Everybody wants to put on a good impression at home. So, while Olympic fans across America will be focused on Lindsey Vonn and Shaun White, Bode and Apolo, a lot of folks in Canada will be watching the sports, while also keeping a keen eye on the medals table. Bringing the Winter Games to Vancouver, Canada has not tried to hide its main goal for 2010: Winning the most medals. It's not a mere fantasy. A country that has improved its medal count at every Winter Olympics since 1980 won 24 in 2006, one fewer than the United States, and only five off the pace set by first-place Germany.
In preparing for 2010, Canada has pumped more than $100 million into a program called ``Own the Podium.'' Canada has heavy medal potential in skating, freestyle skiing, curling and, of course, hockey. Germany and Norway are traditional powers, with the United States making big strides since a big push that resulted from hosting the 2002 Games. The final medal of these Olympics will be awarded Feb. 28 in that quintessential Canadian sport - men's hockey, where expectations are, of course, always high. Should be even more interesting if first place in the medal standings is still up for grabs at that point.
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ALPINE SKIING:
Lindsey Vonn has won everything there is to win in Alpine skiing - overall World Cup titles, world championship gold medals, bundles of World Cup races. The one thing missing from the American's collection is an Olympic medal, and Vonn will get down to the business of completing her resume on Valentine's Day in the super-combi. She could be the star of the show in the downhill and super-G, too. But before NBC's poster girl takes to the hill at Whistler, all eyes in Canada will be on local favorite and north Vancouver native Manuel Osborne-Paradis in the men's downhill, which opens the Alpine schedule Feb. 13. Also among the favorites are two-time overall World Cup winner Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway and speed specialist Didier Cuche of Switzerland, who's recovering from a broken right thumb. And don't forget Bode Miller, who's back to redeem himself after his Turin debacle, rejoining the U.S. Ski Team after two years of racing and training on his own. Vonn's top rival also happens to be her best friend, Maria Riesch of Germany, and Anja Paerson of Sweden - who already owns five Olympic medals - is someone else to keep an eye on.
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BIATHLON:
No American has ever won an Olympic medal in biathlon, Europe's most popular winter sport. But Tim Burke of Paul Smith's, N.Y., aims to change that. Burke has twice worn the yellow bib this season as the World Cup's overall points leader, and he has the first three podium finishes of his career in the last three months. Although the international field won't be surprised if Burke or another American scales the podium in Vancouver, the Norwegians, Russians and Germans remain the class of the field. Five-time Olympic champion Ole Einar Bjorndalen of Norway is the king of this sport, with Michael Greis of Germany, who made a name for himself in Turin four years ago, and Russia's Evgeny Ustyugov will be two to watch. Jay Hakkinen, of Kasilof, Alaska, is making his fourth trip to the Olympics. He came so close to a medal in Turin, but a split bullet, which hit the target but didn't drop it, cost him the bronze medal.
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BOBSLED:
No American four-man bobsled has won a gold medal since 1948, and Steven Holcomb - driver of the so-called ``Night Train'' - could be the one to change that. Holcomb's team is the reigning world champion, although the Americans will face a serious test from German driver Andre Lange, who'll head to Vancouver looking for his second straight win in two-man and third straight Olympic title in four-man. Canadians will look to exploit a huge home-track advantage, especially in two-man and women's bobsledding, where Helen Upperton and Kaillie Humphries both are good enough to drive to gold. Germany's Sandra Kiriasis will try to defend her Olympic title, and 2006 silver medalist Shauna Rohbock will try to become the second American woman to drive to the gold since 2002, when Jill Bakken and Vonetta Flowers won for the United States.
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CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING:
Petter Northug could emerge as one of the biggest stars in Vancouver, as the triple world champion is trying to cement his status as the next Norwegian cross-country great. Northug's unrivaled sprinting ability makes him a runaway favorite in the 30K pursuit and should be enough to give Norway the relay gold. But the Olympic program doesn't really suit his strengths, with the marquee 50K race held in the classical style rather freestyle. He also will face a tough challenge from Lukas Bauer of the Czech Republic, who beat the Norwegian for the overall Tour de Ski title this month. Meanwhile, Justyna Kowalczyk is trying to become the first Polish woman to win a cross-country gold after taking two world championship titles and the overall World Cup crown last year. But don't count out Norwegian veteran Marit Bjorgen, who had a strong start to the season and can challenge for medals in both the distance and sprint events.
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CURLING:
Curling already is known as a gentlemanly sport boasting of its etiquette and good-natured fun. Take the tradition of playing a match then hitting the beer garden for a cold one before calling it a night. With the Canadians the favorite in both the men's and women's events, will the hosts feel the pressure of the thousands of fans in the seats at Vancouver Olympic Centre to watch and cheer them on their home ice? Or will they be able to sit back and enjoy the ride? Curling tickets have been tough to get thanks to the popularity of this event in a country where hockey rules but curling is a close second. There are more than 1 million curlers in Canada, and that number will only grow if the Canadians shine as expected.
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FREESTYLE:
Is China ready to fly? The Chinese aerial team has evolved into a powerhouse over the last four years. Defending Olympic champion Han Xiaopeng - who won the country's first freestyle gold at Turin - has been slowed by injuries, opening the door for teammates like Jia Zongyang and Liu Zhongqing to step in. The women's team is a serious threat to sweep the podium, with Li Nina and 19-year-old Xu Mengtao considered the best of a talented bunch. Things are a bit more wide-open in moguls, though defending Olympic women's champion Jennifer Heil of Canada remains the best in the business. Australian Dale Begg-Smith is looking for a repeat on the men's side and appears to be fully recovered from a knee injury last February that cut short his bid for a fourth straight World Cup title. Skicross will make its Olympic debut, with organizers hoping it can provide the same thrills its cousin snowboardcross made at Turin. The event has become a last bastion for former Alpine greats, including American Daron Rahlves, who will look for his first Olympic gold at the tender age of 36.
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FIGURE SKATING:
They're baaaaaaaaack! Reigning Olympic men's champion Evgeni Plushenko, runner-up Stephane Lambiel and two-time bronze pairs medalists Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo all ended retirements to make one more run at gold in Vancouver. Comebacks have been a mixed bag in figure skating, and Plushenko and Lambiel will have their hands full with American Evan Lysacek and Canada's favorite son, Patrick Chan. Shen and Zhao have been unbeatable so far, but Germany's Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy will have something to say about that. In ice dance, the powerhouse is ... the United States? Yes, after years of not even registering with the judges, the Americans have contenders in Turin silver medalists Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto and Grand Prix final champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White. As for the women, those gold crowns gleaming in Kim Yu-na's ears after the South Korean won the world title last spring pretty much sum it up.
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HOCKEY:
Olympic hockey offers up a tantalizing format rarely seen in the four major American professional team sports: teammates become hard-hitting rivals during an all-star tournament that features all the big names. Will Evgeni Malkin risk injuring teammate Sidney Crosby with a big hit that might end the Penguins' Stanley Cup chances? Will Alex Ovechkin of Russia flatten Capitals teammate Nicklas Backstrom of Sweden if necessary? Although there's no chance of an all-amateurs vs. all-stars showdown like the Miracle on Ice in 1980, there were big surprises in the last two Olympics - Belarus stunned Sweden in 2002 and Finland nearly won the gold in 2006. Canada and world champion Russia are the chic picks, but the United States is fast and young, Sweden is skilled and experienced and Slovakia possesses enough stars to worry any opponent.
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LUGE:
Germany, Germany, Germany. Luge is a national pastime for the Germans, with thousands of school-age children in sliding programs, and the results show why those early trips down tracks are worthwhile. American Erin Hamlin stunned the luge world by winning the 2009 women's world title, but three Germans will be favored for gold, silver and bronze at the Vancouver Games. In men's luge, Italy's Armin Zoeggeler will aim for a third straight Olympic gold, which would put him in exclusive company, since only Germany's Georg Hackl has pulled off that feat. Tony Benshoof of the United States, the fourth-place finisher in Turin four years ago, will be in the Olympics for the third and final time, trying for his first medal. And in doubles, there's no shortage of European teams who could contend for the gold medal, with Mark Grimmette and Brian Martin serving as the sentimental favorites from the United States. It's the fifth Olympics for Grimmette, fourth for Martin.
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NORDIC COMBINED:
Once hopelessly behind the Germans, Austrians, Russians, Norwegians and Finns, the U.S. Nordic combined ski team is now considered a favorite for the podium in Vancouver. The Americans' coming-out party occurred at the world championships last year, when they won three of four gold medals and might have made it a clean sweep were it not for Billy Demong losing his bib, which resulted in a disqualification in the team event. Demong recovered to win the final race 48 hours later, a victory he said wouldn't have been possible if not for the way his teammates embraced and forgave him for his blunder. It's that maturity that has the Americans so excited for Vancouver, where Demong, Johnny Spillane and Todd Lodwick headline an American team like no other. The Americans' main competition is expected to come from France's Jason Lamy Chappuis and Norway's Magnus Moan.
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SHORT TRACK SPEEDSKATING:
After showing off his dancing skills, Apolo Anton Ohno is back for his third Olympics, hoping to become the most decorated winter athlete in U.S. history. He won a total of five medals (two golds, a silver and two bronzes) at the last two Olympics, tying him with Eric Heiden for the most by a male athlete. One more will equal Bonnie Blair for most medals ever by a U.S. Winter Olympian. Ohno also will have a bit of a home-ice advantage, skating just a three-hour drive from his native Seattle. But a host of younger, lighter skaters are ready to take on the 27-year-old American, especially from the short track hotbed of South Korea. Lee Jung-Su, Sung Si-Bak and Lee Ho-Suk are all medal contenders. The home crowd will be roaring for Canadians Charles Hamelin, his younger brother Francois and Francois-Louis Tremblay. The Chinese figure to dominate on the women's side, led by Wang Meng and Zhou Yang. American Katherine Reutter will likely be in the mix, though nothing is guaranteed in this wild 'n' wooly sport, often described as roller derby on ice.
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SKELETON:
Record speeds could be reached during the skeleton competition on the 16-turn Whistler track, the world's fastest circuit, which also will be used for bobsled and luge. Backed by thousands of her countrymen, Canada's Mellisa Hollingsworth, who won bronze at Turin in 2006, is favored to win the women's gold medal. A rodeo barrel racer when she's not flying down mountains, Hollingsworth has been the most consistent slider on the World Cup circuit this season. Americans Noelle Pikus-Pace and Katie Uhlaender both overcame injuries to make the team and should challenge for medals. On the men's side, Latvia's Martins Dukurs is favored to win the gold medal. He'll be pushed by a strong German team led by Frank Rommel. The U.S. squad, led by Eric Bernotas and Zach Lund, disqualified in Turin for a banned substance, are capable of making the podium. Bernotas recently won a World Cup event, ending a two-year drought by American racers.
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SKI JUMPING:
Count on seeing plenty of Austrians on the podium when the ski jump medals are distributed, as 19-year-old World Cup champion Gregor Schlierenzauer spearheads a team that also includes world champion Wolfgang Loitzl and defending Olympic large hill champion Thomas Morgenstern. If Austria doesn't win the team event, it will be one of the biggest upsets of the Vancouver Games. Simon Ammann of Switzerland is the main threat to the Austrian domination as he tries to repeat his success from the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, when he took gold in both individual events. However, the sentimental favorite may be Janne Ahonen of Finland, one of the sport's all-time greats who came out of retirement this season for one last shot at an individual Olympic medal. Judging by his second-place finish in the prestigious Four Hills tournament this month, the 32-year-old Ahonen just might pull it off.
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SNOWBOARDING:
Led by Shaun White, Kelly Clark and Louie Vito of ``Dancing with the Stars'' fame, the Americans should dominate on the halfpipe. The winner of the men's event almost certainly will be whoever can pull off back-to-back, double-cork jumps - two straight twisting double back flips. White has already upped the ante, adding his Double McTwist 1260 in which he hurtles himself 15-20 feet above the halfpipe, then does two head-over-heels flips and 3 1/2 rotations. Sometimes he lands it, sometimes he doesn't. Also look for many riders to wear patches that say ``I Ride 4 Kevin,'' a tribute to Kevin Pearce, who suffered a severe brain injury during training and is in the hospital recovering. For something more unpredictable, watch snowboardcross, which is fast, chaotic and violent. It's a series of races involving four riders going side-by-side down steep, curvy hills filled with jumps. Lindsey Jacobellis had the gold won four years ago, but tried a show-off move on her last jump and fell - proof that even when you're out of danger in this sport, nothing is for certain.
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SPEEDSKATING:
Shani Davis already has claimed a place in Olympic history as the first black athlete to win a gold medal in the Winter Games. This time, he'll be an overwhelming favorite to add two more golds in the 1,000 and 1,500 meters. Davis will be skating four individual men's events in Vancouver and again will skip the team pursuit, which could cost the United States a medal. This time, however, his decision hasn't stirred up discord within the team as it did four years ago when he and Chad Hedrick famously feuded. Sven Kramer of the Netherlands is favored to win the two longest men's events, the 5,000 and 10,000. On the women's side, Canadian stars Christine Nesbitt and Kristina Groves should give the home team plenty to cheer about, while Martina Sablikova looks like the leading contender in the 3,000 and 5,000. The Germans are strong contenders as well with a women's team that includes Stephanie Beckert and 500 favorite Jenny Wolf. But the hopes of five-time Olympic champion Claudia Pechstein were scuttled by a blood-doping scandal.
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WOMEN'S HOCKEY:
Canada and the United States still dominate the international game nearly as much as they did in the sport's Olympic debut 12 years ago, although Finland and Sweden have improved their women's hockey programs at each Olympics, with China also making inroads. Neither superpower has a decided edge heading to Vancouver. The Americans have won the last two world championships, but Canada has won most of the teams' recent meetings. The North Americans aren't likely to face each other until the gold medal game Feb. 25, but Sweden's victories over the U.S. in 2006 and the Canadians in 2008 proved the sport's parity. The international game is faster and sharper than in previous Olympics - and it's finally generational, with players who grew up watching women's hockey getting their first chances to play on its biggest stage.
