Beijing 2022: Over the Top

The second Winter Olympic sport the bears a resemblance to cycling is cross country skiing.  Going so far as the announcers refering to the main group of skiiers as the 'peleton' and those off the front as the 'breakaway.'  The high winds of the final days of these Games meant that the men's mass start "ski marathon was shorten from 50k to 28k.  The bitter cold and fear of exposure had to have factored into the decision as well.  Simen Hegsted Kreuger (Norway) used a climb with just 10k lrft to ski to try an get away from the Russian duo of Artem Maltsev and Ivan Yakimushkin and Clement Parisse (France).  The American Scott Patterson hid in the peloton most of the day finishing in 8th place (two placings higher than his proclaimed goal).  Kreuger was caught by the Russian duo in the final kilometers with Maltsev winning Gold and his countryman Yakimushkin taking Silver. Kreuger held on to take the final medal of the day bringing Norway's medal count to 38, a record for the Winter Olympics.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Winter-Olympics-2022/3868188-56-293321/Painting/over-the-top-beijing-2022.html

Beijing 2022: Going to Be an Olympic Champion

As Justine Braisaz-Bouchet (France) skiied her way into the final stretch of the Mass Start Biathlon the announcer provided me with the title for the painting.  Since I watch as close to live and paint the image that appeals and tells a good story, I didn't know that moments after this one she was handed a French flag to carry across the finish line.  Her final five shots were all hits allowing her to jump ahead of the pair of leading Norwegians who had to ski penalty loops for missed shots to claim the Gold medal in the final Biathlon event in Beijing 2022.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Winter-Olympics-2022/3867797-49-293321/Painting/going-to-be-an-olympic-champion-beijing-2022.html

 

Beijing 2022: Watching Each Other

I love watching cross country and like the announcers I see strong similarities in race tatics between this sport and cycling... including the tights.  While this is the Nordic Combined Team Relay, it does conclude with a peleton stradegy.  At this point a one skier (rider) has slipped off the front and looks poised to take Gold for Norway.  This trio, Martin Fritz (Austria), V. Gieger (Germany), and Rioto Yamamoto (Japan), are looking at each other trying to decide when they would be able to get away from the other two.  They knew the Gold Medal went up the course and that only two more medals remained for the two of them.  Alas for Fritz, he was the odd man out.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Winter-Olympics-2022/3867265-43-293321/Painting/watching-each-other-beijing-2022.html

Beijing 2022: Skiing Well

The Biathlon may be my new favorite Olympic winter event, and this from someone is near anti-gun.  So as soon as I recover from this shoulder surgery I am going to figure out how to start cross country skiing here in Virginia.  This is Dorothea Wierer (Italy) skiing towards the grandstands after her final turn on the shooting range.  She skiied (and shot) well enough to earn a Bronze Medal in the Women's Biathlon Sprint.

 This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Winter-Olympics-2022/3866291-24-293321/Painting/skiing-well-beijing-2022.html

Beijing 2022: Getting a Top Ten

Today's discovery; there are two different kinds of cross country skiing.  First is free-style that utilizes a skating move, and then event where Jessie Diggins (USA) took a Bronze medal in the Sprint race.  And then there is the classic, where the skiier keeps their skis in line and stays in a track with a more walking king of motion.  That is this event where Diggins could manage an eigth place in the 15K Classic race.  It does please me that I do get to continue to learn about details of the Olympics having watched the games since I was a kid back in the 60s.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Winter-Olympics-2022/3865912-18-293321/Painting/getting-a-top-ten-beijing-2022.html

Bejing 2022: Sprinting for Metals

Go with me here, the title might look like a mis-spelling but they are sprinting for medals in the Women's Cross Country Sprint and those medals are made of metal.  Therefore, "metals" in the title really isn't a mistake, but instead a fun play on words.  Jonna Sundling (Sweden) sprinted away from the field to take the Gold Medal.  Her teammate and the American Jessie Diggins (USA) fought it out for the other two steps of the podium with Diggins just missing out and taking the Bronze medal.  It is the first ever cross country individual women's medal for the USA.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Winter-Olympics-2022/3865112-7-293321/Painting/sprinting-for-metals-bejing2022.html

Bejing 2022: In & Out

One of my favorite events in the /Winter Olympics is the biatholon.  This is from the first of four shooting stops in the Women's 1500 race.  A. Becond (France) is just finishing her five shots as Lisa Teresa Hauser (Austria) prepares to start her five shots.  The race is done with each racer starting in 30 seconds intervals so it is a bit difficult to figure out who is in the lead as the race progress. 

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Winter-Olympics-2022/3865028-1-293321/Painting/in-out-bejing2022.html

Olympics 2018: Off the Front

Whenever I watch mass start cross country skiing, all I see is cycling on skis.  Today it was a three man break that got away from the peloton to ski for the medals.  Alexander Bolshunov (Russia) led his rival, Iivo Nikanen (Finland) for most of the final laps.  Nikanen was using the technique of drafting allowing Bolshunov to do all of the work while he waited for the final sprint.  His plan work earning Nkanen the Gold, with Bolshunov coming in for Silver.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available by emailing me at greigsart@gmail.com.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  It is $75 plus shipping.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com.  And yes, international shipping is available.

Olympics 2018: Up the Final Climb

The American, Jess Diggins, was posting very impressive times as she neared the finish line in the Women's 10K.  Going as hard up the final climb as she possibly could, she managed to finish the day in 5th overall.  A great showing since due to the tie for Bronze, she was only one step (or just 5 seconds) off of the podium.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available by emailing me at greigsart@gmail.com.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  It is $75 plus shipping.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com.  And yes, international shipping is available.

Olympics 2018: Skiing Home

It was Marit Bjoergen (Norway) putting in the best times all along the course of the Women's 10K Freestyle today.  Bjorgen passed Ebba Andersson (Sweden) who had started a full minute ahead of her on her way to the finish line.  The Norwegian held the lead at the line, but a couple of her countrywomen were chewing up the snow behind her.  Ultimately she ended the day in a tie for the Bronze Medal.  Since I paint these images from live feeds, I didn't manage to get a painting of any of the other medalists.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available by emailing me at greigsart@gmail.com.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  It is $75 plus shipping.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com.  And yes, international shipping is available.

I've been busy outside of cycling

After finishing the Tour Down Under and getting caught up with personal life, I have gotten back to painting.  But instead of cycling I have turned my brush on the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.  I have worked hard to capture the spirit of the games and the beauty and grace of the athletes who are competing.  In some cases the cross over is rather obvious, like this peloton of Nordic Combined skiers.  Chance the mode of transport and this could be a cyclist checking his fellow breakaway companions before attacking.  You can see all of my Olympic artwork at www.facebook.com/Greigsart  (and yes, the work is for sale).

On another note, here is an excellent article on my cycling art, and life as an artist/cyclist.
Article on my art and cycling