Regan Lauscher

CANADA'S LAUSCHER LUGES INTO HISTORY BOOKS WINNING SILVER MEDAL AT WORLD CUP.
(CODA Release)

Lake Placid, N.Y.-Canada's Regan Lauscher slid her way into the history books on Saturday as the first Canadian luge athlete to win a silver medal in the 28-year history of the luge World Cup.

The 25-year-old Red Deer, Alta. native led the world's best after posting a time of 45.041 in the first run, and held on to the silver medal position with a combined time of 1:30.409.

"I'm still in shock but this feels great," said the seven-year veteran of the Canadian Luge Team. "I always liked this track and it is one the Europeans don't like so that gave me extra incentive right from the start. I was training okay this week, but I just told myself sitting in the start handles today to put everything behind me and focus on having two solid runs. It is just a great day."

Only one other Canadian female luge athlete has reached the podium in World Cup history. Marie Claude Doyen finished third in a World Cup women's singles event at Sarajevo in 1987. Tyler Seitz of Calgary is the only Canadian male to reach the World Cup luge podium when he stepped onto the bronze medal position in 2002 on his home track in Calgary at Canada Olympic Park.

It appeared Lauscher was not only going to claim Canada's best ever World Cup finish, but also be the first woman to knock off the Germans in 50 races after she led by .10 of a second heading into the final run. It took the fastest run of the day by Germany's Barbara Niedernhuber (44.773) to keep the streak alive, and claim the 51st straight gold medal for the country in women's luge. Italy's Anastasia Oberstolz-Antonova rounded out the top-three at 1:30.465.

"I had to take a double check when I saw the one beside my name after my first run," said Lauscher, who admitted to having nerves in between runs while sitting in an unfamiliar position. "Everyone around me told me to relax and just do it. I would have absolutely loved to have been the one to end the German streak, but you have to give credit to Barbara for moving up eight spots in the second run. She slid well and I'm still thrilled."

Lauscher, who has been the lone Canadian woman on the World Cup until last season, has been posting steady results during the early World Cup campaign. The 2002 Olympian charted her best European result in the opening event of the season when she finished seventh in Germany, and will be looking to head back to the podium next week when the world's elite luge athletes head to Calgary.

"I was telling everyone this week I was so excited to be heading home and slide on our track in Calgary because my season has been going well to this point," said Lauscher, who anticipated Calgary being her best chance to claim her first World Cup podium. "Now coming off a podium performance, you can't get me home fast enough. I have a lot of confidence now and hopefully I'll be able to stay in the groove and be in the top three next week as well."

Other Canadian women's results on Saturday included: Madison Dupuis of Calgary in 20h (1:32.719)); and Meaghan Simister of Calgary (DNF). Calgary's Jeff Christie was the top Canuck in the men's competition. Christie posted a time of 1:49.552 to finish in 18th. Calgary's Jorgen Krause was the only other Canadian male finishing 29th (1:54.091). Canada's doubles teams were also in action on Saturday, with Grant Albrecht of Red Deer, Alta. and Eric Pothier of Airdrie, Alta., joining up to finish 10th, while World Cup rookies, Sam Edney and Gwynn Lewis of Calgary finished 13th.

Lauscher will lead the Canadian luge squad home to Calgary next week with the silver medal around her neck for the Viessmann Luge World Cup, December 6-11, 2004. The team will hold a media conference at 11:30 a.m. in the Ice House at Canada Olympic Park on Tuesday, December 7.

Allison Forsyth

THREE CANADIAN WOMEN MAKE TOP 20 ON FINAL DAY OF LAKE LOUISE WINTERSTART WORLD CUP.
(Alpine Canada Release)

Allison Forsyth and Kelly VanderBeek celebrate their respective 15th and 14th place finishes at the CIBC Lake Louise World Cup super G.

Lake Louise, Alberta (December 5, 2004) – The world famous Lake Louise course crew came through once again for the World Cup races at the CIBC Lake Louise Winterstart. Snow fell through the night and into the morning, but diligent course work paved the way for a victory by Austria’s Michaela Dorfmeister, and three Canadian finishes in the top 20 in the final Super G race.

World Cup veteran Dorfmeister won by a slim margin over her teammate Renate Goetschl. Taking third was the winner of Friday’s downhill, 20 year-old American phenom Lindsey Kildow.

Kitchener, Ontario’s Kelly VanderBeek built on the confidence she gained with a 19th place yesterday to finish 14th today, the top Canadian. VanderBeek also posted the fastest time in the last interval. “This is my best result in World Cup”, said an ecstatic VanderBeek at the finish. “Today I was attacking the course. If you are in the top 15, you can be in the top 3.”

Canmore, Alberta’s Allison Forsyth, a Giant Slalom specialist, was just five one-hundredths of a second back of VanderBeek taking 15th. “Canadian Women are out here to win, and are a force to be reckoned with,” Forsyth said. “I’m excited that I have two great events going now, Super G and GS. I’ve stopped doing slalom because of the tendonitis in my hips.”

Genevieve Simard of Val-Morin, Quebec was a strong 18th, making a big improvement on her 36th of yesterday. “It was a good run, until I got to the flats,” she said. “It’s a good start to the season. I was very motivated this morning. My results are a good experience to build character.”

Racing action continues at Lake Louise, starting Tuesday with the opening day of the CIBC NorAm Cup which runs through December 15th. The Women’s Super G goes Tuesday and Wednesday.

Mathieu Turcotte

Three gold medals for Canada at short track speed skating World Cup.
(Canadian Sport News)

SAGUENAY, Que.- Mathieu Turcotte of Sherbrooke, Que., and Charles Hamelin of Ste-Julie, Que., led Canada to a triple gold medal performance on Sunday to conclude the fourth stop on the short track speed skating World Cup circuit.

In the men’s 3,000-metres, Turcotte continued to shine with the gold medal in 5:11.640 for his third victory this season. He also won the 500 on Saturday and silver in the 1,500 Friday to finish first in this weekend’s overall standings. He edged rival Apolo Anton Ohno of the U.S., second in 5:11.871. Hamelin placed seventh.

‘’As I get older my longer distance races are getting a lot better,’’ said Turcotte, 27, in his seventh season on the national team. ‘’Today I felt in control the whole race. It’s important to improve in the 3,000 in order to have a chance to win overall crowns at the World Cups and world championships.’’

Earlier in the men’s 1,000, Hamelin took the gold in 1:28.606 for his first career World Cup win. Ohno was second again in 1:28.660 while Turcotte was also in the final and placed fourth.

‘’It’s an indescribable feeling to stand at the top of the podium,’’ said Hamelin, 20. ‘’Over the last three weeks (two World Cups and team trials) I’ve gained a huge amount experience and I’ve also shown I can race with the best in the world.’’

In the 5,000 relay, Turcotte, Francois-Louis Tremblay of Boucherville, Que., and Jonathan Guilmette and Steve Robillard of Montreal were the winners in 6:51.158 more than two seconds ahead of second place China. The Canadian men have won relay medals at all four World Cup events this year and gold at the last two.

‘’Unless we had a fall there was no way we were going to lose that relay,’’ said Turcotte.

In the women’s 3,000 relay, China won a heated three-way battle for gold clocking 4:18.222. Russia was second in 4:18.566 and Canada with Tania Vicent and Kalyna Roberge, both of Montreal, Alanna Kraus of Abbotsford, B.C., and Amanda Overland of Cambridge, Ont., were third in 4:18.680.

‘’It was a super fast race,’’ said Overland, who also reached the 1,000 semifinal for sixth place. ‘’We’re pretty psyched that we can step-up and post these kinds of times right now. This is what we have to do consistently in the lead-up to the Olympic Games.’’

Jeremy Wotherspoon

Wotherspoon takes silver in men’s 500 at speed skating World Cup.
(Canadian Sport News)

NAGANO, Japan-Jeremy Wotherspoon of Red Deer, Alta., thought he had won the gold medal but was handed the silver in the men’s 500-metres on Sunday to conclude the first stop on the World Cup sprint circuit for long track speed skaters.

In the 500, Hiroyasu Shimizu of Japan was awarded the gold medal clocking 34.95 seconds. Wotherspoon, skating in the final pair of the day, clocked a close second in 34.97 while Joji Kato of Japan was third in 35.23. On Saturday, Wotherspoon and Shimizu tied for the gold.

Shimizu, who raced just before Wotherspoon, was initially clocked at 34.98. When Wotherspoon finished his race, he thought he had earned a 54th career World Cup win. But a new timing mechanism in place for this competition has been adjusting several clockings all weekend.

‘’I thought I had won,’’ said Wotherspoon. ‘’It’s a little bit maddening however they are trying to get the most accurate time possible. This was the only race in which it affected the final medal outcome. But I did achieve my goal to get under 35 seconds and I’m looking forward to racing Shimizu head on. That’ll be a test of nerves to see what I can do.’’

Brock Miron of Calgary was 29th, James Monson of Winnipeg 33rd, Mark Nielsen of Calgary 36th and Jean-René Bélanger of Sherbrooke, Que., 39th.

In the men’s 1,000, Kyou-Hyuk Lee of South Korea was the winner in 1:09.39 to edge Beorn Nijenhuis of the Netherlands in second at 1:09.40. Gerard van Velde of the Netherlands was third in 1:09.55 and Wotherspoon fourth in 1:09.57, which was 0.4 seconds faster than his fourth on Saturday.

‘’The winning time was a lot faster today and I had a good race overall,’’ said Wotherspoon. ‘’It’s pretty competitive in the 1,000 and a lot of skaters had good races.’’

Bélanger was 29th and Miron 32nd.

In the women’s 500, there was a tie for first with Sayuri Osuga of Japan and Manli Wang of China each clocking 38.13. Shannon Rempel of Winnipeg was sixth in a personal best 38.32.

‘’It was cool to get a personal best at an oval other than in Calgary which is one of the fastest ices in the world,’’ said Rempel, 20, in her first full season on the World Cup. ‘’That’s the first time that’s happened. It shows that my training is paying off. I’m so happy I can be this fast this early and there’s a lot of room for improvement.’’

Kim Weger of Regina 22nd, Krisy Myers of Lloydminster, Sask., 26th, Sarah Smith of Medicine Hat, Alta., 28th and Danielle Wotherspoon of Red Deer 30th.

In the women’s 1,000, Chiara Simionato of Italy won for the second straight day clocking 1:16.04 while Rempel took seventh spot in 1:17.53.

Myers was 19th, Weger 24th, Tiffany Hughes of Kingston, Ont., 29th, and Wotherspoon 30th.The second World Cup event is next weekend at Harbin, China.

Pierre Lueders

Bobseligh, Skeleton produce solid results at German World Cup including 4 medals.
(CODA Release)

Altenberg, Germany-Pierre Lueders capped off a week in Altenberg, Germany, which saw Canada make four trips to the medal podium in bobsleigh and skeleton, with a sixth-place finish in the four-man bobsleigh competition on Sunday.

Edmonton's Lueders, who piloted a sled with Morgen Alexander of Calgary, Giulio Zardo of Montreal, and Lascelles Brown, a new recruit to the Canadian program from Jamaica, was threatening for the nation's fifth medal of the week, but came up short of sliding their way onto the podium after posting a two-run time of 1:49.63.

"It is a tough track out here and if you make a mistake you are going to pay," said the Olympic and World Champion. "Today's performance is acceptable, we need to get more consistent but I am confident it is all going to come together and we'll start getting some World Cup medals in the four-man for Canada."

Todd Hays of the United States stunned the field Sunday to capture his second consecutive four-man World Cup title in as many weeks. Hays' four-man crew handily won the gold medal by .21 seconds after clocking a combined time of 1:49.20. Hays' crew consisted of Pavle Joanovic, Bill Schuffenhauer and Steve Mesler.

Alekandr Zoubkov of Russia 1, was the next best sled on the day. Zoubkov's crew landed in second spot on the podium with a time of 1:49.41, while Germany 1, led by pilot Andre Lange, finished third at 1:49.52.

Jayson Krause of Okotoks, Alta. piloted the nation's only other sled in Canada 2. Krause, who teamed up with Vancouver's Steve Larsen, Mark LeBlanc of Ottawa and Florian Linder of Morrin, Alta., was one of five sleds to crash on the Altenberg track. Krause's mishap moved him back into 20th spot, with a time of 2:02.49, in the 31-sled field.

Canada's bobsleigh and skeleton athletes had a successful week in Germany. While Lueders and Zardo won gold on Saturday in the men's two-man bobsleigh competition, it was the high-flying skeleton team that put the Canadian squad on track. Calgary's Jeff Pain and Duff Gibson won silver and bronze medals respectively in the men's competition, while Calgary's Lindsay Alcock claimed the bronze in women's action.

The Canadian Bobsleigh and Skeleton Teams, sponsored by Visa, will head to Igls, Austria for the third leg of the World Cup circuit, December 6-12.

For more information on Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton, please visit us at www.bobsleigh.ca on the Internet.