From the FasterSkier archive — posts syndicated from athletes’ and coaches’ own blogs between 2004 and 2012, kept online as published. Current coverage is at fasterskier.com.

Prague Sprint Preview

After the Oberhof sprint, the athletes hopped in team vehicles and started their journey to the Czech Republic; unless your name is Virpi Kuitunen, then you hopped on a plane home back to Finland. The Prague sprint tomorrow will be exciting as it’s the first city sprint and it’ll be fast and furious as the athletes have to do two laps of the 700m track. Some run-ins and some broken poles throughout the heats and some great viewing for spectators would make it a great day at the tracks. I expect the usual suspects in the women’s race and Jönsson to look for some redemption. Also, the Canadian team should have a better day and Kershaw will be revving to go. I predict him to have a very strong day and perhaps make it into the semis. Prediction time:

Women
1. Justyna Kowalczyk
2. Aino Kaisa Saarinen
3. Petra Majdic

Men
1. Emil Jönsson
2. Petter Northug
3. Marcus Hellner

Til Tomorrow.