In an update, junior Christopher Grossman adds an update to the Sochi Olympics just past the midway point, Feb. 18.

Original article: Feb. 8

The XXII Olympic Winter Games will be held in Sochi, Russia. The opening ceremonies for the olympiad will commence, Feb. 7. This will be the first time Russia has hosted the Winter Olympics.

Many concerns have arisen over security and the safety of all athletes. The president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, has assured the international community that the Olympic areas in Sochi will be secure.

Anticipation for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi has been building since the 2010 Vancouver games. Many students have been waiting for four years to witness some especially popular events.

According to the Nielsen Company, the most viewed event at the Vancouver games was freestyle skiing, with an average of nearly 27 million viewers, closely followed by downhill skiing and the luge both with 26 million.

The energy and fast pace of the snowboarding half pipe have captured many in recent years. For sophomore Justin Houts, he is most looking forward to the snowboarding half pipe event.

“I’m looking forward to the mens snowboarding half pipe,” Houts said. “Its fun to watch all of the new and creative tricks they come up with.”

The 2014 Olympics will feature a new category in mens and womens skiing. The ski half pipe will be introduced in this years games. Fans of the snowboard half pipe such as Julian Castro, ’17, are intrigued by the idea.

“I cannot wait to see this new event,” Castro said. “I have always wondered why it was not included in the games. It will be exciting to watch and see how the skiers compare to the snowboarders.”

The games will last until Feb. 23, with each day being packed with events. This allows for plenty of viewership. Andrew Moore, ’16, is hoping to stay a devoted fan to the Olympics throughout its procession.

“I want to try and watch the Olympics everyday,” Moore said. “It’s my only chance to watch these events for another four years. I really enjoy watching something that I don’t get to see everyday.”

(PODCAST) Sochi, Russia Olympics: Feb. 18, 2014–

This writer can be reached via Twitter: @beal_trevor. Follow The Feather via Twitter: @thefeather.

For more news, read the Feb. 7 article, BRIEF: Student Leadership introduces Love Love Love Week.