Canadian Sport Centre Calgary

WHITFIELD WINS CORNERBROOK AS WARM-UP TO COMMONWEALTH GAMES

CORNER BROOK - With at least 30 athletes charging in the swim, four abreast at the front, Chris Hill of Australia managed to find some clear water in the lead as he rounded each turn buoy. At his side were Canada's Olympic Champion Simon Whitfield and the 2001 Corner Brook winner Martin Krnavek of the Czech Republic and Bevan Docherty of New Zealand.

Simon Whitfield takes the podium in Cornerbrook (photo courtesy ITU)

Stefan Poulat of France was the first one up the hill and onto the 6-lap, 40km bike course, followed closely by Whitfield and the 2000 World Champion, Olivier Marceau. Hill, Luc van Lierde of Belgium, Docherty, and American Hunter Kemper were all able to catch the tail end of the lead group onto the bike circuit. Seconds behind the leaders were Canadian Kelly Guest and American Brian Fleischmann.

Whitfield, Marceau and Docherty tried to organized the lead group, but were quickly replaced by Franck Bignet and Olivier Marceau who rode strongly each time they charged up the big climbs. Marceau built his lead to an amazing 56 seconds by the bike to run transition. Franck Bignet was second out of transition followed closely by Simon Whitfield, Chris Hill and Hunter Kemper.

Whitfield blasted through the first of four laps on the run and moved to within 17 seconds of Marceau. He was followed closely by Stefan Poulat, Bevan Docherty, Hunter Kemper, Luc VanLierde and Samuel Pierreclaud.

On the third lap, Martin Krnavek, who won the 2001 Corner Brook ITU World Cup slipped past the leaders, and for some time looked as though he would claim the top step on the podium again this year. However, the cool, calm running style of Simon Whitfield would eventually wear down all would-be contenders.

On the final lap, there was a group of five running at the front within a few strides of each other, with Whitfield in the lead, followed closely by Krnavek and Kemper. A few strides behind were Docherty and Poulat. The seesaw battle for the lead produced a dramatic finish with Simon Whitfield taking back-to-back World Cup victories, following his victory last weekend in Edmonton. Hunter Kemper was second and Bevan Docherty rounded out the podium.

Top 10 results: 1. Simon Whitfield, CAN, 1:53.35 2. Hunter Kemper, USA, 1.53.39 3. Bevan Docherty, NZL, 1.53.58 4. Martin Krnavek, CZE, 1.54.20 5. Stefan Poulat, FRA, 1.54.29 6. Luc van Lierde, BEL, 1.54.33 7. Samuel Pierreclaud, FRA, 1.54.49 8. Stefan Bignet, FRA, 1.55.17 9. Carl Blasco, FRA, 1.56.00 10. Brian Fleischmann, USA 1.56.15.

On the women's side, Laura Reback of the USA took the lead from the start of the three lap swim course, but Canadian Sharon Donnelly and American Siri Lindley were able to stay within a body length of Reback throughout the swim. After two laps, the leaders had put 10 metres on a large chase group that included Kathleen Smet of Belgium, Jill Savege of Canada and Melissa Ashton of Australia.

Reback, Lindley and Savege were through the second transition first with a modest 10-second lead on the chase group that included Donnelly, Ashton, Smet, and Teresa Macel of Canada.

Midway through the bike, the second pack which included Japanese champion Machiko Nakanishi, Natasha Filliol of Canada, Americans Susan Williams and Amanda Pagan and Melissa Ashton, seemed to be holding their ground in the chase group.

Jill Savege settles for second in Cornerbrook (photo courtesy ITU)

Kathleen Smet led into the bike to run transition, with Daumas, Macel, Savege and McMahon close behind. Siri Lindley, had a slow transition, and exited at the end of the lead group in 9th place. She quickly made up the deficit and, by the end of the first of four laps, had a 25 second lead on Smet and Savege, and 40 seconds on McMahon and Blatchford.

Through the third and fourth lap, Lindley built her lead slightly over Smet and Savege, with Laura Reback putting in a strong performance and running into 4th place.

By the finish, Siri Lindley, the reigning Triathlon World Champion would have her day and retain the Corner Brook World Cup title she also won in 2001. Canada's Jill Savege was 2nd and posted her first World Cup podium finish, while the current European Champion, Kathleen Smet of Belgium was third.

Top 10 results: 1. Siri Lindley, USA, 2:05:42 2. Jill Savege, CAN, 2:06:10 3. Kathleen Smet, BEL, 2:06:30 4. Laura Reback, USA, 2:07:22 5. Brigitte McMahon, SUI, 2:07:23 6. Liz Blatchford, USA, 2:07:36 7. Natalie Daumas, FRA, 2:07:50 8. Sharon Donnelly, CAN, 2:08:07 9. Nicola Spirig, SUI, 2:08:07 10. Teresa Macel, CAN 9:09:18

ALBERTA BIATHLON ATHLETES WINNERS IN ANNUAL AWARDS

Biathlon Canada announce the winners of the 2001-02 Biathlon Canada Awards, and several Alberta athletes who performed well at Salt Lake City are among the award recipients.

Brian McKeever

The Myriam Bédard award is given annually to formally recognize individuals who have displayed extraordinary dedication and commitment in the achievement of excellence in the sport of Biathlon. This year, multi-medal winner Brian McKeever of Calgary received the award.

Carol Henley of Alberta received Ruedi Setz Memorial Award which is presented annually to the individual who has made a significant contribution to Biathlon in Canada in the past year and Gail Niinimaa, also of Alberta, received the June Hooper Memorial Award presented annually to an individual(s) who has significantly contributed to the growth and development of the sport of Biathlon over many years of service.

Another Albertan Robin Clegg was named Male Athlete of the Year, while fellow Albertan, Zina Kocher, was named Female Athlete of the Year. To win this award, an athlete must demonstrate, by example, a positive image as an athlete, be a good ambassador for the sport of biathlon and demonstrate personal achievement and excellence.

Robin Clegg

3m Coach Of The Year honours went to Sandrine Charron of Quebec (Female) and Geret Coyne of Alberta (Male).

COMMONWEALTH GAMES NEWS:
SUSAN NATTRASS TO LEAD CANADIAN SHOOTING TEAM TO MANCHESTER

Alberta's Dr. Susan Nattrass, a Canadian athlete of the year and a trailblazer for women's sports around the world, headlines Canada's 20-member shooting team for the 2002 Games.

Alberta's Susan Nattrass

Nattrass's sports resume is incredible. She is a six- time women's world trapshooting champion, a four- time Olympian, the world record holder in her event from 1974 to 1989 and a four-time silver medallist and three-time bronze medallist at the women's world championships since her first appearance in 1969. She was Canada's athlete of the year in 1981.

In 1976 she became the first woman to compete in the Olympic trapshooting event and in 1990 she was the first woman to compete in a shotgun event at the Commonwealth Games. Last year at the world championships she placed second in women's trap.

Bowes was one of Canada's most successful athletes at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Maylasia with two gold and two silver medals. The 35-year-old is headed to her fourth Commonwealth Games and has also competed at four Olympics and two Pam Am Games.

"There's going to be a lot of stiff competition for us at the Games this year," said Bowes. "Some of the countries have improved a lot over the past four years, in particular India and Australia. Another factor I'm excited about is shooting for the first time at the Bisley Field which has a lot of tradition and history."

On the men's side, pistol shooters Metodi Igorov and Jean-Pierre Huot and rifleman Michel Dion return to the Commonwealth team. Igorov is the defending Games champion in individual rapid fire pistol while Dion and Huot each earned victories in pairs events in 1998. They are joined by Faissal Rahman and Patrick Vamplew in fullbore rifle; Wayne Salhany in pistol; Gale Stewart and Mario Methot in rifle; Clayton Miller in skeet, Frank Kurenda in trap and Kirk Reynolds in double trap.

"The Commonwealth Games is a premier international venue where world renowned shooters gather to compete," said Dennis Shukla, the vice-president, high performance for the Shooting Federation of Canada. "All the shooters on the Canadian team are considered to be medal hopefuls, and are expected to perform well during the Commonwealth Games at the Bisley shooting facility."

To date, Canadian shooters have won a total of 77 medals at the Commonwealth Games (35 gold, 28 silver and 24 bronze medals).

"Shooting was one of our most successful sports in 1998 with five gold, seven silver and five bronze," added Marg McGregor, chef de mission for the Canadian team. "This year's team has a lot of past Games experience and with the addition of four new events it should be a great Games for our shooters."

GOLDEN COACH SAUVAGEAU NAMED CAC SPOKESPERSON

OTTAWA-HULL - The Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) announced the appointment of Danièle Sauvageau, head coach of Canada's 2002 women's ice hockey team, as its official spokesperson.

Danièle Sauvageau with CAC President John Bales

In this capacity, Ms. Sauvageau will lobby on behalf of coaches. She will help to promote the important role of coaching, focusing on the importance of increased participation by women in coaching roles. She will help to increase awareness of the importance of quality coaching and bring attention to the needs of the coaching community.

"We are fortunate to have someone with Ms. Sauvageau's coaching experience joining the Coaching Association of Canada," said John Bales, president of CAC. "She brings a wealth of knowledge to the organization as well as a keen understanding of the needs of coaches and she will be a strong voice on behalf of coaches in Canada."

A member of the national team coaching staff since 1996 and a 3M NCCP Level 4 certified coach, Ms. Sauvageau helped lead the women's ice hockey team to seven straight world championships. As head coach of Canada's women's hockey team for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, Ms. Sauvageau led the team to its first-ever Olympic gold medal.

The Coaching Association of Canada is a not-for-profit amateur sport organization with the mandate to improve the effectiveness of coaching across all sports and at all levels of the sport system.