THE QUESTION: How Will the U.S. do in your event of the Winter Olympics?

EDDIE SCHROEDER
Coach, men's and women's speed skating team Chicago
Our best chance is in the 500 where we could take a medal, maybe even a gold one, judging by the results of the North American championships at Squaw Valley last February. It's practically the same field. The girls are a question mark. All the women's world records have been set by the Russians.

JACK RILEY
Coach, ice hockey team West Point
I would say that our hockey team can finish anywhere from first to fifth. I saw all the European teams at Prague last spring. The Russians, Canadians, Czechs, Swedes and ourselves seemed to be the best. The Canadians and Russians will be the favorites at Squaw Valley, but they may be in for a surprise.

PENNY PITOU
Member, Alpine training squad Laconia, N.H.
Our women will have a great chance because we have a lot of potential in all three women's events. Betsy Snite has a good chance of winning the slalom, and she can finish among the first three in the downhill and giant slalom. Sally Deaver could do well in the giant slalom and the slalom. And I vow to do my best in all the events.

SVEN WIIK
Coach, Nordic team Western State College, Gunnison, Colo.
It's anyone's guess. The best we've ever done in Nordic combined is 11th place. In the cross-country, our best ever was Mack Miller, who finished about 6½ minutes behind the winner. I definitely think we'll do better because the interest in Nordic events has increased tremendously and we have more contestants.

ART TOKLE
Member special jumping squad Lake Telemark, N.J.
This time we have the best opportunity ever of winning. There is a 19-year-old kid, Gene Kotlarek, who could win it. He finished second in the North American championships, and he's going to get a lot better. Me? I'm getting old for this game—37—but I'm in great shape and I'm going out to do my best.

AL ZIRKEL
Speed-skating team manager West Allis, Wis.
We have a good chance of doing better than ever. We haven't done well in the distance races since 1932 when we won both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters. Our specialties are the sprints, and we could finish one and three in the 500 meters. In the 5,000 and 10,000 meters, we may finish sixth or seventh.

CAROL HEISS
Women's World Figure Skating Champion Ozone Park, N.Y.
Very well. We can judge by the results of the World Championships, held last February in Colorado Springs. In the women's events, we took first, fifth, sixth and eighth. The men took first, third, eighth and eleventh. However, it's difficult to predict for certain because any of us may have a bad day.

ANDREA MEAD LAWRENCE
Chaperone of women's Alpine team Amado, Ariz.
As a team, men and women, we have a better chance of winning than we ever had before. Two or three of our girls could win gold medals. One of our men, Buddy Werner, is, in my opinion, one of the world's exceptional skiers. He could win everything—the downhill, the slalom and the giant slalom.

GENE KOTLAREK
Member, special jumping squad Duluth
Quoting our coaches and others, our prospects are excellent in the special jumping. My coach, "Snowball" Severud, and the technical director, Olav Ulland, tell me I have as good a chance as any of winning. Others who could win a gold medal at Squaw Valley are Willie Erickson, Rudi Maki and Roger Dion.

JAMES CLAYPOOL
Manager, ice hockey team, Duluth
The experts will pick us to finish third or fourth, but they will also call us the dark horse because they don't know what we've got. I think our team is better than in 1956 when we finished second, losing only to the Russians. If we get any break at all, we should come out O.K. I think we have the potential to beat everyone.

ELEVEN PHOTOS