Alpine skiing: Men's downhill

The most death-defying of Olympic ski disciplines, the downhill demands only this: Get down the mountain as quickly as possible. Easier said than done, as racers approach 130 km/h on courses that include ice, bumps and high-speed turns. The downhill is close to the hearts of Alp-dwellers in Austria and Switzerland, but the Crazy Canucks of the 1970s made their name in this event. On any given day, any one of the top 20 downhillers in the world can walk away with the gold medal, but some contenders are more likely to win than others. Didier Cuche of Switzerland and Michael Walchhofer of Austria have been the top two downhillers on the World Cup circuit over the last several years and must be considered among the favourites. Manuel Osborne-Paradis is Canada's best hope and has two wins on the World Cup circuit this season. He is also more familiar with the course than his rivals.

1. Didier Cuche, SUI

2. Carlo Janka, SUI 

3. Manuel Osborne-Paradis, CAN

4. Werner Heel, ITA

5. Michael Walchhofer, AUT

John Kucera, the reigning world champion in the downhill, was Canada's brightest hope, until he broke his left tibia in a Super-G race in November. Given the devastating injuries suffered by Canadian skiers this season, paranoid coaches will be praying that Osborne-Paradis arrives at the starting gate in one piece. Robbie Dixon, meanwhile, finished second in the first training run at Whistler, his home course.

Bode Miller, the outspoken American who was criticized for his party-first attitude during the Turin Games, is often touted as a favourite but has yet to win Olympic gold. Now that he isn't considered a favourite, will this be his golden opportunity? Miller's two Olympic silver medals and consistent World Cup success prove he can't be taken lightly.