Keep the Flame Alive

We've hit the point where we have no idea what day or date it is, but we know we're in Milano and that there's an Olympics going on, and that's all that really matters. More members of Team Keep the Flame Alive competed today, and we've got their results and all of the other action that took place at Milano Cortina 2026.

We had a big cultural day, hitting up Casa Brasil, the Brazilian hospitality house. Jill went to a press panel on the current state of the Italian fashion and design industries (which also threw some shade at Paris 2024). Then we both went to an On Location LA 2028-themed cocktail party that had Italian versions of American burgers, fries, hot dogs and other finger foods. Apparently they think we really like salt.

But there was great competition today. We've got results for:

• Alpine skiing
• Biathlon
• Curling
• Figure skating
• Freestyle skiing
• Ice hockey
• Luge
• Nordic combined
• Snowboard
• Speed skating

Keep our Flame Alive! We podcast about the Games all year. If you appreciate the independent voice that we provide, please consider supporting us today. Go to our Support page to learn about our one-time and ongoing patronage options (as well as the bonus content for our patrons).

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: Obsessed with the Olympics and Paralympics? Just curious about how Olympic and Paralympic sports work? You've found your people! Join your hosts, Olympic aunties Alison Brown and Jill Jaracz for smart, fun, and down-to-earth interviews with athletes coaches, and the unsung heroes behind the Games. Get the stories you don't find anywhere else. Tun in weekly all year-round, and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. We're your cure for your Olympic Fever! Call us: (208) FLAME-IT.

***

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

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VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

During Day 4 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics, we check out new sports, new train stations, and new venues. Alison has become a navigating fool, while Jill had to learn how to navigate to and from the new ice hockey arena built especially for the Olympics (and finished literally seconds before the first player took the ice).

Note: Jill forgot to tell you about the actual navigation to and from the venue, which is a doozy, so that will be on tomorrow's "What we forgot to tell you yesterday" segment.

Sports on today's program:

• Alpine skiing
• Biathlon
• Cross-Country skiing
• Curling
• Figure skating
• Freestyle skiing
• Ice hockey
• Luge
• Short track speedskating
• Ski jumping

Team TKFLASTAN is on the podium! Props to luger Ashley Farquharson for her bronze medal performance!

Keep our Flame Alive! We podcast about the Games all year. If you appreciate the independent voice that we provide, please consider supporting us today. Go to http://flamealivepod.com/support to learn about our one-time and ongoing patronage options (as well as the bonus content for our patrons).

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: Obsessed with the Olympics and Paralympics? Just curious about how Olympic and Paralympic sports work? You've found your people! Join your hosts, Olympic aunties Alison Brown and Jill Jaracz for smart, fun, and down-to-earth interviews with athletes coaches, and the unsung heroes behind the Games. Get the stories you don't find anywhere else. Tun in weekly all year-round, and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. We're your cure for your Olympic Fever! Call us: (208) FLAME-IT.

***

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Buy merch here: https://flamealivepod.dashery.com

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

It's Day 3 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics, and we're learning that anything can happen! Favorites go down, medals start breaking, and both of us have some major cultural moments. Plus, what did we forget to tell you yesterday?

Sports on today's program:

• Alpine skiing
• Curling
• Figure skating
• Freestyle skiing
• Ice hockey
• Luge
• Ski jumping
• Snowboard
• Speed skating

Keep the flame of this podcast alive! We offer year-round coverage of the Olympics and Paralympics, but need your support to continue doing so. If you appreciate our efforts, please donate today!

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: Obsessed with the Olympics and Paralympics? Just curious about how Olympic and Paralympic sports work? You've found your people! Join your hosts, Olympic aunties Alison Brown and Jill Jaracz for smart, fun, and down-to-earth interviews with athletes coaches, and the unsung heroes behind the Games. Get the stories you don't find anywhere else. Tun in weekly all year-round, and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. We're your cure for your Olympic Fever! Call us: (208) FLAME-IT.

***

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Buy merch here: https://flamealivepod.dashery.com

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

Day 2 of action from Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. The mountain got Lindsey Vonn in a bad way, but other Olympians shined.

We've been multi-screening to try to take in as much as possible, and we've also got reports from what we've seen in person today. Jill also went to Korea House and had a fabulous time.

Sports on today's program:

• Alpine Skiing
• Biathlon
• Cross-Country Skiing
• Curling
• Figure Skating
• Ice Hockey
• Luge
• Snowboard
• Speed Skating

Plus, we've discovered what our Milano Cortina-specific segment will be (and it doesn't have anything to do with toilets)!

Keep our Flame Alive! We podcast about the Games all year. If you appreciate the independent voice that we provide, please consider supporting us today. Go to http://flamealivepod.com/support to learn about our one-time and ongoing patronage options (as well as the bonus content for our patrons).

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: Obsessed with the Olympics and Paralympics? Just curious about how Olympic and Paralympic sports work? You've found your people! Join your hosts, Olympic aunties Alison Brown and Jill Jaracz for smart, fun, and down-to-earth interviews with athletes coaches, and the unsung heroes behind the Games. Get the stories you don't find anywhere else. Tun in weekly all year-round, and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. We're your cure for your Olympic Fever! Call us: (208) FLAME-IT.

***

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Buy merch here: https://flamealivepod.dashery.com

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

It's the first full day of competition at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics! We already have our first Olympic champions, which means we've seen a medal ceremony and have thoughts!

Jill had a cultural morning, with a visit to Winter House and a walk through the Alfa Romeo/Lancia/Fiat pavilion. She checked out the crowds at the Official Fan Zone and Coke's The Peak, and then got a closer look at the lit cauldron.

Alison watched a lot of sports today, including ice hockey, speed skating and an Italian gold medal in person. Jill went to figure skating and saw the next stages of the team event.

Plus, our Cortina correspondent Doug Hill from The Sports Fan Project reports in with his experiences (good and iffy) with the Olympics on the other side of the region.

Sports on today's program:

• Alpine skiing
• Cross country skiing
• Curling
• Figure skating
• Ice Hockey
• Luge
• Ski jumping
• Snowboard
• Speed skating

Team Keep the Flame Alive starts competition tomorrow! We let you know who to cheer for!

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Keep our Flame Alive! We podcast about the Games all year. If you appreciate the independent voice that we provide, please consider supporting us today. Go to http://flamealivepod.com/support to learn about our one-time and ongoing patronage options (as well as the bonus content for our patrons).

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!4

***

Keep the Flame Alive: Obsessed with the Olympics and Paralympics? Just curious about how Olympic and Paralympic sports work? You've found your people! Join your hosts, Olympic aunties Alison Brown and Jill Jaracz for smart, fun, and down-to-earth interviews with athletes coaches, and the unsung heroes behind the Games. Get the stories you don't find anywhere else. Tun in weekly all year-round, and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. We're your cure for your Olympic Fever! Call us: (208) FLAME-IT.

***

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Buy merch here: https://flamealivepod.dashery.com

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

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Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

The Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics are officially open! We look at the competition of day, including our trip to the figure skating arena to see the women's short program part of the Team event.

Then it was time for the big show: The Opening Ceremony. We share what it was like from both the media and fan perspective.

Keep our Flame Alive! We podcast about the Games all year. If you appreciate the independent voice that we provide, please consider supporting us today. Go to http://flamealivepod.com/support to learn about our one-time and ongoing patronage options (as well as the bonus content for our patrons).

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: Obsessed with the Olympics and Paralympics? Just curious about how Olympic and Paralympic sports work? You've found your people! Join your hosts, Olympic aunties Alison Brown and Jill Jaracz for smart, fun, and down-to-earth interviews with athletes coaches, and the unsung heroes behind the Games. Get the stories you don't find anywhere else. Tun in weekly all year-round, and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. We're your cure for your Olympic Fever! Call us: (208) FLAME-IT.

***

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Buy merch here: https://flamealivepod.dashery.com

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

Jill and Alison try Milano's special cake and take a long walk to get to the women's ice hockey venue for the USA v. Czechia match.

Other action for the day includes more of the mixed doubles curling tournament, and qualifications for men's big air.

Keep our Flame Alive! We podcast about the Games all year. If you appreciate the indepedent voice that we provide, please consider supporting us today. Go to http://flamealivepod.com/support to learn about our one-time and ongoing patronage options (as well as the bonus content for our patrons).

Mentioned in the episode:

• Nick Zaccardi's profile of TKFLASTANI Rory Guilday: https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/olympics/rory-guildays-long-road-chemotherapy-olympics-rcna257106

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: Obsessed with the Olympics and Paralympics? Just curious about how Olympic and Paralympic sports work? You've found your people! Join your hosts, Olympic aunties Alison Brown and Jill Jaracz for smart, fun, and down-to-earth interviews with athletes coaches, and the unsung heroes behind the Games. Get the stories you don't find anywhere else. Tun in weekly all year-round, and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. We're your cure for your Olympic Fever! Call us: (208) FLAME-IT.

***

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Buy merch here: https://flamealivepod.dashery.com

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

We have made it to Milano and are ready for Olympic competition to begin! We share our first impressions of the city, the Games organization and some of the interesting experiences we've already had.

Plus, Olympic competition kicked off today with the start of the Mixed Doubles Curling tournament. We've got the results, plus info on Alpine skiing downhill training.

Keep our Flame Alive! We podcast about the Games all year. If you appreciate the indepedent voice that we provide, please consider supporting us today. Go to http://flamealivepod.com/support to learn about our one-time and ongoing patronage options (as well as the bonus content for our patrons).

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: Obsessed with the Olympics and Paralympics? Just curious about how Olympic and Paralympic sports work? You've found your people! Join your hosts, Olympic aunties Alison Brown and Jill Jaracz for smart, fun, and down-to-earth interviews with athletes coaches, and the unsung heroes behind the Games. Get the stories you don't find anywhere else. Tun in weekly all year-round, and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. We're your cure for your Olympic Fever! Call us: (208) FLAME-IT.

***

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Buy merch here: https://flamealivepod.dashery.com

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

We were recently on The Cutting Edge: A Figure Skating Podcast with the lovely Kim Dunaway, and we had so much fun with Kim that we wanted to share that episode with you!

We talked about figure skating in the run-up to the the 2026 Olympics. Kim is crazy smart and knowledgable about the sport, so if figure skating is your jam, you'll definitely want to listen. Our discussion took place just after European championships, and it covers the entire field. Who is likely to step up and be a contender at Milano Cortina 2026? Listen to find out!

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: Obsessed with the Olympics and Paralympics? Just curious about how Olympic and Paralympic sports work? You've found your people! Join your hosts, Olympic aunties Alison Brown and Jill Jaracz for smart, fun, and down-to-earth interviews with athletes coaches, and the unsung heroes behind the Games. Get the stories you don't find anywhere else. Tun in weekly all year-round, and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. We're your cure for your Olympic Fever! Call us: (208) FLAME-IT.

***

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Buy merch here: https://flamealivepod.dashery.com

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

One last show before we head to Milano Cortina 2026! We talk with wheelchair curling's Steve Emt and para snowboarders Mike Schultz and Noah Elliot about their sports and prosthetics. Also, snowboarder Jaelin Kauf previews the 2026 Olympic course.

In Milano Cortina 2026 news, Hershey's is debuting chocolate gold medals. Milano Cortina will have fan zones across all venue clusters. And we learn about more Olympic Opening Ceremony performers. Also, the Organizing Committee has released an anniversary poster celebrating the Cortina d'Ampezzo 1956 Winter Olympics. You can buy it at:

• La Cooperativa di Cortina, Corso Italia 40 – Cortina d'Ampezzo
• Libreria Sovilla, Piazza Silvestro Franceschi 11 – Cortina d'Ampezzo
• Milano Cortina 2026 online store

If you live in Australia's Gold Coast, Dreamworld has become the Australian Olympic Committee's official theme park. They're scheduling a watch party for February 17. Check their site for details.

Plus, we have news from Team Keep the Flame Alive, and we share our Patron bonuses for Milano Cortina 2026.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: Obsessed with the Olympics and Paralympics? Just curious about how Olympic and Paralympic sports work? You've found your people! Join your hosts, Olympic aunties Alison Brown and Jill Jaracz for smart, fun, and down-to-earth interviews with athletes coaches, and the unsung heroes behind the Games. Get the stories you don't find anywhere else. Tun in weekly all year-round, and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. We're your cure for your Olympic Fever! Call us: (208) FLAME-IT.

***

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Buy merch here: https://flamealivepod.dashery.com

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348