Here’s a look at the compelling events, athletes and storylines of the Sochi Olympics on Wednesday, Feb. 12. A complete list of every Wednesday event can be found here.
WHAT TO STAY UP LATE FOR …
Women’s downhill, 2 a.m. ET — CLICK HERE TO WATCH EVENT LIVE
Julia Mancuso became a medal favorite here by winning the downhill portion of the super combined Monday en route to a bronze medal. If she makes the podium again, she will match Bode Miller for the most career U.S. Olympic Alpine medals (five).
The favorite, though, is Germany’s Maria Hoefl-Riesch, who won the super combined. Hoefl-Riesch is the World Cup overall and downhill leader and looks to win her fourth Olympic medal, all gold.
Liechtenstein’s Tina Weirather, second to Hoefl-Riesch in the World Cup standings, suffered a shin bruise in a training crash Sunday.
Four different women were fastest in the four training runs. None of them were Mancuso, Hoefl-Riesch or Weirather.
WHAT TO WAKE UP EARLY FOR …
Nordic combined normal hill, 4:30 a.m. ET — CLICK HERE TO WATCH EVENT LIVE
Can the U.S. rediscover its magic from the 2010 Olympics? Four years ago Americans won twice as many Nordic combined medals (four) than any other nation, despite coming in with zero medals in the sport in Olympic history.
The U.S. would not be expected to win any medals here if results this past season are any indication. But keep an eye out for Bill Demong, who won the large hill event in 2010.
The medal favorites are German Eric Frenzel, seeking his first individual Olympic medal, defending champion Jason Lamy-Chappuis of France and anybody in a Norwegian uniform.
U.S.-Canada women’s hockey, 7:30 a.m. ET — CLICK HERE TO WATCH EVENT LIVE
This game means little on paper, but the deep-rooted rivalry says otherwise. The two dominant women’s hockey nations go at it in their final group-play game.
They will both advance straight to opposite semifinals regardless of Wednesday’s result. That makes this matchup reminiscent of women’s hockey’s debut at the 1998 Olympics.
In Nagano, the U.S. and Canada played a preliminary game already knowing they would play again three days later for the gold medal. Canada went up 4-1, but the U.S. scored six goals in the final 13 minutes to win 7-4. The U.S. then went on to win the gold medal 3-1.
Canada has won every gold medal since but enters Wednesday’s matchup on a four-game losing streak to the U.S. since the shock resignation of coach Dan Church. Its new coach is longtime NHL player and coach Kevin Dineen.
The U.S. and Canada have combined to beat bronze-medal contenders Finland and Switzerland 20-1 in four games. Neither the U.S. nor Canada will play again until the semifinals Monday.
Speed skating men’s 1000m, 9 a.m. ET — CLICK HERE TO WATCH EVENT LIVE
Shani Davis skates in his best event.
With a medal of any color, Davis will tie the record for most career U.S. Olympic men’s speed skating medals (five) with Eric Heiden and Chad Hedrick.
Davis’ biggest competition will come from countryman Brian Hansen, 2013 world champion Kazakh Denis Kuzin and the Netherlands’ Michel Mulder and Kjeld Nuis. Mulder won the 500m on Monday.
WHAT YOU CAN’T MISS DURING THE DAY …
Figure skating pairs free skate, 10:45 a.m. ET — CLICK HERE TO WATCH EVENT LIVE
Russians Tatyana Volozoshar and Maksim Trankov lead Germans Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy after the short program, seeking to restore the host nation’s dominance in the event.
Soviet, Unified Team and Russian pairs won gold at every Olympics from 1964 through 2006, but none were on the podium in 2010.
The two U.S. pairs are in ninth and 14th place and will not end an American medal drought dating to 1988.
Snowboard women’s halfpipe final, 12:30 p.m. ET — CLICK HERE TO WATCH EVENT LIVE
American Kelly Clark is the favorite here, assuming she makes it through qualification to the 12-woman final.
Clark is the greatest women’s halfpipe snowboarder of all time with 2002 Olympic gold, 2010 Olympic bronze and five Winter X Games titles, including the last four.
She’s set to be challenged by 2010 Olympic champion Torah Bright of Australia and U.S. teammates 2006 Olympic champion Hannah Teter, 2013 world champion Arielle Gold and Kaitlyn Farrington.
