European Report: Norway struggles to find new stars; Swiss seek new coach

European Report: Norway struggles to find new stars; Swiss seek new coach{mosimage}Norway’s once-glittering cross-country ski stars have retired, leaving fans and media desperately looking for new talent to step forward.

Norway once ruled the cross-country world with such stars Vegard Ulvang and Bjoern Daehlie. With the recent retirement of Thomas Alsgaard and Bente Skari, Norwegian skiing is in a transition period that’s proving difficult for fans accustomed to gold medals.

“I think (cross-country skiing) is at a turning point now,” athletics chief Bjoerge Stensboel told Aftenposten. “It’s not so long since Thomas (Alsgaard) and Bente (Skari) retired, and the picture doesn’t change so fast for such a traditional sport. But the warning lights are blinking. At the same time, we must recognize that we lack the major profiles right now.”

Stensboel said fans need to give rising starts like Marit Bjoergen and Anders Aukland some time to develop.

Jacob Lund, head of sponsorships for the Norwegian bank DnB-NOR, says Norway’s current cross-country team doesn’t translate well to TV and there’s no big-name attraction to draw the fans and media.

Retired superstar Daehlie admits that even he doesn’t follow the cross-country World Cup circuit like he once did. But he thinks the sport goes through cycles and currently is simply in a slump.

>> Swiss want German women’s coach

The German news service SID reported that the Swiss team has offered German women’s coach Wolfgang Maier the chance to take over the struggling team.

“I do have the offer,” the 43-year-old Maier said, “but I have not yet decided. I was surprised people know about it. We had agreed that we could both consider the offer in private to decide whether or not I am the right man for the job.”

The Swiss team is suffering through its worst year in decades, with injuries and the recent retirement of Michael Von Gruenigen largely to blame. Didier Cuche’s victory in Garmisch is the lone bright spot for the team.

Maier began as the German coach in 1997 and helped develop the potential of Hilde Gerg, Martina Ertl and retired superstar Katja Seizinger. He’s now working closely with emerging star Maria Riesch and has a contract to continue through the 2006 Winter Olympic Games.

>> Baxter hoping for finals

British slalom skier Alain Baxter is hoping a good result this weekend in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, can qualify him for next month’s World Cup finals for only the second time in his career.

The Scot is currently 30th in the slalom standings and with the top 25 heading to Sestrieres in Italy for the World Cup finals, Baxter knows the pressure is on.

“It was my goal at the beginning of the season so hopefully I will make the finals,” he told BBC Sport. “I know I’ll need a top five or 10 in Kranjska Gora so it’s going to be difficult but not impossible.”

Baxter said he’s frustrated with how his season is going but remains upset after getting disqualified in Schladming in Austria because his ski binding was 0.2mm too high.

“I feel I have been a bit unlucky, with Schladming, Kitzbuhel and Adelboden. If those results had gone well I would’ve already qualified,” he said.

British teammate Chemmy Alcott is also on the edge of qualifying. The 22-year-old is 25th in the super G standings, 27th in the downhill and 36th in the giant slalom.

>> More surgery for Kostelic

Olympic champion Janica Kostelic will have surgery on her right knee this week to repair damaged cartilage, the fifth such operation since the end of last season. The surgery follows only a month after a successful operation to correct a serious thyroid gland disorder.

The Croatian, who won the Olympic slalom, giant slalom and combined golds at Salt Lake City in 2002, has been out of action this season. However, her doctors are confident she will be able to return to competition.

“It’s a quick operation to shave and remove dislodged fragments of cartilage,” team spokesman Ozren Mueller said last week. He said Kostelic is expected to begin light training in about a month.

>> Canada names CEO for 2010 Games

John Furlong the man who steered the successful Olympic bid for Vancouver has been named chief executive officer of Vancouver’s 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

“This is not a job, it’s a cause,” said Furlong, 53, who chaired the bid committee that won Vancouver the Games during a July vote in Prague. “It’s a huge challenge. I will, for my part, give it all I have.”

The one-time member of the Irish national basketball and handball teams will be the public face of the Games, Canada Press reported.

“If we can do that we will really have done our country proud,” he said, sitting beside a ticking clock that showed the Games opening ceremonies were 2,183 days seven hours away. “The success of this project will depend less on me and more on the quality of team we have in place. My job will be to lead the team.”

One of the criticisms of Furlong, who has spent the last several years as CEO of a tony private club in Vancouver, is he’s never managed a major construction project. Furlong said he will surround himself with capable people.

“The key strategy will be to hire against my own weaknesses,” he said. “I hope when people look at our team they will say ‘What an incredible lineup of talent.’ In the areas where I don’t feel I’m especially strong I’ll be looking for us to be super strong.”

Furlong also said he will make an effort to learn French. Canada Press