Smooth Sliding in Sochi; Japan Launches Wrestling Petition; San Diego, Tijuana Talk Bid

Smooth Sliding in Sochi

German lugers are the big winners from last week’s FIL World Cup.

Sunday’s men's singles and team relay brought the competition to a close at the "Sanki" Sliding Center in Sochi.

Andi Langenhan of Germany edged Albert Demchenko of Russia by .004 seconds to win the former while Langenhan teamed with Tatjana Hufner, Tobias Arlt and Tobias Wendl to win the latter.

Canada finished second in the team relay and Russia third.

In the World Cup total, Germans took all three podium positions with reigning Olympic champion Felix Loch in first, Langenhan in second and David Möller in third.

"You need to take a special approach to do well here," Langenhan said in a statement distributed by Sochi 2014.

Möller added: "It’s a very nice track, technical and fast. It was surprising for me that all results were very close. It shows that it will be very exciting during Olympics because just one mistake can move you from top to 10th or 15th place."

Japan Launches Wrestling Petition

The Japan Wrestling Federation launched a petition Monday to demand the sport be reinstated in the Olympics following a snub from the IOC earlier this month.

"Once you have collected many voices, they will have the power to move the world," the federation said in a statement announcing the "Save Olympic Wrestling" petition.

"Now is the time to mobilize the power of those who support wrestling."

The federation aims to gather 100,000 signatures on paper and online and present them to the IOC Executive Board in May.

Japan already occupies a prominent role in calling for wrestling’s reinstatement, with Japanese official Tomiaki Yukuda installed as the joint head of a dedicated taskforce for FILA.

IPC Nordic World Champs

The IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships opened Sunday in Solleftea, Sweden.

Around 150 athletes from 15 countries are expected to take part in the championships, the last before the Sochi 2014 Paralympics.

This is the third IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships after Voukatti, Finland hosted in 2009 and Khanty Mansiysk, Russia in 2011.

"In just over one year’s time most of us will be getting ready for the next Paralympic Winter Games," said Rita van Driel, IPC Governing Board member.

"I am confident that many athletes will be using these Championships to check where they are at with their own preparations for next year, whilst keeping a close eye on the performances of their competitors."

After day 1, Russia and Sweden top the medal table, winning four of the six gold medals on offer. Norway, Ukraine, and Canada also earned medals.

The championships run until March 5 and can be viewed on a livestream from the International Paralympic Committee here.

San Diego Talks Bid with Tijuana

Mayor Bob Filner says he wants San Diego, California to bid for the 2024 Olympics with the Mexican city of Tijuana.

Filner made the comments Friday at a ceremony opening an office to improve bilateral relations between the two cities.

According to the Associated Press, Tijuana Mayor Carlos Bustamante said he likes the idea, but he leaves office later this year.

Phelps Vows Golf, Not Swimming Next for Him

Olympic multi-medalist Michael Phelps debuts as a TV golfer this week on the reality series "The Haney Project" on the Golf Channel. He’ll be the latest celeb to appear with noted swing coach Hank Haney.

In an appearance on Fox TV to promote the series, Phelps says his retirement from swimming is certain after winning 22 Olympic medals. He says it’s more likely to find him trying to qualify for the PGA Tour than it will be to see him swimming laps in the pool.

Asked about the situation facing another star from the London Olympics, Oscar Pistorius, Phelps called it "tragic" and said all athletes are human and can make mistakes – including himself.

Governor Starts Tokyo Marathon

Tokyo Governor Naoki Inose kicked off the Tokyo Marathon on Saturday. A statement from the Tokyo 2020 bid committee says 1.7 million fans lined the streets for the race, and there were nearly ten times as many applicants as there were race spots.

The route travelled through proposed venue areas for the 2020 Olympics.

"The Japanese people love sport and are deeply proud of Tokyo’s global status as sporting hub," said bid president Tsunekazu Takeda. "Today is another shining example of the immense joy Tokyo takes in welcoming people from around the world, whether it’s for a major marathon or the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games."

Eruzione Scores at Auction

Mike Eruzione scored big over the weekend at an auction of his Olympic memorabilia, netting more than $1.3 million for equipment he used at the 1980 Winter Olympics, including the jersey from the "Miracle on Ice" match.

The jersey fetched $657,250 at auction on Sunday, and the stick that scored the winning goal against the Soviet Union sold for $262,900. The original estimate for the stick was $50,000.

Eruzione said he was selling the items to improve his family’s financial wellbeing.

Written by Ed Hula III.

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