Alexandra Orlando (CP)

6-time Gold Medalist to Carry Flag in Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony.
(CommonwealthGames.ca)

Melbourne, AUSTRALIA – Rhythmic gymnast, Alexandra Orlando (Toronto, ON), who tied a Commonwealth Games record by winning 6 gold medals, will carry Canada’s flag into the Closing Ceremonies at the 18th Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia.

Orlando ties a record first set 28 years ago by Canadian swimmer, Graham Smith, at the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton. Two Australian swimmers have equaled it since: Susie O’Neill in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 and Ian Thorpe in Manchester four years later. “To be asked to carry Canada’s flag into the Closing Ceremonies is an incredible honour,” said the 19-year-old Orlando who captured gold in the Team competition, Individual All-Around, and in each of the four Individual Apparatus finals. “There are so many amazing athletes here. To think I’ll be out there representing them is really a dream come true.”

The flag bearer announcement comes at the conclusion of 11 days of competition where Canada achieved its goal of finishing in the Top 3 countries overall.

Canada’s 253 athletes captured a total of 86 medals (26 gold, 29 silver, 31 bronze), and finished behind only Australia and England.

Orlando’s six gold medals – including four on the last day of competition – was an important addition to a Canadian team that recorded scores of personal bests and dozens of Canadian and Commonwealth Games records. “We’re entering a new era in Canadian sport,” said Chef de Mission, Dr. Ross Outerbridge. “The great results from these Games, following on the heels of a record-setting performance at the Olympic Winter Games in Torino, are further evidence that Canada is an emerging power on the international sport scene in both summer and winter sports.”

The next Commonwealth Games will be held in Delhi, India in 2010. Canada is bidding to host the Games in 2014 in the City of Halifax.

Cindy Klassen (CP)

Cindy Klassen continues her winning ways with another World Record.
(The Daily News - Truro)

Cindy Klassen has done it again. She set a world record in the 1,000 metres at the Olympic Oval Finale on Friday. And considering the Winnipeg speedskater is at the end of her longest, most successful, most demanding season ever, she amazingly shattered American Chris Witty’s old mark of one minute 13.83 seconds by nearly 0.4 of a second, finishing in 1:13.46.

Witty’s time had stood since the 2002 Olympics but Klassen, who skated by herself after teammate Kerry Simpson decided not to race, easily beat it and earned $25,000 as a sponsor’s reward. “I’m really happy about it,” said Klassen, who won the world allround championship last week at the Oval, setting a 3,000-metre world record and world allround points record (154.580) in the process.

“The whole race felt pretty good and my goal was to start hard. I was on the outer corner and sometimes it’s harder to get going because it’s a wider corner but I had a good opener ... and had enough energy on the last lap to finish pretty strong.”
In typical Klassen style, she crossed the finish line, checked the clock then put her head down and smiled.

Klassen, a five-medal winner at the Turin Olympics, shows no signs of slowing down as she’ll race again Saturday in both the 500 and 1, 000 - her final races of the season. On Friday she won the 500, as well. And she’s doing all this as one of the most scrutinized Canadian athletes in history. These days, it seems everywhere Klassen goes, an endless parade of people recognize her and want her autograph.
Canada’s TV news magazine, W-5, is at the Oval this week filming a documentary on the 25-year-old that should air in six weeks, so she also has a camera following her around.

Klassen now holds three world records with the 1,500 under her belt as well and fans shouldn’t be surprised if she sets a new mark in the 1,000 Saturday. Her coach, Neal Marshall, is as amazed as everybody else when it comes to Klassen’s spectacular season. She certainly hasn’t reached her full potential and nobody really knows how good Klassen can still be. “I don’t know. I don’t think anyone does. She doesn’t know but she can get better and she’s getting better all the time,” said Marshall. “There’s room for more work, more refinement. The technique, there’s room for that, so who knows? There’s room to go faster but by how much, we’ll have to wait and see.”

Dubreuil and Lauzon (CP)

Skate Canada looking for improvement: Ticket sales, medal tally short of hopes.
(The Calgary Herald)

The 2006 world figure skating championships were as much a learning experience for organizers as it was for many of the up-and-coming stars actually competing.
“There’s no question that there have been lessons learned from an organization point of view,” acknowledged William Thompson, Skate Canada’s acting CEO. “This whole experience has been a learning process. To be honest and perfectly realistic, there are many areas we can improve. Local marketing is one. The profile of the event was clearly lower than it could have been.”

The crowds, or lack thereof, at the Pengrowth Saddledome during the week were of particular concern to organizers, and inflated ticket prices have been blamed. The final crowd count for the competitive portion, not including this afternoon’s exhibition gala, was 94,234. Ticket sales including the gala, which were still being sold, was 104,034. “I’ve heard that comment a couple of times this week,” Thompson said of the lofty prices. “That is one area that, as an organization, we could do a better job, in terms of how ticket prices are set.”

From a competitive standpoint, Skate Canada expressed muted satisfaction, despite the fact its team emerged from these championships with a medal. “The number that had been bandied about was four, and that was a combination of four coming out of the Olympic Games and the world championships,” explained Gayle McClelland, national team director. “Certainly, there was a setback with (Marie-France) Dubreuil and (Patrice) Lauzon not being able to complete the Olympic Games, which we’re pretty confident would have resulted in a medal there. So we’re coming out short.”

The lone medal came in ice dance, when Dubreuil and Lauzon captured the silver in this country’s moment of the championships. But though no others were able to find their way to the podium, the placings were respectable.

In dance, the veteran tandem of Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe finished 10th. In pairs, Canada placed two teams in the top 10, with Valerie Marcoux and Craig Buntin taking fifth, and Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison ending up seventh.

The biggest disappointments came in both the men’s and women’s singles. Jeffrey Buttle was a definite medal hopeful, but finished sixth, while his teammate Emanuel Sandhu landed one spot above him in fifth. Young Shawn Sawyer finished 21st. In Saturday’s women’s event, Joannie Rochette—whose fifth-place at the Olympics had visions of a medal dancing in many heads—came in a disillusioning seventh, while Mira Leung, the hope of the future, was 13th.

The good news in all of these results is the fact that Canada has qualified three men, three pairs, three dance duos and two women for the next worlds, in Tokyo. “Overall, I think it was a very successful event for Canada,” suggested Thompson. “We’re delighted to have such a large team heading into next year’s world championships.”

Kalyna Roberge - top (CP)

Canada wins silver and bronze at world team championships in short track speed skating.
(CSN)

MONTREAL- South Korea won the all the 1,000 metre races on Sunday en route to sweeping the men’s and women’s titles at the world team championships in short track speed skating while the Canadian men were second and the women third.

Canada won the 5,000-metre relay finale to assure itself second spot with double Olympic medallist François-Louis Tremblay of Montreal, Charles Hamelin of Ste-Julie, Que., Mathieu Turcotte of Sherbrooke, Que., and Éric Bédard of Ste-Thècle, Que. Hamelin earned Canada’s two other race victories on the day.  He neared the world record in the 500-metres and took the 3,000 metre as well.  Turcotte was second in his 500 and 1,000 metre heats while Bedard and Jonathan Guilmette of Montreal also posted second place finishes in their respective 1,000’s.

‘’We made some errors here and there and in the end that cost us,’’ said Guilmette. ‘’This event is very different.  You have one chance at each distance so you have to be ready right away.  The Koreans were nearly perfect, they pretty much dominated.  If they hadn’t fallen in the relay their lead would have been wider.  Still we’re happy with our relay and Charles’ win in the 3,000 in particular, which is traditionally the Koreans strongest event.

In women’s competition, South Korea successfully defended its team title with 40 points.  China won the relay final and earned the most points in the 500, but it wasn’t enough to reel in the Koreans and placed second at 38.   The Canadians were third for the second straight year with 26 points.

Canada posted two wins in the 500 heats with Kalyna Roberge of Ste-Etienne-de-Lauzon, Que., and Tania Vicent of Vercheres, Que.  Double Olympic medallist Anouk Leblanc-Boucher of Montreal and Amanda Overland of Kitchener, Ont., were second in their respective 1,000’s. Alanna Kraus of Abbotsford, B.C., was third in a 500 heat. ‘’We had some good races but we’re pretty disappointed with our result,’’ said Leblanc-Boucher.  ‘’We were really motivated for these championships at home.  We had some really good practices heading into the competition.’’

Brandon O'Neill

Cam McKinnon (Dan Galbraith

Jessica Zelinka (Dan Galbraith)

Canada declares Games a success.
(Times Colonist (Victoria)

MELBOURNE, Australia (CP) -- Canada took aim at winning 100 medals and finishing among the top three countries at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. It hit half the target.

After 11 days of competition in 16 sports, Canada ended up with 86 medals (26 gold, 29 silver, 31 bronze), good enough for third in the overall tally behind the powerhouse Australians and England.

Canadian chef de mission Ross Outerbridge admitted officials may have been overly optimistic with their three-digit medal expectations, especially when many Canadian athletes were just beginning their competitive seasons. But he says the team’s performance at the Games bodes well for the future. “I think the encouraging things are to see some of the performances of the young Canadians that have been at their first Games,” Outerbridge said Sunday. “Some of the Canadian records, the Commonwealth records that have fallen, the personal bests, that have come out of this, I think those are very important indicators of what is to come.”

The Australian team fed off the energy of its fans en route to winning a record 221 medals, including 84 gold. Obviously the $30 million Aus ($25.5 million Cdn) that was pumped into the Aussie program paid off but it also helped that the team comprised more than 400 athletes. Canada sent a team of 253.

Rhythmic gymnast Alexandra Orlando of Toronto was Canada’s most decorated athlete. She matched a Games record by winning six gold medals and was honoured for her efforts by carrying Canada’s flag into the spectacular Melbourne Cricket Ground for Sunday night’s closing ceremony.

Canada won 118 medals four years ago at the Manchester Games. But that was with a bigger team in the summer when most athletes were at the top of their game. The sport program also changed for the 2006 Games with wrestling and judo—two events in which Canada excelled—not on the program and fewer weightlifting medals offered.

The performance of some of Canada’s athletes was affected by the timing of the Games. While it’s currently early fall in Melbourne, many Canadians arrived straight from the blustery winter weather back home. “There’s no doubt that those who live in the Southern Hemisphere and the Caribbean countries benefited because of their climate,” Canadian track coach Les Gramantik said of his team. “Most people (on the Canadian team) hadn’t seen the outdoor season until they got here and that definitely influenced the results to some extent.

Mike Brown (Dan Galbraith)

Mike Brown wins gold at Commonwealth Games.

MELBOURNE- Mike Brown of Calgary won the men’s 200-metre breaststroke in dramatic style to highlight a four-medal Canadian performance on Tuesday to conclude the swimming competition at the Commonwealth Games.

Brown broke a 12-year-old Games record clocking two minutes and 12.23 seconds overtaking Australia’s Jim Piper for the lead in the last 50 and withstanding a late charge by his compatriot Brenton Rickard, second in 2:12.24.  Piper, who held a one second lead heading into the final length, was third in 2:12.26.  Also in the mix was Kristopher Gilchrist of Scotland fourth in 2:12.79. ‘’I touched the wall and when I saw I was first it was overwhelming,’’ said Brown, a silver medallist in the event at the world championships last year.  ‘’It’s a pretty phenomenal feeling.  I hadn’t had the best meet going in.’’

In the 50 freestyle, Brent Hayden of Vancouver collected his third medal of the Games finishing second in a Canadian record. ‘’I was very surprised to win a medal tonight,’’ said Hayden.  ‘’Earlier in the week I was actually contemplating whether I should scratch from the event and focus more on the relay. But I swam the heats and it went really well and I knew I could build on the speed.  It’s a great way to top off this meet. The key was keeping to stroke rate high from start to finish. I’ve had a tendency in the past to slow it down.’’

In the men’s 1,500 freestyle, Andrew Hurd of Toronto earned his second medal of the Games clocking a Canadian record 15:09.44.  Canada’s fourth medal came in the women’s 4X100 medley relay which placed third with Kelly Stefanyshyn of Vancouver, Lauren Van Oosten of Calgary, Audrey Lacroix of Montreal and Erica Morningstar of Calgary.  ‘’We knew we had to be at the top of our abilities to get a medal,’’ said Lacroix.  ‘’It’s really fantastic to reach our goal.’’

Canada ends the swimming competition with 16 medals (one gold, seven silver and eight bronze) and lowered 12 national records.  ‘’We can see the momentum building on this team,’’ said Pierre Lafontaine, CEO and national coach for Swimming/Natation Canada.  ‘’With Mike’s performance everyones realizes that the program we’re on is working.  That’s the type of character we try to build our team on.’

Jeremy Wotherspoon (CP)

Weary Wotherspoon ready to rest his mind, body: Canadian star uncertain if he will race again.
The Calgary Herald

He didn’t exactly go out with a bang, but Jeremy Wotherspoon’s all right with that.
The 29-year-old from Red Deer posted a time of 34.96 seconds -- .59 seconds off his personal best—in the men’s 500-metre long-track speed skating event Friday during the ING Olympic Oval Finale.

It was his final race before taking a well-deserved year off from the sport. “Mainly, I wanted to try some new blades and see how they felt,” he said. “I tried them for the last couple weeks and they feel OK, like the race was OK today.”

Originally, he’d also planned to race the 1,000 Friday afternoon, and the 500 and 1,000 again today as the $25,000 cash- for-world-records finale wraps up. But after Friday’s round, he decided he’d had enough. “I think the reason I didn’t want to keep skating is because it was the same kind of thing as before. I’m really tired of racing and not being on something that feels totally great and feeling like I’m missing a lot of things in the race.”

Wotherspoon’s been on the national team for 10 years and has the most career World Cup victories of any Canadian skater. He earned a silver medal in the 500 during the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics and was Speed Skating Canada’s male skater of the year from 2002 through 2005.

But this season, despite garnering nine World Cup medals, frustration was a factor.
“I’ve been training full time since I was 17, so that’s like 12 years of full-time training,” he said. “So, it’s pretty tiring. I know physically I could keep it up if I wanted to, but the big thing is sometimes if you feel mentally off, you lose a bit of motivation just from the repetition of it.”

His performance at the Turin Olympics—ninth in the 500, 11th in the 1,000 -- didn’t help. “There were definitely times where things went well (this season) and I was happy with it, but there were quite a few things that were frustrating for me,” he said.

He isn’t sure he’ll return to the ice, but figures he’ll regain his passion for the sport. The time he plans to spend fly fishing, travelling and maybe taking a couple courses should help clear his mind. His trust fund with Speed Skating Canada, which holds his prize money, will provide ample income for the year.

Wotherspoon still plans to visit the Oval once in a while next season. He wants to test some techniques under less pressure, and watch his girlfriend, Kim Weger, 25, race. Weger, who competed in the 500 in Turin, knows it’s important for Wotherspoon to take time off. “When you’ve been at the top of the world for like 10 years, it gets really, really draining, I think,” she said. “I don’t totally understand how it must be because I’m not at that same level and every year I’m improving. “But when you’ve been first or second or third since you were 20 years old, and now you’re 29, you kind of start thinking, ‘What am I training for, what more can I do?’

Lion

Canadian Artist Gordon Milne releases special edition "Lion" prints for sale.

Gordon Milne’s painting, Lion, takes us beyond our Canadian borders. Milne’s vivid colours and bold interpretation of the Lion quietly reveal a symbol of courage and global strength — a gentle but urgent reminder that our planet is all-inclusive and that the environmental and human challenges that we face here in Canada are issues that are worldwide in scope.

A limited edition series of 250 prints, signed and numbered by the artist are avaialble for purchase, with a portion of the proceeds going to Right To Play. Price: $214.00 per unframed print (includes GST)
Print size: 17.25 inch (width) x 19 inch (height)For more information or to order your limited edition print please contact Gordon at (403) 933-3404 or e-mail gordonmilneart@telus.net

A Canadian artist, Gordon was born in Hamilton, Ontario and studied art at McMaster University. After graduating Gordon worked as a printmaker and mixed-media artist and successfully exhibited his work in several Calgary and Vancouver galleries. In the early ‘90’s Milne switched to painting, focusing on portraiture. In addition to his active involvement in the Sport Heroes Project — a series of portraits of Canadian Olympians in association with the Canadian Sport Centre, Milne is working on a series of commissioned private portraits as well as portraits of dancers with the Alberta Ballet.

www.gordonmilneart.com

www.canadiansportcentre.com/heroes/index.htm