Sochi 2014 Olympics: Complete Viewing Guide for Day 1 Events
Thursday marks the first official day of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, kicking off over two weeks of exciting action fans have been waiting four years for.
Fortunately, fans won't have to miss a single minute of coverage, thanks to NBC's dedication to airing every event (with the exception of Friday's opening ceremony) via live stream and many of the most popular sports and medal competitions on one of four television stations.
Keep reading to find out which events will get underway on the first day of the Winter Games, what time they start and where you can watch them.
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| Snowboarding | Men’s Slopestyle–Qualification | 1 a.m. | NBC (8 p.m. ET) | NBC Live Extra |
| Snowboarding | Women’s Slopestyle–Qualification | 5 a.m. | NBC | NBC Live Extra |
| Freestyle Skiing | Women’s Moguls–Qualification | 9 a.m. | NBC | NBC Live Extra |
| Figure Skating | Team–Men’s Short Program | 10:30 a.m. | NBC | NBC Live Extra |
| Figure Skating | Team–Pairs Short Program | 12:10 p.m. | NBC | NBC Live Extra |
Top Events to Watch
Snowboarding–Slopestyle Qualification
The Sochi Games are going to kick off with a brand new event: slopestyle snowboarding for both men and women. Many hopeful athletes are hoping to break through and make history by becoming the first gold medalists in this discipline.
The first step toward that lofty goal begins Thursday, when these men and women take to the slopes in an attempt to impress the judges with the most difficult and varied tricks in their arsenal.
Unfortunately, one the world’s most decorated snowboarders won’t be participating this year. Per Eddie Pellis of the Associated Press (via ABC News), Team USA’s Shaun White has withdrawn from this competition and is electing to focus solely on the halfpipe after injuring his wrist and watching a number of his comrades fall repeatedly on the scary course.
According to his statement, White does not want to risk his opportunity to defend his back-to-back gold medals in the halfpipe: "With the practice runs I have taken, even after course modifications and watching fellow athletes get hurt, the potential risk of injury is a bit too much for me to gamble my other Olympics goals on."
However, a number of elite participants are ready to face this challenging track head on. Mark McMorris was undoubtedly the favorite to emerge at the top of the podium for the men’s side, although the Canadian is dealing with a broken rib, which could hinder his chances of medaling.
Torah Bright is hoping to qualify on the women’s side and fulfill her wish of becoming the only Olympic snowboarder to compete in the slopestyle, halfpipe and snowboardcross events at Sochi.
Her main competition will be Jamie Anderson from the United States and Silje Norendal of Norway. These two young stars are immensely talented, and it would be surprising to see either miss the podium in slopestyle—assuming they can stay healthy.
Freestyle Skiing–Women’s Moguls Qualification
Freestyle skiing may not have a ton of fans, as it is a relatively new sport. Sochi represents just the seventh time the Games will award medals for these athletes, but you should definitely consider tuning in for the event.
It gets started on the first day of Olympic competition with the women battling to qualify for the moguls event. These incredible athletes are some of the best skiers on the planet, as they need to incorporate speed with skill in order to impress the judges with a variety of difficult maneuvers.
Hannah Kearney is the defending gold medalist from the Vancouver Games and recently completed a three-peat in the World Cup for the sport. Team USA is a favorite to bring home another gold due to her presence in this event.
She’ll be pushed by teammate Heather McPhie, who is arguably the second-best mogul skier on the women’s side. It would almost be surprising if the pair didn't finish with gold and silver in some order.
If you want to see a sport the Americans absolute dominate, make sure you tune in to this one.
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