Finish must start soon
Even with the conservative New Democracy party ousting the Socialists in yesterday's Greek elections, there seems little chance Athens will have all of its venues ready for this summer's Olympics. Too much remains unfinished -- most notably roofs for the main stadium and natatorium -- with barely five months to go before the opening ceremonies.
"It will take a great effort to get these things done," conceded organizing committee chief Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki when the International Olympic Committee's executive board met there recently.
At this point, suggested IOC president Jacques Rogge, it might be prudent to leave a few nonessential things (like the roofs) undone to focus on the "core business."
While Greek officials insist a change in government would have no effect on Olympic preparations, the last thing the IOC needs is yet another distraction. As it is, the Lords of the Rings have their fingers crossed.
"We can only pray and hope that everything will be finished," Norwegian board member Gerhard Heiberg said.
Progressive route
In 1980, only 21 percent of the Olympic athletes were female. This summer, 44 percent will be. In 1996, there were 26 all-male delegations at the Games. This time, there will be five at most. And, yes, that will be a woman carrying the flag for Afghanistan, which was booted out of the movement four years ago because the Taliban wouldn't let females compete . . . Though Boston lost out recently to Spokane as host of the 2007 US Figure Skating Championships, federation officials say the city would be a strong contender for the highly desirable 2009 World Championships, which precede the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. The Worlds, which are held in the United States roughly every five or six years (Washington hosted last year), haven't been staged in New England since 1981 (Hartford) . . . If Bode Miller is to be the first US Alpine skier to win the overall World Cup title since 1983 (Phil Mahre), he'll have to do some serious schussing at this week's season finale in Italy to overtake Austria's Hermann Maier. Two of the final four races are speed races, which favor Maier, who leads by 67 points. That means Miller, who was second to Austria's Stephan Eberharter last year, probably will have to win both the giant slalom and slalom and have Maier stumble to prevail. Sweden's Anja Paerson has all but wrapped up the women's title ahead of Austrian speed racer Renate Goetschl . . . Spanish cross-country skier Johann Muehlegg may have had his Olympic medals revoked by the IOC, but the German-born Muehlegg still is welcome to compete for his adopted country now that his two-year doping ban is up. The only catch: He has to train with the team instead of on his own.
Go, Canada
Gratifying victory for Canadian bobsled driver Pierre Lueders, who finally won a world two-man title, beating German rivals Christoph Langen (the Olympic gold medalist) and Andre Lange (the defending champion) on their home track in Konigssee. Lange, the World Cup overall champion, retained his four-man crown ahead of Langen, with US driver Todd Hays third. The most notable result, though, was the fourth-place finish in the two-man by Monaco's Patrice Servelle and Sebastien Gattuso, the principality's best placement in any global event in any sport. Germany's Susi Erdmann retained her women's crown by a hundredth of a second ahead of countrywoman Sandra Prokoff, with Jean Racine third . . . Neither of the overall World Cup skeleton victors ended up winning the world championships. Great Britain's Kristan Bromley was beaten by Canada's Duff Gibson in the men's event while Canada's Lindsay Alcock lost to Germany's Diana Sartor . . . This winter's back-to-back World Cup biathlon events in the United States (Lake Placid and Fort Kent, Maine) won't be repeated next season, when the entire circuit will be held in Europe. The hosts made the most of home snow, though: Rachel Steer and Jay Hakkinen produced three top-20 finishes between them at Lake Placid.
Slide rule
It was a Teutonic sweep at the World Luge Championships in Nagano, where the Germans won the men's, women's, and doubles titles and took seven of nine available medals. Two of the victors were unexpected, though: David Moeller won the men's title, beating World Cup victor Armin Zoeggeler of Italy (who was fourth) and Silke Kraushaar upset women's Cup champ Sylke Otto, who finished third. The sole individual US medal was a doubles bronze by two-time Olympic medalists Mark Grimmette and Brian Martin. Westborough's Ashley Hayden took over as top American woman by finishing sixth in the Worlds, eighth in the Cup standings, and winning a global team silver . . . US speedskater Jennifer Rodriguez has a good chance to win both the women's 1,000 and 1,500 meters at next weekend's world single-distance championships in Seoul, the climax to the long-track season. While it's unlikely any US males will crack the Dutch empire, former in-liner Chad Hedrick and short-tracker Shani Davis have a strong shot at medals . . . Slim medal chances for the US short-trackers at next weekend's world team championships in Russia. The South Koreans, Chinese, and Canadians figure to dominate the podium, with the Yanks ranked fifth in both the men's and women's events. There's a better chance of a medal at the subsequent individual championships in Sweden, where Olympic champ Apolo Anton Ohno is ranked third behind Korea's Ahn Hyun Soo and Song Suk Woo. Natick's Caroline Hallisey, 14th in the standings, is the top American woman.
No longer a pair
Even if US ice dancer Naomi Lang had wanted to stick with partner Peter Tchernyshev, it would have been challenging; Lang and boyfriend Vladimir Besedin are expecting a child. Though Lang might have quit anyway, given persistent injuries, the breakup of the five-time national champions leaves local skaters Loren Galler-Rabinowitz and David Mitchell as the top Olympic-eligibles at the moment . . . Unlike its male counterparts, the US women's soccer team easily punched its ticket for Athens last week, belting host Costa Rica, 4-0, to join Mexico as the region's two qualifiers. Next up for the US women is this week's Algarve Cup in Portugal, where they'll face France, Denmark, and Sweden in the prelims . . . Last chance for the Olympics for the US women's field hockey team, which needs to place among the top five at next week's qualifier in New Zealand to get to Athens. The Americans are pooled with South Korea, Spain, Japan, and Russia. On the squad are Massachusetts natives Tara Jelley (Greenfield) and Dina Rizzo (Walpole) . . . This summer's Olympic gymnastics trials may have been switched from the FleetCenter to Anaheim because of the Democratic National Convention, but the tumblers and twisters will be in town after the Games as part of the champions tour. Tickets for the Sept. 26 event are $18-$85 and are available at the box office, Ticketmaster outlets, or by calling 617-931-2000.
