SKELETON

MEN’S SINGLES

* Where: Cesana Pariol.

* When: Feb. 17.

* Best of the U.S.: Eric Bernotas of Avondale, Pa., finished third in the season’s World Cup standings with 390 points. Teammate Kevin Ellis of Dallas was fourth, with 365 points.

* Best of the rest: Jeff Pain of Canada won three of the last four World Cup races and his second successive World Cup title. He’s also the world champion. Gregor Staehli of Switzerland, the 2002 silver medalist, was the World Cup runner-up.

* U.S. chances to medal: Bernotas has a shot, as does Ellis.

* Little-known fact: Pain was born in Anchorage, and is a landscape designer when he’s not sliding headfirst down icy courses.

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WOMEN’S SINGLES

* Where: Cesana Pariol.

* When: Feb. 16.

* Best of the U.S.: Katie Uhlaender of Breckenridge, Colo., finished fourth in the World Cup standings. The U.S. was allotted only one sled in the Olympics, based on this season’s World Cup team results.

* Best of the rest: Melissa Hollingsworth-Richards of Canada won the World Cup title after finishing in the top three at all seven races. Maya Pedersen of Switzerland won four races and was second in the standings. They were well ahead of the rest of the pack.

* U.S. chances to medal: Slim. Hollingsworth-Richards and Pedersen appear to have a lock on gold and silver, with Diana Sartor of Germany a likely bronze medalist.

* Little-known fact: Uhlaender’s father, Ted, was an outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds in the 1960s and ‘70s.

-- Helene Elliott