SKIING ON FOUR

25 February 2005


Does Kranjska Gora hold the key to the season?
This week Nick and Konrad head to the Slovenian resort of Kranjska Gora for the penultimate Giant Slalom race of the season.

Sunday February 27 – 08:00am - World Cup Skiing
With the season coming to a thrilling conclusion across all disciplines, this weekend could see Bode Miller make a huge jump towards the Overall title. This weekend sees the Giant Slalom from Kranjska Gora - if Bode can get a win here, he will all but wrap up the Giant Slalom title and further extend his lead in the Overall. It is a resort and a course that he likes, having won the GS here for the past 2 seasons.

He won’t have it all his own way however, as the recently crowned World Champion, Herman Maier will want to give all the assistance that he can to fellow countryman Benni Raich’s bid for the GS and Overall crowns. Tomas Grandi of Canada and Italy’s Massimiliano Blardone, who are currently second and third in the GS rankings, will also be looking to put pressure on the flying American.

Monday February 28 - 2.05 am - World Cup Skiing
The full round up from Kranjska Gora. With Benni Raich comfortably ahead in the Slalom rankings from fellow Austrian’s Manfred Pranger and Rainer Schoenfelder, he will be looking to claw more ground back in Bode’s lead in the Overall World Cup.

Coverage also of the women’s DH from San Sicario in Italy, an important couple of days for the women as it’s the last weekend of racing before the World Cup finals with 300 points for grabs.. Tania Poutiainen started last weekend at the top of the overall standings, but sadly she crashed out in the Are Giant Slalom and effectively blew her chances of capturing the overall title. The smart money is on Anja Paerson, Janica Kostelic, Renate Goetschl or Micky Dorfmeister.

Wednesday March 2 – 2.35 am - World Cup Skiing
Ski Jumping from Japan and cross-country Skiing from Italy. After the drama of Zakapone, the two men at the top of the standings Janne Ahonen and Adam Malysz have decided to miss out the Japanese leg of the tour, to rest before the World Championships in Oberstdorf. Not so Norway’s Roar Ljoekelsoey who is defending the two titles he won in Japan last year.

It’s also a golden opportunity for the Japanese to prove themselves on home snow, several of whom missed recent World Cup events to prepare themselves for these two competitions.

Friday March 4 – 3.20 am- World Cup Snowboarding
A massive jump has been constructed in Turin city centr efor the Big Air event which is always a big crowd puller. 10 riders are through to the final, 5 from Finland, the team that has dominated the Big Air standings this season. Coverage also from Sauze D’oulx of the two Olympic freestyle skiing disciplines of Aerials and Moguls. The field includes the world best. . The Americans have never had a team as strong as this and they really are gunning for gold ahead of this season’s World Championships and of course next year’s Olympics, but the Finns are doing all they can to hold them back.


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