7 to Watch Tuesday: Women Compete in Bobsled, Curling and Skating

[[468455733, R, 300, 87]]Here are our “7 to Watch” in Pyeongchang for Tuesday:  Must See Olympic Video: Chloe Kim Lands Back-to-Back 1080s, Wins Olympic Gold [[474496213,C]]1. Meyers Taylor, Humphries Renew Rivalry on Bobsled Track Must See Olympic Video: Snowboarder Lands on Back in Crash Elana Meyers Taylor has waited four years for redemption. In Sochi in 2014, Meyers Taylor, bobsled driver for Team USA, was in first place after three of four runs. But she skidded on the final turn of that last run, and ended up 0.1 seconds behind Kaillie Humphries of Canada — who happens to be her training partner.  Must See Olympic Video: Watch All 3 of Shaun White’s Gold Medal Runs Humphries got gold. Meyers Taylor got silver. They’re back for another shot in Pyeongchang, and started that quest on Tuesday, with the first of two runs. The final two runs will be held on Wednesday.Meyers Taylor once called San Diego home. She and her teammates trained in Chula Vista on their way to South Korea. Meyers Taylor, who has won two world titles since Sochi, was paired with Lauren Gibbs, and battled for first place again — this time with a pair of Germans, who are atop the standings after the first day’s action, just ahead of Meyers Taylor and Gibbs. Humphries, who has won gold at each of the last two Olympics, was paired with Phylicia George; they are in fifth place. Americans Jamie Greubel Poser and Aja Evans are also competing for a medal. The pair won bronze in Sochi and sit in fourth in Pyeongchang. The Jamaican team has gotten the most attention at the Pyeongchang Games, in the spotlight for drama over their bobsled, rather than their performance. Their former driving coach left the team, and perhaps was to take the sled with her, dashing their Olympic hopes. But the Red Stripe beer company gave the sled to the team, saving its dream. They are in 18th place out of 20 after two heats. Watch the final runs live on digital platforms beginning on Wednesday at 3:40 a.m. PT this link at or on NBCSN at 6:30 a.m. PT.[[474542763,C]]2. US Men’s Hockey Takes on Czech Republic in QuarterfinalsThe United States’ men’s hockey team continues its quest for gold in the quarterfinals against the Czech Republic Wednesday (Tuesday night in the U.S.). Team USA put up a dominating performance against Slovakia, winning 5-1, Tuesday. The young group looked strong all around: Ryan Donato scored twice, Troy Terry picked up three assists and Ryan Zapolski made 22 saves. With National Hockey League players absent in the Olympics, Team USA is comprised of mostly college kids who failed to make it into the professional league. They look to win the U.S.’ first gold medal since the “Miracle on Ice” against the Soviet Union in 1980. Watch Team USA take on the Czech Republic as part of CNBC’s coverage starting at 7 p.m. PT Tuesday or on digital platforms at 7:10 p.m. PT at this link. [[474528953,C]]3. Team USA Begins Quest for Medals in Women’s Figure Skating Short ProgramFigure skating’s marquee discipline, the women’s event, will close out the figure skating competition in Pyeongchang.Reigning U.S. champion Bradie Tennell looks to woo the crowd in the short program, performing to music from the South Korean blockbuster “Taegukgi.” Her exceptional jumps make her a strong medal contender. Mirai Nagasu has already made history in Pyeongchang by becoming the first U.S. woman – and just the third woman ever – to land a triple axel on Olympic ice during the team event free skate. Tennell and Nagasu helped Team USA win bronze in the team event.Team USA’s Karen Chen, the 2017 national champion, choreographed both her short and long programs herself. She counts 1992 Olympic champion Kristi Yamaguchi among her friends and mentors.Tennell, Nagasu and Chen will look to keep up with gold medal favorite Evgenia Medvedeva, the 18-year-old Olympic Athlete from Russia who owns two world titles.Watch live during NBC 7’s primetime coverage Tuesday, which begins at 5 p.m. PT, or watch digital platforms at 5 p.m. PT Tuesday here.[[474359643,C]]4. Vonn Is Favorite for Alpine DownhillLindsey Vonn will try again for her first medal in the Pyeongchang Games in the Alpine downhill race.Vonn became a household name when she won gold in the downhill in the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. But she missed the 2014 Olympics due to injury, and she opened the Pyeongchang games with a a disappointing run in the women’s super-G, when she skied wide on a late turn and tied for sixth place. Ester Ledecka, of the Czech Republic, shocked everyone, including herself, by taking the gold.At 33, Vonn is trying to become the oldest woman to win an Olympic Alpine medal. Italy’s Sofia Goggia, who finished first or second in all four of her downhill races in 2018, is a top competitor to watch.American Mikaela Shiffrin pulled out of the downhill to prepare for Thursday’s Alpine combined. That’s where Vonn and Shiffrin, who already won gold in the giant slalom, could compete head-to-head.Watch live during NBC’s primetime coverage on Tuesday, which begins at 5 p.m. PT, or watch on digital platforms at 6 p.m. PT Tuesday here.[[474473033,C]]5. Backs Against the Wall, Women’s Curlers Face SwedenThe United States women’s curling team has never won an Olympic medal and it finished last in the previous two Olympics. But with a win over Sweden, the Americans could complete a stunning turnaround and advance to the medal round.The top four teams move out of round-robin play to the semifinal round, with tie-breaker games determining the semi-finalists, if necessary. With two games to play, the U.S had a 4-3 record, tied for fourth place with Great Britain. The women were to play South Korea on Tuesday.Sweden has been one of the better teams in the tournament, with a 5-2 record, but Swedes lost its last two matches.Watch on digital platforms at 3:05 a.m. PT Wednesday at this link or as part of CNBC’s coverage at 2 p.m. PT Wednesday.[[474496063,C]]6. U.S. Women Speedskaters Face Defending ChampionsThe U.S. speedskaters competing in the women’s team pursuit face formidable competition from the Netherlands in the semifinal.The women from the Netherlands broke their own Olympic record from Sochi in the qualification heats. The team includes 10-time Olympic medalist Ireen Wust.The U.S. team — Heather Bergsma, Brittany Bowe, Mia Manganello and alternate Carlijn Schoutens — squeaked into the semifinal on Monday by finishing in fourth place in 2:59.75, just .26 seconds ahead of China. But that time was more than four seconds off the Netherlands’ Olympic Record time of 2:55.61.Japan and Canada meet in the other semifinal. Japan, led by sisters Miho and Nana Takagi, holds the world record, set in December in Salt Lake City. Miho Takagi has already won a silver medal in the 1500-meter and a bronze in the 1000-meter.A win over the Netherlands will clinch the U.S. a least a silver medal. With a loss, they’d face the loser of Japan-Canada for the bronze.Watch on digital platforms at 3 a.m. PT Wednesday at this link or as part of NBC 7’s daytime coverage starting 12 p.m. PT Wednesday.[[474497303,C]]7. U.S. Looks to Diggins for First Women’s Cross-Country MedalJessie Diggins has three fifth-place finishes and a sixth-place finish in these Olympics. In the team sprint, she’s hoping to crack the top three — and give America its first-ever women’s cross-country medal.Diggins’ other high finishes have come in the 4×5-kilometer relay (fifth), the skiathlon (fifth), the 10-kilometer freestyle (fifth) and the classic sprint (sixth). But throughout her career, she’s shined in the team sprint, winning gold at the world championship in 2013 and bronze at the world championship in 2017.In the team sprint, she’ll be paired with another Team USA cross-country athlete.Watch live on NBCSN at 7:45 a.m. PT or on digital platforms beginning at 2 a.m. PT Wednesday at this link.[[473754053,C]][[472226703,C]][[474442113,C]][[472227583,C]][[474034123,C]]Photo Credit: Getty Images This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.
Source: NBC San Diego