European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 14, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 28 the stars and stripes Winter olympics monday february 14, 1994 italian wins first Gold of games by Stephan Nasstrom Lillehammer Norway a Manuela Dicenta of Italy took the Lead Early and held on to beat two russians sunday for the first Gold medal in the Winter games the women s 15-Kilome Ter freestyle Cross country ski race it was the first major title for Dicenta 31, who covered the course in 39 minutes 44.5 seconds. Lyubov Egorova of Russia who won three Gold and two Silver medals at the 1992 Albertville games finished second in 41 03.0. Women s 15-k Nina Gavriluk took the Bronze medal in 41 10.4. She held that position throughout the race. Dicenta whose previous Best came a year ago in the world championships when she was a Silver medallist in the 30 Kilometre freestyle led Egorova by More than 38 seconds at the 7.1-k checkpoint. Egorova who is tied for the Lead in the world cup standings after winning two of five races trailed Dicenta by More than a minute with three Kilometres left of the race. Stefania Belmondo of Italy considered the world s Premier freestyle skier in the past few years finished fourth in 41 33.6. Larissa Lazutin another russian placed fifth in 41 57.6, followed by team mate Elena Valbe in 42 26.6. Rounding out the top 10 were Antonina Ordina of Sweden alzbeta Havranck Kova of the czech Republic Sophie Villeneuve of France and Anita Moen of Norway. Laura Mccabe of Park City Utah was 34th put of 53 finishers for the Best american finish. Laura Wilson of Mont Pelier Vul was 35th Leslie Thompson of Stowe it. 37th and Nina Kemppel of Anchorage Alaska 42nd. Dicenta made her big time debut in Norway with an eighth place in the 5-k at the 1982 world championships in Oslo. But she had to go through three More worlds and three olympics before finally a Italy s Manuela Dicenta holds traditional bouquet As she celebrates 15-Kilometer win. Striking Gold. Her previous Best individual olympic performances were two sixth places in the 1988 and 1992 olympics both in freestyle races. I got my first olympic Gold and now i feel free like a White Dove said Dicenta who spent the last two weeks training at High Altitude in the italian Alps. I was not surprised by the Victory because i be been in Good shape All sea son.".  /. \ Dicenta is the Only non russian skier to win a women s world cup race this season a 15-Kilometer classical style race dec. 21 at Tobach Italy. A month ago she placed second behind Egorova in a 15-k free world cup race at hol Menkol Len outside Oslo. During the race i knew i was doing Well Dicenta said. I got the intermediate times during the race and i knew i was going  Dicenta s father and longtime coach Gaetano hugged her in the finishing area and said Bravo my Star. This is Only the  the race Drew a crowd of 31,000 at the Birken Fineren ski stadium. Thousands of fans lined the course Many on skis. Some fans camped overnight near the ski stadium there is no Entrance fee to the trails. . Skiers losing support by David Crary Lillehammer Norway a -. The . Cross country ski team will be racing for the next two weeks in a nation where the sport is no. 1. Back Home though they fear Cross country has become an olympic afterthought. We re constantly losing funding Ben Husaby the top . Racer said sat urday. Cross country because it has t produced medals does t get  s a total catch 22." the . Media guide for the Lillehammer games brimming with Bright forecasts for most events is bluntly downbeat about Cross country. The . Team continues to struggle against the europeans it says without a hint of encouragement. In the states a Cross country race might draw a few Hundred spectators. Here in Norway 100,000, perhaps 200,000 people could turn out for the olympic races. I be never seen a crowd of 200,000," said Husaby who loves the Good natured bedlam of scandinavian races Husaby was the top . Performer at last year s world championships in swe Den with finishes of 26th in the 10-k, 20th in the Pursuit and 37th in the 30-k. The top . Women s finish was 20th, by Leslie Thompson in the 30-k. Husaby said a top-20 finish by any american in any race Here would be satisfying and a top 15 would be really really  there was a Cross country Boom in the United states after Bill Koch s stunning olympic Silver medal in 1976, but the excitement faded and the National program failed to make lasting advances. Asked Why Husaby replied it would be Nice if there was a simple  there s the Talent question he said. When you have smaller numbers it s harder to develop the Talent another reason is there s a Lack of cultural acceptance of Cross  a further Handicap he said is a very fictionalized Hierarchy in the sport. He said there had been some talk in . Ski circles about the possibility of dropping Cross country from the . Ski program which now encompasses both Alpine and nordic disciplines. The Only Way we can change things is by having better results he said Husaby from Eden Prairie minn., would like to change the sport s image. I m real big on trying to promote Cross country he said. It s a much fas Ter More energetic sport that most peo ple  except for a few hotbeds Ancho rage and Minneapolis for example . Junior programs Are weak in financing and thin in recruits he said. We re trying to get More people involved Husaby said. We have to show them that being one of the world s Best is a very important thing. It s a great life style. One of Husaby s teammates John Aal Berg knows the sport Well on both sides of the Atlantic. He was born in Orland Norway took up Cross country at 10, and came to United states in 1983 to ski for the University of Utah. Just before the 1992 Winter games in Albertville he obtained . Citizenship and raced for the . Team. His 18th place in the 10-Kilometer was the one of the Best . Finishes in decades by any one except Koch Norway s the heart of the sport said Aalberg 33. The Best talents go to Cross country skiing. It s the no. 1  the youth programs Are particularly Strong he said. It s a cultural tradition. Everyone gets introduced to Cross coun try skiing As a  his goal in Lillehammer beating some of these norwegians Lillehammer summaries medal standings through sunday Norway.1 Russia .0 United states. 1 Italy.1 Canada 0 Netherlands 0 s 2 1 0 0 0 0 b Tot 0 31 2 0 11 110 1 Alpine skiing men s downhill sunday s final results 1. Tommy Moe Palmer. Alaska 1 Minuto 45.75 seconds .2. Kjetil Andre Aamodt. Norway 1 45.79 3. De pod Ivinsky Canada 1 45.87 4. Patrick Ortlieb Austria 1 46.01 5. Marc Girardey Luxembourg 1 46 09. 0. Me Nicolas Burtin France 1 46.22 and Hannes Trinkl Austria 1 46.22 8. Luc Al hand France 1 46.25 9. Atle skaardal Norway 1 46.29 10. Jan Eina Thorsen Norway 1 46.34 11. Kyle Rasmussen . 1 46.35 12. Peter rung Kjier Italy 1 46.39 13.  ratty 1 46.48 14. Daniel Mahrer Switzerland 1 46.55 15.  Austria 1 46.68 16. William Besse Switzerland 1 46.76 17. A Kitt Rochester . 1 46.82 18. Lasse Kjus Norway 1 46.84 19. Guenter Mader Austria 1 46.87 20. Kristian Ghedina Italy 1 46.99 21. Luigi Coltury Italy 1 47.05 22. Chest Opherte France. 1 47.11 23. Franco Cavegn Switzerland 1 47.15 24. Jean Luc Cretier Franca 1 47.27 25. Hansjoerg Tauscher Germany 1 47.30 26. Graham Del Britain 1 47.39 27. Luke Sauder Canada 1 47.45 28. Martin Bel. Britain 1 47.49 29. Juergen Hasler Liechtenstein. 1 47.62 30. Janne Leskinen Finland 1 47.87 31. Rauscher Canada 1 47.93 32. Fredrik by Toerag Sweden 1 47.97 33. Achim Vogt Liechtenstein 1 47.98 34. Patri Kjaerbye Sweden 1 48.05 35. Miranda voter Slovenia 1 48.48. 36. Markus Wasmeier Germany 1 48.53 37.  Russia 1 48.81 38. Craig thrasher Steamboat Springs colo., 1 48.91 39. Markus Foser Liechtenstein 1 48.93 40. Marco Buechel Liechtenstein. 1 48.97 41. Georges Mendes Portugal 1 49.20 42.  Russia 1 49.71. 43. Nils Linneberg Chile 1 49.80 44. Andrei Kolo Vine Kazakhstan. 1 50.39 45. Pete Ditchev Bulgaria 1 51.07 46. Mariano Puricelli Argentina 1 52.38 47. Marci Szafranski Poland 1 52.59 did not finish Gary Mullen Canada Cross country women s 15-km freestyle sundays final results 1. Manuela Dicenta Italy 39 minutes 44.5 seconds 2. Lyubov Egorova Russia 41 03.0 3. Nina Gavluk Russia 41 10.4 4. Stefania Belmondo Italy 41 33.6 5. Larissa Lazutin Russia 41 57.6 6. Elena Valbe Russia 42 26.6 7. Antonina Ordina Sweden 42 29.1 8. Alzbeta Havrancik ova Slovakia 42 34.4 9. Sophie Villeneuve France 42 41.3 10. Anita Moen Norway 42 42.9 11. Fumiko Aoki Japan 43 01.4 12. Gabriella Paruzel Italy 43 05.1 13.elinniteen,Norway 43 19.8 14. Marit Wold. Norway 43 25.1 tie. Kateryna Neuma Nova czech Republic 43 25.1 . Fun liver 34. Laura Mocabe Park City Utah 45 51.1 35. Laura Wilton Montpelier vt., 45 59.9 37. Leslie Thompson Stowe. I 46 10.3 42. Nina Keppel. Anchorage. Alaska. 46 56.8 hockey a times get Pool a saturday s Multi Finland 3, czech Republic 1 Russia 5, Norway 1 Germany 4, Austria 3 monday Garnet Germany is. Norway 3 . Czech Republic is. Austria 5 30 . Russia is. Finland 8 . Pools sunday s Multi Sweden 4, Slovakia 4 flav is. Canada 5 30 . France is. United states 8 . Speed skating men s 5,000 meters sundays final results 1. Johann Otey Koss Norway. 6 minutes 34.96 seconds world record old record. Koss. 6 35.53, dec. 4.1993 2. Kjell Storelli Norway. 6 42.68 3. Rintje Ritsma. Netherlands 8 43.94 4. Falko Zandstra Netherlands 6 44.58 5. Bart Veldkamp Netherlands. 6 49.qo 6. Toshihiko Itokawa Japan 6 49.367. Jaromir Radke Poland. 6 50.40 8. Frank Dittrich. Germany 6 52.27 9. Michael Habschied Austria 6 53.02 10. Christian Eminger Austria 6 53.18 11. Andrey Anufri Enko. Russia 6 53.23 12. Jonas Schoen Sweden 6 53.39 13. Kazuhiro Sato Japan 6 54.83 14. Per Bengtsson Sweden 6 57.37 15. Roberto Sighel Italy. 6 57.70 North american finisher 17. Neal Marshall Canada 6 58.44 22. Michael hah Canada 6 59.58 30. Brian Wanek Milwaukee 7 05.95 luge men s singles after two of four runs sunday 1, Georg Hack Germany 50.296 seconds-50.560 -1. Minute 40.856 seconds. 2, Markus Prock. Austria 50.300-50.566-1 40.866. 3, Armin a Gueter Italy. 50.441-50.601-1 41.042. 4. Duncan Kennedy . 50.587-50. 633-1 41.220. 5. Arnold Huber Italy. 50.558-50.763-1 41.321. 6, Jens Muetter Germany 50.563-50.858-1 41.421. 7, Albert Demtchenko rus Sia 50.601-50.8631 41.464. 8. Norbert Huber. Italy. 50.659-50.836-1 41. 495. 9. Wert Del Suckow . 50.698-50.819-1 41.517. 10. Markus Schmidt Austria 50.664-50.870-1 41.534. Also 17. Robert Pipkins. U. S., 51.248-51.332-1 42.580