurent Dubreui, who enters the Games as a medal favourite. 800 words. By Donna Spencer.
Moving Feb. 1
OLY-MAIN-ADVANCE
UNDATED – Main advance story on the Beijing Olympics. 1000 words. By Donna Spencer
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OLY-MEDAL-CHANCES
UNDATED – Olympic reporter Donna Spencer breaks down Canada’s best opportunities for medals at the Beijing Games. 900 words. By Donna Spencer.
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Moving Feb. 2
OLY-BEIJING-VENUES
UNDATED – The Bird’s Nest stadium, the crown jewel venue of the 2008 Summer Games, will once again be the site of Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. Meanwhile, the famed National Aquatics Centre, dubbed the “The Water Cube” in 2008, has become “The Ice Cube '' for these Games as it will host the curling competition. 800 words. By Lori Ewing.
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OLY-HKN-TOURNEY
UNDATED - An overall look at the competition - who is the team to beat? Who may surprise? - in the Olympic men’s hockey tournament. 800 words. By Joshua Clipperton.
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Moving Feb. 3
OLY-ALPINE-COMBINE
The Beijing Olympics may be the last time the world’s best skiers compete in the Alpine Combine. 700 words. By John Chidley Hill
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Moving Feb. 4
OLY-COVID-ADAPT
UNDATED – Faced with the same lockdown and restrictions the rest of us have dealt with during the pandemic, Canadians athletes had no choice but to adapt and modify their training programs in the lead up to the Beijing Olympics. 800 words. By Donna Spencer
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AP Olympic coverage plans
Jan. 20
OLY-SKI--SHIFFRIN'S HEAVY HEART Star ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin is preparing for her first Olympics since her father suddenly passed away two years ago. The two-time Winter Games gold medalist doesn’t know exactly how she’s going to feel when she steps into the starting gate or crosses the finish line in China in February. The memories of her father can hit the 26-year-old from Colorado at any time. By Pat Graham and Howard Fendrich. UPCOMING: 1,150 words, photos by noon ET.
OLY—SBD-WINTER X-THE MAD SCIENTIST ASPEN, Colo. – Tucked away on a private halfpipe in Switzerland, Scotty James has been charting the future. He envisions the best tricks at this year’s biggest halfpipe contests as the kind that only he can perform. One big question is whether the judges will agree. Just in case, the Aussie is working on his own version of a triple cork – the three-flip jump that looks like the gold standard heading into Beijing. By Pat Graham. AP Photos. 800 words.
OLY--HKO--YOUNG OLYMPIANS No Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews or Nathan MacKinnon at the Olympics opens the door for 2021 top draft picks Owen Power, Matty Beniers and others to shine in Beijing. Dallas defenseman Miro Heiskanen and Anaheim winger Troy Terry are among the young stars who turned the 2018 Games into an NHL springboard, and more of that could be coming from this crop of players. It’s also a second chance for some players who were at the world junior championship before it was canceled because of virus concerns. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 600 words, file photos.
Jan. 21
OLY—UNVACCINATED ATHLETES DÜSSELDORF, Germany — Not all of the athletes competing at the Winter Olympics will be vaccinated. China has said it will impose a 21-day quarantine on unvaccinated athletes and coaches but Olympic organizers allow a list of exemptions. There’s likely to be more public scrutiny following tennis star Novak Djokovic’s legal battle with Australian authorities. 600 words. By James Ellingworth.
OLY—IOC-SHARING REVENUE GENEVA — In the world of Olympic finances, the Winter Games is the poor relation of the Summer Games. Still, the IOC will distribute more than $1 billion between the Beijing organizing committee, the winter sports governing bodies, national Olympic teams and scholarship athletes from its broadcasting and fast-rising sponsorship contracts. Who gets what from the Olympic purse? By Graham Dunbar. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos.
OLY—SBD-WINTER X-MCMORRIS ASPEN, Colo. – Mark McMorris has won as much as he’s lost over a decade that has seen him go from fresh-faced rider filled with potential to grizzled, banged-up veteran with one more point to prove. Canada’s best rider over the past 10 years is missing an Olympic gold medal, something he’d like to top off his resume with next month in Beijing. By Eddie Pells. AP Photos. 800 words.
SATURDAY, JAN. 22
OLY--FRE-THE COMEBACK American freestyle skier Aaron Blunck landed on the lip of the halfpipe a year ago while working on a switch double cork 1440. In the crash, he lacerated his kidney, broke ribs, fractured his pelvis and bruised his heart. While down in the halfpipe and waiting for a helicopter to take him to the hospital, he told his coach: “Please don’t let me die.” As he recovered, he had an epiphany: He had to return to the sport, but not with that trick. He’s now a medal contender. By Pat Graham. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos.
OLY-HKW—USA-HILARY KNIGHT In preparing to make her fourth Winter Games appearance, Hilary Knight isn’t ready to say whether this will be her last with the United States women’s hockey team. The 32-year-old, who has numerous connections to Boston, will joke that between Olympics and World Championship competition, that she has more rings than Tom Brady and, perhaps, she might consider quitting while she’s ahead. By Hockey Writer John Wawrow. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos.
SUNDAY, JAN. 23 OLY–NOR-GENDER INEQUITY LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Nordic combined is the only Olympic sport without gender equity. Women compete internationally in the sport that combines ski jumping and cross-country skiing — until it’s time to go for gold at the Olympics. The International Olympic Committee rejected an application for women to participate in Beijing, but they are expected to compete at the 2026 Olympics. Tara Geraghty-Moats didn’t want to wait around that long, switching from Nordic Combined to biathlon to potentially give her a chance to compete in China. By Larry Lage. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos, video.
MONDAY, JAN. 24 OLY-SKI—THE NEW GUY Looking for the Next Big Thing in Alpine skiing? How about Marco Odermatt, a 24-year-old from Switzerland and potential superstar who won five gold medals at the junior world championships in 2018 and is currently leading the overall World Cup standings. By Andrew Dampf. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos.
OLY-SBD—JAPAN GRAB Long filled with potential, but no Olympic gold medals to show for it, Japan appears poised to take over the halfpipe in Beijing. Though the Japanese riders are rivals on the halfpipe, they’re partners during practice, sharing tips on tricks that give Japan at least four gold-medal contenders at the Olympics. By Pat Graham. UPCOMNG: 800 words, photos.
OLY—OLYMPIANS AND MENTAL HEALTH Jessie Diggins literally wrote the book on the struggles female athletes face as they try to stay fit while also dealing with unrealistic pressures to have a certain kind of body type. Skinny isn’t healthy, she learned after recovering from bulimia. World cup and Olympic skiers and biathletes also battle the pressures to perform. Sean McCann, a sports psychologist, is “imbedded” with the U.S. biathlon team thanks to the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee. He travels with the team, works on the range, sweeps off mats, helps zero rifles and supports the athletes as they deal with the mental stresses of a demanding sport. By Martha Bellisle. UPCOMING: 1,000 words, photos.
OLY--HKO—CANADA’S CHANCE Canada won back-to-back Olympic gold medals in 2010 and 2014 when NHL players went to Vancouver and Sochi. The hockey-crazed nation walked away with bronze in 2018, but there’s reason to set the bar higher this time because recent ex-NHL players like forward Eric Staal, goaltender Devan Dubnyk, defenseman Michael Del Zotto and coach Claude Julien are available this time. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 600 words, file photos.
TUESDAY, JAN. 25
OLY—BEIJING-2008 VS 2022 The 2008 Olympics were a “coming out” party, and China seemed to care what the world thought. The 2022 Winter Olympics are much different. China is more powerful and seems to care much less what impression it leaves. China scholars look at how the country has changed.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 26 OLY-XXC--SKI WAXING RESTRICITIONS The on-again, off-again ban on high-end ski waxes that help cross country skis glide over the snow is back on in some places but not on the World Cup or 2022 Beijing Olympics. Confused? You’re not alone. The international organizations that oversee cross country skiing and biathlon had banned the use of fluorocarbon waxes because of its negative impacts on health and the environment. But concerns over the accuracy of a hand-held device that is supposed to detect the toxic component prompted the groups to postpone the ban until next season. By Martha Bellisle. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos.
THURSDAY, JAN. 27
OLY--WINTER SPORTS & CLIMATE CHANGE BEAVER CREEK, Colo. — Looking around in every direction from the finish line of the World Cup races in Beaver Creek in late November, the eyes found only brown terrain. Plenty of dirt. No snow. The event was able to be held thanks to artificial snow on the hill. Climate change is real and it is changing the way Winter Olympic sports are contested. By Howard Fendrich and Pat Graham. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos by 3 a.m. With: OLY—WEATHER OR NOT Changing light and wind, the possibility of precipitation -- all can affect outdoor sports at the Winter Olympics. Especially in Alpine skiing, where the weather can make a racer faster or slow, or lead to delays and even postponements. Athletes say that affects their preparation and their mindset going into race day and once race day is there, just another element of stress at an event already filled with them. By Howard Fendrich and Pat Graham. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 3 a.m.
OLY-JUM-FAT DON’T FLY LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Fat don’t fly. The crude phrase is well known in ski jumping circles, and it has historically led to eating disorders in a sport that is trying to address the problem with rule changes and access to nutritionists. Norway’s Maren Lundby decided she was not going to defend her gold in ski jumping because she didn’t want to make the sacrifices to fight her body’s natural changes. By Larry Lage. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos, video by 3 p.m.
OLY--HKO-US COACH QUINN David Quinn’s reluctant role in the spotlight as U.S. Olympic men’s hockey coach after the NHL withdrew is also an opportunity to rehab his reputation and add to his resume. Quinn was fired after last season, his third with the New York Rangers as part of a rebuilding effort that did not lead to the playoffs. The New England native previously spent five years coaching Boston University, but a strong showing at the Olympics could get him another NHL job very soon. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 700 words, file photos.
FRIDAY, JAN. 28
OLY--SBD-STILLSECOND FIDDLE All the other action on the mountain was canceled due to gusty, dangerous winds, but the women’s snowboarders were told to carry on. Jamie Anderson won that contest four years ago at the Pyeongchang Games, but it remains a sore point among snowboarders who wonder, nearly a quarter-century after their inclusion in the Olympics, why they’re still being treated like second-class citizens. By Eddie Pells. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos.
OLY—BEIJING-ATHLETE PROTESTS GENEVA — Athletes with strong opinions about China’s politics will be allowed by the IOC to express them at the Beijing Games – within limits. The Olympic Charter Rule 50 that prohibits statements and gestures at medal ceremonies could yet be tested by the current generation of activist athletes. They will have support from independent athlete groups left outside the IOC’s established channels of listening to the stars of the Olympic show. By Graham Dunbar. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos.
SATURDAY, JAN 29
OLY–JUM-GROWING ROOTS FOX RIVER GROVE, Ill. — Kevin Bickner grew up ski jumping as a kid at Norge Ski Club, about 40 miles northwest of Chicago, and he will become a two-time Olympian in Beijing. Aspiring Olympians, as young as 4, are trying to follow in Bickner’s path down the inrun and through the air two nights a week in a sport that struggles with providing access to a diverse group of people. USA Nordic executive director Billy Demong said his organization is trying to change that and is proud that the number of youths in the sport has tripled since 2010 with opportunities from Anchorage to New Hampshire. By Larry Lage. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos, video.
OLY—RUSSIA RESURGENT UNDATED – Russia doesn’t have its name and flag for the Winter Olympics, but it’s back to being a top medal contender and President Vladimir Putin will be there. The Russian athletes will compete under the acronym “ROC” for Russian Olympic Committee after years of doping-related legal disputes. Athletes don’t have to undergo the vetting which ruled out many Russian medal contenders from the 2018 Winter Olympics. Russia will be fully reinstated in time for the next Olympics in 2024. 600 words. By James Ellingworth.
SUNDAY, JAN. 30
OLY—BEIJING QUIZ With the Beijing Games approaching, test your knowledge of the Winter Olympics with this multiple-choice quiz. You may need to grade it on a curve. By Noah Trister. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos, video.
MONDAY, JAN. 31
OLY—HKW—THE NEW GENERATION At 21, Canada’s Sarah Fillier is among the few newcomers to a veteran-laden roster, and already made a big splash in her national team debut after showing off her play-making skills at the women’s world hockey championships in August. The United States lineup features a number of youngsters starting with 19-year-old defenseman Carolina Harvey, who is already being groomed to quarterback the power play. By Hockey Writer John Wawrow. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos.
TUESDAY, FEB. 1
OLY--EXPECTATIONS FROM EVERYWHERE Mikaela Shiffrin remembers watching the Tokyo Olympics and empathizing with athletes who were openly expressing what it feels like to be a top athlete at an event that happens only once every four years and where one represents an entire country. Shiffrin, and others, deal with expectations from everywhere, even from the people who are closest to you. By Howard Fendrich. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos.
OLY--SBD-WHITE'S FAREWELL There’s still a sense of mystery as to what Shaun White will bring to these Olympics -- a stirring rally after a dismal lead-in to the games that could end with his fourth gold medal, or a simple fond farewell and passing of the torch? What seems certain, though, is that this is it for the 35-year-old who redefined what’s possible for a snowboarder, both on and off the halfpipe. Eddie Pells. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos.
OLY—INTERNAL CONFLICTS
BEIJING — The Olympics and its organizers have prided themselves on bringing enemies together in a peaceful athletic endeavor. That idealistic undertaking isn’t working exactly as hoped this year, and it didn’t always work in the past, either. There is a clear parallel between the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics and the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics. By Chris Lehourites. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 2 OLY--SBD-CHLOE'S SECOND ACT She is four years older, four years wiser, and as Chloe Kim goes for her second Olympic gold medal, she looks back, and forward, and knows she’d like things to feel different this time. The pressure and mental strain could’ve been expected. Some of the criticism -- she still doesn’t understand that. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos.
OLY–THE BEIJING OLYMPICS-PREVIEW The second Olympics in seven months get underway in Beijing with a host of out of competition issues potentially tarnishing Asia's third straight Olympics. There's coronavirus raging, skittish sponsors, where is Peng Shuai the catchphrase of the Games, China human rights protests around the world - and, yes, some competition. By Eddie Pells, UPCOMING: 800 words, photos.
OLY-SKI—OTHER ALPINE STARS Mikaela Shiffrin is already a two-time Olympic champion, maybe the face of the U.S. team in Beijing -- not just when it comes to Alpine, but all sports. The AP takes a look at some of the other big names and faces casual fans will want to be familiar with so they can show off when watching the Olympics. By Andrew Dampf. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos.
THURSDAY, FEB 3
OLY-SKI—CANADA IS BACK One was a figure skater. One was a hockey player. They all grew up racing in the Whistler Mountain Ski Club. The new generation of Canadian downhillers doesn’t have a nickname yet. But like the Crazy Canucks and Canadian Cowboys of yesteryear, they’ve got plenty of speed. By Andrew Dampf. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos.
MOVED PREVIOUSLY
OLY—BEIJING-SPONSOR HAZARDS The Beijing Winter Olympics are hazardous for major sponsors who together paid the IOC at least $1 billion for the branding rights during the last four-year Olympic cycle. The International Olympic Committee’s so-called TOP sponsors are being squeezed by a diplomatic boycott led by the United States, the economic power of 1.4 billion Chinese — and the fear of retaliation by China’s authoritarian government. SENT: 1,100 word, photos.
OLY-XXC—CLIMATE-DANGEROUS SNOW Many top Nordic skiers and biathletes say crashes are becoming more common as climate change reduces the availability of natural snow, forcing racers to compete on tracks with the manmade version. Olympic and World Cup race organizers are already used to needing snow-making equipment to create a ribbon of white through the forests as natural snowfall becomes less reliable. Skiers and experts say manmade snow has a higher moisture content, making it ice up quickly. They say race organizers should take that into consideration when designing courses in order to make the sports safer. By Martha Bellisle. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.
OLY—SPD-GRANDMA PECHSTEIN Decades into a decorated speedskating career, Claudia Pechstein is still achieving firsts. The 49-year-old German will become the oldest woman to compete at a Winter Olympics in Beijing and the second athlete — and only woman — to compete in eight Winter Games. The owner of nine Olympic medals turns 50 on Feb. 22, two days after the closing ceremony. By Beth Harris. MOVED: 600 words, photos.
OLY—EXPLAINER-BEIJING-ZERO COVID With the omicron variant fueling infections globally, can China stick to its “Zero COVID” policy for the Beijing Olympics? A look at how organizers are planning to control infections, how the restrictions might affect participation and the changes viewers can expect from the recent Tokyo Games. By Candice Choi. MOVED: 850 words, photos.
OLY-HKW-USA-JOEL JOHNSON It’s not often two chances of a lifetime land in one person’s lap. For Joel Johnson, they came in a matter of months last year, when he was elevated to take over as the United States women’s national hockey program after Bob Corkum’s abrupt resignation, followed by getting hired to lead St. Thomas University’s women’s hockey program to the Division I level. By Hockey Writer John Wawrow. MOVED: 800 words, photos on Jan. 17.
OLY--SKI-ITALY’S WILD ONES At a farm named “Le Selvagge” -- “The Wild Ones” -- in Italy, investor Olympic downhill champion Sofia Goggia’s free-range chickens listen to classical music all day and create eggs that are sold to top restaurants around the country. Goggia leads a trio of Italian women that also includes Federica Brignone and Marta Bassino who will try to follow up their nation’s “Golden Summer” with success at the Winter Games. By Andrew Dampf and Daniella Matar. SENT: 750 words, photos Jan. 17.
OLY—BEIJING-AI WEIWEI INTERVIEWAi Weiwei is one of China’s most famous artists, and many regard him as one of the world’s greatest living artists. He was part of a largely Swiss design team that created the Bird’s Nest stadium for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Ai has also been an unrelenting critic of the Chinese Communist Party. He was jailed in China, and now is an outspoken dissident who lives in exile in Portugal. He talk to AP about his hopes for 2008 and his fears for 2022. SENT: Jan 18.
OLY-XXC-CLIMATE CHANGEWINTHROP, Wash. — When COVID-19 hit in the winter of 2020, many escaped cabin fever by hitting cross country ski trails. Nordic skis quickly became the new toilet paper – they were hard to find and sold out in stores. But the future of Nordic skiing is uncertain as climate change makes snow less certain and winters shorter. Many longtime skiers have watched glaciers melt away and normally frigid regions warm to un-skiable levels. Some cross country ski centers are resorting to making snow to ensure their skiers are happy. But that’s less of an option in the American West where water is scarce. By Martha Bellisle. SENT: 900 words, photos on Jan. 18.
The Canadian Press
