Ski officials finally gave the green light for the opening alpine races of the Winter Olympics on Sunday as Germany's Felix Loch won an emotion-charged final of the disaster-hit luge. Adverse weather has hampered the staging of the men's opening downhill, and the training for the women's super-combined, but after meetings the International Ski Federation (ISF) said it was "very optimistic" both events could be held on Monday.
-- Canada win first gold in moguls freestyle skiing
It was shot in the arm for organisers who have been struggling to get the Games on track after the horrific death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili and persistent weather woes. But their joy was tempered when forced to close standing-room viewing areas for snowboardcross races on Monday and Tuesday at Cypress Mountain due to safety concerns after persistent heavy rain.
In the luge, Loch led a German 1-2 with compatriot David Moeller finishing second and Italy's Armin Zoeggler third. Loch, the youngest winner of the title aged 20, said he was overjoyed to win such an emotional event. The host nation, meanwhile, finally broke a long jinx by winning its first gold medal on home soil when Alexandre Bilodeau took the men's moguls freestyle skiing title.
Until now, Canada held the dubious honour of being the only country to host the Olympics twice - Calgary 1988 Winter Games and Montreal 1976 Summer Games - and not capture a gold medal. Defending moguls champion Dale Begg-Smith of Australia was second and American Bryon Wilson third.
The first gold of the day went to Frenchman Vincent Jay who did enough to edge out Norway's Emil Hegle Svendsen and Croatia's Jakov Fak to take the men's 10km biathlon sprint title. Jason Lamy-Chappuis made it a double French celebration when he claimed gold in the Nordic Combined, holding off American Johnny Spillane and Italian Alessandro Pittin in a thrilling dash to the line. It left the country on top of the medal table, ahead of Germany, the United States and Canada. Meanwhile, Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic won the 3,000-metre women's speedskating title ahead of Germany's Stephanie Beckert and Canada's Kristina Groves.
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