Show j niujln yTV7i- itryyo--i 1 2D The Salt Lake Tribune Tuesday February 16 1988 US Slowly Catching Up With Luge Mania a 1 i 'i By Lex Hemphill Tribune Sports Writer CALGARY — Need a cold slap in the face in the morning7 Try a little luge What's luge you say? Well luge is the Winter Olympic sport that David Letterman adopted which says enough track A dozen lugers go down a 1000-mete- r of ice m 46 seconds and then they break it down to hundredths of seconds to see who “ -3 1&4 ! r £—- '4r4CT - Lugers weigh out after a competition instead of v'eighing in before it Monday alter his first run an 85 kilo Austrian was ’’ "weighed out Luge is way out In luge the spectators stand by a railing listen for the next sled to come and scream "Heeeey” as it goes by creating a sort of verbal wave down the mountainside Each spectator’s participation takes a couple of seconds after which he can then continue the conversation with his neighbor until the next scheduled sled arrives This is much like the thrill of riding in a train and watching another train rush by in the opposite direction Except it s colder The good thing about luge is Americans aren't very good at it so we don't have to know much about it We’ve never won an Olympic medal at it and we have only one track in the whole country (at Lake Placid N Y ) on w hich to practice it So we don’t have to worry about luge challenging say ice fishing as a presence m our winter consciousness Alas this may change soon Americans be warned Luge is coming — and that's not a new Stephen King title either “We’ll be powerful in Albertville at the 1992 Olympics” promised U S team manager Mary Ellen Fletcher just before the final run of the men’s singles at Canada Olympic Park Monday She bases that on the fact that U S lugers did very well in the last junior world championships in Italy including a second m doubles and a fourth in men’s singles Junior lugers? Who’s minding those kids? jf you don’t think luge is becoming a more legitimate sport m America then listen to this- It actually tried its hand at controversy this week This is something a sport must do if it is to achieve major status at the Olympics Virtually every sport's been doing it lately The bobsled team has Willie Gault The hockey team has a combative coach The ski - T 230-poun- d A"rta (AP) — Mondays MEDALS The Soviet Union widened its lead in medals with a gold and silver in men’s skiing and a bronze in men s singles luge The Soviets now have five overall — two golds two silvers and a bronze — three more than any other country East Germany also has two golds The United States has yet to win a medal y AMERICANS The best American finish was by Frank Masley of Newark Del 12th in the men s singles luge SKIING Pirmin Zurbriggen won the men s downhill the premier Alpine event Swiss teammate Peter Mueller was denied a gold medal for the third straight Olympics settling for silver for the second time m a row HOCKEY lead and The United States blew a to possibly its shot at a medal losing Czechoslovakia The defending gold medalist Soviet Union virtually clinched a spot in the medals round with an victory over Austria TUESDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS The only medal to be awarded is for Two-tim- e world champairs free skating pions Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov of the Soviet Union are overwhelming favorites The United States looks for its first medal of the Games a national silver or bronze from three-tim- e :hampions Jill Watson and Peter Oppe-garwho finished a stiong third in Sunday night s short program Hockey Host Canada which survived a scare by Poland in its first game plays Switzerland Sweden which scored nine goals in the second period in its opener plays Poland Skiing Downhill winner Pirmin Zurbriggen seeks a second gold medal in the men s combined downhill a new event The second half is the combined slalom on Tuesday 3-- 0 7-- 5 —Associated LOOK! It’s East German Jens Mueller on his way to winning Olympic Luge Monday Lugers get no re- ing team doesn t have Bill Johnson or Mike Brown The speedskating team has so many problems it could lend them out So what's up with luge? Well it seems that member of Duncan Kennedy a the team was angry after Sunday’s first two runs because team officials had snuck in and put something magical called nblet tape on the bottom of the pods of the three American sleds before the race Kennedy who happened upon this sport when he shined shoes for the ABC television staff at the 1980 Winter Games m his hometown of Lake Placid was 15th after Sunday’s two runs Afterwards he told USA Today “The USLA (United States Luge Association has been trying things with the sleds lately which I don’t agree with at all ” Whoa1 That’s pretty strong stuff in luge circles When that inflammatory quote hit the streets Monday morning well you can just imagine the uproar Fletcher reacted like a terrier He's 20 years old it's his first Olympics he acting immature yesterday" she ne-gunned We did take the tape off the ‘ w'as machi- ‘ i Press Photo spect in US where comic David Letterman has adopted Luge as his favorite Winter Olympic sport sled I think Duncan now knows he can put the blame on himself ’’ Will his horrifying comment hurt his future with the U S luge team7 “The U S luge team we don’t base what happens with the team on someone’s mouth” said Fletcher obviously choosing her words ” carefully to try to quell the “controversy She might have been privately smiling afterwards when it turned out that Kennedy’s two times Monday without the tape were slower than his two times Sunday with it Just for you luge insiders it might be added that this magic tape — which in the words of its engineer Frank Marentic is supposed to “reduce skin friction drag” — was the same stuff used below the water line on America s Cup winner Stars and Stripes NASA's also m on it Luge is into high tech Marentic says tests in wind tunnels showed the tape can reduce the drag on the sled up to eight percent With such a weapon on his side — or on his bottom as the case may be — America’s top luger Frank Masley finished 12th Monday That was only two spots behind Italian veteran Paul Hildgartner who elicited images of Australia II and its winged keel by keeping his new mystery sled in hiding until the final training day Ah this is a sly sport this luge one where they try to cut milliseconds wherever they can Masley’s through trying though He's leaving the American luge revolution to the younger generation He s put m enough time He’s 27 he’s been to three Olympics (he was at the Sarajevo Games in the U S 1984) and he’s feeling that he ought to go back and finish school Monday was his last race Masley has a year to go to earn an engineering degree from Drexel University in Philadelphia He already knows what he's going to do for his senior project He's going to design flag-bear- a sled All this time we thought he was a real Olympic athlete and here he was just collecting data for his senior project That s a luger for you — always angling If Fletcher’s right we’ll have to hear more about these guys in the future Go catch their act live some time It'll only take you a second or tw o Top-seede- d COVERAGE MST — Pairs figure skating hockey womens luge curling (tape) men s combined ABC-T- 6-- 9 pm Finland-Franc- e US ond “You can never say on the course you're faster than someone” Zurbriggen said “But for me I had a good feeling I knew I must ski on the limit to catch him and beat t 7-- 5 Continued From D-- l night in pairs figure skating Americans Jill Watson and Peter Oppegard were third and Gillian Wachsman and Todd Waggoner were fourth after the short program “We're gonna go out and kill them ” Wag- goner said although there was almost no chance for a gold with Soviet pairs in the spots The only question for Zurbriggen now Can he join the legends — Austrian Toni e Sailer and Frenchman Killy — as the only men to sweep the Alpine events at an Olympics7 “I don t think so" he said It’s nice when 1 1 m can win one medal happy with one ” gold medal But the versatile skier whose only real weakness is slalom is given a chance if only modest With the addition this year of two more Alpine events he could win thiee four or even five gold medals Sailer and Killy won three when that was all there was to win It would be very difficult" Zurbriggen said “The conditions would have to be just ” right every time Alexei Prokouroiov of the Soviet Union won the men s 30 kilometer ski race and Jens Mueller of East Germany won the men s luge in the dav s two other medal events The Soviet Union leads the medal standings wuth five — two gold two silv er and one bronze East Germany Czechoslovakia Finland and Switzerland are tied with two apiece Both of East Germany s medals are gold Michela Figini of Switzerland defending Olymjiic champion and Karen Percv of Canada led the two timed trial runs for the women s downhill set for Thursday In other Group B hockey games West won its second in a row beating Norand the Soviet Union also improved way bv beating Austria its record to The U S speed skating team already split bv dissension over team selection and saddened bv the death of the sister of world sprint champion Dan Jansen might now be losing confidence in its coach Mike Crowe “It seems that wav right now " Crowe said ' It disturbs me It definitely has affected performances of people involved Mueller 30 the best downhiller in the w ot Id in 1979 and 80 and a silver medalist at the 198 Sarajevo Games started first on Mount Allan where the downhill was postponed from Sunday because of winds Skiing in calmer winds with a little fresh snow on the course Mueller finished in 2 00 14 Judging by practice times it didn t look like it would hold up but it did — until Zurbriggen came down 15th from the gate Zurbriggen had the best times at every interval — combining his gianl slalom genius on the twisting upper section of the course wu'h his deftness in downhill on the flat lower section — to finish in 1 59 63 He raised his arms and shook his right fist as he crossed the finish line It w as an uncommon gesture for this quiet well mannered lad of 23 Then he took off his skis and clasped lus hands in front of his face a more common gesture for this uevout Cathohi from the little Alpine town of Saax Alniapell Pirmin was luckv todav Mueller said One had to wonder if it was link Franck Piccard who skrnd right behind won the bronze medal in Zurbriggen 2 01-- 2 4 becoming Fraruu s first Alpine ni- -j al winner sum Iil'v 'I be b“t the Uint"rl A J Suites could do was 26th bv Kitt of Rochester NY who fmshed in 2 04 94 Jett Obon of Loeinaii Mont was 28th m 2 05 09 Iarrv Siddons him” r V g Jean-Claud- of the way down Zurbriggen had increased his lead to 46 seconds All he had to do was stay on his skis The race was over After he crossed the finish line the Zurbriggen took off his skis put his hands together and looked at the sky He is a devout Roman Catholic w ho prays tw ice daily and it was time to give thanks He was the champion the Olympic champion Mueller stood there stunned his pale blue eyes mere slits His shook hands woth Zurbriggen half heartedly barely bothering to look up He was crushed “I make a fantastic race then came one faster’ Mueller said ‘ For a moment it was s avoid its woist showing ever in the Winter Olympics Baaron Pittenger the No 2 official in the USOC said America faces an uphill battle to i J 2 Games After six events on the first two days of competition the United Sattes has yet to win a medal Pittenger said tnc situation would not improve quickly I think that it s possible although I hope it doesn't occur that we won t win a gold medal ' Pittenger said in an interview wuth The ‘ 0 ‘ Swiss ace Pirmin Zurbriggen flies past gate en route to winning Olympic downhill He was only skier to complete course in less than 2 minutes a little disappointing ” Quickly though Mueller composed him- self and smiled for photographers this time with his arms raised and locked woth Zur briggen's We are not hard friends but he is a teammate of mine" Mueller said “We have no " problems He's a professional me too US Olympic Official Says US May Not Win Any Gold Medals AP Sports Writer CALGARY Alberta — The secretary pt n era! of the U S Olvmpic Committee said Mem day the United States might be shut out of gold medals for the first time in the Umtei - d cross-countr- Bv r Czechs Rally To Shock bumpy and Zurbriggen's skis chattered like false teeth But he kept his skis together and skied the angular turns wuth impeccable precision “It was a wild ride" Sehoenhaar said “His arms were flopping around but his feet his legs and his skis are always where they’re ” supposed to be Down one third of the course Zurbriggen had already passed Mueller by 25 of a sec- Two-third- 8-- 1 (tape) downhill skiing (tape) Perfect Zurbriggen Takes Olympic Downhill Gold Continued From I)-- l knew his best might not be good enough “I knew if Pirmin would make a fantastic run he would beat me” Mueller said Mueller stood in the finishing area helmet still on ignoring the pleas of impatient phothe other skiers followed tographers him He watched passively as Michael Mair Italian took a nasty fall and the Canada’s Brian Stemnile missed a gate He watched as the crow'd sang Happy Birthday to another Canadian Rob Boyd and continued to stare straight ahead as Austria's Leonhard Stock the 1980 wanner at Lake Placid N Y ran surprisingly well to momentarily grab third place Finally it was Zurbriggen's turn Mueller had his helmet off now This was it Mueller is 30 These are his final Olympics and he has never won the gold This was his last shot He had finished second to Bill Johnson in 1984 at Sarajevo Yugoslavia and he knew that only Zurbriggen could make him second again The crowd had been eerily silent much of the race but now the Swiss fans waived their red and white flags and rang cowbells and waited for their hero Zuibriggen As he exploded from the gate it was obvious that Zurbriggen was at hib best and Mueller was in trouble By now the course had deteriorated It was rutted and hard and CALGARY highlights at the Winter Olympics cross-countr- wins TrJ'jJXS Olympic Glance Associated Press Pittenger said a lack of winter sports facilities and tradition along wuth the pull of professional sports hurt US chances whenever the Winter Games roll around The United States has won at least one gold medal in each of the previous 14 Winter Games The worst U S medal count was four with one gold two silvers and one bronze in the first Winter Games in 1924 and one gold and three bronze m 1936 There w’ere many fewer events then too 14 in 1924 17 m 1936 as opposed to 46 now A longtime USOC administrator who took over the secretary general s job last month Pittenger said the best U S chances for gold will come in speed skating and figure skating y Ger-man- v 7-- 3 2-- 0 Bucher Hopes Her Freestyle Ballet Will Thrill Crowd Bv Lex Il( mplull Tribune Sports nter CALGARY — Under a gruv skv Monduv a lone pair of liguivs wire at uoik at the Cun add Olympic Paik They were Salt Luke Citv bal'et skier Jan Bucher and her couch Jon Smallev For Bucher the dailv workouts are all designed to gear up for tin afternoon ot Feb 25 when her sport takes the Omnpii limelight foi the first time in front of u ciowd that she heuis could approu'd (() 000 It s like starting ovei again she said of and working up to her workout sclieduk next week ' Bucher said she is currentlv get ting accustomed to the snow condition:- here which are much different from the powdery conditions that prevailed m Japan her last World Cup site She said sue 11 start woikmg on parts ot ier iodines over the next few days And vex Bucher Ament' s seven tune World Cup Grand Pm champion is slaving with the Canadian frees'vle couth Piter Judge who is also her husband Thes huvi adjoining accommodations at the Southern Alberta lnstitun of rl echnologs when tin athletes from tin dt nionstratioii and exhibi V ‘ turn sport-atimg So far Lm leu Inn thorough!' cnjovi n i d her she sami Salurdav s cm nionn left hei kind o! breath opening less ' Next weet she hopes she tan have thi Olvmpic expei mi n I same kind of effect on freestv le skiing s largest audience Disabled Skiers: One of the inspiration stones of these Games will be written by the dnabled skiers who will have four separate exhibition races in Calgary as opposed to onlv one in Sarajevo four years ago In 19I4 the Olvmpicx had a male alpine i ace for amputees This year there will be a giant slalom race for both male and female rare for amputees and a 5K totullv blind skiers both male and female cross-countr- y One of the best Americans entered is DiDartmouth graduana Golden a ate who lost her right leg above the knee to cancer at the age of 12 She recalled that the first thing she asked the doctors when she came out of that operation was whether or not she could ski The answer has been an einphaiii ves Mie won tour gold medals at the 1986 Woild Championships for the Disabled m Sweden and is an eight time national champion She now fe B that her personal discov ei ics as an athh ti and as a person have outweiglmd the loss of limb If nn leg niagicallv apptund again that d In great she said but wouldnt for charm the last 12 years Missing a Diana me has been like mining a tooth said h didn t think the OP nipus would be such a big deal for her beiausi she had traiiu d hei si If to exhaustion to g t here but a inter Olympic Notes she confessed that walking into the stadium for the opening ceremonies Saturday was event I’ve ever "the most emotion-fillerace for the been in ’’ The blind is scheduled for Wednesday and the alpine race is Sunday d cross-countr- y Canmore Troubles: America s male crosscountry skiers didn’t do any better than the females in their first competition of the season against world-clascompetition Monday at the Canmore Nordic Center The U S skiers plagued by an incorrect wax combination did poorly in the mens 30K rai e Monday The best American cross countrv skier Dan Simoneau came in 49th out of 90 starters Jon Engen was 51st Kevin Brochman was 5(ith and Joe Galanes did not finish All four of the U S women were in the top 45 in their inaugural Olvmpic race the 10K s on Sundav Simoneau who hoped he could get into the top 10 oi 15 waxn t close hut he wouldn t put the blame on o‘hers foi the waxing pro!) lems saving ' I have no gripes with the touches I think it s till best working coach mg staff m years I made the decision on wax’ Lngen a Norwegian native who be came an Ami rican citizen just last muritn wasn’t originally supposed to race Monday But Bill Spencer decided to scratch on Sunday and Engen found out about his start at 9 00 Sunday night He responded with the second best American perfoimance of the day aftei finishing seventh at the 30K distance at the U S Olympic Trials in Biwabtk Minn last month This was the fifth Winter Olympics in a row that a Soviet skier won the gold at 30K 12 Monday The four Russians went ' prompting Simoneau to comment I m ”surprised how strong the Soviet team is If there was a team as disappointed in Monday s results as the Americans it had to be the Swedes Gunde Svan who took the 30K bronze at Sarajevo was 10th Monday And Thomas Wassberg the 50K gold medalist in 1984 and Sports Illustiated s pick to win the 30K finished an astonishing 42nd Odds n Ends American Hilary Lindh graduate of Salt Lake City s Kowniark Ski Academv finished third in the womens a tlnrd downhill training run Mondav at Hilary go to the bottom in 1 29 40 trailing onlv Swiss skiers Michela Figini and Brigitte berth The women have another of final training run scheduled 1 uexdav The dow nh'll race is Thursdav Three female speedskati rs from Romans and one male coach left the Olvmpic Village just before Saturdav s opening ceremonie buttheOCO had no further details on the reason for their depji ture k 8-- 1 ’ h ' |