Thursday’s top events at the Vancouver Olympics

ALPINE SKIING

A new look for super combined

Anja Paerson, who leads active Alpine skiers with 41 World Cup victories, is the favorite in Thursday’s super combined. The super combined is the only event that has changed its format since the 2006 Turin Games. Whereas the combined was a three-run event with one downhill and two slalom runs, the current version incorporates a downhill run and one slalom run. The winner is the skier with the fastest composite time.

FIGURE SKATING

It’s Lysacek chasing Plushenko

For once, there probably is more U.S. interest in men’s figure skating than women’s, as Evan Lysacek of the U.S., in second place after the short program, tries to catch Evgeny Plushenko of Russia in Thursday’s free program.

Daisuke Takahashi of Japan is in third place, and the three skaters are so close (six-tenths of a point separate Plushenko and Takahashi) that they might as well be tied.

SNOWBOARD

Multiple medals loom for U.S.

Kelly Clark and Gretchen Bleiler of the U.S. are both expected to medal in the women’s halfpipe, with many expecting them to get gold and silver. Torah Bright of Australia should join them on the medal stand.

Hannah Teter of the U.S., who won gold in this event four years ago, shouldn’t be overlooked. Since her victory in Turin, Teter has donated nearly all of her prize money (in addition to money from sales of her maple syrup, Hannah’s Gold) to benefit an impoverished village in Kenya.

-- Houston Mitchell