VANCOUVER, Canada (AFP) — Viktoria Rebensburg won Germany’s first women’s giant slalom gold in 54 years yesterday as ‘Bond girl’ Kim Yu-Na targets fellow starlet Mao Asada in a showdown for the women’s figure skating title.

With just four more days of Vancouver Games action left, the Germans surged to the top of the medals table with eight gold ahead of the United States, Canada, and Norway on seven.

Canada or USA will add another when the two powerhouses of women’s ice hockey meet in what will be an intense grudge match-up of border rivals accustomed to big-game showdowns.

US and Canadian women have met in every world or Olympic final except at the 2006 Turin Olympics, when the Americans were upset by Sweden in a semi-final.

“It always comes down to one game against them,” Canadian star and Olympic all-time scoring leader Hayley Wickenheiser said.

“This is what we’ve waited for. We look at it like unfinished business. It’s going to be a great match-up.”

The Canadians are two-time defending Olympic champions, having taken the 2002 Salt Lake City gold from an American squad that had been unbeaten on home ice. Now the US women can inflict the same disappointment on Canada.

Finland and Sweden play off for the bronze medal.

Rebensburg, in her Olympic debut, sprung a huge surprise to upset the field and win the weather-affected giant slalom ahead of Slovenia’s Tina Maze and overnight leader Elisabeth Goergl of Austria.

“I have had a look at the medal table,” said the 20-year-old, whose previous best finish on the elite World Cup circuit was a second in this season’s giant slalom in Cortina.

“I’m happy to have contributed a medal to that. It’s cool — pretty awesome.”

Norway’s Marit Bjoergen added to her country’s golden haul by anchoring her team to the women’s 4x5km cross-country relay title with Germany second and Finland third.

It was Bjoergen’s third gold of the Games, having already won the sprint classic final and the pursuit, as well as picking up a bronze in the 10km free.

At the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, Korea’s Kim is looking to become South Korea’s first figure skating gold medallist after blowing away her rivals in Tuesday’s short programme with her James Bond medley.

Going into the free skate element, she leads Japanese rival Asada by 4.72 points with grieving Canadian Joannie Rochette, who lost her mother earlier in the week, in third, 7.14 points behind.

But Kim’s coach Brian Orser is not underestimating the threat posed by ‘fiesty’ Asada, in particular.

“Mao seems like a feisty little competitor. I knew she would show up here in top form. I never counted her out. Being in her top form here is what really counts,” he said.

“It (the rivalry) will keep everybody on the edge of their seats. That’s exciting, and it’s exciting for Yu-Na, who is a pretty fierce competitor as well.”

After Australia upset China to take the women’s aerials title, the men will be on the slopes of Cypress Mountain without defending champion Han Xiaopeng of China and world number one Anton Kushnir, who both crashed in qualifying.

It is left to Jia Zongyang, the top qualifier, Qi Guangpu and Liu Zhongqing to restore Chinese pride.

Meanwhile, American Olympic veteran Bill Demong — in his fourth Games — starts favourite in the men’s 10km nordic combined with Jason Lamy-Chappuis of France his chief rival.

On the curling rink, defending champions Sweden made the women’s final where they will meet Canada, the overwhelming favourites.