2010 Winter Olympics Dangerous Events!

A study done during the 2006 Winter Games in Turin found that 330 athletes, or about 13% of the total, sought medical care. Nineteen athletes had to be rushed to the hospital for serious traumas (five head, two cervical, three upper limb, one abdominal and one backbone). The list of casualties even included two curlers who suffered traumas after falls on the ice. At the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, roughly 10% of the athletes sought medical attention, but fewer than half had injuries that might have prevented them from competing. (The most-treated maladies were sprained ankles and pulled thigh muscles.)

What will set these coming Games apart is the result of recent advances in medical technology and physical therapy. Experts say Vancouver’s Games will feature a record number of athletes who have suffered a catastrophic injury that, years earlier, might have ended their athletic careers.

Recent races in Austria were a milestone for the German ski cross team. Two members qualified for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver in February. The Germans now have a poster boy, and possibly several poster girls, for the newest, most dangerous and exciting sport at the Winter Olympics.

He might be one of Germany’s best medal hopes for the upcoming Winter Olympics but he still has to explain his jokes — especially the one about the padded cell. “Now I need a padded cell,” ski-cross champion Simon Stickl joked straight after winning a race in Austria in early January that made him the first German male to qualify for the ski-cross event at the upcoming Winter Olympics. Four female skiers have also qualified. Nobody could figure out Stickl’s joke. “In the team, we always made jokes about locking ourselves away as soon as we had qualified for the Olympics,” Stickl told SPIEGEL ONLINE. “Just so that nothing could happen to us. Because our sport is so dangerous.”

A US first grade teacher explains to her class that she is an American. She asks her students to raise their hands if they are American too.

Not really knowing why but wanting to be like their teacher, their hands explode into the air like flashy fireworks. There is, however, one exception. A girl named Kristen has not gone along with the crowd.

The teacher asks her why she has decided to be different. “Because I am not an American.”

“Then”, asks the teacher, “What are you?”.

“I’m a proud Canadian,” boasts the little girl.

The teacher is a little perturbed now, her face slightly red. She asks Kristen why she is a Canadian.

“Well, my mom and dad are Canadians, so I’m a Canadian too.

“The teacher is now really angry. “That’s no reason,” she says loudly. “What if your mom was a crappy hockey player, and your dad was a crappy hockey player? Would that mean that you’re a crappy hockey player too?”

A pause, and a smile. Then, says Kristen, “Nope! That’d mean I’m an American!”

Mukmuk stands 1.5″ tall and is the much loved sidekick to the mascots, and is a marmot who lives on Vancouver Island. While he’s the smallest figure, he loves to eat and cheer his heart out. Bring Mukmuk with you to the games to help you cheer! Mukmuk comes with a special foam finger accessory to cheer all the athletes at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Do note that Mukmuk is exclusive to the Collector’s Set, and is not available individually.

umi stands 2.85″ tall and is the official paralympic mascot of the games. He’s an animal spirit figure with furry legs that turn and and a head that swivels. As you can see from his action figure Sumi is quite an unique critter. He wears the hat of the orca whale, has the wings of the thunderbird and the furry legs of the black bear. Sumi loves the outdoors, alpine skiing, and flying over the mountains with his friends on his back.

Miga stands 2.25″ tall and is also one of the official Olympic mascots of the games. She’s a playable sea bear figure with movable fin-arms and a swiveling head. Just what are sea bears? They’re orca whales that turn into bears when they come onto land. But Miga got stuck so she’s now part orca and part bear! Be sure to bring Miga along if you’re going surfing, snowboarding, or doing anything fun and exciting!

200 illustrators and designers from around the world answered an open call to help create the mascots for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. The winning designers were Vicki Wong and Michael Murphy of Meomi Design – the official mascots were unveiled in 2007,and thanks to Canadian toy company Happy Workerthese figures have been produced just in time to invade your home!

Quatchi stands 3.5″ tall and is one of the official olympic mascots of the games. He’s a friendly, fully poseable sasquatch with movable arms, hands, and legs. While he’s shy and often hangs out in forests, Quatchi will happily join you in your travels to new places. He’s also a big hockey fan and loves to play goalie… though his toy-sized figure isn’t quite big enough to fill a hockey net.