Fast Break
Skiing
Clark announces retirement
Three-time Olympian Kirsten Clark, the only skier to win four consecutive U.S. downhill titles, will retire after the alpine championships later this month.
Clark, who won her downhill titles from 1998-2001, plans to complete her 13-year career at the U.S. Alpine Championships in Alyeska, Alaska, which begin March 27.
“Thirteen years is a long time, and my body and my mind are telling me so,” the 29-year-old Clark said Monday.
In 2004, Clark had a serious crash in Austria, then overcame medical difficulties last season and finished this year’s World Cup season with another spill.
Junior hockey
Chiefs prepare for WHL playoffs
The Spokane Chiefs franchise shifted gears from a regular-season mindset to one of a playoff atmosphere overnight.
As the NCAA men’s basketball tournament completed its run at the Spokane Arena on Sunday, the Chiefs finished out the regular season with a thumping of hapless Portland on the road. Spokane fell at Tri-City on Saturday night. Both games were meaningless in the standings.
Fourth-seeded Spokane opens at top-ranked Everett on Friday and Saturday in the first two games of the best-of-7 playoff series. It’s the first playoff appearance in three seasons for Spokane.
Tickets went on sale Monday morning through the team (535-PUCK) and TicketsWest (325-SEAT) for games three and four, which will be at the Arena, March 27-28.
College football
BSU smurf turf a cash cow?
Trying to capitalize on the success of its football team, Boise State University is offering naming rights for about $10 million to what is currently called Bronco Stadium, recognizable by its blue turf field.
“We’ve made some presentations out to some individuals and some companies, but we haven’t gotten the answers we’re looking for yet,” said Curt Apsey, senior associate athletic director for advancement.
“It’s a golden opportunity,” athletic director Gene Bleymaier told the Idaho Statesman. “We’ve had serious talks with a number of entities, but we’ve never been able to finalize a deal.”