Category: winter sports

medal projections, olympic sports, winter sports

2014 medal projections: Curling

Posted on by Beau Dure

Suppose basketball, globally, had a bunch of teams in the USA and a few elsewhere. Then for Olympic basketball, each country selected one team from within its country. Maybe the USA sends the Miami Heat, Spain sends Barcelona, etc. That’s curling, except that we put Canada in place of the USA.

Curling has a lot of competitions through the year, some on the World Curling Tour. Check the list of men’s teams on the WCT, and you’ll see a lot of Canadians. Then you have the World Championships and Olympics, in which each country is limited to one team.

Obviously, it’s a bit more competitive to win Canada’s slot than it is to represent a lot of other countries. But that doesn’t mean Canada is always a shoo-in, especially in women’s curling. Scotland is the sport’s birthplace, and a lot of European countries are moving up. The U.S. men had to fight for an Olympic spot this time around, winning must-win after must-win to make it to Sochi.

Your humble blogger here loves curling. And he loves having so much information so nicely compiled. The World Curling Federation has a gateway site full of Olympic-related curling news. Some nice person at Wikipedia is collecting links to each country’s team nominations. And the World Curling Federation has overall rankings along with the Olympic qualification rankings combining the results from the last two World Championships. That gives us more data than we’ll have for men’s hockey, which we’re going to predict with a dartboard and some Molson.

To the rink we go …

MEN (skips in parentheses)

Gold: Canada (Brad Jacobs)
Silver: Sweden (Niklas Edin)
Bronze: Britain (David Murdoch)

Also considered: Denmark (Rasmus Stjerne), Norway (Thomas Ulsrud)

Olympic qualification ranking: Canada, Sweden, Britain***, Norway, Denmark, China, Switzerland, USA 8th*, Russia 11th**, Germany 14th

2013 World Championship: Sweden (Edin), Canada (Jacobs), Scotland (Murdoch), Denmark (Stjerne), Norway (Ulsrud), China (Riu Liu), Switzerland (Sven Michel), Czech Republic, USA (Brady Clark), Russia (Andrey Drozdov), Japan, Finland

(Sochi skips who weren’t at Worlds: USA’s John Shuster, Germany’s John Jahr)

Overall ranking: Canada, Britain, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, China, USA, Germany, Russia

2010 Olympic medalists: Canada (Kevin Martin), Norway (Ulsrud), Switzerland (Ralph Stöckli)

WOMEN

Gold: Sweden (Margaretha Sigfridsson)
Silver: Britain (Eve Muirhead)
Bronze: Canada (Jennifer Jones)

Also considered: Switzerland (Mirjam Ott), USA (Erika Brown)

Olympic qualification ranking: Sweden, Switzerland, Britain***, Canada, USA, Russia**, Denmark, South Korea, Japan 10th*, China 11th*

2013 World Championship: Scotland (Muirhead), Sweden (Sigfridsson), Canada (Rachel Homan), USA (Brown), Switzerland (Silvana Tirinzoni), Russia (Anna Sidorova), Japan (Satsuki Fujisawa), Denmark (Lene Nielsen), China (Wang Bingyu), Italy, Germany, Latvia

(Sochi skips who weren’t at Worlds: Canada’s Jones, Switzerland’s Ott, Japan’s Ayumi Ogasawara, South Korea’s Ji-Sun Kim)

Overall ranking: Sweden, Canada, Britain, Switzerland, China, Denmark, USA, Russia, Japan, South Korea

2010 Olympic medalists: Canada (Cheryl Bernard), Sweden (Anette Norberg), China (Wang)

*-qualified for Olympics through Olympic qualification event

**-qualified for Olympics as host nation

***-“Britain” is really “Scotland.” England and Wales have their own teams, but they’re not contenders for Olympic berths.

BIOS

Men

Niklas Edin (Sweden): Fourth in 2010 Olympics. Third in 2011 and 2012 World Championships, then world champion in 2013.

Brad Jacobs (Canada): Second in 2013 World Championships. Won three of six World Curling Tour events in 2013.

David Murdoch (Britain):  Fourth in 2006 Olympics; fifth in 2010. World champion in 2006 and 2009; second in 2005 and 2008; third in 2010 and 2013.

John Shuster (USA): Played on Pete Fenson’s 2006 Olympic bronze medalist team. Moved on to skip his own team in 2010 Olympics and struggled. Joined Craig Brown’s team, then moved back on his own with a reshuffled lineup.

Rasmus Stjerne (Denmark): World junior champion in 2009. Fourth in 2013 World Championships. His father was a World Championship bronze medalist.

Thomas Ulsrud (Norway): 2010 silver medalist. Three-time World Championship bronze medalist. But most importantly, check out the pants.

Women

Erika Brown (USA): On two World Championship runner-up teams (1996, 1999) and the U.S. team for the first official Olympic competition in 1998. Now reunited with Debbie McCormick, who was also on the 1998 team and went on to be a world champion skip (2003). McCormick skipped the 2010 team and joined up with Brown for a team with tremendous international experience, finishing fourth in the 2013 World Championships.

Jennifer Jones (Canada): 2008 world champion; third place in 2010 Worlds. Has eight Grand Slam wins.

Eve Muirhead (Britain): Only 19 when she skipped at 2010 Olympics. Went on to take silver in 2010 Worlds and win the 2013 world championship. Also plays bagpipes.

Mirjam Ott (Switzerland): 2002 and 2006 Olympic silver medalist; 2012 world champion. Seven World Curling Tour wins in the last four years (four in 2010-11).

Margaretha Sigfridsson (Sweden): Four-time World Championship runner-up (2002, 2009, 2012, 2013). A rare team setup — she’s skip, but she throws the first rocks.

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medal projections, olympic sports, winter sports

2014 medal projections: Short-track speedskating

Posted on by Beau Dure

Updated Jan. 21 with Wang Meng injury

Short-track is a little less about times and more about who makes the last pass and remains upright. World Championships actually compile “overall” results that reward consistency. No such luck in the Olympics, so these predictions are bound to go wrong somewhere. We predictors can’t take it personally.

The action is often controversial, with a lot of collisions and interference requiring refs to figure things out. And for the USA, it has been controversial off the ice.

The World Cup runs in the fall, so as with long-track skating, we have a lot of recent data to use.

Around we go, very quickly …

MEN

500 meters

Gold: Viktor Ahn (Russia)
Silver: Charles Hamelin (Canada)
Bronze: Wu Dajing (China)

Also considered: Liang Wenhao (China), Seyeong Park (South Korea), Freek van der Wart (Netherlands)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Ahn, Hamelin, Vladimir Gregorev (Russia), Wu, Olivier Jean (Canada), Park, van der Wart, Liang

2013 World Championship top 4: Liang, Ahn, van der Wart, Semion Elistratov (Russia). Semifinalists: Jin-Kyu Noh (South Korea), Wu, Viktor Knoch (Hungary), J.R. Celski (USA), Jon Eley (Britain)

2010 Olympic medalists: Hamelin, Si-Bak Sung (South Korea), Francois-Louis Tremblay (Canada)

1,000 meters

Gold: Charles Hamelin (Canada)
Silver: Viktor Ahn (Russia)
Bronze: J.R. Celski (USA)

Also considered: Wu Dajing (China), Da-Woon Sin (South Korea)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Hamelin, Ahn, Niels Kerstholt (Netherlands), Wu Dajing (China), Han Tianyu (China), Olivier Jean (Canada), Celski, Han-Bin Lee (South Korea)

2013 World Championship top 4: Sin, Sjinkie Knegt (Netherlands), Hamelin, Celski. Semifinalists: Ahn, Yuzo Takamido (Japan), Jin-Kyu Noh (South Korea), Michael Gilday (Canada), Semion Elistratov (Russia), Vladimir Grigorev (Russia)

2010 Olympic medalists: Jung-Su Lee (South Korea), So-Huk Lee (South Korea), Apolo Ohno (USA)

1,500 meters

Gold: Da-Woon Sin (South Korea)
Silver: Yun-Jae Kim (South Korea)
Bronze: Charles Hamelin (Canada)

Also considered: Viktor Ahn (Russia), J.R. Celski (USA), anyone else from South Korea

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Hamelin, Han-Bin Lee (South Korea), Ahn, Jin-Kyu Noh (South Korea), Sjinkie Knegt (Netherlands), Francois Hamelin (Canada), Celski, Sin

2013 World Championship top 6: Sin, Yun-Jae Kim (South Korea), Hamelin, Ryosuke Sakazume (Japan), Michael Gilday (Canada), Noh

2010 Olympic medalists: Jung-Su Lee (South Korea), Apolo Ohno (USA), J.R. Celski (USA)

Relay

Gold: Canada
Silver: Russia
Bronze: South Korea

Also considered: Netherlands, USA

Also qualified: China, Kazakhstan, Italy

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: USA, Canada, Russia, South Korea, Netherlands, China, Italy, Britain

2013 World Championship top 4: Canada, Russia, Netherlands, South Korea

2010 Olympic medalists: Canada, South Korea, USA

WOMEN

500 meters

Gold: Fan Kexin (China)
Silver: Seung-Hi Park (South Korea)
Bronze: Arianna Fontana (Italy)

Also considered: Marianne St. Gelais (Canada), Suk Hee Shim (South Korea), Martina Valcepina (Italy). Removed for injury: Wang Meng (China)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Wang, Fan, Fontana, Park, Shim, Valcepina, St. Gelais, Liu Qiuhong (China)

2013 World Championship top 4: Wang, Fan, Park, St. Gelais. Semifinalists: Valcepina, Valerie Maltais (Canada), Fontana, Elise Christie (Britain)

2010 Olympic medalists: Wang, St. Gelais, Fontana

1,000 meters

Gold: Suk Hee Shim (South Korea)
Silver: A-Lang Kim (South Korea)
Bronze: Arianna Fontana (Italy)

Also considered: Seung-Hi Park (South Korea), Jorien ter Mors (Netherlands), Wang Meng (China)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Shim, Kim, Fontana, Park, Li Jianrou (China), Elise Christie (Britain), Valerie Maltais (Canada), ter Mors

2013 World Championship top 5: Wang, ter Mors, Christie, Fan Kexin (China), Zhou Yang (China). Semifinalists: Yui Sakai (Japan), Shim, Bernadett Heidum (Hungary), Fan Kexin (China), Park

2010 Olympic medalists: Wang, Katherine Reutter (USA), Park

1,500 meters

Gold: Suk Hee Shim (South Korea)
Silver: Seung-Hi Park (South Korea)
Bronze: Marianne St. Gelais (Canada)

Also considered: A-Lang Kim (South Korea), Valerie Maltais (Canada), Zhou Yang (China)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Shim, Kim, Zhou, Maltais, Park, Arianna Fontana (Italy), Jorien ter Mors (Netherlands), Bernadett Heidum (Hungary)

2013 World Championship top 7: Park, Shim, St. Gelais, Ayuko Ito (Japan), Maltais, Elise Christie (Britain), Zhou

2010 Olympic medalists: Zhou, Eun-Byul Lee (South Korea), Park

Relay

Gold: China
Silver: South Korea
Bronze: Canada

Also considered: Italy, Netherlands, Russia

Also qualified: Hungary, Japan

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: South Korea, China, Italy, Canada, Russia, Netherlands, Japan, USA

2013 World Championship top 4: China, Canada, Japan, South Korea

2010 Olympic medalists: China, Canada, USA

BIOS

Men

Viktor Ahn (Russia): Competed for South Korea as Hyun-Soo Ahn. 2006 gold medalist in 1,000 and 1,500. Overall world champion five straight years (2003-2007). Nasty injuries kept him out in 2010. Back in form with silver in 500 at 2013 Worlds and World Cup success at same distance. Typically makes late pass to win.

J.R. Celski (USA): Olympic bronze medalist (2010, 1,500) has had other big performances — second overall in 2009 World Championships at age 18. He also has some solid World Cup performances since then.

Wu Dajing (China): Not yet 20 and already winning World Cup races. Best at 500.

Semion Elistratov (Russia): Had an unusually good World Championship in 2013, making the 500 final and a couple of semifinals. Has one World Cup win and a couple of podiums.

Vladimir Gregorev (Russia): Suddenly breaking onto World Cup podiums after several years of struggle.

Charles Hamelin (Canada): 2010: Won gold in 500, ending a long spell of Olympic frustration after winning a couple of world championships (also at 500) and having tons of podium finishes through his career. Long-term relationship with skater Marianne St. Gelais.

Olivier Jean (Canada): Victim of Simon Cho’s skate-sabotaging at the 2011 World Team Championships. Came back with strong 2012 World Championship — gold in 500, bronze overall. Fourth in 2010 Olympics (1,500).

Yun-Jae Kim (South Korea): 2013 World Championship runner-up (overall and 1,500). Two other World Cup podiums, both at 1,500.

Sjinkie Knegt (Netherlands): Best World Championship finish was second in 2012 (1,000). Overall European champion in 2012. Four World Cup podiums.

Jin-Kyu Noh (South Korea): 2011 overall world champion (at age 18), winning 1,000 and 1,500. Second in 2012 overall, winning 1,500. Not as strong in 2013 World Championships but had some good results in the next World Cup season.

Seyeong Park (South Korea): 2013 world junior champion. Reached podium in two World Cup races in Seoul (500 and 1,000).

Da-Woon Sin (South Korea): 2013 overall world champion (at age 19), winning 1,000 and 1,500. World Cup podiums are all at 1,500.

Han Tianyu (China): 2013 world junior runner-up.

Freek van der Wart (Netherlands): Good year in 2013: European overall champion, third in 500 at World Championships. Only one World Cup podium, in 500.

Liang Wenhao (China): Scattered World Championship successes, winning 500 in 2010 and 2013. In 2011: third in 500, 1,000 and overall. Three 2012-13 wins: two at 500, one at 1,000.

Women

Elise Christie (Britain): Races as a front-runner in the 1,000, an unusual tactic in the cagey world of short-track. Last four world championships at 1,000: fourth, fourth, fourth, third.

Arianna Fontana (Italy): Only 15 when she medaled in relay on home ice at 2006 Olympics. Took bronze at 500 in 2010. Overall European champion in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013 (second in 2010). Third in World Championships in 2011 and 2012.

Fan Kexin (China): Strongest at 500, with a few World Cup wins and the 2011 and 2012 world championships.

A-Lang Kim (South Korea): Second in 2013 world junior championships. Terrific 2013-14 World Cup season at 1,000 and 1,500.

Valerie Maltais (Canada): Second overall (third in 1,000) at 2012 World Championships. Lone World Cup win is at 1,000.

Wang Meng (China): 2006 Olympics: Gold (500), silver (1,000), bronze (1,500). 2010 Olympics: gold in 500 and 1,000 (plus relay gold). Even better at World Championships: sweep in 2008, 500/1,000/overall in 2009, 500/1,000 in 2010, 500/1,000/overall in 2013. Fan of David Beckham and Michael Jordan. Removed from national team in 2011 after confrontation with coaches but reinstated in 2012.

Seung-Hi Park (South Korea): In 2010: bronze medals at 1,000 and 1,500, overall world championship, turned 18. 2013: world champion in 1,500.

Suk Hee Shim (South Korea): 2012 world junior champion. At 2013 World Championships: second in 1,500, third overall. 2013-14 World Cup winner at 1,000 and 1,500.

Marianne St. Gelais (Canada): Silver medal at 500 and relay in 2010. Also celebrated boyfriend Charles Hamelin’s gold medal. Took third at 1,500 in 2013 World Championships.

Jorien ter Mors (Netherlands): Expected to compete in short-track and long-track. 2013 World Championships: second in 1,000, fifth overall. Has World Cup podiums at 1,000 and 1,500.

Martina Valcepina (Italy): Nine World Cup podiums at 500.

Zhou Yang (China): Gold medalist (1,500) in 2010. Second overall (and in 1,000 and 1,500) in 2008 World Championships. Only recent World Cup podiums are in 1,500.

3
medal projections, olympic sports, winter sports

2014 medal projections: Speedskating

Posted on by Beau Dure

Updated Jan. 21

Some sports run World Cup events right up until the Olympics. Not speedskating. Four World Cup events wrapped up by early December, then two more after Sochi. That’s why these projections have 2013-14 World Cup data rather than last season.

They’ll have the European Championships and World Sprint Championships in January, though, so a few things could still change here.

Salt Lake City still has one of the fastest surfaces in the world, and three world records fell there in November: men’s team pursuit (Netherlands), women’s 500 meters (South Korea’s Sang-Hwa Lee) and women’s 1,000 meters (USA’s Brittany Bowe). The best times so far in the World Cup season are all from Salt Lake City and Calgary (except in the men’s 10,000, which was run only in Astana). The 2013 World Single Distance Championships were run in Sochi.

One neat site to check in you want even more data: SpeedskatingResults.com

Around we go …

MEN

500 meters

Gold: Tae-Bum Mo (South Korea)
Silver: Michel Mulder (Netherlands)
Bronze: Joji Kato (Japan)

Also considered: Ronald Mulder (Netherlands), Keiichiro Nagashima (Japan), Jan Smeekens (Netherlands)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Mo, M. Mulder, Nagashima, Kato, R. Mulder, Artyom Kuznetsov (Russia), Tucker Fredricks (USA), Jesper Hospes (Netherlands)

2013 World Championship top 8: Mo, Kato, Smeekens, M. Mulder, R. Mulder, Dmitry Lobkov (Russia), Denis Koval (Russia), Pekka Koskela (Finland)

Best times, 2013-14: Nagashima (34.24), Gilmore Junio (Canada, 34.25), Kato (34.25), R. Mulder (34.25), M. Mulder (34.26), Mo (34.28), Mitchell Whitmore (USA, 34.29), Fredricks (34.30)

Best times, 2012-13: Kato (34.21), Smeekens (34.32), Koskela (34.36), Jamie Gregg (Canada, 34.36)

2010 Olympic medalists: Mo, Nagashima, Kato

1,000 meters

Gold: Shani Davis (USA)
Silver: Denis Kuzin (Kazakhstan)
Bronze: Tae-Bum Mo (South Korea)

Also considered: Brian Hansen (USA), Denny Morrison (Canada), Michel Mulder (Netherlands)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Davis, M. Mulder, Kuzin, Mo, Kjeld Nuis (Netherlands), Morrison, Hansen, Mirko Nenzi (Italy)

2013 World Championship top 8: Kuzin, Mo, Davis, Nuis, Zbigniew Brodka (Poland), Samuel Schwarz (Germany), Mirko Nenzi (Italy), Stefan Groothuis (Netherlands)

Best times, 2013-14: Davis (1:06.88), Nuis (1:07.02), Hansen (1:07.03), Morrison (1:07.44), Michel Mulder (Netherlands, 1:07.46), Mitchell Whitmore (USA, 1:07.52), Kuzin (1:07.71), Koen Verweij (Netherlands, 1:07.71)

Best times, 2012-13: Hein Otterspeer (Netherlands, 1:07.43), Haralds Silovs (Latvia, 1:07.47), Davis (1:07.49), M. Mulder (1:07.49), Nuis (1:07.64)

2010 Olympic medalists: Davis, Mo, Chad Hedrick (USA)

1,500 meters

Gold: Shani Davis (USA)
Silver: Koen Verweij (Netherlands)
Bronze: Denis Yuskov (Russia)

Also considered: Zbigniew Brodka (Poland), Brian Hansen (USA), Denny Morrison (Canada)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Davis, Verweij, Yuskov, Brodka, Sverre Lunde Pedersen (Norway), Konrad Niedzwiedzki (Poland), Rhian Ket (Netherlands), Joey Mantia (USA)

Best times, 2013-14: Davis (1:41.98), Hansen (1:42.16), Verweij (1:42.28), Yuskov (1:42.36), Morrison (1:42.79), Brodka (1:42.89), Kjeld Nuis (Netherlands, 1:42.92), Trevor Marsicano (USA, 1:43.02)

Best times, 2012-13: Morrison (1:44.73), Davis (1:44.94), Hansen (1:44.95)

2013 World Championship top 8: Yuskov, Davis, Ivan Skobrev (Russia), Hansen, Pedersen, Brodka, Mark Tuitert (Netherlands), Niedzwiedzki

2010 Olympic medalists: Tuitert, Davis, Håvard Bøkko (Norway)

5,000 meters

Gold: Sven Kramer (Netherlands)
Silver: Jorrit Bergsma (Netherlands)
Bronze: Seung-Hoon Lee (South Korea)

Also considered: Ivan Skobrev (Russia)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8 (5,000/10,000): Kramer, Bergsma, Lee, Bart Swings (Belgium), Alexis Contin (France), Jonathan Kuck (USA), Bob de Jong (Netherlands), Patrick Beckert (Germany)

Best times, 2013-14: Kramer (6:04.46), Bergsma (6:06.93), Lee (6:07.04), de Jong (6:07.43), Skobrev (6:08.77), Koen Verweij (Netherlands, 6:09.51), Kuck (6:09.73), Sverre Lunde Pedersen (Norway, 6:10.47)

Best times, 2012-13: Kramer (6:10.37)

2013 World Championship top 8: Kramer, Bergsma, Skobrev, Denis Yuskov (Russia), de Jong, Swings, Pedersen, Lee

2010 Olympic medalists: Kramer, Lee, Skobrev

10,000 meters

Gold: Sven Kramer (Netherlands)
Silver: Jorrit Bergsma (Netherlands)
Bronze: Bob de Jong (Netherlands)

Also considered: Seung-Hoon Lee (South Korea)

Best times, 2013-14 (mostly from Dutch trials): Kramer (12:45.09), Bergsma (12:47.42), de Jong (12:50.20), more Dutch people. Top non-Dutchmen: Aleksandr Rumyancev (Russia, 13:11.92), Ivan Skobrev (Russia, 13:14.43), Alexis Contin (France, 13:14.64), Alexej Baumgartner (Germany, 13:16.34)

Best times, 2012-13: Bergsma (12:50.40), de Jong (12:51.22), Kramer (12:55.98), Jan Blokhuijsen (Netherlands, 13:01.60), Lee (13:07.06)

2013 World Championship top 8: Bergsman, Kramer, de Jong, Lee, Bart Swings (Belgium), Shane Dobbins (New Zealand), Marco Weber (Germany), Patrick Beckert (Germany)

2010 Olympic medalists: Lee, Skobrev, de Jong

Team pursuit

Gold: Netherlands
Silver: South Korea
Bronze: USA

Also considered: Norway, Poland, Russia

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Netherlands, South Korea, USA, Norway, Poland, Canada, Germany, France

2013 World Championship: Netherlands, South Korea, Poland, Russia, Norway, Germany, Canada, Italy

2010 Olympic medalists: USA, Canada, Netherlands

WOMEN

500 meters

Gold: Sang-Hwa Lee (South Korea)
Silver: Olga Fatkulina (Russia)
Bronze: Heather Richardson (USA)

Also considered: Nao Kodaira (Japan), Beixing Wang (China), Jenny Wolf (Germany)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Lee, Fatkulina, Richardson, Wolf, Wang, Kodaira, Margot Boer (Netherlands), Thijsje Oenema (Netherlands)

Best times, 2013-14: Lee (36.36), Wang (36.85), Richardson (36.90), Fatkulina (37.13), Wolf (37.14), Boer (37.28), Kodaira (37.29), Jing Yu (China, 37.31)

Best times, 2012-13: Lee (36.80), Thijsje Oenema (37.06), Richardson (37.12), Yu (37.21), Wang (37.23), Wolf (37.28)

2013 World Championship top 8: Lee, Wang, Fatkulina, Wolf, Oenema, Kodaira, Yekaterina Aydova (Kazakhstan), Richardson

2010 Olympic medalists: Lee, Wolf, Wang

1,000 meters

Gold: Heather Richardson (USA)
Silver: Brittany Bowe (USA)
Bronze: Olga Fatkulina (Russia)

Also considered: Sang-Hwa Lee (South Korea), Christine Nesbitt (Canada)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Richardson, Bowe, Fatkulina, Lotte van Beek (Netherlands), Lee, Margot Boer (Netherlands), Nao Kodaira (Japan), Ireen Wüst (Netherlands)

Best times, 2013-14: Bowe (1:12.58), Richardson (1:12.61), Wüst (1:13.33), van Beek (1:13.36), Fatkulina (1:13.40), Lee (1:13.66), Nesbitt (1:13.77), Boer (1:13.77)

Best times, 2012-13: Nesbitt (1:12.91), Richardson (1:13.09), Hong (1:13.64)

2013 World Championship top 8: Fatkulina, Wüst, Bowe, Nesbitt, Karolina Erbanova (Czech Republic), Richardson, Hong Zhang (China), Marrit Leenstra (Netherlands)

2010 Olympic medalists: Nesbitt, Annette Gerritsen (Netherlands), Laurine van Riessen (Netherlands)

1,500 meters

Gold: Ireen Wüst (Netherlands)
Silver: Lotte van Beek (Netherlands)
Bronze: Brittany Bowe (USA)

Also considered: Heather Richardson (USA), Yuliya Skokova (Russia)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Wüst, Bowe, van Beek, Skokova, Katarzyna Bachleda-Curus (Poland), Ida Njåtun (Norway), Claudia Pechstein (Germany), Ekaterina Lobysheva (Russia)

Best times, 2013-14: Wüst (1:52.08), Bowe (1:52.45), Richardson (1:52.55), van Beek (1:52.95), Skokova (1:53.87), Bachleda-Curus (1:53.95), Lobysheva (1:54.09), Njåtun (1:54.09)

Best times, 2012-13: Richardson (1:53.84), Wüst (1:54.67), Marrit Leenstra (Netherlands, 1:55.03)

2013 World Championship top 8: Wüst, van Beek, Christine Nesbitt (Canada), Diane Valkenburg (Netherlands), Kali Christ (Canada), Karolina Erbanova (Czech Republic), Skokova, Brittany Schussler (Canada)

2010 Olympic medalists: Wüst, Kristina Groves (Canada), Martina Sablikova (Czech Republic)

3,000 meters

Gold: Martina Sablikova (Czech Republic)
Silver: Claudia Pechstein (Germany)
Bronze: Ireen Wüst (Netherlands)

Also considered: Katarzyna Bachleda-Curus (Poland), Antoinette de Jong (Netherlands)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8 (3,000/5,000): Sablikova, Pechstein, de Jong, Bachleda-Curus, Jorien Voorhuis (Netherlands), Ida Njåtun (Norway), Wüst, Yvonne Nauta (Netherlands)

Best times, 2013-14: Sablikova (3:57.79), Pechstein (3:57.80), Wüst (3:59.45), de Jong (3:59.49), Voorhuis (3:59.51), Linda de Vries (Netherlands, 4:01.00), Njåtun (4:01.47), Bachleda-Curus (4:02.12)

Best times, 2012-13: Wüst (3:58.68), Pechstein (4:02.31), Sablikova (4:02.46)

2013 World Championship top 8: Wüst, Sablikova, Pechstein, Diane Valkenburg (Netherlands), de Vries, Bachleda-Curus, Stephanie Beckert (Germany), Bente Kraus (Germany)

2010 Olympic medalists: Sablikova, Beckert, Kristina Groves (Canada)

5,000 meters

Gold: Martina Sablikova (Czech Republic)
Silver: Ireen Wüst (Netherlands)
Bronze: Yvonne Nauta (Netherlands)

Also considered: Claudia Pechstein (Germany)

Best times, 2013-14: Sablikova (6:59.88), Pechstein (7:01.10), Nauta (7:01.62), Masako Hozumi (Japan, 7:01.76), four more Dutch skaters

Best times, 2012-13: Sablikova (6:54.31), Pechstein (7:01.05), Olga Graf (Russia, 7:01.38), Hozumi (7:01.61), Wüst (7:01.95), Stephanie Beckert (Germany, 7:02.52), Linda de Vries (Netherlands, 7:02.77)

2013 World Championship top 8: Sablikova, Wüst, Pechstein, de Vries, Beckert, Diane Valkenburg (Netherlands), Bente Kraus (Germany), Ivanie Blondin (Canada)

2010 Olympic medalists: Sablikova, Beckert, Clara Hughes (Canada)

Team pursuit

Gold: Netherlands
Silver: Poland
Bronze: Japan

Also considered: Canada, Russia

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Netherlands, Poland, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Russia, USA, Norway

2013 World Championship top 8: Netherlands, Poland, South Korea, Germany, Russia, Norway, Japan, Canada

2010 Olympic medalists: Germany, Japan, Poland (USA finished fourth after upsetting top seed Canada in quarterfinals)

BIOS

Men

500/1,000

Jamie Gregg (Canada): Third place in each of the two 2013-14 500s in Calgary. Didn’t race in last two stops.

Joji Kato (Japan): 500 specialist: 2005 world champion, two world runner-up finishes, 2010 bronze medal, best of 34.21. 1,000 best: 1:08.68.

Tae-Bum Mo (South Korea): Maybe a surprise in 2010, but not any more. Great at 500: 2010 Olympic champion, back-to-back world champion in 2012 and 13, 2012 World Cup champion, best of 34.28. Contender at 1,000: 2010 Olympic silver, second in 2013 worlds, best of 1:07.26 back in 2009). Could even race at 1,500: best of 1:42.85, also in 2009.

Michel Mulder (Netherlands): World Sprint champion in 2013. At 500: Second in 2012 worlds, fourth in 2013, best of 34.26. 1,000 best: 1:07.46. Also a former inline skating world champion. Athletic heroes include snooker player Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Ronald Mulder (Netherlands): Michel’s twin brother. Good start to 2013-14 season: first in Calgary, second in Salt Lake. 500 best: 34.25. 1,000 best: 1:08.46.

Keiichiro Nagashima (Japan): Two-time Olympian; silver medalist at 500 in 2010. 500 best: 34.24.

Jan Smeekens (Netherlands): Mostly 500: third in 2011 and 2013 World Championships; best of 34.32. 1,000 best: 1:08.89.

1,000/1,500

Zbigniew Brodka (Poland): Top eight at 1,000 and 1,500 at 2013 World Championships. Several World Cup podiums at 1,500 and 2012 season title. 1,000 best: 1:07.87. 1,500 best: 1:42.89.

Shani Davis (USA): Tons of medals in long career, including back-to-back Olympic golds at 1,000 and back-to-back silvers at 1,500. Has won both the World Sprint and World Allround titles in addition to several championships at 1,000 and 1,500. 1,000 best: 1:06.42. 1,500 best: 1:41.04.

Brian Hansen (USA): Competed in 2010 Olympics at age 19, winning silver in team pursuit. At 1,000: One World Cup win, best of 1:07.03. At 1,500: fourth in 2013 worlds, best of 1:42.16.

Denis Kuzin (Kazakhstan): 2013 world championship at 1,000 is by far his best result. 500 best: 35.22. 1,000 best: 1:07.71. 1,500 best: 1:43.60.

Denny Morrison (Canada): Two Olympic medals in team pursuit: silver in 2006, gold in 2010. Two world championships at 1,500 (2008, 2012). 1,000 best: 1:07.11. 1,500 best: 1:42.01

Kjeld Nuis (Netherlands): Best at 1,000: World Cup champion in 2012, world runner-up in 2011 and 2012, then fourth in 2013. 1,000 best: 1:07.02. 1,500 best: 1:42.92.

1,500+

Jorrit Bergsma (Netherlands): A couple of world championship medals. Also an accomplished marathon skater. 5,000 best: 6:06.93. 10,000 best: 12:50.33. Most importantly to American audience: He’s engaged to Heather Richardson.

Bob de Jong (Netherlands): Has all three Olympic medals at 10,000: gold in 2006, silver in 1998, bronze in 2010. 5,000 best: 6:07.43. 10,000 best: 12:48.20

Sven Kramer (Netherlands): 2010 Olympics: gold medal at 5,000, disqualified at 10,000 when coach incorrectly told him not to switch lanes. Also took 2006 Olympic silver at 5,000. His time would have been an Olympic record. Six-time world allround champion. 1,500 best: 1:43.54. 5,000 best: 6:03.32. 10,000 best: 12:41.69.

Seung-Hoon Lee (South Korea): Gold (10,000, albeit on Kramer’s DQ) and silver (5,000) at 2010 Olympics. Not bad for a former short-track skater. 5,000 best: 6:07.04. 10,000 best: 12:57.27.

Ivan Skobrev (Russia): Silver (10,000) and bronze (5,000) at 2010 Olympics. 2011 world allround champion. Third at 1,500 and 5,000 in 2013 worlds. Also at 1,500: second in 2012 worlds, best of 1:42.94. At 5,000: best of 6:08.77. At 10,000: best of 12:58.36. Nicknamed Scooby-Doo.

Denis Yuskov (Russia): Rebounded from long suspension for marijuana use early in his career. At 1,500: 2013 world champion, best of 1:42.36. At 5,000: fourth in 2013 worlds, best of 6:11.79.

Women

500/1,000

Olga Fatkulina (Russia): Competed in 2010 Olympics at age 20. 2013 world champion at 1,000. 500 best: 37.13. 1,000 best: 1:13.40.

Nao Kodaira (Japan): Not many notable results but good times: 37.29 in 500, 1:13.98 in 1,000.

Sang-Hwa Lee (South Korea): Olympic 500-meter champion and back-to-back world champion won the first seven 2013-14 World Cup races, setting a World record of 36.36 along the way. No one else is within 0.49 seconds the past two years. As overwhelming a favorite as you’ll find. Fewer results at 1,000 but has a best of 1:13.66.

Heather Richardson (USA): 2013 world sprint champion. From the unlikely home of High Point, N.C. Engaged to Dutch distance skater Jorrit Bergsma. 500 best: 36.90. 1,000 best: 1:12.61. 1,500 best: 1:52.55.

Beixing Wang (China): 2009 world sprint champion and five-time World Championship runner-up at 500, where she has a best of 36.85. 1,000 best: 1:13.98.

Jenny Wolf (Germany): Four-time world champion and 2010 Olympic silver medalist at 500. Best: 37.00.

1,000/1,500

Brittany Bowe (USA): Former college basketball player and inline skating world champion broke the world record in the 1,000 in November 2013. Not an international standout in the 1,500, but she broke the U.S. record in the same weekend. Bests: 37.32 at 500, 1:12.58 at 1,000, 1:52.45 at 1,500.

Christine Nesbitt (Canada): 2010 Olympic champion at 1,000. 2011 world sprint champion. 2012 world allround runner-up. Three-time world champion at 1,000; once at 1,500. 1,000 best: 1:12.68. 1,500 best: 1:52.75 (twice).

Lotte van Beek (Netherlands): Up-and-comer took silver in 2013 worlds at 1,500. Best in 1,000: 1:13.36. 1,500 best: 1:56.11.

1,500+

Katarzyna Bachleda-Curus (Poland): Has some team pursuit medals and some World Cup success at 1,500, where her best is 1:53.95. 3,000 best: 4:02.12.

Antoinette de Jong (Netherlands): Only 18. Close to contention at several distances but strongest at 3,000, with best of 3:59.49 and a World Cup podium.

Linda de Vries (Netherlands): One World Championship medal – bronze in 2012 1,500. Also fourth in 2013 allrounds. 3,000 best: 4:01.00. 5,000 best: 7:02.77.

Claudia Pechstein (Germany): Over 40 and still going, albeit after serving a two-year ban after a positive test for blood doping. That caused her to miss the 2010 Olympics. She competed in the previous four Olympics, winning five gold medals (four individual, one team pursuit). She took bronze in the 3,000 and 5,000 in the 2013 World Championships. 3,000 best: 3:57.35 (in 2006). 5,000 best: 6:46.91 (in 2002).

Martina Sablikova (Czech Republic): Gold medalist in 3,000 and 5,000 at the 2010 Olympics. Also took bronze at 1,500 in 2010. Plenty of world championships, including two allrounds. 3,000 best: 3:55.55. 5,000 best: 6:42.66.

Yuliya Skokova (Russia): Strongest by far at 1,500, with best of 1:53.87.

Ireen Wüst (Netherlands): Gold medalist in two Olympics at two distances: 3,000 in 2006; 1,500 in 2010. Also took bronze in 1,500 in 2006. Four-time world allround champion. Has world championships ranging from 1,000 to 3,000, plus a silver at 5,000. Bests: 1:13.33 at 1,000, 1:52.08 at 1,500, 3:58.01 at 3,000, 6:55.85 at 5,000.

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medal projections, olympic sports, winter sports

2014 medal projections: Skeleton

Posted on by Beau Dure

Updated Jan. 14 and Feb. 4

Yes, it’s the sliding sport in which athletes do what American football players should not — lead with their heads.

The men’s World Cup circuit has had a distinct elite group. Only six men’s sliders finished on the podium in 2012-13 World Cup races — the Dukurs brothers, Alexander Kröckel, Alexander Tretiakov, and Christopher Grotheer. The latter only popped up once. But now the USA’s Matt Antoine is pushing into that tier.

The women’s competition is a bit more wide-open — 10 sliders had podium finishes in 2012-13.

The Olympics often lend themselves to surprises, anyway.

Downhill we go …

MEN

Gold: Martins Dukurs (Latvia)
Silver: Alexander Tretiakov (Russia)
Bronze: Tomass Dukurs (Latvia)

Also considered: Matt Antoine (USA), Alexander Kröckel (Germany), Frank Rommel (Germany)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: M. Dukurs, T. Dukurs, Antoine, Tretiakov, Rommel, Kröckel, Sergey Chudinov (Russia), John Fairbairn (Canada)

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: M. Dukurs, T. Dukurs, Kröckel, Tretiakov, Rommel, Eric Neilson (Canada), Kristan Bromley (Britain), Christopher Grotheer (Germany)

2013 World Championship top 8: Tretiakov, M. Dukurs, Chudinov, Neilson, Rommel, John Daly (USA), Jon Montgomery (Canada), T. Dukurs

2010 Olympic medalists: Montgomery, M. Dukurs, Tretiakov

WOMEN

Gold: Noelle Pikus-Pace (USA)
Silver: Elizabeth Yarnold (Britain)
Bronze: Shelley Rudman (Britain)

Also considered: Anja Huber (Germany), Sarah Reid (Canada), Marion Thees (Germany), Katie Uhlaender (USA)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Yarnold, Pikus-Pace, Rudman, Janine Flock (Austria), Huber, Thees, Marina Gilardoni (Switzerland), Sophie Griebel (Germany)

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Thees, Huber, Uhlaender, Yarnold, Reid, Mellisa Hollingsworth (Canada), Rudman, Cassie Hawrysh (Canada)

2013 World Championship top 8: Rudman, Pikus-Pace, Reid, Yarnold, Hollingsworth, Michelle Steele (Australia), Uhlaender, Thees

2010 Olympic medalists: Amy Williams (Britain), Kerstin Szymkowiak (Germany), Huber

BIOS

Men

Matt Antoine (USA): Moving into contention with some World Cup success, including an outright win in Lake Placid. (Yes, someone other than Dukurs, Rommel and Tretiakov won a race.)

Kristan Bromley (Britain): Earned a PhD with his research project, “Factors Affecting the Performance of Skeleton Bobsled.” Also the 2008 world champion and the 2004 and 2008 World Cup champion. Still competing past age 40. Engaged to women’s star Shelley Rudman, with whom he has a child.

Sergey Chudinov (Russia): Third place in 2013 World Championship was a bit of a surprise, though he had a World Cup win in 2010-11 on his way to fourth overall.

Martins Dukurs (Latvia): Four straight World Cups, 2011 and 2012 World Championship wins, 2010 Olympic silver medal, 2013 World Championship silver, won all but one race in the 2013 World Cup season and all but one the season before that. We get it. He’s good.

Tomass Dukurs (Latvia): Martins’ older brother had four podium finishes in 2013 to finish second overall. Third overall in 2012.

Alexander Kröckel (Germany): Youngster was third overall in 2013, up from fifth in 2012.

Jon Montgomery (Canada): Home-ice advantage certainly helped in the 2010 Olympics, where he beat the great Martins Dukurs by 0.07 seconds, but he has solid results elsewhere. Not recently, though — he won the 2011 season opener in Whistler and hasn’t been close since. Left off initial Canadian roster for Sochi.

Frank Rommel (Germany): The only person other than Martin Dukurs to win a World Cup race in 2012-13 season, though an early disqualification dropped him to fifth overall. Also the only person other than Dukurs to win a race in 2011-12 season, when he finished second overall. Third in 2011 World Championship.

Ben Sandford (New Zealand): An interesting wild card with a couple of podium finishes, including third in the 2012 World Championships.

Alexander Tretiakov (Russia); Bronze medalist in 2010 climbed to silver in the 2011 World Championships and took the 2013 world title. Also won the World Cup title in 2009. Won a World Cup race in Park City in December 2013.

Women

Mellisa Hollingsworth (Canada): Third overall in 2011 season. Second in 2012 World Championships. Only one podium in 2013 season. Long competition history — two-time World Cup champion, bronze in 2006 Olympics, disappointed to take fifth in 2010 on home ice with rough final run.

Anja Huber (Germany): 2008 world champion and 2011 World Cup champion. Had no wins in 2013 season but still finished second overall.

Noelle Pikus-Pace (USA): Eased back into competition in 2012-13 and ended season with four straight podiums, including a win at Sochi. Won the first three World Cup races of 2013-14. Sort of. She was DQd from the first one.

Sarah Reid (Canada): One win, two runner-up finishes to take fifth overall in 2013. Also third in 2013 World Championships.

Shelley Rudman (Britain): 2006 Olympic silver medalist took time off to have a baby (with fiance Kristan Bromley of the British men’s team), then was the overall runner-up in three straight World Cup seasons before winning it in 2012. One win in erratic 2013 season, but she won the World Championship. Flag bearer at 2010 opening ceremony.

Marion Thees (Germany): Edged Huber by four points to win 2013 World Cup title after finishing second in 2012. Also World Cup champion in 2009. World champion in 2009 and 2011.

Katie Uhlaender (USA): 2012 world champion. Two wins, two second-place finishes en route to third overall in 2013. World Cup champion in 2007 and 2008. Also chased Olympic berth in weightlifting. Two-time Olympian – best finish was sixth in 2006.

Elizabeth Yarnold (Britain): Won two of last four races in 2013 season, then on the podium in the first four races of 2013-14. Also third in 2012 World Championship.

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olympic sports, winter sports

Big winter weekend for USA

Posted on by Beau Dure

No, I’m not talking about the fact that every tree and power line in the Mid-Atlantic is covered with ice right now. I’m talking about skiing, sliding and skating, where a lot of things went right for U.S. athletes two months and change before Sochi:

– Figure skating: Meryl White and Charlie Davis are hardly a surprise in ice dancing, though they have tough rivals for gold in Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. But the record they set in winning the Grand Prix Final was a grand statement. (NBC)

Ashley Wagner also made it to the podium — perhaps all isn’t lost for the non-dancing U.S. skaters in this Olympic year after all. But she’s not totally happy with her skating, and rival Yuna Kim wasn’t at the Final. (NBC)

– Speedskating: 1-2 for Heather Richardson and Brittany Bowe. Get used to it. (NBC) Shani Davis lost his win streak but took third, and Richardson took another podium place as well. (NBC) And there was a surprise win for Joey Mantia. (NBC)

– Bobsled: Yes, it was on a home track, but this was total domination. Steve Holcomb won his third and fourth straight races. The U.S. women finished 1-3-4 in one race and 1-2-2 in another, with Lolo Jones and Lauryn Williams getting medals. (NBC with video of Day 1; NBC with video of Day 2; USA TODAY)

– Skeleton: Noelle Pikus-Pace said “disqualify THIS” and won in Park City. Matt Antoine took third. (NBC with video)

– Luge: Chris Mazdzer won the first World Cup medal for a U.S. man since 2007.  (NBC)

– Alpine skiing: Ted Ligety, as usual, won the giant slalom. Bode Miller’s second place was a little less expected. (NBC with video; USA TODAY)

And Lindsey Vonn got partway back with each race — 40th, 11th, fifth. (NBC with video | USA TODAY)

Not all is well on the Alpine team — after Ligety, Miller, Vonn and slalom specialist Mikaela Shiffrin, the rest of the U.S. skiers haven’t been competitive. But this weekend might make my ongoing medal projections look conservative for the USA.

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medal projections, olympic sports, winter sports

2014 medal projections: Ski jumping

Posted on by Beau Dure

Updated Jan. 14

Finally, women have broken down the gender barrier that kept them from getting Olympic status for the times they fling themselves through the air and land on the snow.

The USA fought for this event for a long time (another Olympic story I covered for some time). They’re also quite good at it, especially if Sarah Hendrickson heals in time.

Away we go …

LARGE HILL

Gold: Gregor Schlierenzauer (Austria)
Silver: Kamil Stoch (Poland)
Bronze: Simon Ammann (Switzerland)

Also considered: Anders Bardal (Norway), Richard Freitag (Germany), Severin Freund (Germany), Anders Jacobsen (Norway), Noriaki Kasai (Japan), Peter Prevc (Slovenia)

2013 World Championship top 8: Stoch, Prevc, Jacobsen, Wolfgang Loitzl (Austria), Jan Matura (Czech Republic), Freitag, Ammann, Schlierenzauer

2010 Olympic medalists: Ammann, Adam Malysz (Poland), Schlierenzauer

NORMAL HILL

Gold: Anders Bardal (Norway)
Silver: Gregor Schlierenzauer (Austria)
Bronze: Severin Freund (Germany)

Also considered: Richard Freitag (Germany), Anders Jacobsen (Norway), Andreas Kofler (Austria), Thomas Morgenstern (Austria), Kamil Stoch (Poland)

2013 World Championship top 8: Bardal, Schlierenzauer, Peter Prevc (Slovenia), Freund, Morgenstern, Freitag, Taku Takeuchi (Japan), Stoch

2010 Olympic medalists: Simon Ammann (Switzerland), Adam Malysz (Poland), Schlierenzauer

TEAM (MEN’S LARGE HILL)

Gold: Austria
Silver: Germany
Bronze: Slovenia

Also considered: Norway, Poland

World Cup (Nation Cup) 2012-13 top 8: Norway, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Poland, Japan, Czech Republic, Russia

2013 World Championship top 8: Austria, Germany, Poland, Norway, Japan, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Italy

2010 Olympic medalists: Austria, Germany, Norway

WOMEN

Gold: Sara Takanashi (Japan)
Silver: Sarah Hendrickson (USA)
Bronze: Irina Avvakumova (Russia)

Also considered: Coline Mattel (France), Anette Sagen (Norway), Jacqueline Seifriedsberger (Austria), Carina Vogt (Germany)

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Takanashi, Hendrickson, Mattel, Seifriedsberger, Sagen, Katja Pozun (Slovenia), Vogt, Lindsey Van (USA)

2013 World Championship top 8: Hendrickson, Takanashi, Seifriedsberger, Mattel, Vogt, Jessica Jerome (USA), Sagen, Evelyn Insam (Italy)

BIOS

Men

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Gregor Schlierenzauer (Austria), Anders Bardal (Norway), Kamil Stoch (Poland), Severin Freund (Germany), Anders Jacobsen (Norway), Robert Kranjec (Slovenia), Peter Prevc (Slovenia), Richard Freitag (Germany)

Simon Ammann (Switzerland): In 2002, the Harry Potter lookalike stunned everyone by winning both gold medals out of nowhere. He won a bit more, then plunged into obscurity and did nothing of note in 2006. He won gold and silver in the 2007 World Championships and found consistency, winning the 2010 World Cup title. And he’s 4-for-4 in Olympic individual ski jumps in North America, winning twice more in 2010.

Anders Bardal (Norway): World Cup season champion in 2012 after never finishing higher than fifth in previous 11 seasons. Second in 2013 and won normal hill World Championship.

Richard Freitag (Germany): Youngster was sixth in 2012 World Cup at age 20. Sixth in each event in 2013 World Championships.

Severin Freund (Germany): Career-best fourth in 2013 World Cup season. Has not yet competed in Olympics.

Anders Jacobsen (Norway): Second in 2007 World Cup but hasn’t been higher than fifth since.

Peter Prevc (Slovenia): Competed in 2010 Olympics at age 17, placing seventh on normal hill. Breakthrough in 2013 with two World Championship medals and a couple of World Cup podiums on the flying hill in his home country.

Gregor Schlierenzauer (Austria): Won the 2009 World Cup title at age 19. Second overall in 2010 and 2012, then first again in 2013. Two bronze medals in 2010, then large hill World Championship in 2011. Not afraid to speak up — he refused to jump in the first event of the 2014 World Cup season in protest over the decision to proceed in strong winds. Then he won the next one, making up for a poor first jump with a whopper in the second round. He’s the favorite.

Kamil Stoch (Poland): Made it to top 10 on World Cup circuit in 2011, then moved up to fifth, then third. Continued his breakout with World Championship gold on the large hill.

Women

Sarah Hendrickson (USA): 2012 World Cup champion at age 17; second in 2013. Won 2013 World Championship. In 13 World Cup events in 2012, won nine and finished second three times. Faces a tough timeline to come back from a knee injury suffered in August.

Daniela Iraschko (Austria): One of the rare 30somethings in this sport; missed much of 2013 season with injury. 2011 world champion.

Coline Mattel (France): Fifth in 2009 World Championships — at age 13. Third in 2011, fourth in 2013. Inconsistent in 2012 World Cup season but much better in 2013.

Anette Sagen (Norway): Won five straight Continental Cup titles (2005-2009) before women earned World Cup status. World Championship best is third in 2009.

Jacqueline Seifriedsberger (Austria): Breakout year in 2013 – fourth in World Cup, third in World Championship.

Sara Takanashi (Japan): 2013 World Cup champion at age 16. Sees Hendrickson as an “icon rather than a rival.”

Lindsey Van (USA): First world champion (2009) in women’s ski jumping and one of the pioneers who led the fight for its inclusion in the Olympics. Injuries have held her back in recent years.

0
medal projections, olympic sports, winter sports

2014 medal projections: Nordic combined

Posted on by Beau Dure

Updated Jan. 14

In 2010, USA TODAY dispatched me to Whistler Olympic Park nearly every day. The biggest story I was supposed to follow: The USA looked likely to get its first medal in Nordic combined, the sport in which athletes test themselves on the ski jump and the cross-country course.

They did indeed get that first medal. Then their first team medal. Then their first gold.

And it’s a fun event to watch. The cross-country race start order is determined by the ski jump results. The farther back you are in the ski jump, the longer you have to wait while the leader leaves you in the dust.

The bad news: The USA is nowhere near that strength this time around. Two-thirds of the old guard is still around — Bill Demong and Todd Lodwick put off retirement a little longer — but they’re not top contenders. That said, the team can still be in the mix — Demong, Lodwick and the Fletcher brothers (Taylor and Bryan) were third in the World Championships. Each Fletcher has had a moment or two of World Cup success.

Away we go …

LARGE HILL/10k RACE

Gold: Eric Frenzel (Germany)
Silver: Wilhelm Dinifl (Austria)
Bronze: Jason Lamy-Chappuis (France)

Also considered: Bernhard Gruber (Austria), Mikko Kokslien (Norway), Akito Watabe (Japan)

2013 World Championship top 8: Frenzel, Gruber, Lamy-Chappuis, Watabe (Japan), Hideaki Nagai (Japan), Denifl, Sebastien Lacroix (France), Magnus Moan (Norway)

2010 Olympic medalists: Bill Demong (USA), Johnny Spillane (USA), Gruber

NORMAL HILL/10k RACE

Gold: Jason Lamy-Chappuis (France)
Silver: Eric Frenzel (Germany)
Bronze: Mikko Kokslien (Norway)

Also considered: Bernhard Gruber (Austria), Alessandro Pittin (Italy), Akito Watabe (Japan)

2013 World Championship top 8: Lamy-Chappuis, Mario Stecher (Austria), Bjoern Kircheisen (Germany), Frenzel, Haavard Klemetsen (Norway), Taihei Kato (Japan), Marjan Jelenko (Slovenia), Christoph Bieler (Austria)

2010 Olympic medalists: Lamy Chappuis, Bill Demong (USA), Alessandro Pittin (Italy)

TEAM (LARGE HILL/4x5k)

Gold: Germany
Silver: Norway
Bronze: France

Also considered: Austria, Japan, USA

World Cup Nation Cup 2012-13 top 8: Germany, Norway, Austria, France, Japan, USA, Czech Republic, Slovenia

2013 World Championship top 8: France, Norway, USA, Japan, Austria, Germany, Italy, Finland

2010 Olympic medalists: Austria, USA, Germany

BIOS

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Eric Frenzel (Germany), Jason Lamy-Chappuis (France), Akito Watabe (Japan), Bernhard Gruber (Austria), Magnus Moan (Norway), Tino Edelmann (Germany), Mikko Kokslien (Norway), Wilhelm Denifl (Austria)

Wilhelm Denifl (Austria): Career-best eighth in 2013, his 14th World Cup season. Never been to Olympics in all that time. Better on large hill, including third behind Gruber and Frenzel in 2013 World Cup event.

Tino Edelmann (Germany): Several World Championship medals, two in individual events. Top 10 in the last four World Cup seasons.

Eric Frenzel (Germany): 2013 World Cup champion. 2011 World Championships: 1st and 3rd. 2013 Worlds: 1st and 4th.

Bernhard Gruber (Austria): Best World Cup season finish is fourth. But he has an Olympic medal and a World Championship medal.

Jason Lamy-Chappuis (France): American-born. 2010 gold medalist; World Cup champion three straights years (2010-2012). Second in 2013 World Cup. Gold and bronze in individual events in 2013 World Championships.

Björn Kircheisen (Germany): Third in 2003 and 2006 World Cups. Fifth in 2012, 11th in 2013. Three-time Olympian. Several scattered World Championship medals.

Mikko Kokslien (Norway): Second in 2011 World Cup; third in 2012.

Magnus Moan (Norway): Silver and bronze at 2006 Games. Second overall in 2006 and 2009 World Cups; slipped to 12th in 2011 and 2012 but has a few wins.

Alessandro Pittin (Italy): Seventh in 2012 World Cup, buoyed by three straight wins at same venue (normal hill). Competed little in 2013 World Cup season.

Mario Stecher (Austria): Going for fifth Olympics. Individual World Championship silver medals in 1999 and 2013.

Akito Watabe (Japan): Second in 2012 World Cup, third in 2013.

1
medal projections, olympic sports, winter sports

2014 medal projections: Freestyle skiing

Posted on by Beau Dure

Updated Jan. 14 and 21 and Feb. 5

Want new events? We’ve got your new events right here — slopestyle and halfpipe. They’re not just for snowboarders any more.

Yes, the X Games-ification of the Olympics continues, and that might mean more medal opportunities for the USA. But the rest of the world has a pretty good headstart, so don’t count on it.

Unlike some of the sports we’ve been covering, there’s very little overlap between events here. If you do aerials, you don’t do moguls. Some halfpipe skiers do slopestyle, and vice versa, but that’s about it. So the formatting here will be slightly different.

One neat thing to note: The World Cup stopped at the Bird’s Nest in Beijing in December for an aerials competition. I can’t think of another venue to host Olympic track and field and World Cup freestyle skiing.

One sad thing to note: This sport has been struck by tragedy in the last Olympic cycle. Aerials silver medalist Jeret “Speedy” Peterson took his own life in 2011. Then halfpipe pioneer Sarah Burke died in a training accident in 2012.

To the slopes, moguls, aerial ramps and halfpipes we go …

MEN

Aerials

Gold: Qi Guangpu (China)
Silver: Jia Zongyang (China)
Bronze: Travis Gerrits (Canada)

Also considered: Alexei Grishin (Belarus), Anton Kushnir (Belarus). Removed Dylan Ferguson (USA), who didn’t qualify, and Olivier Rochon (Canada), who’s injured.

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Jia Zongyang (China), David Morris (Australia), Qi Guangpu (China), Ferguson, Travis Gerrits (Canada), Dmitri Dashinski (Belarus), Maxim Gustik (Belarus), Denis Osipau (Belarus)

2013 World Championship top 8: Qi, Gerrits, Jia, Liu Zhongqing (China), Morris, Oleksandr Abramenko (Ukraine), Christopher Lambert (Switzerland), Wu Chao (China)

2010 Olympic medalists: Grishin, Jeret “Speedy” Peterson (USA), Liu Zhongqing (China)

Moguls

Gold: Mikael Kingsbury (Canada)
Silver: Alex Bilodeau (Canada)
Bronze: Patrick Deneen (USA)

Also considered: Sho Endo (Japan), Bradley Wilson (USA)

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Kingsbury, Bilodeau, Deneen, Wilson, Marc-Antoine Gagnon (Canada), Endo, Philippe Marquis (Canada), Dylan Walczyk (USA)

2013 World Championship top 8 (moguls): Kingsbury, Bilodeau, Deneen, Matt Graham (Australia), Jae-Woo Choi (South Korea), Per Spett (Sweden), Brodie Summers (Australia), Wilson

2013 World Championship top 8 (dual moguls): Bilodeau, Kingsbury, Deneen, Spett, Endo, Sam Hall (Australia), Marquis, Jimi Salonen (Finland)

2010 Olympic medalists: Bilodeau, Dale Begg-Smith (Australia), Bryon Wilson (USA)

Skicross

Gold: Alex Fiva (Switzerland)
Silver: Dave Duncan (Canada)
Bronze: Andreas Matt (Austria)

Also considered: Jean Frederic Chapuis (France), Chris Del Bosco (Canada), Filip Flisar (Slovenia), Victor Oehling Norberg (Sweden)

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Fiva, Armin Niederer (Switzerland), Norberg, Chapuis, Brady Leman (Canada), Flisar, Tomas Kraus (Czech Republic), Jouni Pellinen (Finland)

2013 World Championship top 8: Chapuis, Bastien Midol (France), John Teller (USA), Pellinen, Flisar, Del Bosco, Anton Grimus (Australia), Marco Tomasi (Italy)

2012 Winter X Games: Del Bosco, Flisar, Duncan, Pellinen

2010 Olympic medalists: Michael Schmid (Switzerland), Matt, Audun Groenvold (Norway)

Slopestyle

Gold: Nick Goepper (USA)
Silver: Gus Kenworthy (USA)
Bronze: James Woods (Britain)

Also considered: Bobby Brown (USA), Joss Christiansen (USA), Oscar Wester (Sweden). Removed Tom Wallisch (USA), who didn’t qualify

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Woods, Johan Berg (Norway), Oscar Wester (Sweden), Alex Beaulieu-Marchand (Canada), Lyman Currier (USA), Fabian Boesch (Switzerland), Laurent de Martin (Switzerland), Jonas Hunziker (Switzerland)

2013 World Championship top 8: Wallisch, Woods, Goepper, Andreas Haatveit (Norway), Antoine Adelisse (France), Kenworthy, Wester, Beau-James Wells (New Zealand)

2013 X Games Aspen medalists: Goepper, Henrik Harlaut (Sweden), Woods

2013 X Games Tignes medalists: McRae Williams (USA), Jossi Wells (New Zealand), Kenworthy

Halfpipe

Gold: David Wise (USA)
Silver: Torin Yater-Wallace (USA)
Bronze: Mike Riddle (Canada)

Also considered: Justin Dorey (Canada), Thomas Krief (France), Kevin Rolland (France)

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Riddle, Yater-Wallace, Wise, Aaron Blunck (USA), Krief, Antti-Jussi Kemppainen (Finland), Gus Kenworthy (USA), Matt Margetts (Canada)

2013 World Championship top 8: Wise, Yater-Wallace, Krief, Riddle, Kemppainen, Blunck, Kevin Rolland (France), Simon Dumont (USA)

2013 X Games Aspen medalists: Wise, Yater-Wallace, Dumont

2013 X Games Tignes medalists: Yater-Wallace, Wise, Rolland

WOMEN

Aerials

Gold: Xu Mengtao (China)
Silver: Lydia Lassila (Australia)
Bronze: Danielle Scott (Australia)

Also considered: Ashley Caldwell (USA), Emily Cook (USA), pretty much anyone else from China or Australia who makes the team

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Xu, Cook, Lassila, Laura Peel (Australia), Zhang Xin (China), Yang Yu (China), Nadiya Didenko (Ukraine), Scott

2013 World Championship top 8: Xu, Veronika Korsunova (Russia), Scott, Xu Sicun (China), Lassila, Samantha Wells (Australia), Tanja Schaerer (Switzerland), Peel

2010 Olympic medalists: Lassila, Li Nina (China), Guo Xinxin (China)

Moguls

Gold: Hannah Kearney (USA)
Silver: Justine Dufour-Lapointe (Canada)
Bronze: Heather McPhie (USA)

Also considered: Chloe Dufour-Lapointe (Canada), Miki Ito (Japan)

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Kearney, J. Dufour-Lapointe, McPhie, Eliza Outtrim (USA), C. Dufour-Lapointe, Ito, Aiko Uemura (Japan), Nikola Sudova (Czech Republic)

2013 World Championship top 8 (moguls): Kearney, Ito, J. Dufour-Lapointe, McPhie, Uemura, Arisa Murata (Japan), Sudova, C. Dufour-Lapointe

2013 World Championship top 8 (dual moguls): C. Dufour-Lapointe, Ito, Kearney, McPhie, Murata, Sudova, Andi Naude (Canada), Britteny Cox (Australia)

2010 Olympic medalists: Kearney, Jennifer Heil (Canada), Shannon Bahrke (USA)

Skicross

Gold: Fanny Smith (Switzerland)
Silver: Ophelie David (France)
Bronze: Marielle Thompson (Canada)

Also considered: Katrin Mueller (Switzerland), Kelsey Serwa (Canada)

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Smith, David, Marielle Berger Sabbatel (France), Serwa, Mueller, Marte Gjefsen (Norway), Thompson, Georgia Simmerling (Canada)

2013 World Championship top 8: Smith, Thompson, David, Jorinde Mueller (Switzerland), Anna Woerner (Germany), Katrin Ofner (Austria), Alizee Baron (France), Katya Crema (Australia)

2012 Winter X Games: Gjefsen, Hedda Berntsen (Norway), Jenny Owens (Australia)

2010 Olympic medalists: Ashleigh McIvor (Canada), Berntsen, Marion Josserand (France)

Slopestyle

Gold: Kaya Turski (Canada)
Silver: Tiril Sjaastad Christiansen (Norway)
Bronze: Keri Herman (USA)

Also considered: Dara Howell (Canada), Devin Logan (USA)

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Herman, Christiansen, Howell, Anna Segal (Australia), Alexi Micinski (USA), Anna Willcox-Silfverberg (New Zealand), Dominique Ohaco (Chile), Chiho Takao (Japan)

2013 World Championship top 8: Turski, Howell, Grete Eliassen (USA), Katie Summerhayes (Britain), Yuki Tsubota (Canada), Micinski, Jamie Crane-Mauzy (USA), Natalia Slepecka (Slovakia)

2013 X Games Aspen medalists: Christiansen, Turski, Howell

2013 X Games Tignes medalists: Turski, Christiansen, Howell

Halfpipe

Gold: Virginie Faivre (Switzerland)
Silver: Roz Groenewoud (Canada)
Bronze: Maddie Bowman (USA)

Also considered: Marie Martinod (France), Ayana Onozuka (Japan)

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Faivre, Groenewoud, Onozuka, Bowman, Mirjam Jaeger (Switzerland), Keltie Hansen (Canada), Annalisa Drew (USA), Katrien Aerts (Belgium)

2013 World Championship top 8: Faivre, Anais Caradeux (France), Onozuka, Manami Mitsuboshi (Japan), Martinod, Angeli Vanlaanen (USA), Hansen, Jaeger

2013 X Games Aspen medalists: Bowman, Groenewoud, Megan Gunning

2013 X Games Tignes medalists: Martinod, Caradeux, Bowman

BIOS

Men

Aerials

Dylan Ferguson (USA): Back-to-back fourth-place World Cup seasons. Missed 2010 Olympics after complications with his appendix. Controversially omitted from team.

Travis Gerrits (Canada): Breakthrough season in 2013: Fifth in World Cup, second in World Championships.

Qi Guangpu (China): 2011 World Cup champion, 2013 world champion (second in 2011).

David Morris (Australia): Second in 2013 World Cup.

Jia Zongyang (China): Last four World Cup seasons: third, fourth, second, first.

Moguls

Alex Bilodeau (Canada): Olympic champion. 2009 World Cup champion; second in 2011 and 2013. Back-to-back-to-back world champion in dual moguls; back-to-back runner-up in moguls.

Patrick Deneen (USA): Top four in last three World Cup seasons. 2009 world champion.

Sho Endo (Japan): Good year in 2013 – sixth in World Cup, fifth in dual moguls at World Championships.

Mikael Kingsbury (Canada): Back-to-back World Cup champion, the first at age 19. Four straight podiums in 2011 and 2013 World Championship moguls/dual moguls.

Bradley Wilson (USA): Fourth in 2013 World Cup at age 20.

Skicross

Jean Frederic Chapuis (France): Some decent results then a big bang to end the 2013 season — world championship, third and first in last two World Cup races.

Chris Del Bosco (Canada): Two-time X Games champion and 2011 world champion. Second in World Cup three straight years (2009-11). Not too active in 2013 but was second in World Cup race in Sochi.

Dave Duncan (Canada): Broke collarbone just before 2010 Olympics. Has a couple of X Games medals.

Alex Fiva (Switzerland): World Cup 2013 champion is consistently in top places on Cup circuit but hasn’t broken through in big events.

Filip Flisar (Slovenia): A few World Cup wins and the season title in 2012. Has videos devoted to his mustache.

Armin Niederer (Switzerland): Several good results in World Cup.

Victor Oehling Norberg (Sweden): Breakthrough 2013 season included win in Sochi.

John Teller (USA): Wildly inconsistent, though that’s somewhat explained by the nature of the event.

Slopestyle

Nick Goepper (USA): Turns 20 after the Olympics. Already has an X Games gold and World Championship bronze.

Gus Kenworthy (USA): Rare two-event threat nearly made team in halfpipe as well.

Tom Wallisch (USA): Won 2012 X Games Aspen and 2013 world title, along with several Dew Tour stops. Then he didn’t make the Olympic team. Tough competition.

James Woods (Britain): Longest hair in Britain?

Halfpipe

Simon Dumont (USA): Ever seen the video of him falling 80 feet? He recovered and started his own competition, the Dumont Cup, to let newcomers compete alongside pros. And he has a nice safe side career racing cars. Several X Games medals.

Mike Riddle (Canada): 2011 world champion and 2013 World Cup champion.

David Wise (USA): 2013 X Games Aspen and world champion. Also 2012 X Games Aspen.

Torin Yater-Wallace (USA): Won a 2011 X Games medal at age 15. Now has a couple of X Games Tignes gold medalst, plus second place in the 2013 World Championship and World Cup.

Women

Aerials

Emily Cook (USA): Started competing in 1998 and had best World Cup season in 2013. Competed in two Olympics and seven world championships — best result is fourth in 2009.

Lydia Lassila (Australia): Olympic champion and 2009 World Cup champion took time off to start a family, then came back with strong 2013 season.

Danielle Scott (Australia): Consistent top-five finisher in second World Cup season.

Xu Mengtao (China): Back-to-back World Cup champion. Two-time World Championship runner-up before winning it in 2013. Sixth in 2010 Olympics — has finished no lower than third in World Cup competition since then.

Zhang Xin (China): 11 World Cup podiums.

Moguls

Chloe Dufour-Lapointe (Canada): The Venus to Justine’s Serena — the older sister with two World Championship medals in dual moguls.

Justine Dufour-Lapointe (Canada): Two-time World Cup season runner-up before her 19th birthday.

Hannah Kearney (USA): Won four of the last five World Cup titles. On the podium for all moguls and dual moguls World Championship events in 2011 and 2013. Won 16 straight World Cup events in 2011 and 2012, then eight of the last 14.

Heather McPhie (USA): Top five in last four World Cup seasons — every position except first. Fourth place in last three World Championship events.

Skicross

Hedda Berntsen (Norway): Former Alpine skier has Olympic and X Games medals. Competed little in 2013.

Ophelie David (France): Four-time X Games winner, 2007 world champion and seven-time World Cup champion crashed in the 2010 Olympic quarterfinals. Back to try again at age 37.

Kelsey Serwa (Canada): 2011 world champion kept out of 2013 event due to injury. Fifth in 2010 Olympics.

Fanny Smith (Switzerland): World Cup champion and world champion at age 20. Seventh in 2010 Olympics at age 17.

Marielle Thompson (Canada): 2012 World Cup champion and 2013 World Championship runner-up. Then won the junior world championship.

Slopestyle

Tiril Sjaastad Christiansen (Norway): 18-year-old has two X Games medals and was 2013 World Cup runner-up.

Keri Herman (USA): Lots of X Games silver and the 2013 World Cup title.

Dara Howell (Canada): Not yet 20, three-time X Games medalist and World Championship silver medalist.

Kaya Turski (Canada): 2013 world champion and three-time X Games champion.

Halfpipe

Maddie Bowman (USA): Turns 20 in January. Moved up from 2012 X Games Aspen silver to gold in 2013.

Virginie Faivre (Switzerland): Three-time World Cup champion and two-time world champion. Rarely finishes off the podium.

Roz Groenewoud (Canada): 2011 world champion, 2012 X Games Aspen winner. Close friend of late halfpipe pioneer Sarah Burke.

Ayana Onozuka (Japan): Scant competition record but mostly top-fives.

Marie Martinod (France): Took seven-year break to start a family, then came back to chase the Olympics. 3-for-3 in halfpipe competition in 2004 World Cup season. Didn’t compete again on World Cup circuit until January 2013, winning in Copper Mountain.

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basketball, college sports, mind games, olympic sports, winter sports

At Ozy.com: Magnus Carlsen, hoops freshmen, curling

Posted on by Beau Dure

If you haven’t checked out Ozy.com yet, please do. It’s a terrific site capturing the next wave of what’s important, what’s interesting and what’s cool.

And I’m not just saying that because they’ve given me the opportunity to write three terrific pieces:

– Magnus Carlsen, the new face of chess (written before he won the world title)

– College basketball’s big freshmen: Jabari Parker, Julius Randle, Andrew Wiggins

– Curling: From the Olympics to Arizona, it’s catching on. Can the USA harness that interest and build better teams?

The medal projections here at SportsMyriad are ongoing. Freestyle skiing just takes a while.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

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medal projections, olympic sports, winter sports

2014 medal projections: Bobsled

Posted on by Beau Dure

Updated Jan. 14 and Feb. 4

No offense to those who give a big push at the start and go through the impeccably choreographed procedure of getting in the sled, but we’ll have to focus on drivers for these rankings. They’re the ones who get ranked, and the brakemen / brakewomen / push athletes will undoubtedly get shuffled before the Games.

Sweeps are theoretically possible. In each event, a couple of countries can bring three sleds. Some countries can even bring four drivers for the two men’s events.

But you can’t take a bunch of backup push athletes, which is why Lolo Jones and Lauryn Williams were somewhat controversial inclusions.

Here we go …

TWO-MAN

Gold: Beat Hefti (Switzerland)
Silver: Francesco Friedrich (Germany)
Bronze: Alexander Zubkov (Russia)

Also: Thomas Florschütz (Germany), Steven Holcomb (USA), Oskars Melbardis (Latvia), Lyndon Rush (Canada)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Holcomb, Hefti, Zubkov, Friedrich, Cory Butner (USA), Nick Cunningham (USA), Rush, Florschütz

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Rush, Melbardis, Manuel Machata (Germany), Holcomb, Zubkov, Friedrich, Simone Bertazzo (Italy), Butner … (Hefti and Florschütz missed part of the season.)

2013 World Championship top 8: Friedrich, Hefti, Florschütz, Holcomb, Melbardis, Chris Spring (Canada), Zubkov, Rush

2010 Olympic medalists: Andre Lange (Germany, retired), Florschütz, Zubkov

FOUR-MAN

Gold: Alexander Zubkov (Russia)
Silver: Maximilian Arndt (Germany)
Bronze: Steven Holcomb (USA)

Also: Oskars Melbardis (Latvia)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Arndt, Holcomb, Zubkov, Thomas Florschütz (Germany), Chris Spring (Canada), Alexander Kasjanov (Russia), Melbardis, Francesco Friedrich (Germany)

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Zubkov, Melbardis, Manuel Machata (Germany), Arndt, John James Jackson (Britain), Holcomb, Lyndon Rush (Canada), Kasnajov

2013 World Championship top 8: Arndt, Zubkov, Holcomb, Hefti, Jackson, Rico Peter (Switzerland), Florschütz, Machata

2010 Olympic medalists: Holcomb, Andre Lange (Germany, retired), Rush

WOMEN

Gold: Kaillie Humphries (Canada)
Silver: Elana Meyers (USA)
Bronze: Sandra Kiriasis (Germany)

Also: Jamie Greubel (USA), Cathleen Martini (Germany), Anja Schneiderheinze (Germany)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Humphries, Meyers, Greubel, Kiriasis, Martini, Schneiderheinze, Jazmine Fenlator (USA), Fabienne Meyer (Switzerland)

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Humphries, Kiriasis, Martini, Schneiderheinze, Esme Kamphuis (Netherlands), Meyers, Meyer, Christina Hengster (Austria)

2013 World Championship top 8: Humphries, Meyers, Kiriasis, Martini, Schneiderheinze, Kamphuis, Miriam Wagner (Germany), Fenlator

2010 Olympic medalists: Humphries, Helen Upperton (Canada), Erin Pac (USA; retired)

BIOS

Men

Maximilian Arndt (Germany): 2013 four-man world champion (w/Marko Huebenbecker, Alexander Roediger, Martin Putze). Also had two first and two seconds in the last five World Cup four-man races. Silver (four-man) and bronze (two-man) in 2012 worlds.

Cory Butner (USA): Two runner-up finishes on home ice in World Cup two-man races in 2012-13.

Nick Cunningham (USA): Third place on home ice in World Cup four-man race at Lake Placid 2012.

Thomas Florschütz (Germany): 2010 two-man bronze medalist and three-time World Championship two-man runner-up came on strong at the end of 2012-13, with one win and two runner-up finishes in last four two-man races. Also third in World Championship two-man (w/Andreas Bredau).

Francesco Friedrich (Germany): 2013 two-man world champion (w/Jannis Baecker). Reached podium in six of seven two-man World Cup races in 2012-13.

Steven Holcomb (USA): Great story, told in his book But Now I See: My Journey from Blindness to Olympic Gold. Won four-man world title in 2009, four-man Olympic gold in 2010 and BOTH world titles in 2012. In 2012-13: Ran well in the USA and not as well in Europe. Won first three two-man races and finished fourth on the season; finished sixth overall in four-man. The “Night Train” four-man sled (Steve Langton, Justin Olsen, Curt Tomasevicz) gets the publicity, but he’s formidable in two-man as well.

Beat Hefti (Switzerland): Not a big-band leader of the 1940s but a veteran with three Olympic bronze medals (2002 two-man, 2006 both races) and one world title (2007 four-man). Missed part of the 2012-13 World Cup season, then won three two-man and one four-man race. Also second in World Championship two-man (w/Thomas Lamparter).

John James Jackson (Britain): No finish higher than fifth in World Cup 2012-13, but he finished fifth overall in four-man. World Championship four-man? Also fifth. Also a longtime Royal Marine commando. Ruptured Achilles this summer but is already training again.

Alexander Kasjanov (Russia): Had a couple of World Cup four-man podium finishes in 2012-13. Fourth in 2011-12 World Cup four-man.

Manuel Machata (Germany): Huge year in 2010-11: Four-man World Cup champion, two-man World Cup runner-up, two-man and four-man world champion. 2011-12: Third in World Championship four-man. 2012-13: Third in each World Cup discipline. Missed out on Olympics. That’s how tough the German team is.

Oskars Melbardis (Latvia): Good career as push athlete; switched to driver for 2010-11 season and has a few World Cup podium finishes. Second in each discipline in 2012-13 World Cup.

Lyndon Rush (Canada): Two-man World Cup champion 2012-13, with two wins. 2010 bronze medalist in four-man. Second in two-man in 2012 worlds. Longtime two-man partner is former CFL football player Jesse Lumsden.

Alexander Zubkov (Russia): Dominant in four-man 2012-13, winning five of his eight World Cup races and missing the podium only once. World Championship four-man runner-up (with Alexey Negodaylo, Dmitry Trunenkov, Maxim Mokrousov). Not as strong in two-man, but he does have 2010 bronze and 2011 world title.

Women

Jazmine Fenlator (USA): Former brakewoman had two podiums in 2012-13.

Kaillie Humphries (Canada): 2010 gold medalist was overwhelming in 2012-13: Six wins, one second-place finish and two third-place finishes. Plus the World Championship, her second straight. Husband Dan is a push athlete (not on her sled, obviously).

Esme Kamphuis (Netherlands): Fifth in World Cup 2012-13. Sixth in 2010-11 (one podium).

Sandra Kiriasis (Germany): Olympic finishes: 2002 silver, 2006 gold, 2010 fourth. World champion in 2005, 2007 and 2008. In 2012-13: Two wins out of six podiums in nine World Cup races (second overall), third in World Championships.

Cathleen Martini (Germany): One win, three podiums (third overall) in World Cup 2012-13. World champion in 2011; World Cup champion in 2011-12. Fourth in last two World Championships. Crashed in 2010 Olympics.

Fabienne Meyer (Switzerland): Fourth (top non-German) in 2011-12 World Cup, with four podiums. In 2012-13: Seventh with one podium.

Elana Meyers (USA): 2012-13: Not consistent but had four World Cup podiums and runner-up finish in World Championships.

Anja Schneiderheinze (Germany): Sandra Kiriasis’ former brakewoman started World Cup driving career midway through 2010-11 World Cup with three straight runner-up finishes. Second in 2011-12 World Cup (two wins); fourth in 2012-13 World Cup. Fifth in 2013 World Championships.

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