Preliminary Results

Weather Just One Issue Officials Have Faced

From our perspective, here are the early themes of the Vancouver Games: VANOC faces significant organizational challenges that they must address quickly; the weather isn't cooperating; U.S. and Canada viewers are watching; and Canadians simply love the Games. VANOC's John Furlong says the tragic death of Nodar Kumaritashvili has deeply affected his organization. Furlong: "There's no question it set us back on our heels." At the venues, Cypress Mountain is called the "Official Black Eye" of the Games, and the Richmond Oval sees delays of more than an hour. Elsewhere, the Canadian fan base is adding energy to Vancouver, as thousands "have clogged the downtown streets" and celebration zones "have been packed." The Games remain an early hit for NBC, as the net is winning primetime with ratings topping Turin. On the athlete front, Canadian freestyle skier Alexandre Bilodeau seems ready to be the country's next breakout star.