| Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78 | 80 | 58 | 216 |
ALPINE SKIING
Date: Jan. 25
How the team is chosen: The 2010 Olympic Team will be selected primarily based on 2009-10 season results. The 2010 U.S. Alpine Ski Team team, which is currently competing on the World Cup circuit, was named in June. One more skier, three-time Olympian Bode Miller, was added to the team in September.
How many athletes: 20 participants for men's and women's teams combined. Up to four skiers may compete in any one event.
Frontrunners: Lindsey Vonn, Ted Ligety, and Scott Macartney
BIATHLON
Date: Jan. 11
How the team is chosen: Athletes can pre-qualify for the Games if they meet one of two benchmarks during the 2008-09 season. 1) A top-30 status in the overall World Cup standings, or 2) Two top-15 results in World Cup or World Championship races. Two men have pre-qualified, Tim Burke and Jay Hakkinen. No U.S. female biathletes have pre-qualified for the Games. A top-30 result in a World Cup and/or IBU Cup race held in December 2009 also earns an Olympic spot.
How many athletes: Nine biathletes will compete in the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver. Four women and five men.
Frontrunners: Lowell Bailey and Lanny Barnes
A look at the U.S. athletes expected to shine at the Vancouver Games.
You're about to step onto your sport's biggest stage wearing "USA" on your back. It doesn't get any bigger than this.
BOBSLED
Date: Jan. 23
How the team is chosen: Drivers qualify based on the results of FIBT international race circuits through January 17. Drivers earn points for each race and are ranked by the FIBT on its World Ranking List. The top U.S. drivers on that list will qualify quota spots for the Olympic Games for the United States. Driver input, driver results at 2009-2010 U.S. National Team Trials and proven international experience are just a few factors that determine who's selected as a pusher.
How many athletes: Depending on ranking, the U.S. can enter up to three sleds each in two-man and four-man. In order to enter three sleds in an event in Vancouver, the U.S. must be one of the top three-ranked nations in that discipline. Countries ranked four through 10 may send two sleds, while countries ranked 11 through 17 may send one sled each.
Frontrunners: Drivers Steve Holcomb, Todd Hays, and Shauna Rohbock
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
Date: Jan. 19
How the team is chosen: Primarily from 2009-10 season results.
How many athletes: Up to four skiers in each individual event, and one team in the team sprint and relay events.
Frontrunners: Kikkan Randall, Andy Newell, and Kris Freeman
CURLING
Date: Announced
How the team is chosen: The 2010 Olympic Trials were held in Denver in Feb. 2009
How many athletes: Eight
Locks: John Shuster and Debbie McCormick have been named the to American skips on the 2010 Olympic team.
FIGURE SKATING
Date: Jan. 25
How the team is chosen: Performances at the U.S. Championships count the most, but the nomination committees also consider a skater's results from a combination of Grand Prix and World Championship events.
How many athletes: Three men, two ladies, three dance teams, and two pairs
Frontrunners: Evan Lysacek, Sasha Cohen, Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto (dance), and Keauna McLaughlin & Rockne Brubaker (pairs)
FREESTYLE SKIING
Date: Jan. 25
How the team is chosen: One roster spot per event will be awarded to the first-place finishers at the U.S. Ski Team Freestyle Trials, to be held Dec. 23-24 at Steamboat Springs, Colo. The remaining roster spots will be determined based on World Cup results recorded between July 1, 2009 and Jan. 25, 2010.
How many athletes: Maximum of 18 allowed (no more than 10 per gender)
Frontrunners: Shannon Bahrke, Emily Cook, Patrick Deneen, Jeret Peterson, and Daron Rahlves
ICE HOCKEY
Men's
Date: Dec. 31
How the team is chosen: The 23-player roster will be chosen from a designated pool of American NHL players. In August 2009, 34 American players attended the U.S. Olympic Orientation camp in the Chicago suburb of Woodridge, Ill. Changes (i.e. due to injuries) will be allowed until Feb. 15 (the eve of the opening games of the men's tournament).
How many athletes: 23 players
Frontrunners: Chris Drury, Ryan Miller, and Patrick Kane
Women's
Date: mid-Dec. 2009
How the team is chosen: In August, the women's 2009-10 national team was named, consisting of 23 players who will compete from Aug. 2009 to Dec. 2009. The women's 2010 Olympic team will consist of 21 players from that list, with two cuts to be made in mid-December.
How many athletes: 21 players
Frontrunners: Jessie Vetter, Julie Chu,Angela Ruggiero
LUGE
Date: Last week in January
How the team is chosen: The U.S. Olympic team will be finalized after the 2009-10 World Cup season is complete.
How many athletes: Athletes earn berths based on finishes at events over the course of the year. Based on their finishes during the 2008-09 season, several sliders only need to finish in the top five at a World Cup race during the 2009-10 season to clinch a Vancouver berth. The remainder of the U.S. slots will be filled by a points system.
Frontrunners: Erin Hamlin, Mark Grimmette and Brian Martin, and Bengt Walden
NORDIC COMBINED
Date: Jan. 21
How the team is chosen: The winner of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, which will be held on Dec. 23 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, automatically earns a ticket to Vancouver. The remainder of the 2010 Olympic Nordic combined team will be determined by a season-long selection process.
How many athletes: 4 or 5
Frontrunners: Bill Demong and Todd Lodwick
SHORT TRACK
Date: Jan. 11
How the team is chosen: Five men and five women earned spots on the U.S. Olympic short track team at Olympic Trials, held Sept. 9-13 in Marquette, Mich. A combination of their overall ranking and individual event finishes was used to determine which skaters qualified for which events.
How many athletes: The U.S. is allowed up to three skaters in each individual event, in addition to a three-person relay team where up four skaters can take place in the different rounds.
Frontrunners: Apolo Ohno, Katherine Reutter, and J.R. Celski
SKELETON
Date: Jan. 23
How the team is chosen: Athletes qualify based on the results of FIBT international race circuits through Jan. 17. Athletes earn points for each race and are ranked by the FIBT on its World Ranking List. The top U.S. athletes on that list will qualify quota spots for the Olympic Games for the United States.
How many athletes: Depending on rankings, as many as three men and three women
Frontrunners: Zach Lund and Katie Uhlaender
SKI JUMPING
Date: Jan. 19
How the team is chosen: Athletes will be nominated to the U.S. team based on their World Cup rankings as of Jan. 11, 2010, taking into account World Cup competitions taking place between Nov. 1, 2009 and Jan. 11, 2010.
How many athletes: 2
Frontrunner: Anders SoedergrenAnders Johnson
SNOWBOARDING
Date: Jan. 24
How the team is chosen: Several selection events for take place between Sept. 1, 2009 and Jan. 25, 2010. Each discipline (halfpipe, snowboard cross and parallel giant slalom) will have between three and six selection events.
How many athletes: Maximum of 18 (no more than 10 per gender)
Frontrunners: Shaun White, Seth Wescott, Hannah Teter, Kelly Clark, and Gretchen Bleiler
SPEED SKATING
Date: Dec. 31
How the team is chosen: The selection process begins with an Olympic Trials meet Oct. 21-25 in Milwaukee, Wisc., which determines which athletes will compete in the five World Cup meets held around the world in October, November and December. Skaters then earn Olympic spots based on their finishes at the World Cup meets. A final selection meet will be held Dec. 26-30.
How many athletes: Up to 10 men and 10 women will qualify
Frontrunners: Shani Davis, Chad Hedrick, and Kristina Groves
Only the U.S. curlers have their tickets to Vancouver. Trials, the World Cup seasons, and other factors will influence the remaining decisions. The who, when, and how of determining the 2010 U.S. Olympic team.
With multiple World Cup and Olympic victories under their belts, these athletes have the potential to reach the medal podium in Vancouver.
