Kyle Shewfelt

Shewfelt named CP male athlete of the year.
(CBC SPORTS ONLINE)

There were a lot of disappointments for Canada at the 2004 Olympics, but one of the high points was gymnast Kyle Shewfelt standing on the podium with a gold medal wrapped around his neck.

Shewfelt's distinction of being the first Canadian to win an Olympic artistic gymnastic medal was enough to inch out Tampa Bay Lightning forward Martin St. Louis as the Lionel Conacher Male Athlete of the Year.

Shewfelt won the floor exercise at the Summer Games in Athens and then narrowly missed bronze in the vault due to some questionable judging. "It's extremely exciting for me," he told Canadian Press. "This year was just like a dream."

Despite his accomplishment, Shewfelt wasn't a clear-cut winner. He won the Canadian Press-Broadcast News Award in a tight vote by sports editors and broadcasters across the country.

St. Louis actually received two more first-place votes than Shewfelt's 28, but the champion gymnast scored more total points thanks to more second and third-place votes. A first-place vote is worth three points, a second two points and a third is one point.

Kayaker Adam van Koeverden, who won gold and bronze in Athens, had 28 first-place votes in finishing third in voting. Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Jason Bay, the National League Rookie of the Year, and Los Angeles Dodgers closer Eric Gagne rounded out the top five.

The award is named after Lionel Conacher, an all-round athlete who excelled at lacrosse, hockey and football. Conacher was voted Canada's male athlete of the half-century.

Shewfelt's rise to Olympic glory began when he was just three years old. That's when his brother taught him how to do a cartwheel. Nearly 15 years later he was on the international stage, competing in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He finished 12th in the floor exercise. Shewfelt improved each year and set up his gold-medal performance with two bronze medals at the 2003 world championships.

Lori-Ann Muenzer

Lori-Ann Muenzer named the Bobbie Rosenfeld Female Athlete of the Year.

Persistence and perspective. One made cyclist Lori-Ann Muenzer an Olympic gold medallist at the age of 38. The other helped the Edmonton resident deal with the fame, if not the fortune, of returning home a hero and contemplating her future.

Muenzer's victory in the sprint at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens was Canada's first-ever Olympic cycling gold medal. The achievement resulted in her being this year's winner of the Bobbie Rosenfeld Female Athlete of the Year Award as selected in a survey by The Canadian Press and Broadcast News.

"I think that's the highest honour an athlete can receive," Muenzer said in an interview. "Just to be recognized. That's amazing."

The woman who grew up in Toronto riding the bicycles her grandfather used to repair received 185 points in voting by sports editors and broadcasters across the country. She garnered 42 first-place ballots in the voting, where first is worth three points, second two and third one.

Muenzer narrowly defeated star wheelchair racer Chantal Petitclerc of Montreal, who had 36 first-place votes and 172 points. Hurdler Perdita Felicien of Pickering, Ont., last year's winner, was third with 27 first- place votes and 161 points.

Team Canada goes for gold at world juniors.
(CBC SPORTS ONLINE)

For the fourth consecutive year, Team Canada is gunning for gold at the world junior men's hockey championship.

Canada meets Russia in Tuesday's gold-medal game at Grand Forks, N.D. (8:08 p.m. ET), marking the third championship final in four years between the two junior powers. "They are a highly-skilled team and a puck-possession type team and yet we cannot get too caught up in what they do," Canadian head coach Brent Sutter said of the Russians. "We've got to make sure we've got to continue to focus on our strengths and continue to play the type of game we want to play because, if we don't do that, we don't give ourselves a chance."

Russia claimed the gold medal in 2002 and 2003 over Canada, which lost last year's final to the United States by a 4-3 count. "We know what we've got to do now," Canadian captain Michael Richards said. "It's been a long time I've been thinking about that," said Canadian forward Jeff Carter, another holdover from last year's squad. "I'm just happy to get another shot at it."

Although Canada has claimed a medal at the last six world junior tournaments, it has failed to grab the gold since 1997. "We've been on the podium the last number of years, but we've not been able to win the gold medal," Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson said. "It would certainly be the one prize that we're looking for here (Tuesday)." "There's still one more big step for us to take and we know we have to do it to be successful," said Canadian defenceman Dion Phaneuf.

Carter, Nigel Dawes and Patrice Bergeron scored as Canada beat the Czech Republic 3-1 in Sunday's semifinal, outshooting the Czechs 42-11 despite being forced to kill off seven power plays. "To hold them to 11 shots and only a couple of good scoring chances, it's phenomenal for a team," Canadian goaltender Jeff Glass said. "The credit goes out to our defence."

The Russians advanced to the championship final by virtue of a 7-2 victory over the defending champion U.S. in Sunday's other semi. "Everything is really important (Tuesday) from a defensive standpoint," Richards said. "We've got to try and limit their time and space like we've done the past couple games, and really not letting them gain the blue-line and giving them too much room to make some plays because they can do some things with the puck that are pretty amazing. "We've got to try and shut that down."

The U.S. takes on the Czechs in Tuesday's bronze-medal matinee, also at the Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Cindy Klassen

Speed skaters Cindy Klassen and James Monson crowned national sprint champions.
(Canadian Sport News)

CALGARY- James Monson and Cindy Klassen, both originally from Winnipeg and now living and training in Calgary, captured the men’s and women’s overall titles on Wednesday to conclude the Canada Post Sprint Championships long track speed skating competition.

Klassen swept all four races this week capped by her victory in Wednesday’s 1,000-metre finale. She finished ahead of Christine Nesbitt of London, Ont., and Krisy Myers of Lloydminster, Sask., third.

In the overall standings, Klassen was first, Myers second and Danielle Wotherspoon of Red Deer, Alta., third.

The competition also finalized Canadian teams for World Cups later this winter- including the January 14-15 stop in Calgary- and the world sprint championships January 22-23 at Salt Lake City.

Klassen, Myers and Shannon Rempel of Winnipeg qualified in both the 500 and 1,000 metres for the World Cups, Kim Weger of Regina and Wotherspoon qualified in the 500 and Nesbitt and Brittany Schussler of Winnipeg in the 1,000.

The world sprint team members are Klassen, Rempel and Myers. Klassen will race at both the all around worlds and sprint worlds this season. In 2003 she also raced both events winning the all around world crown and placing second at the world sprints.

On the men’s side, Monson won the first two 500 races on Monday and held on to first place overall finishing ahead of Brock Miron of Calgary in second and Jean-René Bélanger of Sherbrooke, Que., in third.

Steven Elm of Red Deer won Wednesday’s 1,000 with Jay Morrison of Fort St. John, B.C., second in and Miron third.

‘’After the first two 500 races I built a substantial lead and I knew I just needed to put down a couple of solid 1,000 metres to get the title,’’ said Monson, fifth in Wednesday’s race. ‘’ The 1,000 is not my best event right now but I was happy that I got the job done under some pressure. This was my best week of skating this season.’’

World Cup qualifiers are Jeremy Wotherspoon of Red Deer, and Bélanger in both the 500 and 1,000; Monson, Miron, and Mark Nielsen of Calgary in the 500 and Elm, Jason Parker of Yorkton, Sask., and Denny Morrison of Fort St. John, in the 1,000.

The world sprint team members are Wotherspoon, Monson, Miron and Bélanger. Wotherspoon is a four-time world sprint champion and placed second last season.

Gregory Baxter

Gregory Baxter claims gold at Canadian ski jumping championships. Max Thompson wins nordic combined.
(CODA Release)

Calgary-Calgary's Gregory Baxter soared through the air off the K89 jump to claim the overall Canadian Ski Jumping title at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary on Tuesday.

The 15-year-old cinched the top spot in a field of 50 athletes, all from the Calgary area, to win gold in both the juvenile and open categories. "Winning at home just increases your confidence level and it gives you good practice for European events," said Baxter, who will return to the Continental Cup with the rest of the Canadian team at the end of January. "We have some strong team members and I was expecting it to be a fairly tight competition today, so it felt pretty good to come out on top."

Baxter was joined on the podium in the K89 open by 17-year-old Stefan Read who locked up second place to take the silver medal, and Dominik Bafia, 16, who rounded out third to take bronze.

On the women's side, 13-year-old Katie Willis captured gold to claim the overall Canadian title, followed by Atsuko Tanaka, 12, in second place and Zoya Lynch, 13, in third.

The nordic combined open event was run by four athletes, who will return to the World Cup B circuit in Italy on January eighth. Max Thompson, 20, won the gold medal and national title, crossing the finish line first at the end of the 10-kilometre cross-country ski race, with a time of twenty-eight minutes 45 seconds. Wes Harris, 20, followed just +0:23 seconds behind to claim the silver medal, with Spencer Harris, 17, rounding out third at +1:46.

Ski Jumping Canada is the governing body for ski jumping competitions in Canada. In collaboration with CODA, Ski Jumping Canada operates the National Ski Jumping Training Centre at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, which develops our nation's high-performance ski jump athletes, and promotes the sport across the country. For more information on Ski Jumping Canada, please visit us at www.skijumpingcanada.com on the Internet.

Ski Jumping Top-Three K89 Open Men's Results:
1. Gregory Baxter, Calgary, 236.5; 2. Stefan Read, Calgary, 225.0; 3. Dominik Bafia, Calgary, 212.0.
Ski Jumping Top-Three K89 Juvenile Women's Results:
1. Katie Willis, Calgary, 168.4; 2. Atsuko Tanaka, Calgary, 126.4; 3. Zoya Lynch, Calgary, 105.2
Nordic Combined K89/10 Kilometre Men's Results:
1. Max Thompson, Calgary, 28:45; 2. Wes Harris, Calgary, +0.23; 3. Spencer Harris, Calgary, +1:46.

Canada vs. New Zealand

Canada wins silver medal at Noram Junior men’s water polo tournament.
(Water Polo Canada Release)

VICTORIA- Canada Red won the silver medal at the six-team Noram Junior men’s water polo tournament losing the championship final 10-2 to New Zealand’s under-19 squad.

The Canadians took an early 1-0 lead on a goal by Clem Hui of Vancouver. Brad Ward of Regina tied the game in the second quarter at 2-2 before the Kiwis broke loose with eight unanswered goals. Goaltender Alex Demner of Vancouver was named Canada’s game MVP.

The victory completed a great tournament for New Zealand which went 5-0 in round robin play then posted two resounding playoff wins. They were led by Lachlan Tijsen the tournament’s leading scorer with 16 goals.

Canada Red, which featured 10 players from the Canadian team that earned a qualification for next October’s world junior championships, was 3-2 in the round robin and beat the U.S., under-17 squad 7-6 in the semifinal. Kevin Graham of Regina was Canada’s top scorer in the tournament with 12 followed by Hui and Justin Oliveira of Dollard-des-Ormeaux with 10 each.

The Americans won the bronze medal defeating New Zealand’s under-17 squad 14-9 while Japan edged Canada White 6-4 for fifth place. Con Kudaba and Jordan Boonzayer, both of Vancouver scored twice for the Canadians. Kudaba was Canada White’s top scorer in the tournament with six goals while Colin Milne of Calgary, Fedja Avlijas of Gatineau, Que., and Mark Kopac of Hamilton added four apiece.

Next on the national water polo calendar is the inaugural Pan American youth championships set for January 7-16 in Mexico City. Canada fields two teams in both men’s and women’s play.

Canada needs gold-coloured Olympic glasses: Recent results suggest we're ready to dominate in 2012.
(National Post)

It is decidedly un-Canadian to think we could own the podium, much less say it aloud.

Pre-Olympic chest thumping has always been better left to Americans, who revel in such boasting until they're red, white and blue in the face. Post-Olympic hand-wringing over a dearth of medals that leaves us lagging behind Lower Slobovia -- now that's more our style.

While the national obsession with self-flagellation is impressive, it's time to stop. We don't have to become The Ugly Canadian. There is no need to start wearing white shoes and matching belts. But the Winter Olympics in Vancouver are just five years away, and the time to start winning is now because the thought of another home-field flop along the lines of Calgary in 1988 or Montreal's eight-medal disaster in 1976 is unbearable.

Thankfully, Canadian Olympic Committee officials are putting their mouths where the money is finally starting to go -- an all-out assault on the podium. Later this month the COC will unveil financial contributions and precise medal predictions contained in its "Own The Podium" program. It's aimed at enabling a second-place finish in Turin in 2006 and one step up in Vancouver, and if it was just talk the COC would be exposed as fools. But the winter sport results already being registered on World Cup circuits by Canadians, suggest this country is totally on track.

"Last year we had one of the best winters we've ever had and what you're seeing is the continuation," said Chris Rudge, the COC's chief executive officer. "This is indicative of some systemic changes we've made."

What we've seen so far is impressive, beginning with Thomas Grandi's shocking back-to-back giant slalom wins in Italy and Austria. Jennifer Heil won a moguls gold in France while Deidra Dionne took aerials silver in Australia.

The sliding sports are having a fabulous run, led by Pierre Lueders who looks ready to defend his world bobsleigh title. He racked up two-man gold in Italy and Germany and silver in Austria, as well as an unexpected four-man bronze in Italy.

The skeleton crew has been rattling competitors. Duff Gibson has a gold in Latvia and silver in Germany to his credit. Jeff Pain has claimed one of each; gold and bronze in Germany and silver in Austria. The women have collected a silver -- Deanna Panting in Germany, -- and two bronze -- Mellisa Hollingsworth in Austria and Lindsay Alcock in Germany.

The skaters, speed, short track and figure, have all contributed to the total as well.

A surge like this is fuelled by money and there is much more of it going from corporations and the federal government to athletes and infrastructure. But throwing money at a problem rarely solves it unless the finances are directed properly. Spreading resources around too thinly, just so everybody gets a taste, is a truly Canadian ideal which had to end. That philosophy started to change at the COC under the late Jim Thompson and Rudge has continued the demand and rewards for excellence. It's about time. There is nothing shameful about targetting greatness, funding those sports organizations and athletes who achieve it and yanking money from those who don't.

If that's un-Canadian, too bad.

But the change in fortune is also related to a far less expensive idea; putting into words and numbers that Canadians should win more Olympic medals, especially at home. The COC has always shied away from predictions but they have finally stepped up, saying 25 medals in Turin, 18 in Beijing and 35 in Vancouver would meet expectations.

"I don't know of anybody who is successful in life who doesn't establish objectives," said Rudge. "We haven't talked enough about it in the past. We need to use the language of winning, to let everyone know that Canadians are not just nice people who show up at games and participate well. I think all of this is pumping the winter athletes up."

If they weren't responding, you could say they were being pumped full of hot air. But the World Cup medals are real and there is every chance Canadians will come home from Turin with more than the 17 won in Salt Lake City -- our high for a Winter Olympics.

But how does Canada make the incredible jump to 35 in Vancouver?

It would be easy if Canadians could tap into the treasure trove of nordic sports -- cross-country skiing, biathlon, ski jumping and nordic combined -- where 30% of Winter Games medals are awarded, but it's not our strength.

So the COC is looking at squeezing more medals out of speedskating, figure skating, alpine and freestyle skiing, snowboarding and the sliding sports. They will count on hockey and curling for at least four, more if curling gets its silly wish for a singles event.
When they add it up, they get to 35, more than enough to finish ahead of Lower Slobovia.

Ski jump coach and daughter killed in crash; Jindro Mayer 'loved by everyone', was training Canada's Olympic athletes.
(The Toronto Star)

The Canadian ski jumping community is in mourning over the death of coach Jindrich (Jindro) Mayer in a highway crash. Mayer, 40, was killed Thursday night in a head-on collision on a highway just west of Calgary.

As the development program coach for Ski Jumping Canada, he had taken in hand the athletes bound for the 2010 Olympics, and his loss has devastated his young team members and coaching colleagues.

Mayer's four children were also injured, and his 8-year-old daughter who was in a coma, passed away on Sunday. His 10-year-old son suffered two broken legs. His 9-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son were in stable condition.

A 52-year-old woman and 55-year-old man in the other vehicle were also injured.

Mayer and his children were on their way to a Calgary Hitmen hockey game when the two-car collision occurred on a strip of icy highway.

Brent Morrice, chairman of Ski Jumping Canada, said yesterday that members of the ski jumping community have been taking shifts at the children's hospital with Mayer's wife, Maria, who was not in the car. "This is unbelievably difficult for her, and we're doing our best to support her through it," Morrice said.

Mayer moved to Canada more than 12 years ago to work with Canadian skiers and followed Ski Jumping Canada's relocation to Calgary six years ago.

"(Jindro) was like a father to me,'' said nordic combined skier Jason Myslicki, who first met Mayer when the national program was based in Thunder Bay, Ont.

Coaches, athletes and parents gathered yesterday to remember Mayer. "He was a good friend to me, and a good friend to everyone he met," said a shaken Morrice. "He was loved by everyone - a second father to his athletes, and incredibly passionate in his commitment to them and to the program."

Morrice's son Trevor, who was training with Mayer, said he was certain Mayer would want them to carry on preparations for the Vancouver Olympics. "Between his tears, Trevor said that he knew Jindro would want them to keep on jumping, go to the Olympics, and win in Canada," Morrice said.

Mayer was an Olympian himself, and had won a bronze medal in Lillehammer as a coach. He came to Canada to work with ski jumpers here, and was head coach for three years.
"He was an amazing person, who instilled honesty, integrity and the will to win in his athletes," Morrice said. "He taught them the ability to accept defeat gracefully, and had done just a fantastic job with these young people. His loss leaves just a huge hole. We're all devastated."

The Mayer Children's Trust Fund will soon be established through TD Canada Trust. Contact Rob Sevick at 680-0246 for more information.