KEARNS — The winner could be a pinup girl, a former female hockey player or an athlete who cut her long-track speedskating teeth with in-line skating in a part of the United States where ice normally exists only in freezers and mixed drinks.
On the surface, they all seem like long shots in the women's 1,500 meters today, but they're currently among the fastest women in the world in that event.
Anni Friesinger posed nude for a German magazine; Canada's Cindy Klassen once preferred slapping hockey pucks over slipping into skin-tight body suits; and Cuban-American Miami-native Jennifer Rodriguez is from the most unlikely of places to yield a speedskater.
Judge not, though, lest you have to race one of these women.
Friesinger has not lost a World Cup race in the 1,500 this season and holds the current world record, 1 minute, 54.38 seconds, set in Calgary last March. Two of her teammates, each with personal bests within a half-second off Friesinger's record, are also threats. Germany's Claudia Pechstein grabbed a gold in the 3,000 Feb. 10 while Sabine Voelker skated away with a silver in the 1,000 and a bronze in the 500 a week ago. The 1,500 could easily turn into a German sweep.
Klassen got a taste of bronze in the 3,000 and is currently ranked second in the 1,500 World Cup standings. The Netherlands, Japan and Russia each have skaters who could surprise fans at the Utah Olympic Oval.
Rodriguez, though, will be skating in her best event. She is ranked third in World Cup and has a 1,000-meter Olympic bronze to her credit.
To make things even more interesting, everyone is wondering how much teammate Chris Witty has left. After defying critics who said her bout with mononucleosis took too much out of her, she skated to a shocking gold-medal, world-record performance in the 1,000. She may have one more surprise left in her.
And don't under estimate home ice to speed the U.S. to the medals podium.
The U.S. fans have been busting vocal chords in support of American athletes, who now lead the long-track medals count with seven — Germany and The Netherlands have five each. And if it's not the U.S. they're cheering for, fans are ravenous for world records — five of seven have been broken during these Games and there are two more events after today.
After a break Thursday, action will resume Friday with the men's 10,000 and conclude Saturday with the ladies' 5,000.
E-MAIL: sspeckman@desnews.com