The Winter Olympics can be successful family affair (News Feature)

By John Bagratuni Feb 21, 2010, 18:32 GMT

Whistler, Canada - Olympic ice hockey super Sunday was due to see a pair of Finnish brothers face off against Swedish siblings.

Jarkko Ruutu of the Ottawa Senators and Carolina Hurricanes' Tuomo Ruutu were on the Finnish team, up against the Swedish Vancouver Canucks brothers of Daniel and Henrik Sedin in the crucial showdown for a quarter-final berth.

Siblings are by no means uncommon at the Winter Olympics. These Games alone see some 50 siblings listed, and they have taken away plenty of silverware in Vancouver and the past.

Christine Goitschel of France beat her sister Marielle for slalom gold 1964 in Innsbruck and the US Mahre brothers Phil and Steve took men's slalom gold and silver, respectively, in Sarajevo 1984.

This time around the German Riesch sisters Maria and Susanne will have the same in mind. Maria already has super combined gold and the two came second and third in a World Cup slalom earlier this season.

'We don't want to to market ourselves as a sister act. Susanne has been in my shadow long enough and it wasn't always easy for her. She has her own personality and doesn't always want to be mentioned in connection with me,' said Maria Riesch.

If the sisters succeed on Friday they will, however, not be the first siblings to deliver at the Vancouver Games.

The Austrian double luge brothers Andreas and Wolfgang Linger already got their second gold in the first week, winning ahead of Latvian siblings Andris and Juris Sics.

The ice dance due to culminate in Monday's free programme has a total four brother/sister pairs and arguably the strangest family affair in the form of three members of the American Reed family.

Chris and sister Cathy skate together for Japan, via their Japanese mother. The other sister Allison starts for Georgia after teaming up with partner Otar Japaridze.

'I can't say if it feels weird because we are all just here to skate our best,' says Allison Reed.

The Schmid family parents will also have to wave two flags in support of their sons in Nordic combined skiing.

Born in Norway, Jan and Tommy Schmid obtained Swiss citizenship through their parents, but Jan nowadays competes for Norway.

Other siblings include successful French biathlon brothers Simon and Martin Fourcade. The host nation Canada has Jessica Gregg in the short track team and brother Jamie Gregg in speed skating.