Öffentlicher Bereich » own downhill wins this season. Maria

In another sign of the growing concern about head trauma in sports, the NHL and the U.S. ski team will each have at least one concussion expert at the Sochi Olympics. Dr. Jeff Kutcher, a Michigan-based neurologist, will be in one of two hockey arenas and the on-hill physician for three events on the slopes in Russia. U.S. ski team medical director Kyle Wilkens said Kutcher will be the associations first specialist evaluating and treating concussions during the Winter Olympics. "Its such a hot topic," Wilkens said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "Were trying to do the right thing with concussion, and thats why hes on board." Kutcher will also evaluate the neurological health of about 150 NHL players from all 12 countries in the Olympics. Dr. Ruben Echemendia, a neuropsychologist and chair of the NHLs concussion program, will also be at the Olympics -- a first for the league, according to deputy commissioner Bill Daly. The NHL isnt fond of freezing its league for two-plus weeks and putting their stars at risk for injuries at the Olympics, but the league and the NHL Players Association both have a degree of comfort knowing that Kutcher will be there. "Dr. Kutcher is well regarded in his field and has significant experience working with NHL players, so we are pleased he will be in Sochi and is willing to assist with our players while at the games," NHLPA executive director Don Fehr said. Kutcher said he is prepared to tell an athlete he or she cant go for a medal if they have a concussion at the Olympics. "At the end of the day the decisions that we make, we make irrespective of the situation -- we have to," Kutcher said in an interview with the AP. "The alternative is if I let somebody go down another run or participate in a hockey game while theyre injured and that injury leads to a more significant injury, it could be life-changing in the negative. Thats what I have to worry about." International Olympic Committee medical director Dr. Richard Budgett is glad Kutcher will be there, too. "I havent heard of any other country sending a specialist such as a neurologist," Budgett told the AP in a telephone interview. "But its good that theyve got a specialist coming out because theres a lot of interest in monitoring concussions. The Olympics are like a fish bowl -- with everybody watching -- so its great that he will be able to raise awareness and show that were taking the health of our athletes seriously." Kutcher appears to be highly qualified for his pressure-packed role this month. The NBA named him director of its concussion program more than two years ago. Kutcher said he evaluates players from the NBA, NHL and NFL "all the time." The NCAA has used his expertise to help shape its concussion policies. Kutchers day job is working as an associate professor of neurology at the University of Michigan, where he is a physician for the schools athletic teams and director of its NeuroSport Program. Wilkens said Kutcher, who has helped the U.S. ski team with its concussion policy, will be the on-hill physician for skicross along with snowboardings parallel giant slalom and parallel slalom. Kutcher will also care for other U.S. athletes as needed, according to Wilkens. "His primary responsibility is with us, but if a slider gets a concussion, for example, Jeff will be there to help," Wilkens said. "For the two weeks, were all a part of Team USA." Kutcher has diagnosed numerous athletes with concussions over the years, telling them they cant compete until he clears them. Kutcher, though, hasnt had to dash anyones dreams of winning Olympic gold. "I do feel a little bit of pressure," he said. "I understand the gravity of the situation and needing to first and foremost do my job as a neurologist regardless of setting or scenario. It doesnt matter if its a training run or a gold-medal run or any scenario at all. It is the health of the athletes that Im there for." Nike React Shoes Online . He could have transferred when academic sanctions barred the Huskies from the NCAA tournament his junior season. Nike React Clearance . Jacob Jacques, Andrew Ryan and Jonathan Drouin also scored for Halifax (37-18-3), who outshot the Islanders 40-26. Kevin Darveau stopped 25 shots. Bradley Kennedy had the lone goal for Charlottetown (18-33-5), which has nine losses in its last 10 games. http://www.cheapnikereactaustralia.com/ . - Dominika Cibulkova erased three match points in the second set Wednesday and beat Agnieszka Radwanska 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the Sony Open. Nike React Australia . Granato was an assistant for the Pittsburgh Penguins for the last five seasons, and he was also part of Team USAs staff at the 2014 Olympics. Nike React Cheap . - Chris Davis hit a two-run double, scoring Nelson Cruz in his Orioles debut in Baltimores 9-7 win over to the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday.Larisa Yurkiw believed she should compete with the best in the world in the Olympics, and shell get that chance Wednesday in the womens downhill at Rosa Khutor. When the best Canadian womens speed racers from the 2010 Winter Olympics soon retired and Yurkiw endured injury woes with after effects that extended into years, official Alpine Canada funding dried up. The dollars were targeted at the emerging women on the team, all technical specialists. Yurkiw poured tens of thousands of her own dollars into a bid to make the Sochi Olympics, and raised more than six figures from private individuals and businesses to back her quest. Racing as an independent under coach Kurt Mayr, Yurkiw earned Tier 1 qualification for Sochi with a pair of top 12 results this season, a seventh-place finish in the season-opening downhill in Lake Louise, Alta., and a sixth place at Altenmarkt, Austria last month. The Owen Sound, Ont., native was aiming to compete at the Vancouver Games but tore up her left knee in a crash in December 2009. Yurkiw didnt participate in a full season again until 2012-13, but didnt crack the top 20 in any races, which put her at a career crossroads at just 25 years of age. In what seemed like another cruel blow after all her hard work, Yurkiw went down in a training run in Sochi last week. But she recovered to post the ninth fastest time in the last training session. The contenders There wont be a repeat Olympic downhill champion as American ski star Lindsey Vonn of the United States underwent knee surgery, but 2010 silver medallist Julia Mancuso and bronze recipient Liz Goergl are competing in Russiaa.dddddddddddd Both are capable of getting back to the podium. Mancuso hasnt enjoyed great World Cup results this season, but now owns four career Olympic medals after earning a bronze in Mondays super-combined. The Hawaiian resident did so on the strength of a downhill that was nearly a half-second faster than the next best skier, Lara Gut of Switzerland. Goergls two World Cup wins this season (one downhill, one super-G) have come in the last month, while Gut, Marianne Kaufmann-Abderhalden of Austria and Slovenias Tina Maze also own downhill wins this season. Maria Hoefl-Riesch, with three, is the only skier with multiple downhill wins this season. The German veteran would have to be considered co-favourite along with Mancuso for the downhill, after winning her third career Olympic gold medal in Mondays super-combined. She is also the overall World Cup points leader. Dominique Gisin of Switzerland hasnt been on the World Cup podium since late 2011, but served notice she could be a factor with a winning training session earlier this week. Anna Wenninger of Austria and Elena Fanchin of Italy are also contender, each having been on the World Cup podium twice in downhill this season, though not yet in the top spot. Tina Weirather under normal circumstances would be considered a strong medal contender after racking up nine World Cup podiums this season, including four in the downhill. But the skier from tiny Liechtenstein, who suffered a serious injury that put her on the sidelines just days before the 2010 Olympics, is uncertain to compete after hurting her leg in a weekend training session. ' ' '