Jasey Jay Anderson (CP)

Top of the (water) world: Canadians complete best championships ever with five medals.
(The Vancouver Sun)

WHISTLER -- Canadian snowboard team members climbed in their canoes and paddled out of Whetler Lake, er Whistler Mountain, on Sunday with bragging rights as the world's No. 1 nation.

The unexpected opportunity to say those words was enough to leave Martin Jensen, the Canadian Snowboard Federation's high-performance director, temporarily tongue-tied.

With a silver by Justin Lamoureux of Whistler in men's half-pipe -- under the lights and sometimes heavy rain of Saturday night -- Canada finished with five medals at the soggy, nine-day FIS world championships. That was the same total as Austria, but the high-flyin' and gate rippin' Canadians counted two golds to the Austrians' one.

"I think one of the most notable things from this world championships is not only that we are the No. 1 nation in the world for snowboarding, is that . . . um . . . where was I going with that . . . ?" said a laughing Jensen as he waited for the half-pipe award ceremonies. "I just got so excited by saying that."

Canada was shut out at the first three FIS world championships in 1996, 1997 and 1999, took home a gold and bronze in 2001 and a bronze in 2003.

On home turf -- it almost did become dirt and grass this week after days of relentless rain -- and at a mountain resort considered the mecca of snowboarding, the Canadians slipped on their snorkels and fins and shone.

It started a week ago Sunday with silver and bronze by Francois Boivin of Jonquiere, Que., and Maelle Ricker of Whistler, respectively, in men's and women's snowboard cross. Then veteran Jasey-Jay Anderson of Mont Tremblant, Que., swept gold in men's parallel giant slalom and parallel slalom on his new high-tech boards.

Lamoureux's silver made it a medal in every event but the non-Olympic discipline of Big Air.

But it was more than medals around necks that left Jensen so buoyed. After he collected his thoughts, he said: "It wasn't just the medals we got, but the number of top 10s we had. We had a lot of potential podium athletes . . . they're going to fight to get on the [Olympic] podium in Torino in 2006."

In the men's half-pipe, Crispin Lipscomb of Whistler was ninth and Hugo Lemay of Beauport, Que., 13th. No Canadians qualified for the eight-boarder women's final, but Whistlerites Mercedes Nicoll, Dominque Vallee and Ricker were 10th, 11th and 12th, respectively, and rookie injury-fill in Anne-Marie Gauthier of Quebec City was 16th.

"Three men in the top 16, which means they're all eligible for [financial] carding from the federal government and all four girls," said delighted Canadian half-pipe coach Tom Hutchison. "The freestyle team started coming together last year. They were kind of raw at the beginning, but over the year, they've really pushed each other."

In men's snowboard cross, Tom Velisek of Vernon and Anderson were sixth and 10th, while Dominique Maltais of Montreal was fourth in the women's event. Canada also got a breakthrough performance in men's parallel slalom from Quebecer Philippe Berube, who made it through qualifying to the round of 16 heats for the first time in his young career.

"We're strongly encouraged," said Tom McIllfaterick, the snowboard federation's CEO. "We've performed at or above expectations. We've shown depth in all the disciplines. To me it's a real sign that our program is starting to come together."
McIllfaterick knows, however, there is still a long way to go to ensure Olympic glory, not only in Italy next year but at Vancouver-Whistler in 2010. He was with the Canadian freestyle team when it bombed at Nagano in 1998 despite a brilliant 1997 season. And he knows the snowboard team wilted under pressure at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City.

Just imagine the piano-on-the-back expectations in 2010 after five years of being bombarded with the 35-medal mantra from the COC's Own the Podium program. Fortunately, the program is being structured to give Canadian athletes more high-tech and human performance support than ever before. "We have to support them through the earthquake of pressure you get in the Olympic environment," said McIllfaterick.

While organizers here lamented Mother Nature's week-long fury, McIllfaterick said the rain was a blessing in disguise for the athletes.

"They've had to deal with the adversity, they've had to find out how to mentally block that," he said. "The weather affects everybody. The winners are the ones that can put that aside, focus on the course in front of them."

Lipscomb and Lamoureux did that Saturday. The 28-year-old Lamoureux scored 44.6 points on his first of two runs in the final to finish behind Finland's Antti Autti, who had also won gold in Friday's Big Air. "Me and Justin loved it," said Lipscomb of the conditions. "This is what we play in, train in, live in. Everyone else is bummed and angry, we're just laughing. We're not made out of paper. We can get wet."

A "stoked" Lamoureux said everything went right on his silver-medal run. "The switch backside air off the top went super good, to a really good Haakon frontside nine [hundred]. Stomped it clean. McTwist. Again, stomped it clean. Then front[side] seven [hundred] out the bottom."

And you thought picking out figure skating's triple Lutz and double salchow was tough? "This is awesome," said Lamoureux of Canada's medal count. "We wanted to give the home crowd a show." It was a show that left the boss almost speechless.

Jeremy Wotherspoon (CP)

Canada’s Jeremy Wotherspoon gets gold in 500 and second overall at world sprints.
(Canadian Sport News)

KEARNS, Utah-Jeremy Wotherspoon of Red Deer, Alta., won the gold medal in the 500 metres but that was no consolation for him in finishing second overall on
Sunday at the long track speed skating world sprint championships.

‘’I’m disappointed to come to the world championships and really not have one satisfying race,’’ said Wotherspoon, 28, one of Canada’s most successful international athletes of all time. He’s a four-time world sprint champion and his glittering international record includes 54 World Cup victories, the most ever by a male speed skater.

Erben Wennemars of the Netherlands successfully defended his overall title compiling 137.310 points over the four races this weekend. Wennemars took the
crown in dramatic fashion winning the gold in the 1,000 in the final pairing of the day against his arch-rival Wotherspoon who clocked eighth.

Wotherspoon was runner-up for the second straight year at 137.820 and Joey Cheek of the U.S., was third at 137.975.

In the 1,000 Wennemars clocked a scorching 1:07.46 while Wotherspoon needed to be within 0.12 seconds to take the title but clocked 1:08.60 ‘’The last 200-metres I died pretty bad,’’ said Wotherspoon. ‘’On the last turn I felt like I was standing still when Wennemars passed me. He beat me by over a second so it wasn’t great. Going in to the 1,000 I knew I had to go for it. The entire competition came down to one race and I had to focus on every part of the race and do it right.’’

Wotherspoon started the day well tying for first in the 500 metres with Russian Dmitri Lobkov at 34.67 seconds to maintain his overall lead. However Wotherspoon wasn’t pleased with that race and says mistakes may have cost him valuable points in the overall standings.

‘’I had a terrible start, my worst in years,’’ said Wotherspoon about his 500. ‘’My biggest strength is the 500 and most of the times I’ve done well at this competition I’ve dominated it. My 500 has got to be better or I’m putting myself in potential trouble, regardless of how my 1,000 is going.’’

Brock Miron of Calgary was 23rd overall and Jean-René Bélanger of Sherbrooke, Que., 29th.

On the women’s side, Jennifer Rodriguez of the U.S., took the gold in the 1,000-metre, her only win this weekend, to finish first overall with 150.015 points. Anzhelika Kotyuga of Belarus was second at 150.415 and Sabine Volker of Germany third at 150.425.

Cindy Klassen of Winnipeg won a bronze medal in the 1,000 and finished eighth overall. Shannon Rempel of Winnipeg was sixth in the 500 and 11thin the 1,000 for 12th while Krisy Myers of Lloydminster, Sask., was 27th in both races Sunday to finish 26th.

Klassen is tuning up for the world all around championships next month in Moscow. She was the all around world champion two years ago and missed most of last season with an injury. She’s also concerned with her starts.

‘’In the 1,000 my first 200 metres were a second slower than my top rivals,’’ said Klassen. ‘’That’s something I really need to work on. I wanted to do a lot better here, but it was a very tough competition.’’

Pierre Lueders (CP)

LUEDERS PUTS SILVER LINING ON OLYMPIC BOBSLEIGH TRACK IN ITALY.
(CODA Release)

Torino, ITA-Canada's Pierre Lueders is making an early statement that he is focused on winning an Olympic medal when the Games kick off in Torino, Italy in just over a year.

The legendary Canadian bobsleigh athlete won his second straight silver medal in as many days on the 2006 Olympic Track Sunday in the first World Cup event to be held in Torino, Italy.

The Olympic and reigning world champion piloted his four-man Visa sled to the silver medal position after posting a two-run combined time of one minute 51.57 seconds. Lueders' crew of Morgen Alexander of Calgary, Ken Kotyk of Canora, Sask., and Lascelles Brown of Calgary joined forces to post the fastest second run of the day at 55.86. It is the second consecutive four-man title for the Canadian team.

"It was another great day for us with good consistent runs," said Lueders who also won a silver medal with Brown in the two-man event on Saturday. "It's always important to get onto the podium, but this is the only competitive race we'll have on this track before the Games, so it was good to have some success here for sure. Our team is really working well together and we are on the right track."

While Lueders enjoyed the silver medal position for the second straight day, Switzerland's Martin Annen walked away with his second consecutive gold medal. Annen's four-man crew posted a winning time of 1:51.42. The Germany 2 sled piloted by Rene Spies also claimed their second straight bronze medal with a time of 1:51.88.

On the women's side, Canada 2 pilot, Helen Upperton, slid into the top-10 to secure her best finish of the season in World Cup racing.

Upperton steered her sled down the technically challenging track to finish in 10th place with a two-run combined time of one minute 58.90 seconds. "This is a great start to the second half of the season," said Upperton, who teamed up with brakeman Kaillie Simundson of Calgary to post a season best start in her second run. "I'm excited about our pushing and KaIllie (Simundson) is doing a terrific job. We are starting to catch the top teams with our push starts, so I'm looking forward to seeing some start records in the upcoming races."

"I am starting to take control of my nerves, which I think has affected my racing this season," said Upperton. "With the more experience I gain on the World Cup circuit, I am becoming more confident that I can compete with the top teams."

Canada 1 pilot Lesa Mayes-Stringer of North Battleford, Sask. fell out of the top-12 for the first time this season, finishing the day in 17th place. Stringer, along with brakeman Jaime Cruickshank of Saskatoon, Sask. clocked in a two-run combined time of 2:00:14.

The Canadian Bobsleigh and Skeleton Teams, sponsored by Visa, will head to St. Moritz, Switzerland on Monday for the next stop on the World Cup.

Sara Renner (CP)

CANADIAN DUO'S GAMBLE PAYS OFF TO MAKE PODIUM CHARGE AT CROSS-COUNTRY SKI WORLD CUP.
(CODA Release)

Pragelato, ITA-Canada's one-two punch of Beckie Scott and Sara Renner charged for the podium at a World Cup cross-country team sprint relay in Pragelato, Italy on Sunday, but came up a whisker short finishing fourth.

Canada's top cross-country ski queens gambled on a new strategy to try and improve their World Cup standing in the relay. The duo usually has Renner, of Canmore, Alta., starting the six legs around the 1.1-kilometre track with Scott, of Vermilion, Alta., anchoring the race. But on Sunday, the two-time Olympians decided to flip the order which resulted in one of their strongest team relays, clocking a time of 18 minutes 42.3 seconds.

"We have both been really strong in the individual sprints, but when it comes to the team event we haven't had much luck so we decided to change things up a bit," said the 28-year-old Renner, who is enjoying having her teammate and Olympic gold medalist, Scott, back at her side after completing the first half of the season as the lone Canadian woman on the World Cup. "It was snowing hard and tough to make a move, but we were in contention for the entire race and it was a great day."

The team sprint relays consist of two athletes on each team, who both complete the 1.1-kilometre course three times. Athletes alternate skiing each leg of the race. The event consists of two qualification heats, with the top-five teams in each heat moving into the final.

"We were definitely contenders today thanks to an adjustment on some little tactics. We were confident and were focused on having a great race," said Scott. "It was a great day for our entire team and we are going to celebrate as a group. Now we're hungry for more."

Canada also suited up another women's team on Sunday. Three-time Olympian, Milaine Theriault of St. Quentin, N.B. teamed up with World Cup rookie Tara Whitten of Edmonton. The Canadian duo also qualified for the finals in their first event together, but finished off the pace in 10th spot at 20:09.3.

Germany I came out on top in the women's event after posting a time of 18:37.9. Sweden sprinted to the silver medal position with a time of 18:39.8, while Finland rounded out the top-three with a time of 18:40.3.

Meanwhile, the Canadian men's team of George Grey of Rossland, B.C. and Chris Jeffries of Chelsea, Que. also joined forces to post a strong result in the challenging and talented men's race loaded with the best cross-country ski athletes in the world. Despite missing the finals, the two youngsters on the World Cup finished seventh in their qualification heat, and locked up 13th place in the 6 x 1.2-kilometre sprint with a time of 19:54.8.

Germany I also grabbed gold in the men's competition after setting the time to beat at 19:10.4. Sweden took home the silver medal with a time of 19:12.5, while Germany II won the bronze medal after posting a time of 19:13.2.

Canada's men and women's Cross-Country Ski Teams will hold a training camp in Europe over the next two weeks before their next World Cup race on February 12, 2005.

Robin Clegg (CP)

CANADA'S ROBIN CLEGG EXPLODES INTO TOP-20 WITH BEST EVER WORLD CUP RESULT.
(CODA Result)

Antholz, ITA-Canada's Robin Clegg exploded into the top-20 with his best-ever biathlon World Cup result in Antholz, Italy on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old Olympian combined impressive speed on the course with the execution of a near-perfect shooting score to finish the men's 20-kilometre individual event in 17th place with a time of one hour 57.9 seconds.

"It was a very difficult day for me mentally. I just had to keep pushing and remain completely focused," said Clegg, who rejoined the Canadian Biathlon Team in Italy for the first time in World Cup competition since the holiday break. "I took a lot of extra time at the shooting range because of strong winds, and tried not to worry too much about where I was in the standings."

Clegg, of Ottawa, maintained pace with the top-five for most of the race, powering his way into second, until two shooting errors during the last shooting bout cost him two penalty loops, pushing him out the top-10.

"My performance today shows that I can compete with the best in the world, and that it is more than possible to break into the top-10," said Clegg. "I'm addicted to the challenge of achieving the perfect race and it is what drives me to compete."

Norway's Ole Einar Bjoerndalen took the top prize, finishing the day's race a full two minutes 33.5 seconds ahead of his closest competitor to take the gold medal with a time of 54:48.0, hitting all 20 targets. Chengye Hang of China joined Bjoerndalen on the podium in second at 57:21.5, with one shooting error, while Nikolay Kruglov of Russia was third at 57:32.4, and a perfect shooting score.

Jeff Christie (CP)

CANADA'S JEFF CHRISTIE SLIDES TO CAREER BEST ON WINTERBERG TRACK.
(CODA Release)

Winterberg, GER-Canada's Jeff Christie climbed back into the top-15 in Viessmann Luge World Cup racing to secure a career best on the Winterberg track in Germany, Sunday.

Christie, of Vancouver, who slid his way back into the top of the heap after suffering a crash during World Cup racing last week Igls, Germany, powered his way into 15th spot with a two-run combined time of one minute 51.656 minutes.
"I'm relieved and quite satisfied to have two solid runs," said Christie, who slid to a disappointing 29th place last week, after crashing near the bottom of the Igls track on his second run.

"This is a very positive result for me because I was able to bounce back so quickly. I took what I learned from crashing last week and turned it around to achieve a positive result here today."

The 21-year-old, who equaled his best-ever career result on the World Cup in Calgary last December when he finished in 12th, is leading the Canadian men on the World Cup circuit this season.

"My result today puts me in a positive frame of mind and gives me confidence in my sliding, which I am certain will carry over to the next World Cup event on the new Olympic Track in Torino, Italy."

Russia's Albert Demtschenko continued his dominance in luge World Cup racing this season, posting the fastest two-run combined time of the day at 1:50.336 to capture the gold medal. Germany's Georg Hackl slid into second spot to pick up the silver medal with a time of 1:50.434, while Italy's Armin Zöggeler rounded out third at 1:50.691.

The Viessmann Luge World Cup will continue February 4-6, in Torino, Italy.

Own the Podium 2010 - new plan for Canadian Olympic domination.

TORONTO/MONTREAL/WHISTLER, January 21, 2005 - To ensure Canada's success at the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver in 2010, all of Canada's winter sport partners joined together today to launch an unprecedented new program, Own the Podium - 2010.

This bold, new program, launched simultaneously in Toronto, Montreal and Whistler, sets the vision and strategy for Canada to be the number one nation at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver in 2010. The goal for the 2010 Paralympic Games is for Canada to place in the top three countries.

"Own the Podium - 2010 is the program that will make Canada the top sporting nation in the world in 2010," said Chris Rudge, CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), one of the partners involved. "Canada has many talented athletes and coaches who need a strong program and additional support to reach the Olympic podium."

For Canada to place first in the medal count at the 2010 Olympic Games, the Canadian Team would need to win approximately 35 medals in 2010, more than double the 17 medals Canada won in Salt Lake City in 2002.

"When we won the bid to host the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, it was a win for all of Canada on the promise of great success," said John Furlong, CEO of the Vancouver 2010 Organizing Committee (VANOC). "But for Canadians real success in 2010 means equal part perfect organization and execution and golden athletic performance by our athletes. Own the Podium - 2010 brings science, ingenuity and home field advantage together with a vision of unprecedented success. We all have a stake in this".

Own the Podium - 2010 was developed with the input of international sport experts, the program includes a plan to support and develop promising athletes in order to increase the number of potential medallists in various sports at the 2010 Games. However, the program will only be successful with a new approach to sport delivery supported by the federal government and sport leaders in Canada as well as a $110-million total increase in funding for winter sports over the next five years.

"Our goal is to win more Olympic medals than ever before," said Ken Read, President of Alpine Canada. "I strongly believe that, with the proper support, this program is the blueprint that will lead us through the next five years and make the goals of Canadian athletes and coaches a reality."

"I know that Canadian athletes possess the ability for greater podium finishes," said Clara Hughes, two-time Olympic medallist in speed skating and cycling. "We simply need the coaching, medical and technical support to be able to compete on a level playing field with other countries. This program has great potential to take things in the right direction."

"The Own the Podium program signifies a new era of collaboration in the Sport Community" says Canadian Paralympic Committee's General Director Brian MacPherson. "This spirit of cooperation will be the key to the Program success".

This program marks the first time Canada's winter sport organizations have come together with their sport partners to map out a comprehensive plan for podium success. The program, co-written by Cathy Priestner Allinger, currently Senior Vice President, Sport at VANOC and sport technical expert Todd Allinger, would give Canadian athletes the required financial and technical support to help them be competitive at the highest level, and make Canada number one on the podium in 2010.

Own the Podium - 2010 is a collaborative effort of all 13 Canadian Winter National Sport Federations, the COC, VANOC, the Canadian Paralympic Committee, Sport Canada and the Calgary Olympic Development Association. The 13 winter sport federations include:

Alpine Ski Alpin
Biathlon Canada
Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton
Canadian Curling Association
Canadian Freestyle Ski Association
Cross Country Canada
Canadian Luge Association
Canadian Snowboard Federation
Hockey Canada
Nordic Combined Ski Canada
Ski Jumping Canada
Skate Canada
Speed Skating Canada

Collectively, the group agreed to pursue the goal of becoming the number one nation in medal count at the 2010 Games and has committed to working together over the next five years to deliver on the program. The Canadian Paralympic Committee is currently developing the Paralympic portion of the program and will issue its plan in late February 2005.