Kostelic’s status, weather cloud giant slalom

By Steve Ginsburg

TURIN (Reuters) – Janica Kostelic’s vacillating health and
a tricky weather pattern over the Italian Alps were lingering
questions heading into Friday’s giant slalom, the final women’s
Alpine ski race of the Olympics.

Kostelic has been the victim of a high pulse rate and was
waiting until Friday morning before deciding if she will defend
the title she won at the Salt Lake City Games in 2002.

The Croatian had said at various times over the past two
days her failing health would force her off the start list but
then would reverse course and tell reporters she might race.

She was too ill to take part in the downhill early last
week but returned with a vengeance, having later claimed the
combined gold and super-G silver in Turin.

Another gold would be the fifth of Kostelic’s career,
making her the most successful Alpine skier in Olympic history.
She already has the record for a single Games, having won three
golds and a silver in Salt Lake City four years ago.

Should the 24-year-old Kostelic stay on the sidelines,
Sweden’s Anja Paerson appears a likely favorite to claim gold.

After being unhappy with a bronze medal in the combined and
downhill, the Swede was ecstatic after winning the slalom gold.

Weather is likely to be an issue for the Sestriere race,
with limited visibility and 10cm (3.9 inches) of fresh snow
predicted for Friday.

The slalom is one of four gold medal events on Friday as
the Turin Games begin winding down. The podium is also being
readied for men’s curling, men’s 10,000-meter speedskating and
women’s cross-country skiing 30 km freestyle.

Canada and skip Brad Gushue battle Finland and Markku
Uusipaavalniemi in the hunt for the men’s curling gold medal.
Canada, the world’s biggest curling nation, seeking their first
Olympic title.

American speedskater Chad Hedrick and Dutchman Carl
Verheijen will skate last in the 10,000-meter race, a duel
widely expected to determine the gold medal winner.

Hedrick, world record holder over 10,000 meters, came to
Turin eyeing five gold medals but so far has only one gold and
a bronze.

Estonia’s Kristina Smigun looks for her third gold medal
here in the final women’s cross-country skiing event on the
programmed.

In men’s ice hockey semi-finals, Sweden play the Czech
Republic and Finland meet Russia.