Monthly Archives: February 2014

FIS Ski Jumping World Cup, Ski Jumping

Nick Alexander Advances From Qualifying Round at Ski Jumping World Cup Event in Falun

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Previous FIS Ski Jumping World Cup Coverage

Both Anders Johnson and Nick Alexander started the qualification round on Tuesday vying for two of 40 spots in the first round on Wednesday. Johnson traveled just 104m on his jump so despite decent judges scores he only scored an 82.1 and was over 13 points short of a qualification spot. Alexander soared 111.5m and just barely squeaked into the field as he tied Manuel Fettner for 39th and the last two spots in the field. He was just 0.2 points ahead of 41st.

FIS World Cup - 2013-14 - Falun - Qualification Round

Alexander will now take part in the First Round on Wednesday. There’s no indication on the website that there is a final round, but one would assume there is one (probably for the top 30) based on the term “first round”.

Schedule

  • 10:30 AM – First Round
    • Nick Alexander
Archery, World Championships

World Archery Indoor Championships Begin Wednesday Morning in Nimes, France

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The World Archery Indoor Championships are set to begin on Wednesday in Nimes, France with the qualification round getting things started. The qualification round will set the field for both the individual events and the team events.

The US has a team in all four events (compound and recurve for both men and women) and three individuals in all four events as well.

The US competitors in men’s recurve will be Jeremiah Cusick, Brady Ellison, and Victor Wunderle. In the men’s compound it’ll be Jesse Broadwater, Braden Gellenthien, and Reo Wilde.

On the women’s side the recurve competitors are Meghan Collins, Rebekah McLeod, and Laura Shelton. The women’s compound competitors are Christie Colin, Crystal Gauvin, and Erika Jones.

The qualification round will be the only part of the Championship held on Wednesday, elimination rounds will get moving quickly on Thursday.

Schedule

  • February 26th
    • 7:45-10:30 AM – Qualification – Individual Recurve (Men’s and Women’s), Individual Compound (Men’s and Women’s)
Olympics, Recaps, Skeleton, Sochi 2014

Sochi Skeleton Recap – Success Abounds as US Medals on Both Men’s and Women’s Side For First Time Since 2002

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Hard to not call the performance by the US skeleton team anything but a smashing success. The US had failed to medal in both men’s and women’s skeleton in Turin and Vancouver after winning both the men’s and women’s competitions when they debuted in Salt Lake City. They medaled in both events again this time around and were one unlucky problem on John Daly’s final run from having four top four finishers.

Men’s Skeleton

Mens Skeleton

It was a very strong men’s event for the US. They posted five top five times on individual runs and would have two top five finishers if John Daly’s sled hadn’t gotten caught in the ruts on the start of his final run. Matthew Antoine won bronze and the US would not have gotten a second medal even if Daly had topped Antoine. The medal was the first for the US since Salt Lake City and the fourth time the US has medaled in six Olympics with skeleton.

Mens Skeleton Yearly Best

Women’s Skeleton

Womens Skeleton

It was great to see Noelle Pikus-Pace take home a silver for the US but there was definite heartbreak in Katie Uhlaender coming up 0.04 seconds short of winning a medal of her own. The US double medaled on the women’s side in 2002 and nearly did it again in Sochi. It was the first medal for the US since Salt Lake City but you can see how experienced the team was this year with the top finisher for the US from both the Turin and Vancouver games competing again this year.

Womens Skeleton Yearly Best

ATP Tour, Tennis

Michael Russell, Only American in the Draw, Out In First Round of Dubai Tennis Championships

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Dubai Tennis Championships (ATP)

Previous Dubai Tennis Championships Coverage

As quickly as it started it was over. The only American to enter the Dubai Tennis Championships this week was Michael Russell. Russell got off to a really strong start against Radek Stepanek, taking the first set 7-5. Stepanek rebounded to a 6-3 win in set two before slamming the door 6-1 in the third set. The 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 win ended Russell’s stay and sent Stepanek into a second round matchup with Roger Federer.

Dubai Tennis Championships - Mens Singles - 2-25-14

We’ll have continuing coverage of the other ATP World Tour 500 event this week, the Mexican Open, as there are still six Americans left competing in Acapulco.

ATP Tour, Tennis

Sam Querrey Into Second Round, Donald Brown Gets Lucky Loser Spot in Mexican Open Draw

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Mexican Open (ATP)

Previous Mexican Open Coverage

The first American to get the main draw started in Acapulco was Sam Querrey. Querrey took on Tigre Hank in the night cap of the first night. It was a competitive match with Hank taking the first set 7-6 (5) to put some pressure on Querrey. He responded just fine by pulling out the next two sets 6-4, 6-3 to advance to the next round. It wasn’t the strongest opponent for Querrey but playing Hank, a Mexican, in front of a pro-Hank crowd was definitely a challenge.

On Tuesday three more Americans will get underway. Donald Young didn’t think he’d be part of the main event after losing to Tim Smyczek in qualifying, but that changed when Jurgen Melzer had to withdraw. That left a lucky loser spot open into the main draw and it went to Young, making him the fourth American in the main draw. Young will be taking on Jarkko Nieminen on Tuesday for the right to face the winner of fellow American Tim Smyczek’s match with Gilles Simon. Both of the matchups are the first time the players have met. While the chance is small, since both Young and Smyczek would need to pull upsets, there is the slight chance that they could meet for the second time in a matter of days.

The other American to begin on Tuesday will be the #3 seed John Isner. Isner won’t have to face a top-25 player in the world in his quarter so the makings could be here for a nice run to the semifinals. He’ll start things off with a matchup with Ivo Karlovic of Croatia in the first round. The two have split their four previous matchups with Isner winning the latest, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3) in the quarterfinals at Newport last year.

Mexican Open - Singles - 2-25-14

Schedule

  • 5 PM – #3 John Isner vs. Ivo Karlovic – All-time series is 2-2
  • Approx. 9 PM – Tim Smyczek vs. #6 Gilles Simon – First ever meeting
  • Approx. 9 PM – Donald Young vs. Jarkko Nieminen – First ever meeting
FIS Ski Jumping World Cup, Ski Jumping

Anders Johnson and Nick Alexander Set to Compete in Ski Jumping World Cup Event in Falun

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The next stop on the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup is Falun, Sweden. The US has two athletes, fresh off their Sochi competition, in the field. Both Anders Johnson and Nick Alexander will start competition today with the qualification round. There are 64 competitors from 19 nations at the event. The training jumps happened earlier this morning with the qualification round at 12 PM ET. The event wraps up on Wednesday.

We’ll have coverage of the results of the qualification round later today.

Schedule

  • Tuesday, February 25th
    • 12 PM – Qualification
      • Anders Johnson
      • Nick Alexander
ATP Tour, Tennis

Michaell Russell Will Be Only American to Compete in Dubai Tennis Championships

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Dubai Tennis Championships (ATP)

The only American in the field for the Dubai Tennis Championships will be Michael Russell. Russell will be an underdog in his opening match against the Czech, Radek Stepanek. The two have faced off twice in the past with Russell winning a match in Auckland in 2003 and Stepanek taking a 6-2, 6-0 decision in the round of 64 in Paris in 2010. If Russell can get past Stepanek he’d have to face the rejuvenated Swiss Roger Federer in the second round, no easy task.Dubai Tennis Championships - Mens Singles - 2-24-14

Schedule

  • Tuesday 2.25.14 – 5 AM ET – Michaell Russell vs. Radek Stepanek – All-time Series 1-1
ATP Tour, Tennis

Tim Smyczek Reaches Main Draw at Mexican Open, Three Americans Will Start First Round

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Mexican Open (ATP)

Previous Mexican Open Coverage

Only one of five Americans who started qualifying, #5 Tim Smyczek, will be in the main draw at the Mexican Open. Smyczek was up 6-2, 3-0 on fellow American #1 Donald Young when Young retired.

#7 Wayne Odesnik was down 6-2, 2-0 to #3 Stephane Robert when he retired as well. Nicholas Meister went the distance vs. #2 Alejandro Falla but lost 7-6 (4), 6-2.

Mexican Open - Qualifying - 2-24-14

Continue reading Tim Smyczek Reaches Main Draw at Mexican Open, Three Americans Will Start First Round →

Luge, Olympics, Recaps, Sochi 2014

Sochi Luge Recap – US Won First Singles Medal, but the Men Struggled

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The US had a strong women’s singles event with their best ever finish and first ever medal. It wasn’t so good on the men’s side as the best finish in the men’s singles category was their worst in 30 years and in men’s doubles was their worst in 26 years. There will be some heavy motivation over the next four years to try and improve and make a better showing at the next Olympics.

Men’s Singles

Mens Singles - 2014The US competitors were well off the pace in this year’s Olympics. The only top ten finishes in a single run came from Chris Mazdzer who had two runs (first and fourth) that were tenth best. Mazder’s 13th place finish was the first time in 22 years that the Americans didn’t have a top ten finisher. It was their worst finish since 1984. Certainly a low point they’ll look to rebound from in Peyongchang.

Mens Singles All Time Yearly Best

Continue reading Sochi Luge Recap – US Won First Singles Medal, but the Men Struggled →

Alpine Skiing, Olympics, Sochi 2014

Sochi 2014 – USA Gold Medal Winner #9 – Mikaela Shiffrin

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The last gold medal winner for the US in Sochi was also their youngest. 18-year old Mikaela Shiffrin became not only the youngest gold medalist in Sochi for the US but the youngest gold medalist ever in the slalom competition at the Olympics.

Shiffrin’s gold medal was not completely unexpected however. She’s also the reigning World Champion and won her first US National Championship at 16.  She won the 2012-13 World Cup’s Slalom discipline with four wins and two third place finishes. She placed fifth overall in the World Cup standings.

She’ll turn 19 next month and already has a World Championship, seven World Cup wins, and now an Olympic Gold Medal on her resume. The sky is the limit for Shiffrin. She is already tied with Julia Mancuso for fourth most World Cup wins and looks a good bet to become only the second American to ever win more than 18 times in the World Cup after Lindsey Vonn.

I’m sure we’ll be hearing a lot from Shiffrin over the next few years and she will likely be one of the biggest names and brightest stars that NBC focuses on during the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

Give Shiffrin a follow on Twitter @MikaelaShiffrin.