Belbin, Agosto avoid fall, move to second

Fiesta time on ice turned into an Olympic fallfest in Turin, with only the Russians and Americans avoiding real calamity.

With three of the final five couples taking spills, including local favorites Barbara Fusar-Poli and Maurizio Margaglio of Italy, two-time world champions Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov of Russia surged into the lead.

Their cha cha, rhumba and samba – and ability to stay upright – put them 1.38 points in front of Americans Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto heading into tonight’s free dance.

Belbin and Agosto were helped immeasurably by an epidemic of falls that allowed them to move from sixth after the compulsories to second overall.

No U.S. dancers have won an Olympic medal in 30 years.

Speedskating Marianne Timmer of the Netherlands won gold in Turin in the women’s 1,000-meter, eight years after winning the same event at the Nagano Games.

Timmer finished in 1 minute, 16.05 seconds, just .04 seconds in front of Canada’s Cindy Klassen. Bronze medalist Anni Friesinger of Germany was .06 seconds behind Timmer. It was the first loss this season in a 1,000 for Friesinger, who was the overwhelming favorite entering the games.

Defending champion Chris Witty of the United States was never a factor and finished 27th, continuing the U.S. women’s struggles at these games. Jennifer Rodriguez, a Salt Lake City bronze medalist, was 10th, Amy Sannes finished 25th and Elli Ochowicz 32nd.

The American women have yet to win a medal in Turin.

Bobsled Neither snow nor suspicion slowed Germany’s Andre Lange as the world’s fastest bobsled driver turned a twisting Cesana track into his own Alpine autobahn.

Four years after winning an Olympic gold in four-man bobsled, Lange added a two-man gold to his collection, plowing Germany-1 through falling flakes and leaving the sliding world in his icy wake.

Lange and brakeman Kevin Kuske finished with a four-run time of 3 minutes, 43.38 seconds to defeat Canada’s Pierre Lueders, who one day earlier accused the Germans of some funny business with the runners on their high-tech rides.

Lueders and his brakeman, Jamaican-born Lascelles Brown, were .21 seconds back of the Germans and took silver. Switzerland’s Martin Annen captured bronze, duplicating his feat of four years ago in Utah.

Todd Hays, the no-nonsense, kickboxing Texan who ended the U.S. bobsled team’s 46-year medal drought with a silver in four-man at the Salt Lake City Games, finished seventh – nearly one second from the podium. The Americans haven’t won a gold medal in two-man since 1936, and have gone without one of any sort in that event since 1952.

Curling The U.S., Finland and Britain are into the Olympic semifinals, while Norway, Canada, Switzerland and Italy remain in contention for the fourth and final berth.

The U.S. (6-2) clinched its semifinal spot with a 9-8 victory over Britain (6-3) in Pinerolo, then took the night session off.

Norway had a pair of wins to finish its nine-game round-robin at 5-4 and keep alive hopes of defending its Olympic title. The Norwegians are a half-game behind Canada (5-3), which routed New Zealand (0-8) in the night session.

Canada faces the U.S. today and can clinch a semifinals berth with a win. A loss would send the Canadians into a tie with Norway and the winner of the this afternoon’s match between Switzerland (4-4) and Italy (4-4).

The U.S. women’s team was eliminated from medal contention when Canada beat Italy, leaving no room for America in the semifinals.

The Americans (2-6) then lost to Switzerland 9-8 on a last shot that gave the Swiss three points in the final end.

Canada improved to 5-3 and joined three other teams with at least five wins. Only Sweden (7-1) and Switzerland (6-2) have clinched semifinal berths; Norway (5-2) is still in contention.

Cross-country skiing Anchor Cristian Zorzi turned a narrow 5.6-second lead into a commanding victory in the final leg to lift Italy to its third gold medal with a victory in the 4x10km cross-country race in Pragelato.