ALPINE SKIING SCHEDULE » Day 2 » Day 5, » Day 8, » Day 10 » Day 15 Saturday, Feb. 13 Tuesday, Feb. 16 Friday, Feb. 19 Sunday, Feb. 21 Friday, Feb. 26 Whistler and Blackcomb Men’s Downhill Men’s Super Combined Men’s Super-G Men’s Giant Slalom Women’s Slalom The alpine venue *11:45-1:30 p.m. 10-11:30 a.m. *11:30-1:30 p.m. 10-11:45 a.m. 10-11:30 a.m. will seat 7,700 *1:30-2:30 p.m. *1:30-3 p.m. *1-2:30 p.m. spectators. » Day 3 » Day 6 » Day 9 » Day 13 » Day 16 Sunday, Feb. 14 Wednesday, Feb. 17 Saturday, Feb. 20 Wednesday, Feb. 24 Saturday, Feb. 27 Women’s Super Women’s Downhill Women’s Super-G Women’s Giant Slalom Men’s Slalom Combined *11-12:45 p.m. *10-11:45 a.m. 10-11:30 a.m. 10-11:45 a.m. 10-11:30 a.m. *1:15-2:30 p.m. *1:45-3:10 p.m. *1-2 p.m. *Indicates medal events DECONSTRUCTING THE GAMES ALPINE SKIING: Fearless daredevils on skis Whether it’s the sharp, quick turns of a slalom course or the high-speed sweeping turns of a 130-km/h downhill run, staying balanced over your skis is critical. Sun writer Gary Kingston explains: THE ATHLETES Check out the legs Leg strength is 1.FOCUSING ON THE COURSE critical in order Before that first push out of the start gate,most skiers will use the last for athletes few minutes of preparation to start going over technical cues.For slalom to overcome specialist Michael Janyk of Whistler “it’s simple stuff,like ‘top of the turn, the enormous skis on the snow,’then trying to run through the course a bit,paying external forces attention to some of the tough sections.Sometimes maybe there’s a placed on thought that ‘whatever you do,don’t straddle the first gate.’” Skiers have knees and an- very high kles,particular- leg strength ly in the high compared speed down- 2.SETTING UP THE TURN with other hill and Super In slalom,the discipline where the gates are closest together athletes. G events. — typically 55 to 75 of them in a men’s course — skiers are Muscle looking to feel the front of the ski biting the snow and trying elasticity and to keep the upper body balanced and centred while the skis, flexibility legs and knees cross under the body in a pendulum-like are also key. motion.In downhill,where speeds up to 140 km/h are reached,the skier begins an edging or carving motion There is no perfect body type — chunky with pressure on the outside ski. Italian Alberto Tomba was a slalom and giant slalom ace — but bigger-bodied skiers are generally more successful in downhill,using their size to carry more speed through the gliding sections.World Cup overall champ Aksel Lund Svindal and downhill ace Michael Walchoffer are both 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds.There are,of course, exceptions.John Kucera of Calgary, the 2009 world downhill champ, is 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds. 3.EXITING FALL LINE Un-weighting of the skis is performed SMART FACTS by a fluid transition from the outside ski onto the inside ski.In slalom, 1.A LONG DROUGHT the skiers,who wear padding along Canada has not won an Olympic the shins and forearms as well as medal in alpine skiing since 1994, a face-masked helmet,will power when Edi Podivinsky captured a through the flexible gates,knocking bronze in the downhill at Lilleham- the poles out of the way. mer.The only other Canadian man to win an medal was Steve Podborski with a downhill bronze in 1980 at Lake Placid.Six women have won medals,including Nancy Greene,who won gold (giant slalom) and silver (slalom) at Grenoble,France,in 1968,and Karen Percy,who captured two bronze in Calgary in 1988 in downhill and Super G. 4.MORE TO COME 2.WHISTLER CREEKSIDE While in slalom,there is almost no time to think — “when I’m on,having one The men’s and women’s events in 2010 will be held at Whistler of my bests runs,I’m completely zoned Creekside,the original access point to Whistler Mountain.All the out,”says Janyk — downhillers are disciplines will have a common finish area on the Timing Flats, always thinking about the the next just above the Creekside Village. The men will race the Dave feature.It could be a jump that delivers Murray Downhill.Murray,who passed away of cancer in 1990, huge air,a steep incline or a long flat was a member of the famed Crazy Canucks downhill team section that requires the skier to stay in a of the 1970s and ‘80s.The women’s downhill will be contested tight aerodynamic tuck to maximize on Wildcard and the mid- to lower sections of Franz’s Run. speed. 3.MASTERS OF THE MOUNTAIN Given its mountainous terrain (the Alps run through the country) it’s no surprise Austria is nation of skiers.In fact,it’s said that an Austrian with no skiing ambitions can’t be considered a true Austrian.Since alpine skiing was first included in the Olympics in 1936,Austrians have won 101 medals (30 golds,34 silver,37 bronze),nearly twice as many as the next most successful country,Switzerland,with 53.The most decorated Olympic skier, however,is Kjetil Andre Aamodt of Norway.He won eight medals (four gold,two silver,two bronze) between 1994 and 2006. WHERE TO WATCH,WHISTLER CREEKSIDE MEDAL FAVOURITES N MEN WOMEN Aksel Lund-Svindal, Norway Lindsey Vonn, U.S. He recovered from a horrific crash at Beaver The powerful American has dominated the Creek, Colo. — which cost him most of the women’s World Cup circuit the last two years, 2007-08 World Cup season — to capture winning the overall title last season by a whop- the Super G and overall titles last season. ping 364 points while capturing the downhill The overall champion in 2006-07 is a good and Super G crowns. She also won both those friend and frequent training partner of the disciplines at the 2009 world championships. Canadians and loves to ski in Canada. Maria Riesch, Germany Benjamin Raich, Austria The 31-year-old is the defending Olympic The six-footer is a terrific all-round skier who gold medallist in the slalom and giant slalom. won the World Cup and world championship He finished second, first, second, second slalom titles last season. In 2008, she won the and second in the overall World Cup point combined event at a World Cup stop on the standings the last five seasons. 2010 Olympic course and has a downhill victory and three podium finishes at Lake Louise, Alta. Manuel Osborne-Paradis, Canada The North Vancouver product has two World Emily Brydon, Canada Cup wins this season, one in downhill and The Fernie native had a tough season one in Super G. He recorded three podiums in last year, fighting illness for most of the downhill last season, including his first career campaign. But she started this season with win. He was practically raised on the slopes second- and third-place finishes in back-to-back at Whistler and, at 25, should be in his prime. downhills at Lake Louise. At a World Cup at Whistler in 2008 she was 10th in the combined and is a threat in both disciplines. 2010FOR MORE ON THE 2010 WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES GO TO VANCOUVERSUN.COM/2010 GRAPHICS:BY ROGER WATANABE AND MAGGIE WONG/VANCOUVER SUN.