Canada won an Olympic silver medal in the inaugural figure skating team event Sunday at the Iceberg Skating Palace in Sochi.

The medal became official after Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir finished second in the ice dance free skate.

Russia won the team event with 75 points. Canada finished second with 65 points, while the U.S., placed third with 60 points.

The silver was secured following the performance of Kevin Reynolds in the men's free program early Sunday.

That left Virtue and Moir to use the ice dance free skate primarily as preparation in defence their gold medal.

But if Sunday’s outcome is any indication, beating two-time world champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White of the U.S., will be a monumental task.

The Americans broke their own world record by scoring 114.34. In contrast, Virtue and Moir could only register 107.56 to finish second.

The teams clearly have different styles.

Davis and White, who have gone undefeated since winning the 2012 world championship, brought their technically sound, high-intensity free program to the ice on Sunday. In contrast, Virtue and Moir are more of a classical and emotional team.

Although the Canadians were beaten by almost seven points, Moir took a positive approach when discussing the preparations for the individual ice dance competition next week.

"It was a good skate, but the levels weren't where they needed to be," he said. "We skated strong and we put in a lot of hard work, so we're happy to bring home a medal for Canada.

"Five or five and a half points are on the technical side and we can work on that. We're happy with our performance. It's a very demanding programme but we're still building on it. Up until now, I've only thought about the team, but now it's time to move forward. It's about the individual event now. That's where my mind is now. We're going to keep building."

Maëlle Ricker was all smiles as she signed autographs at the Vancouver airport Saturday afternoon and talked with reporters about Sochi, her left wrist still in a cast.

The 35-year-old from West Vancouver won gold in women's snowboard cross at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, and was the first women to take first place on home soil. She is eager to defend her title at this year's Games, in spite of a broken wrist incurred during a training accident on Jan. 28.

Ricker says she has spent a lot of time watching and focusing on her Olympic teammates already in Sochi, and getting ready for her own performance.

"You know what? I've been really busy. So I've been doing a lot of training and definitely have had a lot going on this last week, so not too much waiting — just a lot of tasks to get done."

Ricker will be competing with a cast, but seems to be taking it in stride.

"Good! Super fancy splint," she told CBC News. "All good — got the compression on there for the flight."

SOCHI, Russia -- Defending Olympic halfpipe champion Torah Bright is unhappy she can't honour Canadian Sarah Burke, who died in a training accident two years ago, at the Sochi Games due to IOC rules.

"I am at these Olympics for multiple reason. Firstly, to represent my country and share with the world the sport which has blessed my life with beauty and joy. I am also here to honor my great friend Sarah Burke who left this world two years ago," the Australian said in an Instagam post.

"I ride with a Sarah sticker on my snowboard and helmet always. The IOC however, consider Sarah stickers 'a political statement' and have banned them. WOW. Sarah is a beautiful, talented, powerful women, who's spirit inspires me still. She is a big reason why skier pipe/slope are now Olympic events."

Burke died in January 2012, two years before women's halfpipe -- the freestyle discipline that she helped pioneer -- was to make its Olympic debut in Sochi.
Burke, a four-time X Games champion who was a driving force behind the inclusion of both halfpipe and slopestyle in the Sochi Olympics, was the first woman to land a 720-degree jump, a 900 and a 1080 in a halfpipe in competition.
She was the leading contender for gold in Russia before she died following a training accident in Utah. Burke was 29.

Other athletes have also honoured Burke when they compete.
Canadian Roz Groenewoud came into the Games knowing she couldn't wear the Sarah sticker on her helmet in Sochi.

The 24-year-old Groenewoud, who won the 2012 X Games title less than 10 days after the death of her friend, usually wears a decal -- a slash of red handwriting that simply says "Sarah," and a silver snowflake pendant, the same snowflake Burke had tattooed on her foot.

She said prior to the Games she was looking into other options such as embroidering the same sticker, or perhaps one of a snowflake, inside her helmet.
"I'm exploring how to keep how I connect to her competing still alive at the Olympics, within the Olympic rules and guidelines," said Groenewoud, who will wear her snowflake pendant in Russia.

Rule 50 of the IOC's Olympic Charter says, in part:
"No form of publicity or propaganda, commercial or otherwise, may appear on persons, on sportswear, accessories or, more generally, on any article of clothing or equipment whatsoever worn or used by the athletes or other participants in the Olympic Games, except for the identification ... of the manufacturer of the article or equipment concerned, provided that such identification shall not be marked conspicuously for advertising purposes."

3000 meter GOLD!! (look at the nails... Red, white, blue and GOLD )
Way to go Ireen!

I thought this was Canada vs the world - can't you Dutchies make your own thread?

Now come on. Holland is part of the world. A small, insignificant, part, but still...

Lots? Do they have the most donut shops in the world? Didn't think so.

Which is actually really strange when you think about it because, according to some of the humourists on this site and others, legal pot should lead to an exponential increase in munchies satisfying establishments.