Back Porch Winter Sports

Stephen Colbert announced -- in case you missed it or thought it was fake like his Republican-y shtick-- on Monday night that Colbert Nation would become the new primary sponsor of the US speedskating team for the Winter Olympics.

Colbert jumped in because, as is happening all over the country, the former main sponsor for the speedskating team, DSB Bank NV, a bank of sorts, had to back out of their sponsorship. (Oddly, banks aren't doing well right now in this fantastic financial time.)

But you know who apparently is doing well? Colbert Nation -- Stephen announced on Tuesday night's show that, despite Canadian hackers allegedly going after the donation link, on the first evening of sponsorship, his viewers had raised over $40,000 (!!) to back up the speedskating team. Moving picture happy funtime after the jump.

U.S. Freestyle Ski Team aerialist Emily Cook hasn't had the best Olympic experiences. After making the 2002 team, she severely broke both her feet while training just two weeks before the opening ceremony, and was forced to watch the Games in a wheelchair.

While there was some serious doubt as to whether she would ever ski again following the injury, Cook made it all the way back to the 2006 Games, but finished in 19th place.

Now, the 30-year-old native of Boston is gearing up for what could be her final Olympic Games, and strongly believes that her previous obstacles have fully prepared her for a medal run in 2010. FanHouse spoke to Cook about overcoming her career-threatening injury and what she needs to do to break the U.S. women's 12-year medal drought. The full interview is below.

Anytime I see somebody wearing a helmet cam while attempting something dangerous -- whether it be bungee jumping, sky-diving or, in this case, snow skiing -- I just expect the worse. I liken it to the guy who's hanging out near the river unaware of the alligator a few feet away right as the Faces of Death camera truck pulls up. You can pretty much guarantee something bad is about to take place.

With that in mind, here you go: helmet cam video of one poor skier who is buried under an avalanche as he tries to make his way down the mountain.

Fourteen years of age is very, very young to be a champion at anything. Especially so if it's weightlifting. And even moreso, all stereotyping aside, for a female. But Zoe Smith, a young lady (lass?) from Britain, is casting aside all preconceived notions and generally shattering every female British weightlifting record in sight.

The schoolgirl set 98 British records last year and has her sights set on competing at the London Olympics in 2012.

And she has now been voted "Athlete of the Year" in her sport by the British Olympic Association.

The title is usually reserved for Olympic medallists, but she was handed the award after taking gold at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India.

She did so, because, as you can read above, she broke NINETY-EIGHT records last year. That were held by tons of people in ONE COUNTRY. Do you realize how good she must be? And do you realize how insane shattering 98 records of anything is? And can I stop using capitals now?

The best part of all this, though, is that Zoe is humble as all get out -- she nearly declined to mention the award to anyone because she thought that it might be a "mistake." As to whether she can make female weightlifting a "darling sport" (a la figure skating, gymnastics, etc.) at the next Olympic Games, well, that might be an even tougher task. But it sure seems like if anyone can do it, it's her.

Austrian skier Matthias Lanzinger had his leg amputated today after injuries suffered in this crash during the men's World Cup super-G race on Sunday in Kvitfjell, Norway:

Now the race organizers are facing criticism for a lack of proper precautions, including not having a helicopter on hand to airlift Lanzinger to a hospital:

"The lacking safety measures at these races are shocking," Alfred Gusenbauer, the Austrian Chancellor, was quoted as saying by the Austria Press Agency on Tuesday.

"I can't understand how a World Cup race could be organised at such a low safety level."

Reinhold Lopatka, the Austrian sports secretary, said the accident showed the importance of immediate medical care being available at races.

"Organisers who fail here, should be held liable," Mr Lopatka told the APA.

Lanzinger's doctor says that the injuries were life threatening but that following surgery, "There is currently no acute risk to his life."

Austrian skier Matthias Lanzinger was in an ugly crash during a men's World Cup super-G race on Sunday in Kvitfjell, Norway:

Lanzinger broke his left leg when he hit a gate and crashed into the safety net. The event was delayed by half an hour before Lanzinger was removed by helicopter and taken to a hospital in Lillehammer. He is expected to be transferred to a hospital in Oslo. His condition is described as stable.

UPDATE: Skier Matthias Lanzinger Has Leg Amputated After Crash, Some Question Treatment

Austrian skier Maria Holaus suffered a head injury and a torn knee ligament after this falling at the women's World Cup super-G today in Sestriere, Italy:

Holaus, however, was not hurt as badly as she could have been and is only expected to be hospitalized in Italy overnight before she's able to return to Austria.

Team doctor Michael Saxinger told the Associated Press: "It's reassuring. There are no fractures but she has a partial tear in the inside ligament of her right knee."

The 24-year-old Holaus got her first World Cup victory last month when she won a super-G in Cortina d'Ampezzo. Two other skiers sustained minor injuries in falls during today's event.

Extreme skier Billy Poole died Tuesday of injuries sustained jumping off a cliff for a scene in a documentary film. He was 28. If you're not familiar with Poole or extreme skiing, here he is narrating one of his extreme skiing videos:

Poole's mother remembers him as a young man who quit his job as an engineer to do what he felt passionate about:

"He'd say that this was his life, and this was what he had chosen to do," Phyllis Erck said late Tuesday. "Of course I was terrified . . . but I respected his choice. I know he died doing what he loved."

Poole was performing a jump in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah. The jump was supposed to be part of a Warren Miller Entertainment film.

Photos: Notable Sports Deaths in 2007-2008

Ski jumping is a sport that never really took off in the United States (I think the only ski jumper I can name is Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards), but it does on occasion produce some fantastic, agony-of-defeat-style wipe outs.

Norway's Bjoern Einar Romoeren crashed at the World Cup of ski jumping over the weekend. The event took place in rainy conditions in Val di Fiemme, Italy, and Romoeren's crash was precipitated by one of his skis getting caught in slush. After the crash, the rest of the event was canceled. Romoeren was not seriously hurt.

As the 1,000-mile Iditarod sled dog race through Alaska comes to a close, the event is under more scrutiny than ever before because of charges that a top musher abused his dogs. Ramy Brooks was disqualified this year after race officials said he beat his dogs. And now a schoolteacher has told the Anchorage Daily News that the abuse was more severe than had been previously reported.

When Brooks' team refused to move, said 28-year-old Maude Paniptchuk, who teaches kindergarten through second grade at Golovin School, he kicked the dogs and hit them with his fist and a ski pole. He didn't merely spank them with a thin piece of lath used as a trail marker, as Iditarod officials said Sunday.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says the entire event, by its very nature, is cruel. PETA notes that dogs die during the Iditarod regularly, and that many more dogs are injured, and the organization says criminal charges should be brought against Brooks. Alaska's state police say they will not conduct a criminal investigation. In any event, this week's news is a black eye for the Iditarod.