I Can't Wait For Nordic Combined

Recently one of my students asked me which Winter Olympic event was my favorite. I really didn't have an answer. After giving it some thought, and watching a lot of Universal Sports, I realized that I enjoy nordic combined as much as any other event. That peculiar mix of ski jump and cross country that has been such a fickle mistress for American athletes. The champions need a combination of quickness for the jump and endurance for the 10 kilometer cross country. Since the Gundersen method of staggering the start times of the cross country was introduced to the Olympics in 1988, the first man across the line wins, providing the opportunity for thrilling finishes.

The United States has only won two medals in the history of Nordic Skiing in the Olympics, Bill Koch's cross country silver in 1976 and the 1924 ski jump bronze awarded to Anders Haugen after a calculation error was discovered 50 years later. Now the Americans will enter Vancouver with a team consisting of three world champions in nordic combined.

Johnny Spillane won his world championship in 2003, and has recently won a World Cup race in Oberhof. Spillane is one of the stronger cross country skiers in the field, but doesn';t have the spring at the finish to match some of his competitors. He has a number of fourth place finishes this season and his sole victory was a breakaway by about 30 seconds. Look for Spillane to push the pace with about 3 or 4 kilometers left in the race.

Todd Lodwick came out of retirement in 2009 to capture two gold medals at the World Championships. He has a second and third place finish this season,even though he has skipped several event in an effort to peak in Vancouver.

Bill Demong won a gold and bronze medal at last year's Worlds.. He won a very tough event in Val di Femme last month and has been consistently in the top ten all season.

However, there are many more contenders than just the Americans. On the World Cup curcuit, eleven different men have won events and sixteen have reached the podium.

Jason Lamy-Chappius, FRA - The Word Cup leader since day one, Lamy-Chappius has won five events. One of the best jumpers, if he can jump well and stay with the lead pack, he can usually sprint well over the last 200 meters.

Felix Gottwald, AUT - Sprint gold and individual silver in Torino, Gottwald has come out of retirement and is second in the World Cup, Gottwald is the second fasteest runenr in the field. If he has a decent jump, everyopne else will have to look over their shoulders for him.

Eric Frenzel, GER - One of the most consistent skiiers on the World Cup, Frenzel has reached the podium seven times.

Magnus Moan, NOR - The fastest runner in the field, Moan can make upwards of 90 seconds in the cross country. Two weeks ago he beat Lamy-Chappius in both races in France, trailing by over a minute in each. He already owns a sprint silver and individual bronze from Torino.

Tino Edelmann, GER - Edelmann was hot early in the season, winning in Lillehammer in early December. He hasn't been to the podium since then.

Mario Stecher, AUT - Stecher has been rounding into form nicely as of late, making the podium in three of the last four races, including a win in the final pre-Olympic World Cup in Seefeld.

Pavel Churavy, CZE - A strong jumper, Churavy is often in contention when the field bunches up and he can ski in the pack. His only podium finish was a second two weeks ago.

Bjorn Kircheisen, GER - He had a win in Ramsau the week before Christmas.

Alessandro Pittin, ITA - An inconsistent jumper, he can contend when he jumps well. Has had three third place finishes this season, including two of the last three races.

Anssi Koivuranta, FIN - A strong jumper who has to look over his back in the cross country.
Petter Tande, NOR - A silver in Lillehammer in December is his lone appearance on the podium this season.

Hannu Manninen, FIN - He came out of retirement and finished second and first on the opening weekend in Kuusamo. He has raced sparingly this season, but when he does he is at or near the top of the leaderboard. Manninen was a team gold medalist in 2002 and the 2007 large hill World Champion.

Akita Watanabe, JPN - A third place in Seefeld in the penultimate pre-Olympic race, Watanbe leads a Japanese team that has been improving throughout the season. One of the stronger jumpers, he must be out front to have a medal chance.

The Japanese are the defending World Champions in the team event, and even though they have rarely place individual athletes on the podium the last few years, they have four very consistent performers and the team should challenge for a medal.

TUNE IN:

NBC should show the nordic combined events live, especially with American interests:

Sunday, February 14th
Normal Hill Jump/10KM
Jump @ 1pm EST, 10K @ 4:45pm EST.
Predictions:
Gold: Lamy-Chappius, FRA
Silver: Moan, NOR
Bronze: Manninen, FIN

Tuesday, February 23rd
Team Event
Jump @ 1pm EST, 4x5KM relay @ 4pm EST
Predicitions:
Gold: Germany
Silver: Austria
Bronze: United States

Thursday, February 25th
Large Hill Jump/10KM Relay
Jump @ 1pm EST, 10KM @ 4pm EST
Predicitions:
Gold: Gottwald, AUT
Silver: Lamy-Chappius, FRA
Bronze: Frenzel, GER

In both individual events, I think anyone listed above has a good chance at a medal. The Americans will be right in the thick of things, will being in North America be an advantage over the Europeans?