One of the biggest stories of this Olympics has been the tributes and other memorials done for late Canadian Freestyle Skier Sarah Burke. Burke was one of the best women’s half-pipe skiers in the world, winning the X-games title four times. Tragically she crashed in training two years ago, and eventually passed away. However, her work had been instrumental in getting half-pipe skiing and slopestyle skiing into the Olympic Games.
A Fitting Tribute to Sarah Burke
There was controversy earlier in the games when the IOC ruled that competitors in the Olympics could not wear tributes to Burke, such as stickers and armbands while taking part in competition.
This was followed by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, naming Burke as an honoured Canadian on Flag Day.
Well, two men conspired with the Canadian Olympic Committee to give Burke the biggest tribute they could. They were Burke’s husband Rory Bushfield and Canadian Freestyle Skiing coach Sean Paynter. Bushfield and gave Paynter a glass vial filled with Burke’s ashes, and Paynter took a late-night clandestine trip to the skiing halfpipe where he was able to spread some of them. Paynter also spread some ashes to the top of the mountain at Rhosa Khutor Extreme Park in Sochi, and some at the Olympic Rings in the Athletes village.
“That was a little bit of a stealth mission,” Paynter said Saturday. “I feel pretty good about knowing Sarah was all over these Olympics in our hearts and quite literally too.”
Paynter was able to carry out his task prior to the competition at the halfpipe.
“This event really, I feel, had Sarah at the core of it in so many ways,” Paynter said.
Painter also indicated that he was able to take a couple runs through the halfpipe early on in the training schedule with Burke’s ashes in a special pouch designed by the COC. Fulfilling her dream to take a few passes through the Olympic course.
Paynter also said that Burke would be thrilled with the Canadian performance in the event, including Men’s skier Mike Riddle winning a silver medal, and her good friend Roselyn Groenewoud gave it everything she had, finishing seventh. Overall Canadian freestyle skiiers won seven medals in Sochi, the most for any one country in freestyle, and for any one sport for Canada.
“She’d just be thrilled with everything from Mike winning a medal to the women just performing at such a high level,” Paynter said.
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