Predictions

Ski Jumping

K90 (small hill): Adam Malysz of Poland and Sven Hannawald of Germany have dominated the World Cup circuit, and it would be a tremendous upset if one of them did not take the gold medal. Matti Hautemaki of Finland is the best of the rest, and someone from Finland almost always comes through. Martin Schmitt of Germany and Martin Hoellworth of Austria should be watched. The Japanese peaked on home territory at Nagano in 1998 but have been slumping this season. An American medal is unlikely in this event.

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K120 (big hill): The big guns, Malysz and Hannawald seem head and shoulders above other contenders. Even so, someone often enough flies in and surprises. Alan Alborn, the top American, is at his best on the large hill and three times this winter has placed in the top six in World Cup competition. With the Games on American soil, the home-hill advantage could come into play and earn the U.S. its first medal in this event.

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Team: The nations with the most depth, and the four jumpers needed to perform, are probably Germany, Finland and Austria. The Finns always believe they should win this event. And although the Japanese have not had a first-rate season with top jumpers challenging at the top of the World Cup standings, they may have enough depth to score a medal on the right day.

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Nordic Combined

With five wins apiece, Germany’s Ronny Ackermann and Austria’s Felix Gottwald have dominated the World Cup this season. Two U.S. skiers, Todd Lodwick and Bill Demong, are the only others to win an event.

Three-time Olympian Lodwick, the best hope to be the first U.S. medalist ever in this amalgam of ski jumping and cross-country skiing, is ailing of late. One-day sprint event is a new addition to program.

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Philip Hersh