BEAVER CREEK, Colo. (AP) UP NEXT
The Nations Team event Tuesday will be held in Vail, instead of Beaver Creek.
2013 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS NATIONS TEAM MEDALISTS
Gold, Austria. Silver, Sweden. Bronze, Germany.
THE FAVORITES
Austria: The first nation of skiing has won two gold medals in the event.
Germany: The country captured a bronze two years ago but won't have Maria Hoefl-Riesch after she retired after last season.
United States: Will be tough, especially if technical specialist Mikaela Shiffrin is in the lineup. Who knows? Maybe Ted Ligety or Julia Mancuso might decide to jump into the competition.
DON'T FORGET ABOUT
Italy: It's been a struggle at worlds so far for the Italians, which were counting on being strong in the speed events but were shut out of the medals.
QUOTABLE
''My plans for this championships was, in the best case, to catch one medal, doesn't matter which color. I reached my goals. Everything that happens now is super good.'' - Austria's Marcel Hirscher, who won the Alpine combined title on Sunday.
FACTS & FIGURES
This event is the only team-style competition at worlds. It's a bracket tournament in which two men and two women from each country compete head-to-head in a parallel giant slalom race. Win and that nation advances. Lose and that nation is knocked out. ... These races will be held on the slopes of nearby Vail. ... Austria beat Sweden 4-0 in the final two years ago in Austria. ... Michaela Kirchgasser of Austria has two gold medals in the event. ... Maria Pietilae-Holmner of Sweden has a 7-1 record in this event, losing only to Kirchgasser in 2013. ... The International Ski Federation is trying to get the discipline included as a medal event in the Olympics.
