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Show U.S. skiers go for the gold, part II Olympic Outlook The Mahres and Shaw will be skiing only the technical events, leaving the downhill to Johnson and Lewis. Even though the Mahres have not been living up to their expectations this season, they are possible medal contenders in part because two of the top World Cup technical racers, Ingemar Stenmark and Mark Girar-delli, Girar-delli, have been declared ineligible for the Olympics after they negotiated their own endorsement contracts. Their absence will surely tarnish any medals won, and will make the distinction of "World Champion" dubious at best. Andreas Wenzel, the defending de-fending silver medalist in the giant slalom at Lake Placid, will be the top competition in the technical events for the Mahres. In the slalom Bojan Krizaj of Yugoslavia and Stig Strand of Sweden could also contest the medals. In the giant slalom Pirmin Zurbrig-gen Zurbrig-gen of Switzerland or Wenzel should win. Zurbriggen is the current overall and giant slalom World Cud leader. U.S. Ski Team Olympic schedule Thursday, Feb. 9 Alpine skiing, men's downhill; cross-country skiing, women's 10 km. Friday, Feb. 10 Cross-country skiing, men's 30 km. Saturday, Feb. 11 Alpine skiing, women's downhill; nordic combined, 70-meter 70-meter jump; biathlon, 20 km. Sunday, Feb. 12 Ski-jumping, 70-meter; cross-country skiing, women's 5 km ; nordic combined, men's 15 km. Monday, Feb. 13 Alpine skiing, women's giant slalom, first run; crosscountry cross-country skiing, men's 15 km. Tuesday, Feb. 14 Alpine skiing, women's giant slalom, second run; biathlon, 10 km. Wednesday, Feb. 15 Alpine skiing, men's giant slalom, first run; crosscountry cross-country skiing, women's 4x5 km. relay. Thursday, Feb. 16 Alpine skiing, men's giant slalom, second run; crosscountry cross-country skiing, men's 4x10 km. relay. Friday, Feb. 17 Alpine skiing, women's slalom; biathlon, 4x7.5 km. relay. Saturday, Feb. 18 Ski jumping, 90-meter; cross-country skiing, women's 20 km. Sunday, Feb. 19 Alpine skiing, men's slalom; cross-country skiing, men's 50 km. by Randy Hanskat This is the second of a two-part two-part preview of the United States Ski Team nordic and alpine competitors in the Winter Olymic Games in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. This week the alpine men, the cross country teams, and the skijumpers will be profiled. Men's Alpine Five men have been chosen to represent the U.S. in the alpine events downhill, down-hill, slalom, and giant slalom. sla-lom. They are Phil Mahre, Steve Mahre, Tiger Shaw, Bill Johnson, and Doug Lewis. Phil Mahre Phil Mahre already has earned an Olympic medal, a silver in slalom he collected at Lake Placid in 1980. He is the only current U.S. alpine skier who has won a previous Olympic medal. But Phil views his performance perfor-mance on the World Cup as a better judge of his ability. Last season he became one of the ski racing elite by winning his third consecutive overall World Cup title, joining Sweden's Ingemar Stenmark and Gustavo Tho-eni Tho-eni of Italy as the only men in World Cup history to have won three consecutive overall titles. been outshining brother Phil if he had not been the victim of some bad luck early in January. In a slalom at Parpan, Switzerland Steve had the fastest time of the day, but was disqualified for wearing Phil's bib unknowingly. unknow-ingly. Then on the very next day at Parpan in another slalom Steve was in position to win the race, but blew out of his binding only a few gates from the finish. Tiger Shaw The high point of Tiger Shaw's 1983 season came in the U.S. National Alpine Championships in Copper Mountain, Colorado, where he defeated both the Mahres, as well as everyone else, to take the giant slalom. In addition he won a FtS B giant slalom and a trio of NorAm giant slaloms. Those wins won him the NorAm giant slalom title. He was second in the overall NorAm standings. Shaw began competing on the World Cup in January after racing well in the NorAms in December. His only World Cup points were garnered in a giant slalom title. He was second in the overall NorAm standings. Shaw began competing on the World Cup in January after racing well in the NorAms in December. His only World Cup points were garnered in a giant slalom in Abelboden, Switzerland, where he was the top American finisher in 13th. Tiger Shaw has an outside chance of a medal in the Sarajevo giant slalom. So, on the basis of this year's results, the Mahres are not the top American alpine threat Bill Johnson is. As can be seen from his fine training runs, Johnson does well on a gliding course such as the one at Sarajevo. Downhillers who like steep courses with sharp curves, such as Franz Klammer and the Erwin Resch, will have a hard time at Sarajevo. Look for the race to be fought between Johnson, Peter Mueller of Switzerland, Pirmin Zurbriggen, and Helmut Hel-mut Hoeflehner of Austria. Hoeflehner and Johnson are the hottest coming into Sarajevo. have to jump his skis off to beat out Jens Wiesflog of East Germany and Matti Nykaenen of Finland, the current leaders on the World Cup. Wiesflog has won five of the 13 events this season, while Nykaenen has finished second four times and fourth once. Those two are the odds on favorites, but on a good day Hastings could grab a medal. Endestad as alternate. Of these, Jim Galanes, Dan Simoneau and Bill Koch have the best chances. Jim Galanes Last season Galanes started start-ed off fast, taking a sixth and an eighth in two early season races. But the remainder of the season didn't go so well for him ; he ended up in 26th overall. This season he currently is tied for sixth with Jan Ottosson of Sweden. His top finish was a ninth at Reit im Winkel, West Germany in the first race of the season over 15 kilometers. Then the following week he placed 10th in a 30K race at Ramsau, Austria. Dan Simoneau Dan Simoneau had an off year in 1983, falling to 54th in the overall World Cup cross country standings after finishing seventh in 1982. That seventh place standing was the highest ever for an American other than Bill Koch. This season Simoneau is looking more like his 1982 self. He is the only other American with World Cup points, sitting in 27 th place. Simoneau' s top result so far this year after two events is a 17th in Ramsau, Austria. Bill Koch Bill Koch is regarded as one of the best U.S. nordic skiers of all time. He won the 1982 overall nordic World Cup title, the first American ever to do so. He also became the first American to win a World Cup cross country race in Europe, winning four races that year. Last year Koch was beaten out by two Europeans late in the season, slipping to third in the overall standings. But he won the pre-Olympic 30K race at Sarajevo last year. This season has not been a good one so far for Koch. In the first two events he has placed 21st and 36th. He currently has no World Cup points. Koch also has been hampered recently by a severe cold. Olympic Outlook Gunde Svan of Sweden, Ove Aunli of Norway and Hani Kirvesniemi of Finland have to be regarded as the favorites in the cross country . events. Galanes and Simoneau Simo-neau have chances if they ski well. But the real U.S. hope depends on Bill Koch. If he comes out of his slump, the U.S. could easily take a medal, possibly a gold. Cross Country Women The women's Olympic cross country team consists of Lynn Galanes, Sue Long, Judy Rabinowitz, Kelly Mil-ligan, Mil-ligan, and Patty Ross. In addition, Phil won his third consecutive combined title, as well as his second consecutive giant slalom title. He did that by winning the final three World Cup g.s. races of last season. This season Phil's performance perfor-mance has been a mystery. He is perennially a late starter, but this season he really has yet to start. He currently sits in 23rd on the overall World Cup, 20th in g.s., and 10th in slalom. In g.s. his best, in fact only, World Cup point effort was a seventh. In slalom he has grabbed a fourth, and a sixth last weekend in Borovetz, Bulgaria. Steve Mahre Steve Mahre is the only American skier ever to win a gold medal at a World Championship.-That was in Schladming, Austria in 1982 in giant slalom. That makes him the reigning World Championship giant slalom gold medalist going into the Olympics (the 1984 World Championships). Last season Steve suffered a shoulder injury in Flumser-berg, Flumser-berg, Switzerland which never got the chance to heal due to the demanding World Cup travel schedule. Still, he captured two slalom victories on the way to a fourth place finish in the final World Cup slalom standings. He was 12 th overall and 27 th in giant slalom. Like Phil, Steve's skiing has been off this year. He currently sits in 49th place overall on the World Cup with 21 points, all earned in slalom. In slalom he is 15 th on the basis of two results, a third and a 10th. However, Steve could' ve Bill Johnson Bill Johnson will be racing downhill at the Olympics along with Doug Lewis. Johnson had a few of the European downhill powers looking over their shoulders last year as he became the only American ever to win the overall Europa Cup men's title, as well as the Europa Cup downhill title. He earned the downhill crown by winning three of the four events, and placing second in the other. He also won the U.S. National downhill title in 1983. But it is 1984 which has really brought Johnson to the attention of the racing world. Johnson became the first American ever to win a World Cup downhill with a victory in Wengen, Switzerland Switzer-land on Jan. 15. He also grabbed fourth in the last downhill before the Olympics last Thursday in Cortina, Italy. Johnson seems to be gaining more confidence each week. In the three timed training runs in Sarajevo he has placed first, second, and sixth. Doug Lewis Doug Lewis will, like Johnson, be racing only downhill. He was picked for the Olympic team based on two top-20 World Cup downhill finishes this season. Last year Lewis was 1 1 th in the Europa Cup downhill standings. He finished second sec-ond behind Johnson in the U.S. Nationals. He currently has no World Cup points. Ski Jumping Seven men will be jumping for the United States: Jeff Hastings, Mike Holland, Landis Arnold, Dennis Mc-Grane, Mc-Grane, Matt Petri, Jon Denney and Reed Zuehlke. Of this group, Jeff Hastings has the best chance for a medal in Sarajevo. Jeff Hastings After the first round of jumping this season, Jeff Hastings sits in lofty sixth place in the World Cup standings. He posted the first U.S. jumping win since 1981 when he won the 90-meter competition at Lake Placid Jan. 18, after taking third the previous day on the 70-meter hill. This season Hastings has also placed fourth, sixth, and eighth. Last season he placed 11th in the final World Cup jumping standings, after being eighth following the first round of jumps. Olympic Outlook Realistically, the U.S. cross country women don't stand much of a chance at Sarajevo in the Czech-dominated Czech-dominated competition. In fact only one American woman, Sue Long, has any World Cup points, and she only has one. Cross Country Men The cross country men's team is made up of Jim Galanes, Bill Koch, Dan Simoneau, Kevin Brochman, Tim Caldwell, Todd Boon-stra, Boon-stra, Bruce Iikly, and Audun Olympic Outlook Hastings has had a good season thus far, but he will |