NORMAL HILL SKI JUMP (12:45)
The jumpers rarely compete on the normal hill except during World Championships or Olympics. On the World Cup the events are almost always contested on the large hill or on the huge hills of ski flying. The event will likely boil down to 2002 double Olympic champion Simon Ammann against the powerful Austrian team. Veteran Adam Malysz of Poland is the sentimental favorite and my dark horse.
GOLD: Gregor Schlierenzauer, AUT
SILVER: Simon Ammann, SUI
BRONZE: Andreas Kofler, AUT
Also watch for: Thomas Morgenstern, AUT; Wolfgang Loizl, AUT; Janne Ahonen, FIN; Anders Jacobsen, NOR; Bjoern Einar Romoeren, NOR; Robert Kranjec, SLO
All three Americans qualified for the final, but will not contend for medals. They will do well to finish in the top 30 and qualify for a second jump.
MEN'S DOWNHILL (2:45)
If the weather doesn't interfere yet again, this race will have 35 year old Swiss Didier Cuche as the favorite. He was fastest in the only training run despite skiing with a broken thumb that required six screws to surgically repair just less than two weeks ago.
GOLD: Didier Cuche, SUI
SILVER: Manuel Osborne-Paradis, CAN
BRONZE: Michael Walchofer, AUT
Also watch for: Werner Heel, ITA; Carlo Janka, SUI; Marco Buechel, LIE; Aksel Lund Svindal, NOR; Didier Defago, SUI; Ambrosi Hoffman, SUI.
Dark Horse: Bode Miller, USA - he is skiing in the perfect spot in the order, 15th, just before the seeded skiers. He can take advantage before the course begins to deteriorate.
WOMEN'S ICE HOCKEY (3:00)
Two opening round games, SWE v SUI and CAN v SVK. This should be a final between the USA and Canada. Give the home team the edge.
GOLD: Canada
SILVER: United States
BRONZE: Sweden
MEN'S 5000 METER SPEED SKATING (3:00)
GOLD: Sven Kramer, NED
SILVER: Havard Bokko, NOR
BRONZE: Bob de Jong, NED
WOMEN'S BIATHLON 7.5 KILOMETER SPRINT (4:00)
GOLD: Anna Carin Olofsson-Zidek, SWE
SILVER: Magdalena Neuener, GER
BRONZE: Helena Jonsson, SWEMEN'S SINGLES LUGE (8:00)
First and second of four runs on Saturday, the medals will be awarded Sunday. After Friday's tragedy, luge will be in the international media spotlight as never before. With the event being held at night, the track could be even colder and faster than during training.
GOLD: Armin Zoeggeler, ITA
SILVER: Albert Demtschenko, RUS
BRONZE: Felix Loch, GER
WOMEN'S SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING 500 METERS (8:42)
Heats on Saturday, with final on Wednesday. This should amount to a China/Canada dual meet with Wang Meng an enormous favorite.
GOLD: Wang Men, CHN
SILVER: Kalyna Roberge, CAN
BRONZE: Zhao Nannan, CHN
WOMEN'S SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING 3000 METER RELAY (9:50)
You have to survive the heats before getting a chance in the final on February 24th.
GOLD: China
SILVER: South Korea
BRONZE: United States
Also contending: Canada and Japan.
Heat 1: NED/USA/KOR/ITA
Heat 2: JPN/HUN/CHN/CAN
MEN'S SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING 1500 METERS (10:18)
This event looks to be wide open, with the Koreans fielding a deep squad.
GOLD: Lee Jung-Su, KOR
SILVER: Charles Hamelin, CAN
BRONZE: Apolo Ohno, USA
WOMEN'S FREESTYLE MOGULS (10:30)
It's USA vd. Canada with defending champion Jennifer Heil the favorite. The USA is strong, they swept first through fourth in the most recent World Cup in Lake Placid (which Heil did not contest).
GOLD: Jennifer Heil, CAN
SILVER: Hannah Kearney, USA
BRONZE: Heather McPhie, USA
Also contending: Kristi Richards, CAN; Shannon Bahrke, USA; Michelle Roark, USA; Aiko Uemura, JPN; Nicola Sudova, CZE; Margarita Marbler, AUT
Enjoy Day 1:
Stories to follow:
LUGE: How will tragedy effect the competition? Will the Whistler track be too fast?
WEATHER: Will the men's downhill take place? Will Lindsey Vonn get a chance to ski her training run or will her events be postponed?
APOLO: Will Ohno add another medal to his haul, or will the Koreans dominate?
OH, CANADA!: Can a Canadian finally win on home soil? Manuel Osborne-Paradis, Jennifer Heil and Charles Hamelin each could be the first Canadian home victory after being shut out in Montreal and Calgary.
ANOTHER CRAZY CANUCK STORY: Osborne-Paradis is attempting to become the first Canadian man to win alpine gold. Amazingly, Canadian men have only won two alpine medals in Olympic hsitory, downhill bronzes by Steve Podborski ('80) and Ed Podivinsky ('94).
DUTCH SKATER: Can anyone challenge Sven Kramer in the 5000 or 10000? Shani Davis is a longshot in the 5000 today.
USA MOGULS: Jen Heil may be the only skier standing between the Americans and a podium sweep.
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