The Winter Olympics alpine ski competition was getting back on track on Monday after a snowy Sunday.
Under bright, sunny skies, the men’s giant slalom was first up, followed by the women’s super-G postponed from the previous day.
In the evening Canada takes on Sweden in the women’s ice hockey final and there is the climax to the ice dance.
The men were up first at the Sestriere winter ski station about 90km fom Turin with American star Bode Miller looking to end a nightmare run which has seen him fail abysmally in the three events contested so far.
Depsite that he will once again start among the favourites but will have to duel with the slalom specialists such as Austria’s Benjamin Raich who will come into their own after the speed events.
The women’s super-G awaits word whether or not Croatia’s Janica Kostelic, gold medal winner in the combined, has shaken off the effects of flu in time to take part.
If she has, she will renew her great rivalry with Sweden’s Anja Paerson, who is still seeking her first Olympic gold and who is growing increasingly frustrated with her failure to do so.
The day’s other three golds will be contested in the evening.
Canada will start as odds-on favourites in the women’s ice hockey final against Sweden, a side who created one of the biggest upsets of the Games so far in defeating the United States in the semifinals.
In the ever-popular ice dance free programme, Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov are in pole position to make it three out of four golds for Russian figure skaters as they bid to sweep the Olympic titles.
In Sunday’s original dance, in an evening marked by a series of spectacular falls, they scored 61,07 points for a combined total of 99,27.
That gave them a 1,38 point advantage on world silver medallists Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto of the United States who surged to second from sixth.
Elena Grushina and Ruslan Goncharov of the Ukraine are in third 2,59 points behind the Russians.
Up at Pragelato, a battle-royale is expected between Norway, Austria and Finland in the large hill team event.
Austria’s youngsters went gold-silver in the individual event, but Norway have better strength in depth and Finland are looking to rebound from what has been a disappointing Olympics to date.
Elsewhere, the Olympic curling competition group stages come to an end and by the end of the day the semifinals line-up in the women’s and men’s competition will be known.
The women’s pairs will get under way up at Cesana Pariol and with the snow finally out of the way there are qualifications in the women’s and men’s freestyle aerials. – AFP
