MEDAL PICKS BY ANITA VERSCHOTH
Nordic Skiing

The Norwegian men and Russian women should prevail in cross-country, while Germany should dominate the biathlon. The Japanese jumpers, accustomed to the tricky winds of Hakuba, figure to clean up at home, while the U.S. could land its first medal ever in the combined.

• Ole Einar Bjørndalen, Norway
• Ricco Gross, Germany
• Sven Fischer, Germany

U.S. Jay Hakkinen, 20, was world junior champion in this event in '97.

20K
February 11

• Sven Fischer, Germany
• Viktor Maigurov, Russia
• Ole Einar Bjørndalen, Norway

U.S. Alaskan fisherman Hakkinen should reel in a top 25 finish.

4 x 7.5K RELAY
February 21

• Germany
• Russia
• Norway

U.S. Finishing 13th would be lucky.

• Petra Behle, Germany
• Magdalena Forsberg, Sweden
• Uschi Disl, Germany

U.S. Dartmouth grad Stacey Wooley was 12th in the 7.5 at the '97 worlds.

15K
February 9

• Magdalena Forsberg, Sweden
• Galina Koukleva, Russia
• Andrea Grasic, Slovenia

U.S. Wooley, who trains in Germany, has her sights on a top 20 finish.

4 x 7.5 K RELAY
February 19

• Germany
• Norway
• Russia

U.S. Ninth would be a victory.

• Bjørn Dæhlie, Norway
• Sture Sivertsen, Norway
• Mika Myllyla, Finland

U.S. England-born Maine resident Marcus Nash looks to be headed for the top 25.

15K PURSUIT FREESTYLE
February 14

• Bjørn Dæhlie, Norway
• Thomas Alsgaard, Norway
• Silvio Fauner, Italy

U.S. After tearing thumb ligaments in '96 and breaking his back in '97, Justin Wadsworth would do well to place 25th.

30K CLASSICAL STYLE
February 9

• Vladimir Smirnov, Kazakhstan
• Mika Myllyla, Finland
• Erling Jevne, Norway

U.S. A long way to go for sprinter Nash, but he should still climb into the top 30.

50K FREESTYLE
February 22

• Pietro Piller Cottrer, Italy
• Bjørn Dæhlie, Norway
• Alexei Prokurorov, Russia

U.S. Since an enlarged liver knocked him out of the 1994 trials, John Bauer has been pointing to Nagano; top 40 would be swell.

4 x 10K RELAY—MIXED STYLE
February 18

• Norway
• Italy
• Finland

U.S. Better than most: The Americans are in the top half among the 20 entrants.

• Elena Vaelbe, Russia
• Stefania Belmondo, Italy
• Larissa Lazhutina, Russia

U.S. Vermonter Kerrin Petty, who trains in Mora, Sweden, is back after a virus sidelined her in '97; she could make the top 25.

10K PURSUIT FREESTYLE
February 12

• Elena Vaelbe, Russia
• Katerina Neumannova, Czech Republic
• Stefania Belmondo, Italy

U.S. Minneapolis teacher Suzanne King, who started racing after graduating from Dartmouth in '86, should make the grade in the top 30.

15K CLASSICAL STYLE
February 8

• Larissa Lazhutina, Russia
• Bente Martinsen, Norway
• Elena Vaelbe, Russia

U.S. If Norway-based Nina Kemppel can rediscover the stamina she had two years ago, she will finish in the top 30.

30K FREESTYLE
February 20

• Stefania Belmondo, Italy
• Elena Vaelbe, Russia
• Katerina Neumannova, Czech Republic

U.S. Freestyle is the strength of Laura Wilson, Petty's former teammate at Vermont.

4 x 5K RELAY—MIXED STYLE
February 16

• Russia
• Norway
• Italy

U.S. The Americans should be no better than in 1994, but no worse—10th place is likely again.

• Bjarte Engen Vik, Norway
• Mario Stecher, Austria
• Todd Lodwick, U.S.

U.S. Coloradan Lodwick is flying high after winning a World Cup event in Schonach, Germany,
last month. Tim Tetreault of Vermont, who was third in a competition in Lahti, Finland, last March, should also land in the top dozen.

TEAM
February 19 and 20

• Finland
• Austria
• Norway

U.S. With 21-year-old Lodwick and 27-year-old Tetreault, the Americans should come in no worse than fifth—their best Olympic finish ever.

90-METER HILL
February 11

• Dieter Thoma, Germany
• Masahiko Harada, Japan [spotlight]
• Janne Ahonen, Finland

U.S. Four-time national champ Randy Weber, 20, the most stylish American jumper, should sail into the top 30.

120-METER HILL
February 15

• Masahiko Harada, Japan [spotlight]
• Kazuyoshi Funaki, Japan
• Noriaki Kasai, Japan

U.S. A third-generation jumper, 23-year-old Casey Colby from Lake Placid is America's best—but the world's 40th.

120-METER HILL, TEAM
February 17

• Japan
• Finland
• Austria

U.S. With luck, and a hearty tailwind, the young American team (average age: 19.4) could leap to 15th.

Michelle Kwan | Swedish Hockey | Luge Duo | Hockey Photo Act

Issue date: February 9, 1998