Canadian rowers prove Olympic readiness with win at the Wedau in Germany.
(Toronto Star)

Germany's prospects in rowing's premier event at the Athens Olympic Games look dim after they were annihilated yesterday by Canada in the men's heavyweight eights race at Duisberg.

The International Wedau-Regatta 2004's official Web site declared after the race: "At the moment, it looks hopeless up against Canada." The Canadian eight made an emphatic statement by winning by more than six seconds, crushing the host German team believed to be among the contenders for gold in Athens this summer. Canada posted five victories yesterday, including another resounding win by the men's world champion four in the only other event beside the eights to feature top-calibre competition.

The Canadians aren't taking anything for granted. "It could be that they just had a bad race and we had a really good race," said Joe Stankevicius of Dundas, Ont., a veteran on the eight. "There's still a long way to go to Athens and anything can happen till then. But for us to come out and beat them by that much is a great feeling and tells us we're on the right track."

Men's coach Mike Spracklen said it's clear the team is stronger than it was last season and rowing better technically, which could prove bad news for their rivals considering they won two out of three men's sweep events at last year's worlds. "I'm a bit surprised we dealt with them (the Germans) as easily as we did," said Spracklen. He said the men's four of Tom Herschmiller of Comox, B.C., Jake Wetzel and Cam Baerg of Saskatoon, and Barney Williams of Salt Spring Island, B.C., has raised their level a notch. "It is looking like we have made some serious gains over the winter," Williams said.

Rounding out the men's eight are Jeff Powell of Winnipeg, Scott Frandsen of Kelowna, B.C., Andrew Hoskins of Edmonton, Adam Kreek of London, Chris Jarvis of St. Catharines, Darren Barber of Victoria, Kevin Light of Sidney, B.C.,and coxswain Brian Price of Belleville.

Also winning yesterday were Darcy Marquardt of Richmond, B.C., and Buffy Williams of St. Catharines, in the women's pair; the new men's pair combination of Kyle Hamilton of Richmond, B.C., and Dave Calder of Victoria; and lightweight rowers Fiona Milne of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., and Mara Jones of Aurora in the women's heavyweight double sculls.

Canadian gymnasts win four medals at international event.
(Canadian Sport News)

HUNTSVILLE, Texas- Amélie Plante of Joliette, Que., earned a gold and two bronze medals and Gael Mackie of Vancouver added a silver on Saturday in the individual event finals at the seven-country International Friendship gymnastics competition.

Plante, a four-time world championship team member, posted her best ever score in international competition on uneven bars for the gold medal. Liz Tricase of the U.S., was second, Kristina Comforte of the U.S., third and Mackie fourth. ‘’This is exactly the confidence boost I needed heading into the Olympic trials,’’ said Plante, 20. ‘’I’m a bit surprised to win but I knew I had nailed a very good routine without mistakes. It’s a very difficult routine and I had not been able to do it this well before in competition.’’

On vault, Susan Jackson of the U.S, placed first over her two vaults. Mackie took the silver and Melanie Marti of Switzerland was third. Plante was fifth. ‘’The first vault was one of the best I’ve ever done,’’ said Mackie, 15, the reigning Canadian all around champion, in her first competition since December due to a back injury. ‘’I was really focusing on trying to stick my landings and I achieved that on the first vault. It was a really good experience.’’

On floor, Samantha Sheehan of the U.S., third at the 2002 world championships, was the winner with Carly Janiga of the U.S., second and Plante third. On beam, Tabitha Yim of the U.S., took the gold, Marti of was second and Plante third at 8.300. In the all around competition on Thursday, Mackie was ninth and Plante 10th.

Canada loses to France - but sweeps against Algeria at Olympic volleyball qualifier.
(Volleyball Canada)

The Canadian Men’s Volleyball Team were back to their winning ways early this morning where they defeated 30th ranked Algeria in game three of their ‘Last Chance Olympic Qualifier.’ Scores were 25-13, 25-16 & 25-20 in favour of the 10th world ranked Canadians.

Pascal Cardinal (Pincourt, PQ) led Team Canada with 13 points while Sebastien Ruette (Nicolet, PQ) added 11 points.

"Tonight’s match was important for us to get another confident win and to build some momentum again," stated Team Canada Head Coach Stelio DeRocco. "Every one of our players except for Paul (Duerden) and Terry (Martin) saw the court today and that was important for us. It gave us a chance to rest our two top attackers and also gave the younger back up players some valuable court time."

Next up for Canada tonight will be 21st ranked Australia who is also currently 2-1 in the tournament. Game time is scheduled for 11:00pm CST (1:00pm, Wednesday, May 26th, Tokyo). France and China will also be facing off in an anticipated match between the only two undefeated Teams in the tournament so far (each at 3-0).

"Basically who ever wins the France-China match tonight has a very good chance at securing a spot in the Olympics," felt Coach DeRocco. "China is one of the last serious threats to France, while if China wins this they will probably secure a number one spot as the top Asian Team in the tournament having already defeated Japan and Korea."

The ‘Last Chance Olympic Qualifier’, which is also doubling as the Asian Zone Olympic Qualifier, will see Canada competing with Iran (24), France (4), Korea (7), China (17), Japan (19), Australia (21), and Algeria (30). Only the winning team along with the next highest ranking Asian team, will gain berths into this summers Athens Olympic Games.

Cockburn and Turgeon repeat as national trampoline champions.
(Canadian Sport News)

TORONTO- World champion Karen Cockburn and Mathieu Turgeon, both of Toronto, repeated as champions in trampoline on Friday at the Canadian trampoline and tumbling championships.

In women’s trampoline, Cockburn won for the eighth straight year. Heather McManus of Ottawa was second and Rosannagh MacLennan of Toronto third. McManus got the nod for silver because of a better score in the final.
Cockburn and McManus are Canada’s Olympic entries in women’s competition this August in Athens.

‘’I’m adding a new skill for the Olympics which will increase the difficulty of the routine,’’ said Cockburn, an Olympic bronze at the Sydney Games four years ago. ‘’That’ll be my main focus leading into the Games.’’

On men’s trampoline, Turgeon successfully defended his title for his third career Canadian crown. Bryan Milonja of St-Bruno, Que., was second and Martin Myers of Toronto third. Turgeon is Canada’s sole men’s entry at the Olympics. He was also third in Sydney.

‘’I will definitely increase the level of difficulty of my routine for the Games,’’ said Turgeon. ‘’I think it will be tougher to win a medal this time around. The field is deeper and the competition stronger. But I’m going in as an underdog again and I like that role.’’

Denis Vachon of Burlington, Ont., was a double winner with victories in double mini trampoline and tumbling. In double mini trampoline he finished ahead of Bob Watson of Red Deer, Alta., and Matthew Eldridge of Toronto. Watson and Eldridge were 1-2 at the world junior championships last year.

In women’s double mini trampoline, world champion Sarah Charles of Kelowna, B.C., took the women’s title with Julie Warnock of Calgary second and Jane Bickerstaffe of Maple Ridge, B.C., third.

In men’s tumbling, Vachon placed first with Cole Roycroft of Calgary second and David Poirier of Acton Vale, Que., third. In women’s tumbling, Andree Matte of Burlington was first, Lindsay Hebert of Calgary second and Emily Smith of Burlington third.

The Grande Prairie Water Ramp is OPEN!
(Freestyle Canada Release)

May 21, 2004 -- A few days ago, Grande Prairie native Cord Spero from Canada's National Freestyle Aerial Team logged the first jump off the newest water ramp training facility in the country. The facility is a state-of-the-art development ramp designed to train freestyle ski and snowboard athletes in aerial and inverted manoeuvres. It is located at Nitehawk Ski Area in Grande Prairie, Alberta.

This project was partnered with Nitehawk Ski Area and Northern Extreme Freestyle who will operate the ramp facility. The ramp was a jointly funded venture by the City of Grande Prairie, County of Grande Prairie #1, MD Greenview, the Province of Alberta and local businesses. This ramp is the first one built in the last ten years, the only one of its kind and the third in the country.

The National Team will be training at the Grande Prairie ramp until May 25th. The ramp will be open starting weekends in June, full time in July and August and back to weekends in September and October. Regular training as well as day camps will also be run during the summer months by fully certified freestyle aerial coaching staff.

Congratulations go out to the Northern Extreme Freestyle Club for all of their efforts, to Nite Hawk for hosting the ramp, to all of those suppliers and sponsors and most importantly, to the volunteers who put in so much dedication to make the dream a reality!

The Paralympic Insider - The CPC Newsletter April 19th, 2004.

Our latest version of the Paralympic Insider, the Canadian Paralympic Committee’s monthly e-newsletter, is now available on-line. Visit the Paralympic Insider section to read the April newsletter.

http://www.paralympic.ca/english/products/insider.asp

Ian Bird of Ottawa named executive director of the Canadian Professional Coaches Association.
(Coaching Association of Canada)

OTTAWA- The Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) announced today that Ian Bird of Ottawa has been named the executive director of the Canadian Professional Coaches Association (CPCA), the professional arm of CAC.

Bird, a two-time Olympian in men's field hockey, has been one of Canada's leading advocates for athletes in sport. Since 2000, he has been the CEO of the Esteem Team. The Esteem Team is an athlete-driven youth development organization that cultivates positive characteristics and confidence in youth through athlete interactions, education, and sport.

Bird has also provided his expertise to the Sport Matters Group, Athletes CAN, and the advisory committee of the Secretary of State. "My objective will be to help coaches find their voice in the community and improve their working environment,'' said Bird. "My past experience as a high performance athlete and working with athlete groups brings a commitment to a partnership approach between coaches and athletes."

Dave Johnson, CPCA's president as well as head coach of the Canadian national swim team is excited about the new dimension Bird brings to the organization. "This is a really good move for CPCA," said Johnson. "We are a group that has been struggling for recognition and respect in the community and the Canadian sport system. Ian has an excellent track record as a representative of organizations and athletes. His knowledge of the sport system is going to put us in a better position on that front."

CPCA advocates on behalf of the coaching profession and establishes, promotes, and enforces the professional values, standards, and competencies set by its members. CPCA works to increase the recognition and respect of the work that coaches do and the qualifications that they bring to the development of athletic potential; to set standards of education and ethical practice appropriate to the coaching setting; to provide a voice for coaches such that their concerns and issues will be represented in all aspects of sport policy development; and to assist with the professional development needs of coaches. CPCA offers the designation of Chartered Professional Coach (ChPC), which represents the highest qualifications of coaching.

Canadian athletes unveil new threads.
(By CHRIS LACKNER Globe and Mail Update)

In a parade of red and white, Canadian Olympic athletes unveiled the threads they hope to wear on the medal podium in Athens this summer.

The Canadian Olympic Committee and Roots launched the 2004 Canadian Olympic Collection in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver on Tuesday. Athletes who modelled clothing at the main launch in Montreal included wrestler Guivi Sissaouri, cyclist Manos Jutras, softball player Kim Sarrazin and kayakers Richard Dober Jr..

According to Carla Anderson, manager of special projects for the Canadian Olympic Committee, the COC first met with Roots to discuss the new designs
in September of 2003. After both sides were satisfied with product samples, the committee solicited feedback from Canadian athletes. Ms. Anderson said the desire to reflect the host country featured prominently in this year's design. “This time I wanted something with a Greek motif,” she said. “There's a symbol from Greece that we included on the uniform ... I think it stands for long life.”

At each Games, athletes are welcomed into the athlete's village with a ceremony in which their nation's respective flag is raised in the courtyard and their national anthem is played. “On our welcome ceremony shirts, Canada is written in Greek. It's a tribute to the host country,” she said. Canada's podium uniforms are pure white, as opposed to the off-white used during recent Olympic appearances. The uniforms are made out of a breathable, mesh nylon and will feature the word “Canada” in bold, red letters on their front.

Ms. Anderson said climate is the biggest factor taken into consideration when designing the clothing for each Games. “We're going to a very hot country ... We can't have our women, for example, wearing nylon. We need the athletes to be comfortable. The opening ceremony itself is such a long experience for them.”

Kayaker and first-time Olympian Ryan Cuthbert, who modelled the clothing on Tuesday, said the uniforms were quite comfortable. “The clothing was really flashy – everything is in a bright red and white,” he said. “It turned out really well.”

Roots also produces Olympic-wear for the United States, the United Kingdom
and Barbados. The opening ceremonies for the Games are scheduled to take place on Aug. 13.

Baseball Canada opens camp for first-ever women's national team.
(Canadian Press/The Globe and Mail)

For years Canadian women who have wanted to play baseball at an elite level past the age of 16 have had to either move to the United States, or switch to softball.

Those times are changing and the formation of the first ever national women's baseball team is the latest sign. Baseball Canada opens a four-day selection camp in Montreal on Friday, during which a field of 38 players will be cut down to a squad of 18. "This is like a dream come true for many of them," Andrew Lachance, the team's coach, said Thursday from Ottawa, "to be able to play baseball at a competitive level."

Over the past few years, more leagues have been popping up across the country for women older than 16, something that was virtually non-existent until 2001. Last year 11,542 women of all ages played organized baseball in Canada, up from 9,367 in 2002.

Growing demand from provincial baseball associations and grant money from Sport Canada prompted Baseball Canada to develop a national program, which Lachance began building last summer. Lachance, who is Baseball Canada's manager of baseball operations, has a long and varied resume but coaching women is a first. "It's been nice to be on the field again," said Lachance.

More than 200 players attended tryout camps in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City and Halifax over the past year, from where the current group of 38 players were invited.
"It's going be nice to see what we have," said Lachance.

Once selected, the national team will begin preparations for the Women's World Series, which goes July 18-21 in Uozu City, Japan, and the inaugural World Cup of Women's Baseball, which runs July 30-Aug. 8 in Edmonton. They'll go on an Alberta tour of Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Red Deer and Edmonton between the two tournaments.

The World Cup, sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation, will include Canada, the U.S., Australia, Japan, Taiwan and Bulgaria. Women's baseball is played under the same rules as Major League Baseball, except that games are seven innings instead of nine and they are allowed to use aluminium and composite bats.

Fund and Games: Are We Willing to Pay for Success? A half-million bucks for table tennis?
(The Toronto Sun - Jason Paul)
Series: Part 3 of 3

With the Athens Olympics just four months away, the debate over funding for amateur sports in Canada will intensify. In this three-part series, The Sun's Jason Paul looks at Canada's commitment to gold:

--
It has been seven months since Vancouver was awarded the 2010 Winter Olympics.

It was hailed as a glorious opportunity to help amateur athletics find more financial support to improve Canada's medal chances.

The Canadian Olympic Committee estimates that Ottawa will need to spend at least $120 million a year to boost its medal count for 2010, and that it takes eight to 12 years to develop a high-performance athlete with podium potential. "There are incredible opportunities in front of us to change this paradigm,but we have to move and move quickly," Alpine Canada president Ken Read said. "We have all the reasons to be optimistic but we can't sit on our hands and think 2010 is a long way away."

What has happened since July 2, 2003 when the IOC handed Canada the Games?

The federal government announced in December a $7.4-million project to be spread over two years, with $2.285 million to be split among 11 winter sports, and annual funding was raised last week to $100 million -- the highest level it has ever been at -- from $90 million.

More recently the federal government announced a one year contribution of another $30 million - although it is not yet known exactly how this money will be spent, or whether it can be expected in subsequent years.

AUSSIE MODEL

"Do we want to see athletes on the podium in 2010? Absolutely," Minister of State for Sport Stan Keyes said. "We're definitely going to look at what needs to be changed for 2010."

Australia has been widely mentioned as the model to follow because of its financial commitment, and success, as the host of the 2000 Summer Games.

But Read also points to the Americans, who committed extra funding ($40 million US) from the 1998 Winter Olympics to the 2002 Salt Lake City Games and went to second (34) from sixth (13) in the medal standings. Canada was fourth in 2002 with 17 medals and fourth in 1998 with 15.

"Canada can also do that in a relatively short period of time," Read said.

"The question we have to ask ourselves is do we want to be successful? I firmly believe the answer is yes and the people want a Canadian team to finish first, and not just be nice hosts but successful hosts."

The late Jack Donohue, Donovan Bailey and more to be inducted into The Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.

(Toronto, ON) The Canadian Sports Hall of Fame announced yesterday that the late Jack Donohue is one of six Canadian Sport achievers who will be inducted into the Hall in 2004. Following a meeting of the Selection Committee, two builders and four athletes, were selected for induction.

The builders are: Donohue, basketball and William "Scotty" Bowman, hockey. The athletes are: Donovan Bailey, track & field: Lori Fung, rhythmic gymnastics: Abby Hoffman, track and field: and Larry Robinson, hockey. They will be formally recognized at the Induction Gala on Monday, November 1, 2004 at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto.

The late Jack Donohue had a tremendous impact on the sport of basketball in Canada. Previously a very successful high school and college coach in the United States, he coached Canada's national team program from 1972 to 1988 and qualified the Canadian team for the 1980, 1984 and 1988 Olympics.

William "Scotty" Bowman is being recognized for his legendary coaching career in the National Hockey League. His nine Stanley Cup wins behind the bench eclipsed the record previously set by "Toe" Blake and he ranks first in wins with 1,244 as a coach. He retired in 2002 after his Detroit Red Wings swept the Carolina Hurricanes in four games.

Donovan Bailey thrilled all Canadians with his gold medal winning performance in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta in a world record 9.84 seconds. He followed this up with another gold medal as part of the 4x100 metre men's relay team. Bailey was also the winner of the Lionel Conacher and Lou Marsh
trophies in 1986.

Lori Fung was the first ever gold medallist in the sport of rhythmic gymnastics at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, and continues to be involved in the sport as a coach following her 1988 retirement. The Vancouver resident is also a member of the Canadian Amateur and British Columbia Sports Halls of Fame.

Abby Hoffman represented Canada with distinction from 1962 to 1976, competing in 4 Olympics. She also competed in 2 Commonwealth Games, winning gold in 1966 in the 880 yards. A tireless worker for women in sport, she was the first female director of Sport Canada (1981-91) where she developed the Athlete Assistance and Best Ever programs.

Larry Robinson was a multiple Stanley Cup winner as a defenseman with the Montreal Canadiens including one in his rookie year. He was a member of Team Canada in 1976, 81, and 84 at the Canada Cup tournaments, all Canadian victories. In 1999-2000 he took over from Robbie Ftorek and coached the New Jersey Devils to a Stanley Cup victory.

The addition of these six brings the total number of Honoured Members in Canada's Sports Hall of Fame to 436.

Bernier's going to Turin.
(The Record - Kitchener, Cambridge and Waterloo)

Former Olympic diver Sylvie Bernier has been named the assistant chef de mission for Canada's team at the 2006 Turin Olympics. The Ste-Foy, Que., native won Canada's first ever gold medal in diving in the three-metre springboard event at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Bernier, who was named The Canadian Press female athlete of the year for 1984, also won a silver medal at the 1982 Commonwealth Games and a bronze at the 1983 Pan Am Games. She was made a member of the Order of Canada in 1985 and is in Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.

Shane Pearsall is Canada's chef de mission for the Turin Games.