Yet another flub by Jacobellis
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Lindsey Jacobellis had to do it. Flying through the air toward the finish line, she reached down and grabbed her snowboard, a stunt similar to the showoff move that cost her a gold medal four years ago.
This time, it was all she could do to salvage something following another Olympic flub.
Jacobellis wobbled after landing a jump early in a snowboardcross semifinal, couldn't regain control and clipped a gate, ending her medal chances.
She threw up her arms helplessly, then dropped her hands onto her helmet in anguish. Once she regained control of her emotions, she charged down the run and finished with a flourish.
In Turin, she got a silver medal as a consolation prize. This time, it'll only be a picture of her two-handed "truck driver grab."
"I mean, it's a bummer," Jacobellis said. "But ... I was like, 'Still can have some fun in some way."'
Women's HockeyJenny Potter came to Vancouver with five goals over three previous trips to the Olympics.After just two games in Vancouver, she's already scored six times. She's averaging a hat trick, although that probably is more of a reflection on the competition.Her latest three-goal-game came in a 13-0 rout of Russia, clinching a spot in next week's playoffs. The Americans took just two shots in the final period to avoid making this any more humiliating for a young Russian team missing its starting goalie.
SnowboardcrossWith Jacobellis out of the finals, Maelle Ricker easily won Canada's second gold of the Vancouver Olympics.Jacobellis won the consolation race to go down as the fifth-place finisher.
Figure SkatingYou know that NBC commentator Dick Button? His claim to fame is being the last man to repeat as Olympic champion, back in 1948 and '52.Russian Evgeni Plushenko might soon wear that crown.Plushenko won the short program and will go into the free skate Thursday night in a tight race with American world champion Evan Lysacek and Japan's Daisuke Takahashi.No American has won the gold since Brian Boitano in 1998, and no Japanese skater has ever won the men's gold.
CurlingU.S. men curlers better start sweeping faster. Or slower. They need to do something different after losing both of their openers Tuesday: falling 7-5 to a strong German squad and then losing 6-5 to Norway in an extra end.The Americans are ranked fourth in the world.The U.S. women blew a three-point lead and lost 9-7 to Japan.
SpeedskatingThe South Koreans keep cleaning up, with Lee Sang-hwa winning the women's 500 meters. That makes two gold and a silver in four events at the big oval for a nation that had never won a Winter Olympic gold in any sport except short track
LugeTatjana Huefner gave Germany its ninth women's singles luge gold in 13 Olympic competitions. With Felix Loch's winning the men's event, Germany has swept gold for the sixth time, something no other nation has ever done.Top U.S. hopeful Erin Hamlin, the 2009 world champion, was 16th.
TV RatingsThe Winter Olympics are a big hit for NBC, drawing 15 percent more viewers through the first four nights than the 2006 Turin Games.
