BEIJING, China — The first weekend of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing wraps up with some serious U.S. star power up in the mountains. And on the ice, the U.S. and the powerhouse Russians battle for the top of the podium in figure skating.
Alpine couple Shiffrin, Kilde now competing on same day
Alpine skiing’s power couple will have a busy day on the Olympic slopes — as long as the wind calms down, that is.
Mikaela Shiffrin and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde are now both supposed to race Monday after the men’s downhill was pushed back a day because of too-strong gusts at the scheduled start Sunday. Shiffrin and Kilde are dating.
Kilde is considered the man to beat in the downhill. The Norwegian leads the World Cup standings in that event and was fastest during training in China on Friday.
Shiffrin is the defending Olympic champion in the women’s giant slalom, which already was on the Alpine program for Monday local time in China (Sunday night on the east coast).
The two-leg GS will be raced at 8:30 p.m. Sunday and 1:30 a.m. EST Monday on the technical slope at Yanqing Alpine Skiing Center. In between those runs, the downhill will be held at 11:00 p.m. EST Sunday on the speed slope about a half-mile away.
Shiffrin will set off seventh on the first run of the women’s giant slalom, while her main rival, Slovakian Petra Vlhova, will ski first.
3 Americans in men's snowboard slopestyle final
American Red Gerard looks to defend his 2018 gold medal in men's snowboard slopestyle. Joining him will be Sean Fitzsimons and Chris Corning.
Also sending a trio to the final is Canada with Max Parrot, Mark McMorris and Sebastian Toutant.
Su Yiming of China, 17, had the top score in qualifying.
Team figure skating final night
The skaters of the Russian Olympic Committee head into the final night of team figure skating with a three point lead on the U.S. The competition wraps up with the pairs free skate, ice dancing free dance and women's free skate.
Also, 2018 silver medalist Chris Mazdzer is ninth heading into the final two runs of men's singles luge, Big Air freestyle skiing makes its Olympic debut with qualifying rounds, mixed doubles curling wraps up round-robin play and the U.S. faces Switzerland in women's hockey.