Bobsled

Andre Lange of Germany will be entering Vancouver attempting to crown his legacy as the greatest bobsled driver of all time. Lange concluded the World Cup season by winning the final four 4-man races of the season.

Steve Holcomb of the United States won three races in four-man this season and is the defending World Champion. He will be trying to capture the first men;'s bobsled gold for the USA in 62 years. Holcomb concluded the season finishing 4th and 8th in the last two 4-man races.

Two-man:
Gold: Beat Hefti, SUI - winner of four races, including the finale in Igls.
Silver: Andre Lange, GER - after an early season leg injury, Lange was first or second in each of the last four races of the season.
Bronze: Lyndon Rush, CAN - Winner in St. Moritz, he will have the home track advantage.
4. Ivo Ruegg, SUI - The overall World Cup winner, he had three bronzes and a silver, but no wins and was 4th, 8th and 9th in the last three races.
5. Torsten Florschutz, GER - Winner at Konigssee, second in World Cup.
6. Karl Angerer, GER - Third in World Cup standings, but only one medal, a silver in Winterberg.
7. Steve Holcomb, USA - in the top 4 in each of the first three races, but has struggled in the last half of the season.
8. Pierre Lueders, CAN - The 1988 Olympic Champion, but no medals this season. Can the hometown favorite use the home ice advantage?
9. Alexandr Zubkov, RUS - Solid in the first half, no higher than 11th in the final three races.
10. Daniel Schmid, SUI - Improving all season, culminating with a bronze in Igls. Schmid his my dark horse medal threat.
11. John Napier, USA - Winner in his backyard in Lake Placid, he has been better than 10th in only one other race.
12. Edvin van Calker, NED - Bronze in St. Moritz, and seventh in two of the other last three races this season.

Four-Man

This should be a two-man battle between Lange and Holcomb. Holcomb looked like the hot favorite before New Year's, but Lange has been untouchable since.

Gold: Andre Lange, GER - Winner of the last four races.
Silver: Steve Holcomb, USA - Three first and two seconds, but did not medal in the final two races.
Bronze: Janis Minins, LAT - Only one medal, but the most consistent of all the drivers in contention for the bronze with three 4th's and two 5th's. Consistency should benefit him over a four heat competition.
4. Lyndon Rush, CAN - Winner of the season opener in Park City and on home ice.
5. Karl Angerer, GER - in the top 8 in each of the last six races.
6. Thomas Florschutz, GER - concluded a solid season with a bronze in Igls.
7. Daniel Abramovitch, RUS - silver in Park City, but three finishes of 15th or lower.
8. Alekandr Zubkov, RUS - his bronze at St. Moritz is his only top five.
9. John Napier, USA - two medals, but the younger driver proved inconsistent for the season. A dark horse here.
10. Ivo Ruegg, SUI - silvers in Cesana and Igls.

Two-woman:
Gold: Cathleen Martini, GER - Winner of four of the eight World Cup races.
Silver: Kaillie Humphreys, CAN - The home track advantage, always in the top six, only one win.
Bronze: Sandra Kiriasis, GER - The World Cup overall winner, six medals but no wins.
4. Shauna Rohbock, USA - Two wins, including the finale in Igls.
5. Helen Upperton, CAN - Only one medal, but close to the podium all season, will have a hometown advantage.
6. Eric Pac, USA - On the rise this season, two bronzes and seven races in the top seven.
7. Claudia Schramm, GER - One bronze medal this season, in St. Moritz.
8. Nicole Minichiello, GBR - The dark horse in this event, the defending World Champion missed two races and was either 7th or 8th in five of the six events she entered (14th in the other).
9. Sabrina Hafner, SUI - improved late in the season, finishes ranged from fifth to 12th.

Of note in bobsled, since the 1988 "Cool Runnings" Jamaica bobsled craze, the FIBT has stiffened the qualifying criteria in this dangerous sport. No Jamaican team in Vancouver, nor many other sleds from warm weather countries.

I'm looking forward to the bobsled in Vancouver, and if you watch NBC, a fun drinking game is to take a drink whenever John Morgan screams "NO SPEED!" If Holcomb wins, expect the color commentator who is bobsled's number one fan to be overcome with emotion.