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FOUR GOLDS AND A BRONZE FOR CANADA AT SPEED SKATING WORLD CUP

HEERENVEEN, NED(CSN)--Jeremy Wotherspoon, Catriona Le May Doan and Dustin Molicki each won gold medals while Cindy Klassen added a bronze over the weekend in World Cup long track speed skating action.

Le May Doan remains undefeated in the 500m. (CP-AP)

Le May Doan remains undefeated in the women's 500-metres this season, winning her races on Saturday and Sunday. The reigning Olympic champion in the 500, Le May Doan has now won 16 of the past 17 World Cup 500 races dating back to the 1999-2000 season. In the men's 500, Wotherspoon rebounded from a seventh place in Friday's 500, to win the gold medal in 35.24. Casey FitzRandolph of the U.S., was second in 35.40 and reigning Olympic champion Hiroyasu Shimizu of Japan posted his best finish this year taking the bronze in 35.49.

For Wotherspoon, an Olympic silver medallist in the 500 in 1998, it was his fourth win in six races this season in the 500. He now has 37 World Cup medals in his career for third all-time behind Uwe-Jens May of East Germany at 48 and American Dan Jansen at 46. Wotherspoon also finished fourth in the 1000m. Teammate Mike Ireland finished sixth.

In the men's 1,500 metres, Molicki clocked 1:48.60 to dominate the field and win the gold. With the victory he also moves into first place in the 1,500 World Cup standings with three races left. Erben Wennemars of the Netherlands, the track record holder, was second in 1:49.33 and Olympic champion Adne Sondral of Norway third in 1:49.42. "I'm surprised to win at this stage in the season because I don't feel super fit," said Molicki, who broke three Canadian records at the Olympic trials last month. "I felt a bit sleepy at the start but after the first lap I saw my times were pretty good. With this result I've solidified myself as a serious medal contender at the Olympics. I think the competition is saying this guy is serious."

Molicki celebrates his gold medal in the 1500m. (CP)

In the women's 3,000, Klassen earned her second medal this season placing third in 4:12.61. Kristina Groves posted her best result this year placing ninth. Klassen also finished fourth in the 1,500 metres on Friday, and fifth in the 1000m. Those results also secured Clara Hughes a spot on the Canadian Olympic team in the 3000m.

The sprinters will now head to Hamar, Norway for next weekend's World Sprint Championships.

CONNOR BREAKS 60M INDOOR WORLD RECORD

SASKATOON, CAN--Amputee sprinter Earle Connor broke the World Indoor 60m record this past weekend at the 37th Knights of Columbus Indoor Games in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Connor, who is coached by Calgary's Les Gramantik and runs for Ossur USA, bettered his time of 8:08 seconds with a new World Record time of 8:05 seconds. "Considering that I am running on a partially fractured navicular bone and have not been able to train for the past 2 weeks, I am delighted with my result". Connor, who has returned to Calgary, is scheduled for an emergency MRI to determine the severity of the injury.

JOHNSON WINS MOGULS BRONZE

ST-LARY, FRA -- Moguls skier Ryan Johnson of Calgary broke out of a long slump just in time. The 1998 Olympian earned a bronze medal in World Cup action last Friday.

Johnson needed this result to help him grab a spot on the Olympic team - unfortunately it wasn't quite enough as Scott Bellavance edged him out for the spot. Aerialist Kyle Nissen of Calgary faltered on his second jump on Sunday and wound up in eighth place with a mark of 227.48. In women's competition, Deidra Dionne scored an impressive 186.66 points for fourth place.

Ryan Johnson

ALPINE SKIERS IN ACTION IN SWITZERLAND

WENGEN, SUI--Edi Podivinsky finished 31st, while Darin McBeath finished in 40th place, and Ryan Oughtred in 55th at a World Cup downhill in Wengen, Switzerland on Saturday.

Considered one of the toughest downhills on the World Cup circuit, Wengen challenges all racers with four kilometres of speed and technique, complemented by tight passes and little bridges. Canada saw another strong performance by Thomas Grandi on Sunday in slalom competition. Grandi finished 10th with a combined time of 1:43.44. Between Grandi and Jean-Philippe Roy, who skied well but did not finish on Sunday, the men's technical team has recorded four top-10 finishes in the last month.

Grandi charges the Wengen course-ACA

The 29-year-old Grandi battled through the first run, finishing 25th, but then stormed back in the second to lead all racers and jump into the top-10. As the season progresses, both Grandi and Roy's confidence has been building as they gather momentum heading into the Olympics. Grandi notes that this has much to do with his cohort, Roy. "Today J.P. was skiing well but ran into some bad luck," Grandi said of his teammate. "It's great having him as a teammate. We push each other so much. One day I beat him and the other day he beats me, and together we grow stronger," he added.

NO BIATHLETE'S QUALIFY TO REPRESENT CANADA AT SALT LAKE

OBERHOF, GER--Robin Clegg's 89th place finish in a field of 109 athletes was not enough to ensure him a position on the Canadian Olympic Team.

Biathlon action from Oberhof. Reuters/Fabrizio Bensch

Robin needed a 16th place finish to guarantee him a position on the team or a top 60 finish to allow him one more opportunity to qualify through the Pursuit Competition on Friday. Canadian Junior Champion David Leoni competed in his first ever World Cup and placed 100th. Neither Leoni nor Clegg qualified for the Pursuit Competition on Friday, January 11. The Men's next competition will be the Sprint at Ruhpolding, Germany on Friday, January 18.

In women's competition, Marÿke Ciaramidaro moved up 9 positions on Sunday with a 42nd place finish.

KEN LEBLANC RETURNS TO WORLD CUP BOBSLEIGH ACTION

ST.MORITZ, SUI--The Canada 1 team of Pierre Lueders and brakeman Ken LeBlanc placed 8th, after posting a 10th place first run of 1:04.61 and a 4th place second run of 1:04.00, to finish with a final combined time of 2:08.61 in 2-man World Cup competition on Saturday.

This 5th World Cup marked the return of brakeman Ken LeBlanc who sustained an injury in the VISA World Cup in Calgary in November, 2001. Lueders now stands 5th overall in the Individual 2-man bobsleigh standings. Montreal natives Yannik Morin with brakeman Giulio Zardo in their Canada 2 sled, finished 16th, posting a final combined time of 2:09.67. Canada 3 pilot Jayson Krause, returning to the World Cup to gain additional experience, finished 20th, with a final combined time of 2:09.96. Morin is 11th overall in the Individual 2-man bobsleigh standings and Jayson Krause is in 27th place.

Ken LeBlanc

In 4-man competition, the Canada 1 team of pilot Lueders, Ken LeBlanc, Ahmed Marshall and Pascal Caron finished 9th in a field of 33 sleds from 19 nations. Canada 1 clocked runs of 1:03.56 and 1:03.22 to finish with a final combined time of 2:06.78.

In his first race on the 4-man World Cup circuit, Canada 2 pilot Krause, with teammates Brendan Parkinson, Adam Wood, and Mark LeBlanc, posted runs of 1:04.15 and 1:04.46, for a final combined time of 2:08.61 to finish 24th.

The men's bobsleigh World Cup tour now moves to Cortina, Italy for the 6th World Cup race. The 2-man race will be held Saturday, January 19th, followed by the 4-man event on Sunday, January 20th.

OLYMPIC BOBSLED TEAM FINALIZED

CALGARY, CAN--Bobsleigh CANADA Skeleton has finalized the athletes that will represent Canada at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics next month.

Representing the men will be: Pilots: Pierre Lueders, 31, of Edmonton, (2-man and 4-man) and Yannik Morin, 26, of Montreal (2-man). Crewmen: Ken LeBlanc, 33, of Ottawa; Mark LeBlanc, 26, of Ottawa; Ahmed Marshall, 23, of Calgary; John Sokolowski, 26, of Miramichi, NB; Giulio Zardo, 21, of Montreal; and Pascal Caron, 30, of Trois-Rivières.

Representing the women will be pilot Christina Smith and brakeman Paula McKenzie. Bobsleigh CANADA skeleton decided not to pursue any appeals to the Canadian Olympic Association for the addition of a second sled to the women's team.

WHYTE WINS BRONZE IN DISABLED NORDIC RACE

ISNY IM ALLGÄU, GER--Shauna Whyte of Hinton captured a bronze medal in a 5km disabled nordic skiing Europa Cup race in Isny im Allgäu Germany on Saturday.

Shauna Whyte

Whyte was 1:37.8 behind the leader Svitlana Tryfonova of Ukraine. Colette Bourgonje of Saskatoon was fourth 3.7 seconds behind Shauna. Disabled Europa Cup races before Christmas were cancelled due to the lack of snow in Italy. Brian McKeever of Calgary will join the team on Sunday but will not race until the first World Cup in Mouthe France Jan. 21 to 28.

OLYMPIANS DOMINATE SUBARU CANADA CUP NORDIC SKI RACE

CANMORE, CAN--Canada's best-ever Nordic ski women's team continued on their path towards Olympic excellence by taking the top five spots on both days of the Canmore Subaru Canada Cup held over the weekend.

"It was a tough course but it went well," said event winner of the women's 10km classic and 2x5km sprint, Beckie Scott.

"Things went really well. We had great skis and we really enjoy racing here in Canmore," said the fourth place finisher, Amanda Fortier. Scott, Canada's Nordic medal hopeful, led the women's team through the 10km classic style race, winning by over one minute over team-mate Milaine Theriault. Scott finished in 26:16.4 and Theriault finished in 27:28.3. Canmore's Sara Renner finished third in 27:35.6, followed by sisters Amanda Fortier and Jaime Fortier in fourth and fifth with times of 27:44.5 and 28:05.8 respectively.

Beckie Scott

Scott won Saturday's event with a finishing time of 24:47.5. Hometown favorite Renner finished second in 25:19.9. Amanda Fortier was third in 25:36.9, followed by Theriaut in 25:43.0. Jaime Fortier, rounded out the Olympic team sweep in a time of 25:53.0.

Nagano Olympian Robin Mckeever won the men's 2 x 10km pursuit, a good confidence boost as he prepares for his trip to Europe next week where he will guide his younger brother, Brian, on the Disabled World Cup tour. Brian, who is a blind cross-country skier, has established himself on the disabled circuit as a strong contender for gold at the Salt Lake City Paralympics in March. McKeever took his second win of the weekend in the men's 15km classic style event. McKeever finished in a time of 36:55.0, just 30 seconds ahead of George Grey who finished in 37:25.8.

The women's Olympic team will race in Vernon, BC next weekend as they continue with their Olympic preparations. The team will then go to their final training camp destination in the US before arriving in Salt Lake City.

2002 CANADIAN WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM SELECTED

CHARLO, CAN--After an exciting week of trial races in Charlo, New Brunswick, a team of young skiers were selected to represent Canada at the 2002 World Junior Championships in Schonach, Germany January 22 - 27, 2002.

Shayla Swanson

The women's team is made up of: Madeleine Williams from Edmonton, AB, Chandra Crawford from Canmore, AB, Colleen Mortimer from Ottawa, ON, Emily Hayman from Sault Ste Marie ON, and Shayla Swanson from Calgary, AB. The Canadian junior men's team is made up of Devon Kershaw from Sudbury, ON, Sean Crooks from Thunder Bay, ON, Connal Robertson More from Calgary, AB, and David Nighbor from North Bay, ON. The athletes leave for Europe on Thursday, January 10.

The races at the 2002 World Junior Championships are running January 22 - 27.

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