Heil top of the heap at World Cup moguls event.
CanWest News Service

Jenn Heil conquered another World Cup field Saturday.

Heil won her third straight World Cup event, capturing a women’s moguls event in Listel-Inawashiro, Japan, Saturday with a daring, near-perfect run that may be among her all-time best.

“This is one of my favourite courses in the world,” Heil, a Spruce Grove, Alta., native who now lives and trains in Montreal, said in a telephone interview early Sunday morning.

“It’s one of the hardest courses and the top section is steep. The top jump is extremely difficult because you land on a steep run and you just come rocketing out of there. It’s challenging, but I love that it’s a skiers’ course. It excites me to ski fast.”

Heil, 23, and the 2006 Olympic champion in moguls, now has podium finishes in five of the six World Cup events this season. She scored comfortably ahead of American Michelle Roark, who was second and Stephanie St-Pierre of Victoriaville, Que.,was third.

“I feel like I’m in a groove,” Heil said. “My coaches told me that my run today was pretty much one of the best, if not the best I’ve ever skied from top to bottom. I pushed out of the gate and even though it was really steep, I was really aggressive. I was explosive with most of my turns. It’s a really difficult jump up top and everybody has to go smaller than normal. I came out of that first jump, landed in the perfect spot and went right into my turns.”

Heil - who won a moguls and dual moguls World Cup Feb. 5-6 in La Plagne, France - St. Pierre and the rest of the team have a dual moguls event in Japan Sunday. Then it’s back home for another World Cup this weekend at Apex near Penticton, B.C. That one will give Heil - who has a 484-337 lead over American Shannon Bahrke in the points race - a chance to end an improbable drought and earn her first win on Canadian snow.

“I’m really looking forward to competing at home,” said Heil. “It’s really important for us to get all the practice we can performing at home, especially with the buildup to 2010. My family and friends are going to be there. “I’ve had good performances in Canada. I’ve had quite a few seconds. But I’m glad that I have that in front of me and as a goal to look forward to.”

Kristina Groves win bronze medal at speed skating World Cup.
Canadian Sport News

ERFURT, Germany – Double Olympic medallist Kristina Groves of Ottawa won the bronze medal in the women’s 1,500 metres on Saturday at a long track speed skating World Cup competition.

Groves was paired with World Cup leader Anni Friesinger of Germany in the last pair of the day.  Friesinger won the gold, world champion Ireen Wust of the Netherlands was second and Groves collected her first medal at the distance this season.

‘’This is definitely a big improvement,’’ said Groves, the Olympic silver medallist in the event last year.  ‘’The last couple of weeks I’ve been having trouble finding that sweet spot.  My laps were strong but my opener was still a bit slow.’’

Groves admits the there’s a bit more of an adrenaline rush when she lines up against Friesinger. ‘’I do get a little anxious,’’ said Groves.  ‘’She has a fast start and when you’re in the inner lane you have to be on the ball in terms of not messing up that first crossover against her.  But it’s always good to be paired against the top racers.  That’s what competition is all about.’’

Brittany Schussler of Winnipeg posted her best result this season at the distance finishing eighth.  In the B Group race, Michèle d’Amours of Ste-Foy, Que., was second and Shannon Sibold of Calgary fifth.

World champion Sven Kramer led the Netherlands to a medal sweep in the men’s 10,000.  In the B group race Lucas Makowsky of Regina was ninth, Justin Warsylewicz of Regina 11th, Steven Elm of Red Deer, Alta., 13th, Jay Morrison of Fort St. John, B.C., 18th and Mark Jesney of Saskatoon 23rd.

Calgary’s Gareth Sine gets downhill silver at Nor-Am Cup.
Canadian Sport News

WHITEFISH, Montana – Gareth Sine of Calgary won the silver medal in the men’s downhill at a Nor-Am Cup alpine skiing competition at Big Mountain.

In the men’s downhill, Erik Fisher of the U.S., took the gold in one minute and 28.17 seconds with Sine second in 1:28.29 for his fifth Nor-Am medal this season.  Andrew Weibrecht of the U.S., was third in 1:28.31.

Sine has stepped on the podium at his last three Nor-Am competitions as he continues to enjoy a strong season in the speed events.

Kelly McBroom of Banff, Alta., led Canada to the top four placings in the women’s downhill.

McBroom, a 17-year-old Alberta provincial team member, was first in one minute 34.55 seconds, Sherry Lawrence of Calgary was second in 1:34.70, Larisa Yurkiw of Owen Sound, Ont., was third in 1:34.74, and Danielle Poleschuk of Fernie, B.C., was fourth in 1:34.92.

It was McBroom’s first victory this season on the circuit. “Kelly’s definitely an up-and-coming talent,” said Mike Necesanek of Banff, the head national development group coach. “She made a big impression on the Nor-Ams last season but started this season with an injury.

Calgarian conquers world.
The Calgary Herald

Memo to the Vancouver Olympic Games Organizing Committee, the Canadian Olympic Committee, Stephen Harper . . . turn up the heat, get the IOC to change its mind and put women’s ski jumping into the 2010 Olympics.

Calgary’s Katie Willis, a vocal opponent of the International Olympic Committee’s men only position, backed up her bravado Saturday, winning a Continental Cup at Schonwald, Germany. The Continental Cup is the top circuit for women jumpers.

Willis, just 15, soared to out-duel Linsey Van of the U.S., who finished second. Daniela Irashako of Austria was third and Calgary’s Nata Deleeuw, 16, was fourth.

“This is absolutely fantastic and it means the world to us,” said Calgary’s Brent Morrice, chairman of Ski Jumping Canada. “Our goal is to continue to support these women any way we can and prepare them for the first world championships for women in ski jumping, which is in 2009.”

CANADA’S JEFF CHRISTIE NAMED ATHLETE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL LUGE FEDERATION – SPORT COMMISSION.
CODA Release

CALGARY—Canada’s Jeff Christie may still be fractions of a seconds  away from sliding to his first World Cup luge podium appearance, but his breakout season welcomed another honour that will allow him to help steer his sport internationally.

Christie has been selected by the world’s elite luge athletes to represent them on the International Luge Federation (FIL) - Sport Commission, the Canadian Luge Association announced.

Every four years, several athletes are nominated by the FIL to run for the lone athlete position on the Commission. Each participating country is given one vote and the selected representative is based on those votes. As an athlete representative, the 24-year-old Christie is required to attend the Sport Commission, and the FIL Congress to weigh-in on issues and discussions surrounding the luge community.

“I am absolutely flattered to have been voted by my peers to represent them in this leadership role,” said Christie, who has consistently slid his way near the top of the result lists on the World Cup circuit this season. “I look forward to working for all of the athletes, and doing my best for them. I think it is really important, and beneficial, to have a Canadian voice at the table. Canadians are well respected worldwide, and bring a lot of what is good in sport and expected at international competitions.”

Building off the experience gained from his first trip to the Olympic Winter Games in 2006, Christie is now a legitimate podium contender each time he grabs the start handles for a World Cup race. Christie completed the World Cup season with four top-10 finishes in eight races, including a sixth-place finish on his home track in Calgary.

Christie joins Canada’s Tim Farstad, executive director of the Canadian Luge Association, as the second Canuck on the FIL – Sport Commission. Farstad was named to the Commission in 2002.

“We’re thrilled that Jeff’s peers have nominated him to represent them as a member of the Sport Commission,” said Farstad. “Jeff will now be able to participate in a number of influential discussions and provide an important voice for Canadian athletes which we believe is critical, especially as Canada gets set to host the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.”