Sexiest sports stars at 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada
At the mention of winter sports, a lot of you might be thinking of itchy long johns, dripping snot, and women so bundled up you don't know whether it's a dude or dudette. Well, think again. It's the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and the United States is sending its hottest team ever.
Julia Mancuso: I think underwear is my calling. You can be feminine and fast.
Over the next few weeks, get to know gorgeous hotties like ace skier and bikini model Julia Mancuso, beautiful Lindsey Vonn, breathtaking Gretchen Bleiler, girl-next-door ice princess Tanith Belbin, sexy speed skater Allison Baver, plus babes like Sasha Cohen, Michelle Kwan, and a white-hot foreign contingent comprising Norwegian skier and nude model Kari Traa, Canadian skater babe Jamie Sale, and Brit ski cutie Chemmy Alcott.
Now of course, the Olympics is not all about hotties. A considerable number of notties will be competing for medals. We can mention Finland's Tanja Poutiainen and Aino-Kaisa Saarinen , Sweden's Maria Pietilae-Holmner, Russia's Alena Sidko, China's XinXin Guo, and Japan's Aiko Uemera. What we're saying here is we know our stuff. Join us, sit back and enjoy the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Julia Mancuso
Born: born March 9, 1984 in Reno, Nevada.
Career facts: She was the gold medalist in the giant slalom at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.
Do Julia Mancuso and Lindsey Vonn get along: We get along great,
says Mancuso, implying otherwise. We've been competing against each other since we were 12. Our personalities are a little bit different, but I guess opposites attract sometimes. It's cool.
Best friend: Mancuso's best friend on the ski tour is Chemmy Alcott, the blonde and sexy British skier.
Did you know? In December 2006, ski-boots manufacturer Lange announced that Mancuso would be the first-ever Lange Girl Athlete
, and be the subject of posters, images, and an ongoing effort to showcase exceptional women ski athletes who are also attractive and inspiring.
Lingerie: Mancuso models lingerie. She says, I think underwear is my calling. You can be feminine and fast.
Lindsey Vonn
Born: born October 18, 1984 in St. Paul Minnesota. Her family moved to Vail in the 1990s so Lindsey could devote herself wholeheartedly to skiing. She married fellow 2002 Olympian and former U.S. Ski Team athlete Thomas Vonn on September 29, 2007. Lindsey is close friends with German alpine ski star Maria Riesch.
Lindsey Vonn, alpine skier, United States, says: Journalists never ask me what I like to cook. I'm a pretty good cook even though I don't get all that much time to practice.
Career facts: In 2008, Lindsey Vonn won the overall World Cup title. She became the second American woman to do so after Tamara McKinney in 1983. In 2009, she won the title again. On January 14, 2010, Lindsey Vonn was named Colorado Athlete of the Year for 2009.
Did you know? Linda Krohn, Lindsey's mother says: When she was 8 years old, she wrote something for school and she said, 'I want to win more medals than anyone ever did'.
.
Bravery: At the 2006 Torino Olympics, Lindsey crashed spectacularly in a downhill training run. She was taken by helicopter to a hospital. Nothing was broken, but she ached for weeks afterward.
Quotes: On the prospect of becoming World Cup champion in 2008, It's such a respected and coveted award. You never really go into a season trying to win it. You just have to ski every event and try to win every time. I can't even fathom that I'm in contention. It's pretty incredible.
Kari Traa
Born: born January 28, 1974 in Voss, Norway.
Kari Traa: It doesn't get any more provicative than this for an Olympic athlete.
Career facts: Traa won Olympic gold in the moguls event at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, finished second at the 2006 Turin games, and finished third at the 1998 Nagano games. She is four times World Champion, from 2001 (moguls and parallel moguls) and 2003 (moguls and parallel moguls), and has also three silver medals (both moguls and parallel moguls in 1999, and moguls in 2005). She has a total of 37 World Cup victories. Sadly, Traa at 36 has retired and will not compete in Vancouver.
Did you know? Traa was elected Most sexy woman in Norway
in 2002 by the magazine MANN. Her og Na and TV 2 Nettavisen elected her as Most sexy woman
in 2003 and 2004.
Nude scandal: In 2001, she posed almost nude in a series of provocative photos in the sports magazine Ultrasport.
Charity work: I know I cannot save the world, but I can help a little. I think that everyone should think that way. You don't have to give so much, just what you can afford. Traa contributes to projects helping children in Africa and Russia.
Gretchen Bleiler
Born: born on April 10, 1981 in Toledo, Ohio. She lives in Aspen, Colorado. She has been a professional halfpipe snowboarder since 1996.
Career facts: Silver medalist at the 2006 Turin Olympics in the halfpipe event. Voted 2006 Female Snowboarder of the Year at FUEL TV's Action Sports Awards.
Snowboard queen Gretchen Bleiler says, I just go out there and try to ride my best and give everyone a good show.
Glamour: Bleiler posed for the February 2004 issue of FHM with fellow snowboarder Tara Dakides and sportscaster Jamie Little.
Did you know? In 2007, Bleiler branched out into snowboard and accessories design. She designed her own signature outerwear line for Oakley, and took part in the K2 Alliance which develops and tests women's boarding products.
Quote: I think it's a really exciting time in women's snowboarding because the progression is so enormous right now, while the guys, pretty much, are doing back-to-back 10's. You can only spin so far and do so many combos. The girls haven't gotten to that plateau yet, so it's explosive, everyone's doing something different. It's really exciting to watch the women's events right now.
Tanith Belbin
Born: July 11, 1984 in Kingston, Ontario. She is a citizen of Canada and the United States, competing for the U.S.
Career facts: With ice dance partner Benjamin Agosto she is ranked 4th in the world. Won silver with Agosto in the ice dance competition 2006 Turin Olympics.
Tanith Belbin, ice skater, United States, says the reason I've been able to succeed is because I am driven and I have high expectations for myself. Ice dancing is a challenge that brought all my ambition and competitiveness to the surface.
Unable to find a good dance partner in Canada, Belbin moved to Detroit in 1998, where she was partnered with Benjamin Agosto by their coach Igor Shpilband. They won bronze at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships in their first competitive season. Belbin and Agosto qualified for the 2002 Olympics by placing second at U.S. championships, but were not able to take part because Belbin was not an American citizen.
Did you know? Belbin was fast-tracked to U.S. citizenship by a special act of Congress sponsored by Senator Carl Levin (D-MI). It passed on December 28, 2005, and was signed by President George W. Bush on December 31, 2005. As a naturalized citizen, Belbin was able to compete for the United States at the 2006 Winter Olympics.
Quotes: 2010 starts off with a bang with the U.S. Nationals in Spokane. Then we just have time to catch our breath and launch right into the Winter Games in Vancouver in February, followed by the World Championships in March. Whew, what a schedule! But we're ready for it - we're feeling fit, strong and prepared to compete for gold.
Website: Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto.
Chimene Chemmy
Alcott
Born: July 10, 1982, in Twickenham, Middlesex, Greater London.
Career facts: Chemmy is a rare commodity, a Brit who can compete with the best. She is the current female British number one alpine skier. She is an all-round racer, competing in the downhill, super G, classic combined/super sombined, giant slalom and slalom events.
Julia Mancuso, in front, under pressure from Brit ski star Chemmy Alcott. Below, Chemmy in summer attire.
2010 Turin Olympics: Alcott finished 11th in the downhill, the best Olympic performance by a British woman skier since the 1968 Winter Olympic Games. Alcott was disqualified from the combined event after the first slalom run because her skis were 0.2mm narrower than the FIS regulations allowed. She was 19th and 22nd in the super G and giant slalom.
Mountain hike: In June 2008, Alcott climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with fellow ski racers Jules Mancuso and Lauren Ross, and Alcott's boyfriend Mark Weaver. The climb raised $30,000 for international humanitarian organization Right To Play.
Quote: I am not at the top of skiing, nowhere near where I believe I can get to, but it's definitely been a long, sometimes tough but very fulfilling journey - it doesn't come easily however. It takes lots of hard work and perseverance so stick to your dreams and fight through the tough days -- I believe it will be worth the effort.
Did you know? Chimene is named after Sophia Loren's character in the 1961 film El Cid
Torah Bright
Born: December 27, 1986, Cooma, Australia.
Career facts: Bright turned pro at age 14. She finished fifth in snowboarding at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. First place at the 2007 World Super Pipe Championships in Park City, Utah. As of January 30, 2010, sixth in the World Cup halfpipe standings.
Torah Bright, Australian halfpipe rider
Did you know? Torah Bright is a Mormon.
X Games injury: Bright suffered a concussion while training for the Winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado. She withdrew from the X Games competition. But the injury is not serious enough to stop her competing at the Vancouver Olympics.
Vancouver Olympics I'm not any less anxious than the last Olympics, but it is nice just knowing how the entire event works this time around. It's really all about the experience so I will be going to all the ceremonies and trying to see as many events as I can. As for being ready for my event, I know what run I want to do and how I would like to do it, so it's a matter of how things all fall into place on the day of the competition.
Sasha Cohen
Born: born October 26, 1984, in Westwood, Los Angeles, Cohen is a U.S. figure skater.
Career facts: She is the 2006 Olympic silver medalist, 2003 Grand Prix Final Champion, and 2006 U.S. Champion.
Did you know? Cohen was a gymnast from a very early age. She switched to figure skating when she was seven, but it wasn't until she was eleven that she began to take the sport seriously.
Sasha Cohen, ice skater, not to be confused with Borat
, Sasha Baron Cohen, comedian
At the movies: In 2007, Cohen appeared as herself in the Will Ferrell and Jon Heder comedy
Blades of Glory.
Inconsistent: Cohen battles inconsistency. She is known as a supremely talented skater, but critics say she has never skated two clean programs in a row.
Quote: About eating right, The night before I compete, I like to have steak. Meat is especially important for female athletes because it provides them with the nutrients they need to perform at their best. It's a good idea to eat a variety of foods -- foods that you love -- in moderation. When I'm competing, I like to have eggs or cereal for breakfast, a roast beef sandwich -- for extra energy on the ice -- for lunch, and filet mignon for dinner.
Allison Baver
Born: August 11, 1980 in Reading, Pennsylvania, Baver is an American short track speed skater.
Career facts: Baver trains with the US permanent winter sports Olympic team, in Salt Lake City, Utah. In the 2005-2006 season, she achieved her highest ranking as number three in the world.
Allison Baver, speed skater, United States, is a model, an Olympian, and an MBA.
Did you know: On February 8, 2009, Baver collided with teammate Katherine Ruetter on the third lap of the 1500m race in Sofia, Bulgaria and fractured her leg in multiple places.
Sponsorship: Baver is sponsored by Penske Truck Leasing. We are very pleased to work with Allison as she continues her quest for Olympic gold and world championships,
says Jim Feenstra, Senior Vice President, Marketing for Penske. As an Olympic athlete, she exemplifies the same excellence and values we're dedicated to for our customers and associates. She also represents a key demographic for our consumer rental product line. We couldn't ask for a more dedicated, well-spoken athlete.
Model skater: Baver is signed with with Wilhelmina Models, one of the world's biggest model agencies.
Quote: If I can do anything to inspire someone else not to give up hope after an injury, I want to do that.
Website: Allison Baver, plus great photos.
Melissa Hollingsworth
Born: October 4, 1980 in Eckville, Alberta.
Melissa Hollingsworth, overall skeleton World Cup winner 2009-10.
Career facts: Hollingsworth has competed since 1995. She won the bronze medal in the women's skeleton event at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. She won the women's Skeleton World Cup overall title in 2005-6 and in 2009-10.
Did you know? Hollingsworth is the cousin of Ryan Davenport, who won three medals in the men's skeleton event at the FIBT World Championships in the late 1990s.
Charity work: She is an athlete ambassador for Right To Play and spokesperson for Unicef. Hollingsworth has traveled to Ghana, Africa with Right To Play.
Quote: World Champion! Has a nice ring to it. Yes, this was the goal at the beginning of the season, building momentum, attempting to do my absolute best on every track in the world to see if I was capable of success with such diversity. Not only are all the tracks in the world different, but every week is different. Confidence, environment, health, training; it all plays a part in the outcome at the end.
There were weeks that I could have crawled in a hole and hid from the world. But in the end on race day it is what you make of it. When I stand on the line ultimately it is me, my sled (White Lightening) and the track and nothing else matters.
Website: Official Melissa Hollingsworth site.
By Giles Devos