Thursday, 23 February 2017 C Olympic-sport commentary, coverage and results
Why even have Games?
Lane One
If major Games are so costly,
why even have them?
Holcomb & Co. pushing for
World Champs medal
World-class Modern
Pent. returns to L.A.
Headliners
1. Bob & Skeleton:
2. Nordic Skiing:
3. Speed Skating:
Holcomb pushing U.S. four-man toward Worlds podium
World Champs are here: can lightning strike twice?
Heather Bergsma chasing World Sprint title in Calgary
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Panorama
Alpine Skiing:
Athletics:
Cycling:
Fencing:
Freestyle:
Gymnastics:
Judo:
Luge:
Modern Pent.:
Shooting:
Table Tennis:
Wrestling:
World Cup resumes in Switzerland and Norway
Fastest marathon in Japan history in Tokyo this weekend?
Final World Cup of the season in Los Angeles (area)
Men’s saber specialists salute Polish sabre hero of yore
Season titles in Moguls to be settled in China
Melbourne hosts first artistic apparatus World Cup of 2017
Rio gold-medal match to be repeated in Dusseldorf?
World Cup wraps up in Germany
First major competition in Los Angeles in 33 years
World Cup season begins with Olympic medalists in India
Olympic medalists and World Champs in Qatar Open
Japan and Russia dominate women’s Klippan Open
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Agenda:
About:
Competition Calendar
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
C Lane One C
Elaron via Wikipedia Commons
Why even have Games?
You have to wonder if either Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor
Orban or Budapest Mayor Istvan Tarlos are fans of Kenny
Rogers.
They knew when to fold ‘em, knew when to walk away and knew when
to run.
In the aftermath of the submittal of 266,151 signatures to force a
referendum, a Hungarian government spokesman signaled
Wednesday that the Budapest bid for the 2024 Olympic Games would
be “withdrawn.”
So where there was hope that the International Olympic Committee had made the changes needed to
attract more interest and more efficient Games through its Agenda 2020 program adopted in
December 2014, there is only wreckage. Of the five initial candidates for 2024, four have dropped out
– Hamburg (via referendum), Rome (political opposition), Boston (community opposition) and now
Budapest (petitions requiring a referendum) – with Paris still in it and Los Angeles replacing Boston.
From seven bidders for 2016 and five for 2020, there are two for 2024. There were three bidders for
the 2018 Winter Games and just two for 2022.
So why even have Games? It’s a good question. But there are some provocative answers.
An Olympic Games, and in some cases, a major regional event such as the Asian Games, offers
benefits and opportunities that are not available elsewhere. Let’s forget the claims of present and
future economic benefits, which depend on seeing so far into the future that even the Oracle of Delphi
would have shrunk from such predictions. Instead, we should focus on mega-events such as a
multisport Games as a tool to achieve specific goals. What kind of goals? Consider these two:
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Publicity
There can be no doubt that the Olympic Games focuses worldwide attention on wherever it is
held. The broad television coverage and media reportage of the build-up and then the staging
of the event makes this inevitable, and for some cities or countries, this is exactly what is
desired.
In the mid-to-late 20th Century, Olympic Games held in 1956 (Melbourne), 1960 (Rome), 1964
(Tokyo), 1968 (Mexico City), 1972 (Munich), 1976 (Montreal), 1980 (Moscow), 1988 (Seoul),
1992 (Barcelona) and 1996 (Atlanta) all sprung from the notion that the event would promote
and then validate the emergence of the Olympic city or host country, or demonstrate their re-
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
emergence (for Tokyo and Munich) as responsible nations after World War II. The same is true
for Beijing in 2008 and Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
This is also true of smaller events, such as the Asian Games, which are quite important on that
continent and carry high prestige. The success of the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo was a
precursor to the city’s selection in 1959 to host the 1964 Olympic Games. Same for Rio, which
put on a better-than-adequate Pan American Games in 2007, enough to help win its Olympic
bid in 2009.
Are they worth their cost? That’s a different question and one to be decided locally by
representatives and taxpayers. But there is almost nothing which can replace the impact of
having an Olympic Games in terms of publicity and promotion. And what’s that worth?
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Public happiness
This seems quite odd, but an interesting study by the London School of Economics and
Political Science, released in 2016, showed this facet of the Games. Based on 50,000 individual
interviews from 2011-13 in 2012 host city London and non-hosts Paris and Berlin, the study
team found that “the Olympic Games increased happiness among Londoners during the
Games, relative to Parisians and Berliners. In terms of potential ‘legacy’ effects, we find that the
effect of the Olympic Games in short-lived.”
Having worked on nearly two dozen mega-events myself. I suggest that the study confuses
“happiness” with “pride.” That a city (or country) can pull off the logistical nightmare of an
Olympic Games generates confidence. Following the success of the 1984 Games in Los Angeles,
the confidence of those in the city, and in others of the city, knew no bounds and continued for
eight years, until the Rodney King riots in 1992. A lot of good things happened during that
time.
In other cases (1980? 2008?), the host city/country’s government used the Games to showcase
its ability to produce demonstrated positive outcomes that validated its approach.
Sport is one of the unique aspects of our society which brings people together; we see this in our
everyday life in the shared interest in our sports teams. An Olympic Games brings a community or a
region or a country together in similar ways, around a common goal. That’s a positive, intangible
benefit that is almost impossible to duplicate in any other way.
Is that worth the enormous cost of such events? That’s a civic question, one that 266,151 of Budapest’s
citizens wanted to vote on. But let’s not say the Games are a waste; the value will depend on its costs
and its benefits ... just like that ‘66 Mustang you’re watching on eBay.
Rich Perelman
Editor
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
C Headliners C
1.
Bobsleigh & Skeleton World Championships:
Holcomb best U.S. hope for the podium
FIBT World Championships:
Koenigssee (GER) ~ 17-26 February 2017.
| Two-time bobsled four-man World Champion Steven Holcomb
wants to make up for lost time. Literally.
He and Carlo Valdes were seventh in last week’s two-man competition,
especially due to placing 14th in the first run. “I messed up in the first run,
it was my mistake and we had to pay the price.” Holcomb said.
Now comes the four-run World Championships in the big sleds, with
Holcomb’s crew – Valdes, Sam McGuffie and Jimmy Reed – as one of
the favorites for a medal, given their performance on the World Cup
circuit this season.
He’s third in the seasonal driver standings, with 1,218 points, just 57 back
of leader Andrey Kasjanov of Russia (1,275) and Rico Peter of
Switzerland (1,261). Those three and the German entries – two-man
World Champ Francesco Friedrich, Nico Walther and Johannes
Lochner – plus Russian Alexey Stulnev are the obvious medal contenders in Koenigssee this
weekend.
Who’s the hottest? None of the above; the best right now might be Latvia’s defending World
Champion Oskars Melbardis, who’s been second, seventh and first in his last three World Cup
races this season. Moreover, Lochner and Walther were 1-2 at the World Cup race in Koenigssee on 29
January.
The four-man bob events will be held on Saturday (two runs) and Sunday (two runs); the men’s and
women’s skeleton first runs will be held on Friday, with the final two runs of the women’s skeleton on
Saturday and the last of the men’s runs on Sunday.
The skeleton outlook once again focuses on Latvia’s defending World Champion Martins Dukurs,
who leads the seasonal standings and is in position to win his eighth consecutive seasonal title. His
biggest challenge should be Korea’s Sungbin Yun, just 14 points back, but he is skipping the World
Championships to continue his training at the 2018 Olympic course in Korea.
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
So the likely challengers to Dukurs include Russia’s Alexander Tretiakov, the 2016 Worlds silver
winner and a World Cup medalist in five of his six races this season. Germany’s Axel Jungk and
Christopher Grotheer are contenders, with an outside shot for Sochi bronze medalist Matt
Antoine of the U.S.
Wild card? Has to be John Daly of the U.S. – not the golfer – but who was in contention for a medal
in Sochi until slipping on the start of his final run and falling to 15th. He took some time off, then reappeared in this season’s North American Cup circuit, winning three of his last four races to earn a
special entry into the World Championships.
The women’s Skeleton race features last year’s medalists: gold winner Tina Hermann (GER),
Janine Flock (AUT, silver) and Russia’s Elena Nikitina (bronze), all chasing the current World
Cup leader, Jacquelline Loelling of Germany. The next best bets are Canadian: Mirela Rahneva
– three podiums in her last four races – and Elisabeth Vathje, with two wins on tour this season.
The U.S. has capable entries in Anne O’Shea and Kendall Wesenberg, but only the latter has
been on a World Cup podium this season (once).
Online viewing of the races is possible through the www.NBCSports.com/live site. Summaries so far:
FIBT World Championships: Koeningssee (GER) ~ 17-26
February 2017. (Full results here):
Men’s Two: 1. Francesco Friedrich/Thorsten Margis
(GER), 3:16.71 combined for four runs; 2. Justin
Kripps/Jesse Lumsden (CAN), 3:17.91; 3. Johannes
Lochner/Joshua Bluhm (GER), 3:17.96; 4. Oskars
Kibermanis/Matiss Miknis (LAT), 3:18.17; 5. Nick
Poloniato/Neville Wright (CAN), 3:18.23; 6. Oskars
Melbardis/Janis Strenga (LAT), 3:18.35; 7. Steven
Holcomb/Carlo Valdes (USA), 3:18.39; 8. Nico Walther/Eric
Franke (GER), 3:18.45; 9. Bruce Tasker/Joel Fearon
(GBR), 3:18.59; 10. Rudy Rinaldi/Boris Vain (MON),
3:18.60. Also: 11. Justin Olsen/Evan Weinstock (USA),
3:18.67.
Women’s Two: 1. Elana Meyers Taylor/Kehri Jones
(USA), 3:24.64 for four runs; 2. Kaillie Humphries/Melissa
Lotholz (CAN), 3:24.78; 3. Jamie Gruebel Poser/Aja Evans
(USA), 3:24.98; 4. Mariama Jamanka/Annika Drazek
(GER), 3:25.35; 5. Christina Hengster/J.J.O.D. Onasanya
(AUT), 3:25.42; 6. Alysia Rissling/Cynthia Appiah (CAN),
3:25.63; 7. Maria Oshigiri/Arisa Kimishima (JPN), 3:25.82;
8. Stephanie Schneider/Lisa Marie Buckwitz (GER),
3:26.05; 9. Christin Senkel/Ann-Christin Strack (GER),
3:26.21; 10. Elfje Willemsen/Sara Aerts (BEL), 3:26.28.
Also: 12. Brittany Reinbolt/Lauren Gibbs (USA), 3:26.32
Team Competition: 1. Germany 1 (JungkJamanka/Bertels-Loelling-Lochner/Rasp), 3:21.84; 2.
Germany 2, 3:22.44; 3. International Team, 3:22.69; 4.
Russia 1, 3:22.82; 5. Russia 2, 3:23.04; 6. United States 1
(Antoine-Meyers Taylor/Lolo Jones-O’SheaHolcomb/McGuffie), 3:23.43; 7. Austria 1, 3:13.72; 8.
Canada 2, 3:23.80; 9. Canada 1, 3:23.92; 10. United States
2 (Crumpton-Gruebel Poser/Garrett-WesenbergOlsen/Moreira), 3:24.39.
2.
Nordic Skiing World Championships:
Will lightning strike twice?
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
FIS Nordic Skiing World Championships:
Lahti (FIN) ~ 22 February-05 March 2017
| A very busy schedule of skiing and jumping is ahead for the
next two weeks in Finland, as world titles will be decided in cross
country skiing, ski jumping and the Nordic Combined. The
schedule of finals:
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Cross Country:
Feb. 23: Men’s and Women’s Sprint (Freestyle technique)
Feb. 25: Men’s and Women’s Skiathlon
Feb. 26: Team Sprint (Classical)
Feb. 28: Women’s 10 km (Classical)
Mar. 01: Men’s 15 km (Classical)
Mar. 02: Women’s 4x5 km Relay
Mar. 03: Men’s 4x10 km Relay
Mar. 04: Women’s 30 km Mass Start (Freestyle)
Mar. 05: Men’s 50 km Mass Start (Freestyle)
Preview: If the U.S. can score two astonishing medals in the Biathlon World Champs, then why not in
cross country? The likeliest candidate is Jessica Diggins, who has been strong all season, especially
in Freestyle races. She’s won two World Cup 5 km races this season, and was second in a Skiathlon
(half Classical, half Freestyle); she’s been a consistent top-5 to top-7 finisher. Sadie Bjornsen also
scored a medal (bronze) in the 5 km Free race that Diggins won and Liz Stephen won silver in a
Pursuit in January.
The favorites for medals are Norwegians Heidi Weng (the World Cup overall leader, and has five
wins), Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg (two wins) and Marit Bjorgen (four wins), Sweden’s Stina
Nilsson (seven wins) and Finland’s Krista Parmakoski (one win).
Defending World Cup overall champ Martin Johnsrud Sundby of Norway is the headliner among
the men, with four wins on tour this season and a big lead in the overall standings: 1,448-1,064 over
Russia’s Sergey Ustiugov, who was red-hot in January with a win in the Tour de Ski, but hasn’t
won since. Contenders: Finland’s Matti Heikkinen and Canada’s Alex Harvey, who have been
consistent of late, although not winners, and any of the other Norwegians who make it to the starting
line. Norway boasts eight of the top 14 in the seasonal World Cup standings and 10 of the top 20.
The top American male is Simi Hamilton in 34th place, who did score a silver in a Sprint – his best
distance – in January.
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Nordic Combined:
Feb. 24: Gundersen 100 m Hill/10.0 km
Feb. 26: Team 100 m Hill/4x5.0 km
Mar. 01: Gundersen 130 m Hill/10.0 km
Mar. 03: Team Sprint 130 m Hill/2x7.5 km
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
Preview: The 2016-17 Nordic Combined season has essentially been a duel between Germany’s Eric
Frenzel, the four-time defending World Cup champ and Sochi gold medalist, and 2015 Normal
Hill/10 km World Champion Johannes Rydzek. Between them, they have won 15 of the 19 events
held this season. Fabian Riessle (GER) has won twice, with the other events going to Bjorn
Kircheisen (GER) and Akito Watabe (JPN). Rydzek is hottest right now, winning five of the last
nine events, while Frenzel hasn’t won since 29 January.
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Ski Jumping:
Feb. 24: Women’s 100 m Hill
Feb. 25: Men’s 100 m Hill
Feb. 26: Women’s Team 100 m Hill
Mar. 01: Men’s 130 m Hill
Mar. 04: Men’s Team 130 m Hill
Preview:
Anything can happen in a single-day World Championship, but the star jumpers of the
season have been Poles Kamil Stoch (World Cup leader) and Maciej Kot, Austria’s Stefan Kraft,
Norway’s Daniel Andre Tande and early-season sensation Domen Prevc (SLO). Prevc won four
early-season events, but then Stoch took over and has seven wins on tour to four for Kraft, two for
Tande and Kot and one each for Andreas Wellinger (GER) , Michael Hayboeck (AUT) and
Peter Prevc (SLO). The medalists are likely to come from that group.
Japan’s Sara Takanishi dominates the women’s jumping, winning nine of this season’s 18 events,
but had a mid-season slump earlier this season. If she’s off, teammate Yuki Ito (four wins) is the
likely beneficiary, with competition from Norway’s Maren Lundby (four wins) and Austria’s
Daniela Iraschko-Stolz. Wild card: Germany’s Katharina Althaus, who won her first World
Cup title on 12 February and has been coming on of late.
The U.S. is not a factor in the men’s competition, but Nita Englund and Sarah Hendrickson are
capable of top-10 finishes on a good day.
3.
Speed Skating World Sprint Championships:
Heather Bergsma back on the line in Calgary
ISU Speed SkatingWorld Sprint Championships:
Calgary (CAN) ~ 25-26 February 2017
| The speedsters will be out this weekend for the ISU’s World Sprint Championships in Calgary
(CAN), with two races in the 500 m and 1,000 m for men and women to determine the short-distance
champions.
Who are the favorites? Here are the top-10 in the World Cup 500 m and 1,000 m standings, with the
bolded names confirmed to compete in Calgary:
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
Men’s 500 m
1. Ruslan Murashov (RUS)
2. Pavel Kulizhnikov (RUS)
3. Nico Ihle (GER)
4. Ronald Mulder (NED)
5. Mika Poutala (FIN)
6. Dai Dai Ntab (NED)
7. Kai Verbij (NED)
8. Tsubasa Hasegawa (JPN)
9. Artur Was (POL)
10. Jan Smeekins (NED)
Men’s 1,000 m
1. Kjeld Nuis (NED)
2. Kai Verbij (NED)
3. Vincent De Haitre (CAN)
4. Havard Holmeflord Lorentzen (NOR)
5. Nico Ihle (GER)
6. Shani Davis (USA)
7. Pavel Kulizhnikov (RUS)
8. Mika Poutala (FIN)
9. Takuro Oda (JPN)
10. Joey Mantia (USA)
Women’s 500 m
1. Nao Kodaira (JPN)
2. Maki Tsuji (JPN)
3. Jing Yu (CHN)
4. Erina Kamiya (JPN)
5. Olga Fatkulina (RUS)
6. Marsha Hudey (CAN)
7. Sang-Hwa Lee (KOR)
8. Hong Zhang (CHN)
9. Heather Bergsma (USA)
10. Arisa Go (JPN)
Women’s 1,000 m
1. Heather Bergsma (USA)
2. Marrit Leenstra (NED)
3. Miho Takagi (JPN)
4. Nao Kodaira (JPN)
5. Olga Fatkulina (RUS)
6. Hege Bokko (NOR)
7. Karolina Erbanova (CZE)
8. Hong Zhang (CHN)
9. Jorien ter Mors (NED)
10. Ireen Wust (NED)
Among the men, the best combination skaters would be Germany’s Nico Ihle, Mika Poutala of
Finland and Kai Verbij of the Netherlands. The U.S. has entered Mitch Whitmore (13th in the
World Cup 500 m standings) and Jonathan Garcia (18th at 1,000 m). Kjeld Nuis (NED) won the
silver medal last year in this competition with Verbij third.
In the women’s division, Heather Bergsma is a threat to win any time she steps on the ice. Japan’s
Nao Kodaira and Russia’s Olga Fatkulina have to be rated as co-favorites as well. The U.S. will
also send Jerica Tandiman and Sugar Todd to Calgary.
Bergsma has been second in the World Sprints for the last two years behind (currently injured)
teammate Brittany Bowe. Karolina Erbanova (CZE) won the bronze two years ago and Jorien
ten Mors (NED) was last year’s bronze medalist.
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
C Panorama C
Alpine Skiing
| Now that the World Championships have been dispensed with,
the World Cup can return to its frenetic schedule with women’s
racing at Crans-Montana (SUI) and the men in Norway for a
Downhill and Super-G at Kvitfjell.
The women have an unusual schedule of an Alpine Combined –
Super-G and Slalom – on Friday and Sunday, with a Super-G race
sandwiched in between. Earlier in the season, this might have
meant that American star Mikaela Shiffrin might be racing in
the Combineds to help pad her lead in the overall World Cup points
race.
But with her top competitor, Switzerland’s Lara Gut, out with a broken leg, there’s no need to press.
Shiffrin has 1,203 points, followed by Gut (1,023) and then Italy’s Sofia Goggia (789). As the World
Cup scores 100-80-60-50-45 for the top five places (and on down to 30th), Shiffrin has essentially a
four-race lead with a month to go in the season. Of the 11 races left, two are Downhills, three are
Super-Gs and there are two each of the Giant Slalom, Slalom and Combined. If Shiffrin enters the
Giant Slaloms and Slaloms, she should be able to race home with her first World Cup overall title. But
she has to keep winning.
Shiffrin, the easy leader in the Slalom discipline race, even has a chance to take the Giant Slalom
category, trailing France’s Tessa Worley by just 580-460.
Breakout Slovenian star Ilka Stuhec, the new World Champion in the Downhill, won the only prior
Combined this season, back in December at Val d’Isere.
The men will be in Kvitfjell for two Downhill races and a Super-G, won last year by Dominik Paris
(ITA) in the Downhill and Norway’s Kjetil Jansrud (Super-G). With nine races left, everyone is
once again chasing Austria’s Marcel Hirscher, who has essentially a four-race lead (1,275-843) on
France’s Alexis Pinturault and Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen. With four of the remaining nine
races in Hirscher’s wheelhouse – Giant Slaloms and Slaloms – he’s almost certain to win his sixth
straight World Cup overall title.
The seasonal World Cup titles for the men’s Downhill and Super-G are definitely up for grabs,
however. Italy’s Peter Fill has a slim lead in the Downhill: 279-247-218 over Jansrud and Paris. In
the Super-G, Jansrud has a comfortable lead of 329-192 over Pinturault with Aleksander Aamodt
Kilde (NOR) in easy striking distance at 189.
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
Athletics
| The first race of the World Marathon Majors for 2017 is on for Sunday: the Tokyo Marathon. Race
Director Tad Hayano has noted that this year’s race could be special: “The course is renewed and
faster this year, and thus if the weather is right the course record will be completely destroyed.”
Game on! The race record is 2:05:42 from 2014 by Dickson Chumba, also entered in this year’s
race. The elite entries include, listed by lifetime best:
2:03:13
2:04:32
2:04:38
2:07:39
2:09:12
2:09:21
2:11:46
2:11:48
debut
(2016)
(2014)
(2012)
(2015)
(2015)
(2015)
(2016)
(2015)
Wilson Kipsang (KEN) ~ World Record 2:03:23 ‘13; 2012 Olympic bronze
Dickson Chumba (KEN) ~2015 winner and race record holder (2:05:42)
Tsegaye Kebede (ETH) ~ 2008 Olympic bronze medalist
Masato Imai (JPN) ~ 7th in 2015 Tokyo Marathon
Hiroaki Sano (JPN) ~ 9th in 2015 Tokyo Marathon
Koji Gokaya (JPN) ~ 9th in Berlin ‘15 and 9th in Chicago ‘16
Yuma Hattori (JPN) ~ 12th in Tokyo ‘16; second marathon
Hiroyuki Yamamoto (JPN) ~ Fourth in New York Marathon in 2016
Takashi Ichida (JPN) ~ 27:53.59 for 10,000 m in 2016
The new course could also contribute to the fastest-ever marathon run in Japan. The current soil
record is Kebede’s 2:05:18 in winning at Fukuoka in 2009.
The women’s elite field is focused on three stars:
2:19:34
2:21:51
2:22:30
(2012)
(2016)
(2014)
Lucy Kabuu (KEN) ~ 3rd in Tokyo in 2014
Amane Gobena (ETH) ~ 2nd in PR at Tokyo 2016
Birhane Dibaba (ETH) ~ 2nd/3rd/5th in last three Tokyo Marathons
The women could also challenge not just the race record of 2:21:27 from last year (Helah Kiprop of
Kenya), but also the Japanese soil record of 2:21:18 by Mizuki Noguchi (JPN) at Osaka in 2003.
Cycling
| The final chapter of the 2016-17 Tissot Track Cycling World Cup comes this weekend at the Velo
Sports Center at the StubHub Center in Carson, California, just south of Los Angeles. It’s the first time
since 2008 that a UCI World Cup meet has been held in the L.A. area.
The racing program includes:
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Men:
Women:
Sprint, Team Sprint, Keirin, Omnium, Scratch Race and Madison;
Sprint, Team Sprint, Individual Pursuit, Team Pursuit, Keirin, Scratch Race and
Madison.
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
Schedule:
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Feb. 24:
Feb. 25:
Feb. 26:
7:00 p.m.:
11:00 a.m.:
11:00 a.m.:
Qualifications
Session I
Session I
6:00 p.m.:
6:00 p.m.:
Session II
Session II
As this will conclude the World Cup circuit, the seasonal titles are on the line; the current leaders:
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Men:
Sprint:
Keirin:
Omnium:
Scratch Race:
1. Kamil Kuczynski (POL), 1,200
1. Tomas Babek (CZE), 1,400
1. Szymon Sanok (POL), 825
1. Raman Ramanau (MCC), 500
2. Andrii Vynokurov (UKR), 1,200
2. Vasilijus Lendel (LTU), 1,100
2. Sam Welsford (AUS), 500
2. Christopher Latham (GBR), 450
1. Germany, 1,912.5
1. Belgium, 1,275
2. France, 1,912.5
2. Italy, 1.175
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Team Sprint:
Madison:
Women:
Sprint:
Individual Pursuit:
Keirin:
Scratch Race:
1. Tania Calvo Barbero (ESP), 1,150
1. Justyna Kaczkowska (POL), 500
1. Nicky Degrendele (BEL), 1,225
1. Evgeniya Romanyuta (RUS), 850
2. Migle Marozaite (LTU), 855
2. Elise Delzenne (FRA), 450
2. Liubov Basova (UKR), 950
2. Lydia Gurley (IRL), 775
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Team Sprint:
Team Pursuit:
Madison:
1. Spain, 1,400
1. Italy, 1,800
1. Great Britain, 500
2. China, 1,125
2. Great Britain, 1,700
2. France, 450
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The UCI awards lots of points per race: 500-450-400-375-350-325-300-275-250-225 for the top ten
places and more beyond that, so nearly every seasonal title is on the line this weekend.
The star of the meet could be 33-year-old Sarah Hammer – four-time Olympic silver medalist in
the Team Pursuit (2012-16) and Omnium (2012-16), and eight-time World Champion – who won the
Scratch Race, was second in the Points Race and fifth in the Omnium in the World Cup last week in
Cali, Columbia.
| Two road races on the UCI World Tour are underway or about to get going: the four-day Abu
Dhabi Tour in the UAE and the one-day Omloop Het Niewsblad Elite race in Belgium, both new
additions to the 2017 World Tour.
Twenty teams are entered in the Abu Dhabi Tour, with many of the stories stars of the Grand Tour
races expected to be at the starting line:
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Fabio Aru (ITA) ~ 2015 Vuelta a Espana champion
Romain Bardet (FRA) ~ 2016 Tour de France and Tour of Oman runner-up
Mark Cavendish (GBR) ~ 2011 UCI World Road Champion; Rio silver medal in the Omnium
Alberto Contrador (ESP) ~ Seven-time Grand Tour winner
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
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Rui Costa (POR) ~ 2013 UCI World Road Champion
Caleb Ewan (AUS) ~ 2017 Santos Tour Down Under champion
Marcel Kittel (GER) ~ Dubai Tour champion in 2015 and 2016
Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) ~ Champion: Tour de France ‘14; Giro d’Italia ‘13/’16, La Vuelta ‘10
Nairo Quintana (COL) ~ 2016 Vuelta a Espana champion
Tejay van Garderen (USA) ~ 2013 Tour of California champion
The race is 671 km in total (about 417 miles) in four stages of 189-153-186-147 km with only the third
stage recognized as a climbing race, with 750 m of ascent, almost all of it in the final 10 km.
This is the third edition of the Abu Dhabi Tour; the inaugural in 2015 was won by Colombia’s
Esteban Chaves and last year’s winner was Estonia’s Tanel Kangert.
The Omloop Het Niewsblad race is in and around Ghent in Belgium and is the first of the so-called
“Cobbled Classics” – one-day races with a significant presence of cobblestone streets to be dealt with
by the cyclists.
The race dates back all the way to 1945, and is considered a difficult race over 200.8 km (~ 128 miles)
with 13 separate climbs. Belgian riders have won 55 of the 71 editions, with Greg van Avermaet
returning Belgium to the winner’s circle for the first time since 2012. The recent formchart:
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2014: 1. Ian Stannard (GBR)
2015: 1. Ian Stannard (GBR)
2016: 1. Greg van Avermaet (BEL)
2. Greg van Avermaet (BEL)
2. Niki Terpstra (NED)
2. Peter Sagan (SVK)
3. Edvald B. Hagen (NOR)
3. Tom Boonen (BEL)
3. Tiesj Benoot (BEL)
Velonews had a wonderful feature on Belgium’s Tom Boonen – at 36, set to retire later this year –
who has lined up 14 times for this race, but hasn’t won it yet despite an outstanding career elsewhere.
He’s been second twice and third twice; perhaps this is his year?
| More bad news for the World Tour: the Tour of Turkey, scheduled for 18-23 April, has been
postponed concerning security and team participation.
The Turkey event was one of the 2017 additions to the World Tour, designed to make it more
geographically inclusive. In the meantime, the Tour of Qatar (6-10 February) was cancelled due to
lack of financial support.
A new date (if any) for the Tour of Turkey could be considered at the Professional Cycling Council
meeting in March.
Fencing
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
| This week’s stop on the FIE circuit is for men’s Sabre
fencers in Warsaw (POL), with 178 entries in the Sabre de
Wolodyjowski tournament.
Before getting into the favorites in this fourth tournament
of the year for the men’s Sabre specialists, who is/was
Wolodyjowski?
Turns out he’s quite famous, kind of a Polish Obi-Wan
Kenobi. According to Wikipedia:
Michal Wolodyjowski (Jerzy Michal Wolodyjowski) is a fictional Polish hero in Henryk
Sienkiewicz's Trilogy: With Fire and Sword, The Deluge and Pan Wolodyjowski.
Michal Wolodyjowski is partly based on the historic figure, Colonel Jerzy Wolodyjowski, a
Polish noble of the Korczak clan.
The trilogy sees Michal Wolodyjowski take part in many battles from a young age,
distinguishing him as a feared warrior of great renown. The novels make special mention of
his reputation as one of the finest swordsmen alive, a true master of the szabla (a type of
Polish saber), as well as a master tactician.
Now you know! Trying to live up to his reputation will be a field that includes nine of the top tenranked fencers in the world:
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1. Jung-hwan Kim (KOR) ~ 2016 Olympic bronze medalist
2. Vincent Anstett (FRA)
3. Aron Szilagyi (HUN) ~ 2012 and 2016 Olympic Champion
4. Bon-gil Gu (KOR) ~ 2014 World Championships silver medalist
5. Mojtaba Abedini (IRI) ~ 2016 Olympic fourth-placer
6. Daryl Homer (USA) ~ 2016 Olympic silver medalist
7. Eli Dershwitz (USA)
9. Kamil Ibragimov (RUS)
10. Sang-uk Oh (KOR)
Individual competitions will take place on Friday with a team competition set for Sunday. Some 23
teams are entered, including top-ranked Russia, Italy (2), Korea (3), the U.S. (4, with Dershwitz,
Homer, Benjamin Natazon and Evan Prochniak) and Hungary (5).
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
Freestyle & Snowboard
| The snowboarders are off this week after events in Kazan and
Moscow were canceled. The Freestylers are in Sunny Valley (RUS) for
Ski Cross, Aerials in Minsk (BLR) and Moguls in Thaiwoo (CHN):
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This is the 13th out of 14 Ski Cross competitions this season, with
France’s Jean Frederic Chapuis (759 points) closing in on his
third straight World Cup title. He’s trailed by Brady Leman
(CAN, 616) and Swiss Alex Fiva (604).
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Canada’s Marielle Thompson has a 765-630 lead over
Sweden’s Sandra Naeslund, trying to win her first World Cup
since the 2013-14 season. Still in contention are also Swiss
Fanny Smith (603) and Germany’s Heidi Zacher (595).
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The Aerials events in Minsk are the sixth of seven competitions this season, with China’s
Guangpu Qi (360) in a tight race with Anton Kushner (BLR, 308) and Mac Bohonnon
of the U.S. (238). In the women’s race, China’s Mengtao Xu and Australia’s Danielle Scott
(322) and Russia’s Liubov Nikitina (213).
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The Moguls season will conclude with a standard event on Saturday and a Dual Moguls event
on Sunday in China. Canada’s Mikael Kingsbury has already clinched his sixth straight
World Cup title and has 82-0 points. France’s Benjamin Cavet is second (512) but still in a
fight with Australian Matt Graham (465) and Canada’s Philippe Marquis (427).
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Like the men, the women’s Moguls seasonal title is decided, for Australia’s Britteny Cox
(734). She’s way ahead of France’s Perrine Laffont (475), Canada’s Justine DufourLapointe (456) and sister – and defending World Cup champ – Chloe Dufour-Lapointe
(395) with teammate Andi Naude close behind (384).
The Freestyle (and Snowboard) World Cup season still has a couple of weeks to run before the
combined World Championships in Sierra Nevada (ESP) are on from March 8-19.
Gymnastics
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
| The first World Cup of the year in Artistic Gymnastics began on Wednesday in Melbourne (AUS)
with several Rio Olympians in action.
On the women’s side, the best-known entrant may be Sanne Wevers of the Netherlands, gold
medalist on the balance beam in Rio (ahead of Laurie Hernandez and Simone Biles of the U.S.). She
will be performing in her specialty. A second headliner is China’s Yan Wang, sixth in the Olympic
All-Around last summer and a member of their bronze medal-winning Team entry. She’ll be in the
vault and floor exercise.
Among the men, Japan’s Kenzo Shirai won gold with the Japanese team and an individual bronze
in Rio in the vault and is entered in the vault, horizontal bar, parallel bars, rings and floor exercise.
Teammate Koji Yamamuro, also a Team event gold winner, will perform on the parallel bars, rings
and pommel horse. Hungary’s Krisztian Berki, now 31, the London gold medalist on the pommel
horse, will compete in his speciality.
Prize money in each event will be Australian $1,000-750-500-300-250-200-150-100 for places 1-8 in
each apparatus.
Judo
| The second tournament of the International Judo Federation’s World Tour is
in Dusseldorf (GER) for competition from Friday through Sunday.
The field of 378 judokas from 51 countries includes several of the top-ranked
competitors in the world, including three no. 1-ranked women. Five Rio medal
winners are in the field and there could be a gold-medal rematch in the women’s
-63 kg class between winner Tina Trstenjak (SLO) and runner-up Clarisse
Agbegnenou (FRA)!
The other Rio medalists entered include bronze medalist Yeldos Smetov
(KAZ, -60 kg), silver medalist Hisayoshi Harasawa (JPN, +100 kg) and
women’s -57 kg silver medalist Sumiya Dorjsuren (MGL). The top-tenranked entries by weight class:
Men:
-60 kg: 5. Yeldos Smetov (KAZ)
-60 kg: 6. Amartuvshin Dashdavaa (MGL)
-60 kg: 9. Amiran Papinashvili (GEO)
-73 kg: 5. Lasha Shavdatuashvili (GEO)
-73 kg: 10. Tommy Macias (SWE)
-81 kg: 4. Frank De Wit (NED)
-81 kg: 5. Ivaylo Ivanov (BUL)
-66 kg: 4. Altansukh Dovson (MGL)
-66 kg: 5. Tumurkhuleg Davaadorj (MGL)
-66 kg: 10. Vazha Margvelashvili (GEO)
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-90 kg: 2. Axel Clerget (FRA)
-90 kg: 7. Aleksandar Kukolj (SRB)
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
-90 kg: 8. Mihael Zgank (SLO)
-90 kg: 9. Khusen Khalmurzaev (RUS)
-52 kg: 9. Gili Cohen (ISR)
-57 kg: 1. Sumiya Dorjsuren (MGL)
-100 kg: 4. Martin Pacek (SWE)
-100 kg: 5. Michael Korrel (NED)
-100 kg: 7. Karl-richard Frey (GER)
-63 kg: 1. Tina Trstenjak (SLO)
-63 kg: 2. Clarisse Agbegnenou (FRA)
-63 kg: 8. Mariana Silva (BRA)
-63 kg: 9. Alice Schlesinger (GBR)
+100 kg: 2. Daniel Natea (ROU)
+100 kg: 4. Hisayoshi Harasawa (JPN)
+100 kg: 7. Faciel Jaballah (TUN)
+100 kg: 8. Roy Meyer (NED)
-70 kg: 1. Chizuru Arai (JPN)
-70 kg: 4. Marie-eve Gahie (FRA)
-70 kg: 7. Elvismar Rodriguez (VEN)
Women:
-48 kg: 8. Milica Nikolic (SRB)
-48 kg: 9. Taciana Cesar (GBS)
-48 kg: 10. Eva Csernoviczki (HUN)
-78 kg: 5. Natalie Powell (GBR)
-78 kg: 8. Abigel Joo (HUN)
-78 kg: 10. Rika Takayama (JPN)
-52 kg: 8. Ai Shishime (JPN)
Prize money of $3,000-2,000-1,000 will be paid to the winner, runner-up and the two third-place
finishers in each class.
Luge
| The final World Cup competition of the year comes this weekend in
Altenberg (GER), with multiple showdowns to determine who makes
the season podium. Please remember that World Cup scoring in luge
awards 100-85-70-60-55-50-46 points for the top seven places and
lesser scores further down. The current situation:
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Russia’s 20-year-old Roman Repilov is well ahead in the
men’s standings (745 points), but has not clinched his first
World Cup title. Three men have a (slight) chance to catch him:
Russia’s Semen Pavilchenko (674), Germany’s Felix Loch
(663) and Austrian Wolfgang Kindl (654). The top American
is Tucker West (475), currently standing seventh.
Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken (GER), leaders all season and World Champions, have
clinched the World Cup title as well (1,040 points), their second in the past three seasons.
Teammates Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt will be second (858 points), but there is a fight
for third between Germany’s Robin Geueke and David Gamm (601) and Americans Matt
Mortensen and Jayson Terdiman (589).
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
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Germany’s Natalie Giesenberger has been the World Cup leader for most of the season and
has clinched the World Cup title (882 points) over teammate Tatjana Huefner (780), who
has clinched second place. The fight for third is between Russian Tatyana Ivanova (623)
and three chasers: Americans Erin Hamlin (572) and Emily Sweeney (540) and Canada’s
Alex Gough (535).
The Team Relay event will also be contested in Altenberg, with Germany already the seasonal winner
(431), but five teams vying to be second or third: Austria and Russia (both 325), the U.S. (321) and
Canada and Latvia (both 320).
Modern Pentathlon
| The 2017 season-opening World Cup comes to the U.S. at Fairplex in the Los Angeles suburb of
Pomona for the first of a four-year run in Southern California. It’s the first international modern
pentathlon competition in the area since the 1984 Olympic Games.
The schedule includes a qualification round and then finals on the weekend:
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Feb. 24:
Feb. 25:
Feb. 26:
Men’s Individual Final
Women’s Individual Final
Mixed Relay
The competition has changed dramatically over the years with a new emphasis on speed and action.
In order, the athletes will compete in (1) Fencing with an Epee, (2) a 200 m swim, (3) Show Jumping
riding, over a 350-400 m course with 12 obstacles and 15 jumps and (4) the combined running and
shooting event – “Laser-Run” –in which a target must be hit five times from 10 m with a laser pistol
before the athlete can go on to run 800 m, and this combination is repeated four times for a total of
20 targets and 3,200 m. The start of this event is staggered based on the standings going into it, so
that the first one to cross the finish line is the winner.
Among the top competitors expected to participate:
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Men:
Alexander Lesun (RUS), 2016 Olympic gold medalist and 2015-16 World Champs silver med.
David Svoboda (CZE), 2012 Olympic gold medalist
Pavlo Tymoshchenko (UKR), 2015 World Champion
James Cooke (GBR), 2016 World Cup Final winner
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Women:
Lena Schoeneborn (GER), 2008 Olympic gold medalist and 2015 World Champion
Sarolta Kovacs (HUN), 2016 World Champion
Samantha Murray (GBR), 2014 World Champion and 2012 Olympic silver medalist
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
The top U.S. entry in the field of 64 is Nathan Schrimsher, 11th in Rio.
The first medals will be decided in the Men's Individual Final (February 24), which is followed by the
Women's Individual final(February 25) and Mixed Relay (February 26) with qualifying taking place
on February 22-23.
The event can be watched online on www.UIPMTV.org beginning at 6 p.m. Pacific time for the
individual finals and from 4:30 p.m. Pacific time for the Mixed Relay.
Shooting
| The ISSF World Cup season will begin in New Delhi (IND) this week and end in the same place,
with the World Cup Final from 23-30 October. Now, some 452 shooters from 50 countries will
compete in 15 events in rifle, pistol and shotgun. It’s a fine field, with 12 Rio medal winners expected
to compete:
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Men:
10 m Air Pistol:
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25 m Rapid Fire Pistol:
50 m Pistol:
Trap:
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Double Trap:
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Skeet:
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Women:
10 m Air Pistol:
25 m Pistol:
Skeet:
Gold:
Silver:
Silver:
Silver:
Gold:
Silver:
Silver:
Bronze:
Gold:
Xuan Vinh Hoang (VIE)
Felipe Almeida Wu (BRA)
Jean Quiquampoix (FRA)
Hoang (VIE)
Josip Glasnovic (CRO)
Giovanni Pellielo (ITA)
Marco Innocenti (ITA)
Steven Scott (GBR)
Gabriele Rossetti (ITA)
Gold:
Bronze:
Gold:
Bronze:
Mengxue Zhang (CHN)
Heidi Diethelm Gerber (SUI)
Diana Bacosi (ITA)
Kim Rhode (USA)
The 37-year-old Rhode is an especially amazing competitor, having won medals in six straight
Olympic Games, the first person – male or female – to do so in a Games of the Olympiad.
Table Tennis
| The ITTF Seamaster World Tour moves west this week for the third tournament on the calendar,
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
the Qatar Open in Doha. A total of 177 players from 41 countries began
play with the qualification rounds on the 21st.
The $220,000 event will pay $25,000-12,600-6,600 for singles places
1-2 and the losing semifinalists, down to $900 for those reaching the
main draw of 32. The doubles competitors will win $8,000-4,0002,000.
The singles brackets should be outstanding with all of the top-10
ranked players in the men’s division and seven of the top-10 women.
The top five seeds, and their World Ranking:
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Men:
1. Long Ma (CHN) ~ 2016 Olympic champion and 2015 World Champion
2. Zhendong Fan (CHN) ~ 2015 World Championships bronze medalist
3. Xin Xu (CHN) ~ 2013 World Championships bronze medalist
4. Jike Zhang (CHN) ~ 2016 Olympic silver medalist and 2013 World Champion
5. Jun Mizutani (JPN) ~ 2016 Olympic bronze medalist
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Women:
3. Yuling Zhu (CHN) ~ 2013 World Championships bronze medalist
4. Kasumi Ishikawa (JPN)
5. Tianwei Feng (SIN) ~ 2012 Olympic bronze medalist
6. I-Ching Chang (TPE)
7. Yong Han (GER)
The top seeds in the men’s doubles event are last week’s India Open winners Masataka Morizono
and Yuya Ohsima from Japan (1 seed) and the no. 1-ranked team, China’s 2015 World Champions,
Long Ma and Jike Zhang. The top women’s doubles seeds are Korea’s Jihee Jeon and Haeun
Yang (1 seed) and Hong Kong’s Hoi Kem Doo and Ho Ching Lee, who were second at last week’s
India Open.
Wrestling
| One of the premier women’s wrestling tournaments was held last weekend in Stockholm, with
Japan and Russia dominating the Klippan Ladies Open.
Russians won the 58, 60 and 63 kg classes behind Valeria Koblova (Rio silver medalist), Yulia
Prontsevich and Valeria Lazinskaya (2015 European Games champ). Japan won the two
lightest classes, with Yui Sasaki and Haruna Okuno, both prior Cadet World Champions,
ensuring a bright future for one of the powerhouse teams in women’s wrestling.
U.S. wrestlers did not win any medals in Stockholm, but Amy Fearnside (48 kg), Arian Carpio
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
(60 kg) and Mallory Velte (63 kg) all lost in bronze medal matches. Summaries:
Klippan Ladies Open: Stockholm (SWE) ~ 18-19 February
2017. (Full results here):
48 kg: 1. Yui Sasaki (JPN); 2. Jasmine Mian (CAN); 3.
Daris Leksina (RUS) and Valeria Chepsarakova (RUS).
Also: 5. Amy Fearnside (USA). Final: Sasaki, technical fall
(11-0 in 4:01).
53 kg: 1. Haruna Okuno (JPN); 2. Vanesa
Kaladzinskaya (BLR); 3. Stalvira Orshush (RUS) and
Katarzyna Krawcyk (POL). Final: Okuno, 3-2.
55 kg: 1. Zalina Sidakova (BLR); 2. Katsiaryna Hanchar
(BLR); 3. Nadeshda Shushko (BLR) and Ramona
Galambos (HUN). Final: Sidakova, 9-1.
58 kg: 1. Valeria Koblova (RUS); 2. Aisuluu
Tynybekova (KGZ); 3. Michelle Fazzari (CAN) and Yuzuru
Komano (JPN). Final: Koblova, by injury default.
60 kg: 1. Yulia Prontsevich (RUS); 2. Uliana
Tukurenova (RUS); 3. Atena Kodama (JPN) and Gabriella
Sleisz (HUN). Also: 5. Arian Carpio (USA). Final:
Prontsevich, technical fall (11-0 in 5:53).
63 kg: 1. Valeria Lazinskaya (RUS); 2. Petra Olli (FIN);
3. Miyu Imai (JPN) and Henna Johansson (SWE). Also: 5.
Mallory Velte (USA). Final: Lazinskaya, 7-5.
69 kg: 1. Koumba Larroque (FRA); 2. Jenny Fransson
(SWE); 3. Anastasia Bratchikova (RUS) and Naruha
Matsuyuki (JPN). Final: Larroque, 5-3.
75 kg: 1. Justina Distasio (CAN); 2. Erica Wiebe (CAN);
3. Epp Mae (EST) and Alena Starodubsteva (RUS). Final:
Distasio, 10-7.
| Three-time World Champion Adeline Gray of the U.S. will miss the 2017 wrestling season in
order to recover from surgical repairs to her shoulder and knee.
Gray, 26, was the favorite in the 75 kg class in Rio after winning the world title in 2012, 2014 and
2015, but fell out in the quarterfinals. Her father, George Gray, told the Denver Post, “They tried to
get her ready. Obviously she wasn’t fully recovered. We weren’t going to say that, we didn’t want that
out, and she’s not using that as an excuse. I think she was a lot more damaged than she thought she
was.” The injury had not been disclosed until this week.
She told the Post that ““When I come back, I want to be prepared to step on the mat and be where I
was competitively before my injury.”
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
Agenda:
Competition Calendar
Highlights of the top-level (Championships ~ Grand Prix ~ World Cup ~ National Teams)
competitions in Olympic sports for the coming weeks:
Sport
Date(s)
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Bobsleigh
17-26 Feb
Table Tennis 21-26 Feb
Equestrian 22-26 Feb
Equestrian 22-26 Feb
Gymnastics 22-25 Feb
Nordic Ski 22 Feb-05
Shooting
22 Feb-04
Cycling
23-26 Feb
Mod. Pent. 23-27 Feb
Weightlift
23 Feb
Alpine Ski 24-26 Feb
Fencing
24-26 Feb
Freestyle
24-26 Feb
Judo
24-26 Feb
Alpine Ski 25-26 Feb
Cycling
25 Feb
Cycling
25-26 Feb
Freestyle
25-26 Feb
Freestyle
25-26 Feb
Luge
25-26 Feb
Speed Skate 25-26 Feb
Type ~ Event
Site
ISBF World Championships
ITTF World Tour 3: Qatar Open
Dressage World Cup CDI-W
Jumping World Cup CSI-5*
World Cup (apparatus)
FIS World Championships
ISSF World Cup (all)
MWT: Abu Dhabi Tour
UIPM World Cup 1
U.S. National Junior Championships
World Cup: M Downhill/Super-G
M Sabre World Cup 4
World Cup: M&W Ski Cross
IJF World Tour 2: Grand Prix
World Cup: W Downhill/Super-G/Combined
MWT: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite
Track: World Cup 4
World Cup: M&W Moguls
World Cup: M&W Aerials
Viessmann World Cup 9
ISU World Sprint Championships
C 26 February-04 March 2017
Athletics
26 Feb
World Marathon Major: Tokyo
Biathlon
27 Feb-05
BMW World Cup 7
Fencing
27 Feb-03
Pan American Junior Championships
Equestrian 01-05 Mar Dressage World Cup CDI-W
Football
01 Mar
USA Women vs. Germany
Swimming 02-04 Mar Arena Pro Swim Series 2
Triathlon
02-03 Mar ITU World Series 1
Beach Vllybl 03-05 Mar World Tour 1-star
Diving
03-05 Mar NVC Diving World Series 1
Freestyle
03-04 Mar World Cup: M&W Slopestyle
Gymnastics 03 Mar
Nastia Liukin Cup
Rugby
03-04 Mar Women's HSBC Sevens Series Rd 3
Rugby
03-05 Mar Men's HSBC Sevens Series Rd 5
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GER
QAT
USA
SWE
AUS
FIN
IND
UAE
USA
USA
NOR
POL
RUS
GER
SUI
BEL
USA
CHN
BLR
GER
CAN
Koenigssee
Doha
Wellington
Goteborg
Melbourne
Lahti
New Delhi
JPN
KOR
CUB
USA
USA
USA
UAE
AUS
CHN
SUI
USA
USA
USA
Tokyo
Los Angeles
Kansas City
Kvitfjell
Warsaw
Sunny Valley
Dusseldorf
Crans-Montana
Oost-Vlaanderen
Los Angeles
Thaiwoo
Minsk
Altenberg
Calgary
PyeongChang
Havana
Wellington
Chester
Indianapolis
Abu Dhabi
Shepparton
Beijing
Silvaplana
Newark
Las Vegas
Las Vegas
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
Alpine Ski
Alpine Ski
Athletics
Cycling
Football
Freestyle
Gymnastics
Hockey
Snowboard
Snowboard
Speed Skate
Wrestling
04-05 Mar
04-05 Mar
04-05 Mar
04 Mar
04 Mar
04 Mar
04 Mar
04-12 Mar
04 Mar
04-05 Mar
04-05 Mar
04-05 Mar
C 05-12 March 2017
Cycling
05-12 Mar
Freestyle
05 Mar
Biathlon
06-12 Mar
Freestyle
06-07 Mar
Badminton 07-12 Mar
Football
07 Mar
Cycling
08-14 Mar
Freestyle
08-19 Mar
X-Cntry Ski 08 Mar
Equestrian 09-12 Mar
Equestrian 09-12 Mar
Snowboard 09-17 Mar
Alpine Ski 10-11 Mar
Judo
10-12 Mar
Short Track 10-12 Mar
Speed Skate 10-12 Mar
Cycling
11 Mar
Hockey
11-19 Mar
Nordic Cmb 11 Mar
Rugby
11-12 Mar
Ski Jumping 11-12 Mar
Swimming 11 Mar
Wrestling
11 Mar
X-Cntry Ski 11-12 Mar
World Cup: M Giant Slalom/Slalom
World Cup: W Downhill/Super-G
USATF Indoor Championships
MWT & WWT: Strade Bianche
USA Women vs. England
World Cup: M&W Aerials
World Cup (all-around)
M World League Round 2
World Cup: M&W Parallel Giant Slalom
World Cup: M&W Snowboardcross
ISU World All-Around Championships
Women's Freestyle World Cup
SLO
KOR
USA
ITA
USA
RUS
USA
BAN
TUR
ESP
NOR
tbd
MWT: Paris-Nice
World Cup: M&W Ski Cross
BMW World Cup 8
World Cup: M&W Halfpipe
Yonex All England Open
USA Women vs. France
MWT: Tireno-Adriatico
FIS World Championships
World Cup: M&W Sprint
Dressage World Cup CDI-W
Dressage World Cup CDI-W
FIS World Championships
World Cup: W Giant Slalom/Slalom
IJF World Tour 3: Grand Slam
ISU World Championships
ISU World Cup Final
WWT: Ronde van Drenthe
M World League Round 2
World Cup: Gundersen HS 134/10 km
Men's HSBC Sevens Series Rd 6
World Cup: M&W (HS 134)
HOSA 10 km Open Water World Cup 2
Men's Greco-Roman Grand Prix
World Cup: M 50 km C/W 30 km C
FRA
CAN
FIN
FRA
ENG
USA
ITA
ESP
NOR
USA
NED
ESP
USA
AZE
NED
RUS
NED
IRE
NOR
CAN
NOR
UAE
CRO
NOR
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Kranjska Gora
Jeongseon
Albuquerque
Siena
Harrison
Moscow
Newark
Dhaka
Kayseri
La Molina
Hamar
Blue Mountain
Kontiolahti
Tignes
Birmingham
Washington,D.C.
Sierra Nevada
Drammen
Burbank
Hertogenbosch
Sierra Nevada
Squaw Valley
Baku
Rotterdam
Chelyabinsk
Drenthe
Dublin
Oslo
Vancouver
Oslo
Abu Dhabi
Zagreb
Oslo
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Thursday,
23 February 2017
About The Sports Examiner
The Sports Examiner was created to cover championship-level international sports – with a special
emphasis on those sports and events that are part of the Olympic/Winter Games programs. You can
get it sent directly to your e-mail inbox by signing up at www.TheSportsExaminer.com.
These athletes deserve the comprehensive coverage given to a fairly small number of sports which are
the most popular in individual countries, such as baseball, basketball, football (several kinds), ice
hockey and others. Why not offer an all-in-one briefing, available online, which can provide fans with
a 360-degree view of the top-level meets, matches and tournaments in world sport?
Although the Rio Games are a memory, sport does not stop. Tell your friends to join us for free by
entering their e-mail address in the subscription form at www.TheSportsExaminer.com!
About the Author
Rich Perelman has been a bid developer, planner and/or operator of 20 multi-day, multi-venue
events, including five Olympic/Olympic Winter Games, in the U.S., Canada and Europe. In addition
to nearly 100 books, event and statistical guides, he has written for the Los Angeles Times, Track &
Field News, Universal Sports and many other publications. He is a longtime member of the
Association of Track & Field Statisticians (ATFS), International Society of Olympic Historians (ISOH)
and the Track & Field Writers of America (TAFWA).
Archives
Codes and Symbols
If you’re looking for previous issues, you can find
them here (scroll to the bottom of the page to the
Archives header and pick the month you want to
access). All editions are in PDF format of 1-5 MB
each and may be viewed or downloaded directly
to your device.
It wouldn’t be sports without symbols, right?
First and foremost, we use the International
Olympic Committee’s three-letter country codes;
the complete list can be found here. Other
common symbols:
You can also sign up to receive The Sports
Examiner by e-mail at TheSportsExaminer.com.
dnf
dns
dsq
HS
=
=
=
=
did not finish
kg = kilograms
did not start
m = meters
disqualified
w = wind-aided
hill size in ski jumping (always in meters)
The Sports Examiner for 23 February 2017: Vol. 2, no. 19. Copyright 2017 by Perelman, Pioneer & Co.;
All rights reserved.
The Sports Examiner is published by Perelman, Pioneer & Co.; Rich Perelman, editor. Subscriptions
are available by entering your name and e-mail address here. For more information, please visit
www.TheSportsExaminer.com.
Inquiries may be sent to [email protected] or by U.S. mail to Post Office Box 2368,
Rancho Mirage, California 92270 USA.
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= 23 =
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