Torino 2006 Winter Olympics

[Roaring G60]

With the opening cemeronies only 9 days away, I just wanted to see what everyone was looking forward to beside hockey? Also predictions of Canada's performance.

[Kirbs17]

I think Canada is going to do very well. In the past couple weeks, our skiier's have really picked it up a notch, and won a couple podium finishes. The Canadian hockey teams are the favorites going in, and I agree with that.

Our Curling, track skating, and skiiing will be huge.

[habsfan]

alot of out athletic programs are rolling pretty good right now. skiing has been impressive, always a threat in speed skating, curling, and of course hockey. it'll be fun to watch for sure!

[Gondi Stylez]

^^ :werd:

we are the team to beat for both the mens and womens hoeckey teams so i think our medals are secured there. freestyle skiing and speed skating our guys and gals have been doing well the past few weeks so im hoping for big things! curling, bobsled, skeleton, cross-country skiing and snowboarding should also provide some medals... men's aerials looks to be a plus this year so more than 1-2 medals looks realistic (according to tsn insiders)...

Here is a list of Canada's top medal contenders, hopefuls and longshots. (from TSN)

PODIUM

Canadian men's hockey team - Canada's top NHL players will have to fight off the Czechs and Swedes in order to repeat.

Canadian women's hockey team - Virtually guaranteed at least silver, but the goal is to beat archrival U.S. and defend the gold.

Canadian men's curling team - Brad Gushue's team from St. John's, N.L., will attempt to win the country's first Olympic gold in men's curling after Canadian silvers in 1998 and 2002.

Canadian women's curling team - Shannon Kleibrink's foursome from Alberta doesn't have a lot of international experience, but Canada has the same expectations of its curlers as it does its hockey teams.

Cindy Klassen, long-track speed skating - World record-holder in the 1,500 and 3,000 metres and will race in three other events. Potential multi-medallist.

Jeremy Wotherspoon, long-track speed skating - Perennial champion in the 500 metres looks to put his fall in Salt Lake City behind him.

Jeff Pain, skeleton - Defending world and World Cup champion has won three World Cups this season.

Jennifer Heil, freestyle skiing - Reigning World Cup moguls champion is leading the charge again this season.

Steve Omischl, freestyle skiing - Defending world aerials champ is working on a ``quint'' - a jump with five twists - for Turin.

Francois-Louis Tremblay, short-track speed skating - Defending world champ in the 500 metres and a silver medallist in the 1,500.

Pierre Lueders, men's bobsled - Gold medallist at the 1998 Olympics and defending world champion in two-man a favourite again now that brakeman Lascelles Brown has gained his Canadian citizenship.

Beckie Scott, cross-country skiing - Defending champion in the sprint looks on form to land on the podium again with five medals, including three gold, in World Cup racing this winter.

Canadian men's short-track relay team - Defending world and Olympic champions and current world record are favourites again.

Melissa Hollingsworth-Richards, skeleton - The 25-year-old from Eckville, Alta., clinched this season's overall World Cup title with podium finishes in every race, including two victories.

Canadian women's short-track relay team - Hasn't had the quite success of the men's relay team, but is the defending world champ in the event.

Canadian women's long-track relay team - The team pursuit is a new Olympic event and the depth that Canada has among the women, with Klassen, Clara Hughes and Kristina Groves, make Canada a strong contender for a medal.

MAYBE

Jeff Buttle, men's figure skating - Won a silver medal at last year's world championship.

Kyle Nissen, freestyle skiing - Leads World Cup aerials standings.

Eric Bedard, short-track speed skating - Olympic silver medallist in the 1,000 metres in 1998.

Jeff Bean, freestyle skiing - World silver medallist in aerials in 2005. Just missed the podium in 2002 Olympics with a fourth-place finish.

Dominique Maltais, snowboarding - A fierce competitor, Maltais will either be on the podium in snowboard cross or crash. Leads the World Cup standings.

Warren Shouldice, freestyle skiing - Former world champion in aerials currently second in World Cup standings.

Jasey-Jay Anderson, snowboarding - Potential double medallist in snowboard cross, a new Olympic event, and parallel giant slalom, in which he is the world champ.

Mathieu Turcotte, short-track speed skating - Bronze medallist in the 1,000 metres in 2002.

Clara Hughes, long-track speed skating - An Olympic bronze medallist in the 5,000 metres in 2002 won a World Cup race in December over that distance.

Helen Upperton/Heather Moyse, bobsled - Four World Cup podiums, including a gold medal, in their first season together on the World Cup circuit.

Drew Neilson, snowboarding - Has made noise on the World Cup circuit this season in snowboard cross with a win and a runner-up result to sit third in the standings.

Charles Hamelin, short-track speed skating - World silver medallist in the 500 metres.

Maelle Ricker, snowboarding - World bronze medallist in new Olympic discipline of snowboard cross and is third overall on World Cup circuit. After finishing fifth in Nagano, wasn't able to compete in Salt Lake City because of a knee injury.

Men's long-track speed-skating relay team - The pursuit is a new Olympic event and the Canadian men set a world record in November.

LONGSHOTS

Thomas Grandi, alpine skiing - Reached the World Cup podium in slalom and giant slalom in December and has shown with GS victories in the past, he can pull out a win.

Emanuel Sandhu, men's figure skating - Never better than seventh at world championships because of inconsistency but has the repertoire worthy of an Olympic medallist.

Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon, ice dance - Seventh at the 2005 worlds, but showed in winning bronze at the recent Grand Prix Final that they can challenge for a podium place.

Alexandre Bilodeau, freestyle skiing - The next Jean-Luc Brassard. The 18-year-old rookie on the Canadian moguls team is among the World Cup leaders this season.

Emily Brydon, alpine skiing - Third in a World Cup super-G this winter. When she's healthy, she's a threat to finish in the medals.

Denny Morrison, long-track speed skating - Up-and-coming 20-year-old is ranked second on World Cup circuit in 1,500 metres.

Sara Renner, cross-country skiing - A world bronze medallist last year, Renner can battle for a medal in the in the sprint.

Eric Guay, alpine skiing - Gold has eluded him so far this season, but Guay has earned World Cup medals in both downhill and super-G.

Kristina Groves, long-track speed skating - A constant contender on the World Cup circuit in 3,000 metres, but skates in the shadow of teammate Klassen.

Regan Lauscher, luge - First Canadian to win a medal in luge on the World Cup circuit with a silver medal during the 2004-05 season.

Paul Boehm, skeleton - Won silver and bronze medals on World Cup circuit this winter.

Duff Gibson, skeleton - Former world champion, now 39, still finishing in the top five in World Cup events.

Kalyna Roberge, short-track speed skating - A bomb on skates, Roberge has won World Cup medals in the 500 metres this winter.

Lindsay Alcock, women's skeleton - The 2004 World Cup champ is still among the sport's elite on the circuit with a bronze medal last month in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

IM PUMPED FOR THIS YEARS OLYMPICS! GO CANADA GO! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[calgarygts]

I'm watching the bobsleigh first and foremost (I know everyone there), and then hockey. I'm pretty pumped for the skeleton too, been around them for a while now so it'll be exciting watching them all competing.

I would give Helen Upperton and Heather Moise (women's bobsleigh) a podium finish, not a maybe. They've been tearing it up all season, and their starts are getting faster every race. Look for them to own the start time and have a great finish!

We have so many great athletes in canada, I can't wait to watch it all!!!