WINTER OLYMPICS COUNTDOWN: 36 DAYS UNTIL THE GAMES

Alpine Skiing: Daron Rahlves of Sugar Bowl was pleased with his sixth-place finish at a tough downhill last weekend in Bormio, Italy. “We’re not totally on yet, but we’re on our way,” Rahlves said of the men’s speed team. “I really feel good about my skiing right now.” Chad Fleischer’s 16th-place finish in that race was his best of the season.... The head of the Austrian Ski Federation said two-time Olympic champion Hermann Maier must compete in a World Cup race within the next few weeks to be considered for the Olympic team. Maier, seriously injured in a motorcycle accident in August, returned to the slopes a few weeks ago.

Biathlon/Cross-Country: The U.S. biathlon team will be announced today, after the four-day trials.... Nina Kemppel of Anchorage, Alaska, the first U.S. woman to qualify for four Winter Games, clinched a cross-country Olympic berth with a strong showing in the 5-kilometer classic. She didn’t let the suspense linger until the 5K freestyle pursuit. “I wanted to do it early and make it decisive in the first race,” said Kemppel, who won the first race by 35 seconds and was third in the pursuit. Justin Wadsworth of Bend, Ore., clinched a berth on the men’s team.

Bobsled/Luge/Skeleton: The thrill hasn’t gone for bobsled driver Brian Shimer after qualifying for his fifth Olympic Games. “This is the most rewarding Olympic team that I have made,” said Shimer, who began his streak in 1988.... Three-time Olympic luge champion Georg Hackl of Germany said his father’s recent death of a heart attack won’t stop him from competing at Salt Lake City. “By taking part in my fifth Olympics I will fulfill one of my father’s dreams,” he said. His father, also named Georg, died of a heart attack after watching him compete in Konigssee, Germany.... Lincoln DeWitt of Park City, Utah, finished first and second last weekend in the first two races of the Verizon Championship Series skeleton competition at Utah Olympic Park. Lea Ann Parsley of Granville, Ohio, also had a first and a second. The series resumes Friday.

Curling: The U.S. men’s team, skipped by Tim Somerville of Roseville, Minn., will compete at the Eau Claire (Wis.) bonspiel starting Friday. The tournament ends Sunday. Members of the U.S. women’s team, which is skipped by Kari Erickson of Bemidji, Minn., will practice at their individual clubs before convening for a team practice next week at the Exmoor Curling Club in Highland Park, Ill.

Figure Skating: The Canadian championships begin Monday, with Elvis Stojko trying for his seventh national title. He has been practicing a quadruple lutz, which no skater has landed cleanly in competition. Canada can send two men’s singles skaters to Salt Lake City. Stojko won the silver medal at Lillehammer in 1994 and Nagano in 1998.... Alexander Abt of Russia, who finished second in the Russian national championships, trains at Lake Arrowhead.

Freestyle Skiing: Nagano gold medalist Eric Bergoust and U.S. champion Emily Cook won aerials events Monday at Deer Valley, Utah, to claim Olympic berths.... Donna Weinbrecht, a five-time World Cup champion and U.S. record holder with 46 moguls victories, is struggling to qualify for her fourth Olympic team. She has three events left to make the team. Jonny Moseley, the 1998 men’s moguls gold medalist, also might not qualify.

Hockey: The San Jose Sharks’ plan to allow forward Marco Sturm to miss a game against Carolina Feb. 10 so he could play two preliminary-round games for Germany at Salt Lake City was protested by an unidentified Eastern Conference team. Shark General Manager Dean Lombardi said the protesting team claimed Carolina would have an unfair advantage that would affect the playoff race. As a result, Sturm will play against Carolina and will play only once for Germany, Feb. 9.... The U.S. women’s team will start a three-game series against Canada on Saturday in Chicago. They will also play Sunday at Detroit and next Tuesday in Vancouver.

Nordic Combined/Ski Jumping: Sven Hannawald of Germany has won two events of the Four Hills ski jumping tournament. The last two legs will be in Innsbruck and Bishofshofen, Austria, on Friday and Sunday.

Snowboarding: The third of five Olympic qualifying events will be staged today at Mt. Bachelor, Ore. The selection process takes into accounts the results of World Cup, Continental Cup and Grand Prix events....Snowboarder Chris Klug, who received a liver transplant in 2000, will compete in cycling at the U.S. Transplant Games in June in Orlando.

Speedskating: Gianni Romme of the Netherlands, the world-record holder and 1998 Nagano gold medalist in the 5,000 and 10,000, barely made his country’s Olympic team after struggling at the national championships. He finished third in the 10,000 and won a berth, but was fifth in the 5,000 and won’t defend that title.... The world junior short track championships begin Saturday at Seoul.