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Slopestyle packs extreme street cred

The 2014 Winter Olympics are going to be a bit more radical thanks to the addition of two all-American "extreme" winter sports: ski and snowboard slopestyle — the cold-weather equivalent of skateboarding on a course. The runs take place on slopes constructed with various jumps and obstacles. Competitors try to perform as many difficult tricks and stunts as possible while getting as much height and distance while airborne as they can. (The men’s snowboard and ski slopestyle finals are Saturday and Feb. 13, respectively; the women’s, Sunday and Feb. 11.) The importance of "extreme" sports as part of a hipper Olympic Games at Sochi is seen in one of the official souvenirs: a legal-tender 100-ruble bank note showing an airborne snowboarder. Not going to Russia any time soon? The bank note is already available on eBay. — John Berger

Free app lets fans keep tabs on results

Want to know how Team USA’s doing at the XXII Winter Olympics? Download the official Sochi 2014 Results app and see all the latest results, an updated medal count and event schedules. The free app for iOS, Android and Windows devices allows customized updates and push notifications by selecting your country, preferred sports and favorite athletes. You can even set the schedules to Hawaii time so you’ll know exactly when each competition is taking place without having to do the math. (In case you’re wondering, Sochi is 14 hours ahead.) — Stefanie Nakasone

Marvel at the power, grace of speedskaters

Ever since I watched U.S. speedskater Eric Hei­den scorch the ice in 1980, winning gold in all five individual events, I’ve looked forward to the sport’s quadrennial showcase at the Winter Olympics. The speedskaters, whom you’ll rarely see on TV outside of an Olympic year, embody the two things I admire most in sports: power and speed. But they also bring a smooth grace to each race that masks the lung-busting effort it takes to cover distances of 500 to 10,000 meters. Starting Saturday, there are five individual events for men and women, with the team pursuit finals closing the competition on Feb. 22, so you’ll have plenty of skating to enjoy once the games begin. And the best part after the races end? You can go to the beach and not freeze. — Mike Gordon

Downhill is fast, frantic fun

There are lots of things I love about the Winter Olympics, but for a pure adrenaline rush, there’s nothing like the downhill. The 2.2-mile course at Sochi has everything: high-speed and technical turns, scenic gliding sections, drops that build speeds to 90 mph and jumps that launch skiers airborne for distances of 270 feet (that’s almost end zone to end zone on a football field). Speed isn’t often conveyed well on televised sports, but it’s palpable in the downhill, with the cameras set close to the gates and on-course mics picking up the whoooosh! of the racers blowing by. The race also reminds me of my music teacher, whose advice on playing a particularly difficult piece was to "practice it slowly, then Franz Klammer it onstage," a reference to the great Austrian’s breakneck run to Olympic gold in 1976. The men’s downhill is the first alpine ski race of the Olympics, with medals awarded Sunday; the women compete Feb. 12. — Steven Mark

Check out hockey, then try it yourself

You might not know it, but hockey in Hawaii is thriving. Nearly 300 players of all ages and abilities suit up at the Kapo­lei Inline Hockey Arenas, and the Ice Palace has had a successful ice hockey program since the 1980s. There are also in-line hockey rinks in Mili­lani, Hawaii Kai, Kaneohe, Kauai, Maui and on the Big Island.

Last month, Kapo­lei’s men’s and 16-and-under teams won gold medals at the North American Roller Hockey Championships’ Winternationals in San Jose, Calif.

My kids and I play hockey at Kapo­lei, and we love it. Jami Yoder, the hockey director, is a member of Team USA that won in-line gold at the 2013 world championships in Germany.

For inspiration, follow Team USA on ice at the Sochi Olympics, where the American men and women are hoping to best the silvers they won in 2010. The men haven’t captured gold since Lake Placid in 1980. It could be our turn. — Nick Abramo