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A18 SPORTS
Friday 19 January 2018
At Olympics, bobsledding should find its next driving star

By TIM REYNOLDS recent years.
AP Sports Writer GET READY
This could be the most un- In all three sliding sports,
certain Olympic bobsled Curve 9 will likely decide
competition in some time. the whole race. There are
The most wide open, too. other tricky spots on the
In 2014, it was widely ex- Pyeongchang track, but
pected that Russia would chances are high that the
be tough to beat in the driver who gets through
two- and four-man races. that turn the best over four
And it was, with Alexandr runs will reach the medal
Zubkov winning gold in podium.
both events, only to have WAITING AROUND
those medals stripped as Most bobsledders will likely
part of the fallout from the take part in the opening
state-sponsored doping ceremony, but then ev-
program that has left a gi- eryone waits around for
ant cloud over what the more than a week before
home team did at the So- competition starts. Bobsled
chi Games. goes last in the Olympic
In 2010, Steven Holcomb sliding program, after luge
and his famed “Night Train” and skeleton. There are
sled lived up to expecta- no medals awarded in
tions and finally ended the In this Dec. 17, 2016, file photo, driver Justin Olsen with Austin Landi, Luis Moreira and brakeman bobsled until Day 10 of the
Americans’ 62-year gold Evan Weinstock, of the United States, compete in the four-man bobsled World Cup race in Lake games (and the women
medal drought in the Olym- Placid, N.Y. don’t even start competing
pic four-man race. In 2006, Associated Press until Day 11).
Andre Lange of Germany is much easier to figure out, sled, the U.S. and Canada ture cornerstones of the RULE CHANGES
was the consensus pick to even with 20 sleds. Five driv- in women’s bobsled. program. Their time is now. As with many other sliding
pull off the daunting dou- ers are the only ones with BEST RIVALRY Pyeongchang marks the sports, the difference at the
ble — gold in both events realistic medal shots: They’re friends, but that Olympic debuts for Bascue, Olympics as opposed to
— and he delivered. Canada’s Kaillie Humphries doesn’t stop Canada’s a pilot, and Weinstock, who the World Cup circuit is that
Zubkov is now banned. Hol- is chasing her third straight Kaillie Humphries and U.S. teammates boldly predict races are four heats over
comb died last year. Lange gold medal. Elana Meyers star Elana Meyers Taylor will go down as the best two days, instead of two
has long been retired. Taylor and Jamie Greubel from also being rivals. They push athlete in U.S. history. heats in one day.
So this year in Py- Poser of the U.S. won silver finished first and second, ULTIMATE SLIDING MA- DON’T MISS
eongchang, a new men’s and bronze, respectively, respectively, in Sochi, and CHINES The two-man race might
Olympic bobsled driving in 2014 and German driv- Humphries is going for her They don’t handle like race be completely wide open
star will have to emerge. ers Mariama Jamanka and third straight gold. Another cars, but there’s race-car after six drivers combined
Germany, Canada, Latvia, Stephanie Schneider have wrinkle in this cold war of technology at play in bob- to win the first seven World
Switzerland and the U.S. all also worked their way to- sorts: Todd Hays, the long- sledding. BMW works with Cup events this season.
will head to these Olympics ward the top of the world time U.S. bobsledder and several national teams, in- OLYMPIAN EFFORT
believing they have a re- rankings. coach, is now helping cluding the U.S., Germany Canada’s Chris Spring, an
alistic chance of reaching Here’s some things to coach the Canadians. and Canada, among oth- Australian-born bobsled-
the medal podium, and know going into the bob- RISING STARS ers — with all the programs der, survived a frightening
so will the host South Kore- sled competitions in Py- Codie Bascue and Evan done separately. Ferrari crash in Germany six years
ans, though they would still eongchang: Weinstock are two sliders works with the Italians, and ago and now is one of the
seem to be a longshot. MEDAL FAVORITES that the U.S. program has McLaren was part of the biggest medal threats in
The women’s bobsled race Germany in men’s bob- pointed to for years as fu- British bobsled program in Pyeongchang.q

Olympic win in view from Korean unity at Pyeongchang Games

By GRAHAM DUNBAR nounced the agreement of tively reflect the Olympic ing government officials at not entered in time. The
AP Sports Writer an Olympic cooperation ideals of social develop- ministerial level” alongside International Skating Union
GENEVA (AP) — Uniting package with North Kore- ment and peace through national Olympic officials, awarded that entry to Ja-
athletes from South Korea an officials in bilateral talks sport,” the International and the IOC member from pan, and said the IOC must
and North Korea at the Py- on their shared border. Ice Hockey Federation said each country. approve any late entry
eongchang Games next The key points are a joint Thursday in a statement. A fourth party is the Py- and increase the competi-
month offers hope of an march under a unification The International Olym- eongchang Games lo- tion quota. A unified hock-
Olympic victory for all par- flag at the Feb. 9 open- pic Committee has been cal organizing commit- ey team should see North
ties. On Saturday, the IOC ing ceremony — for the more cautious. IOC Presi- tee, which could need to Korean players added to
will host a meeting in Lau- first time since the 2006 Tu- dent Thomas Bach will host house hundreds of people South Korea’s roster rather
sanne to finesse the details rin Olympics — and a joint the meeting at its offices in in a North Korean delega- than replace anyone.
of a peace-making break- team in the women’s hock- Lausanne. “We have taken tion, including a reported Still, that plan, proposed by
through following months ey tournament. The govern- note of a number of inter- 230-member cheering politicians, has met push-
of rising tensions fueled by ing body of hockey, based esting proposals from dif- group. The actual team back on behalf of athletes
North Korea’s missile-testing in Switzerland, embraced ferent sources,” the IOC of North Korean athletes from the No. 22-ranked
program. the proposal given “the ex- said Wednesday, declining could be in single figures South Korea team’s Ca-
Expectation of success was ceptional circumstances of to confirm details. The IOC or as many as 15. Two fig- nadian coach, and its
created Wednesday when these two countries.” said both Korean delega- ure skaters qualified for first Olympic opponent,
host nation South Korea an- A unified team “would posi- tions will include “high-rank- the pairs event but were Switzerland.q