January 03, 2012 (Toblach, Italy) – Justin Wadsworth, head coach of the Canadian Cross-Country Ski Team, along with athletes Devon Kershaw, Alex Harvey and Ivan Babikov bring you on the team’s unique bus they are using to aid in rest in recovery while traveling through Germany and Italy as they compete in the ultimate grind of high-performance sport – the Tour de Ski. Modeled after the Tour de France in cycling, the world’s best all-around cross-country ski athletes will compete in nine races in 11 days while traveling to five cities in two countries.

Check it out HERE.

March 23, 2011 (Toblach, Italy) – Check out this fantastic video coverage of Devon Kershaw’s (CAN) first World Cup victory during Stage 5 of the 2011 Tour de Ski in Toblach, Italy. He beat out the world’s best sprinters with the ultimate breakthrough performance that paved the way for a historic season in Canadian men’s XC skiing, including a gold medal in the Team Sprint with teammate Alex Harvey at the Nordic World Championships, at the famous Holmenkollen in Oslo, Norway.

March 17, 2011 (Canmore, AB) – When two-time Olympic cross-country skier George Grey hits the start line for Saturday’s 50-kilometre skate-ski race at the Haywood Ski Nationals, it will be his final competitive trip around the famed Canmore Nordic Centre.

After racing on the World Cup for nearly a decade against the top athletes on the globe, and competing in the Torino and Vancouver Olympics along with five World Championships, the 31-year-old Grey, of Rossland, B.C., has decided to retire.

“For me the timing just felt right,” said Grey, who started skiing when he was four years old, and racing at age seven. “In the last two years I felt like I accomplished many of my career goals and reached a performance level that was as high as I could attain. I am now looking forward to being a husband, father, and to new challenges and experiences in life.”

“I reached a peak in 2010 and thought maybe, just maybe, if I skied one more year I could contend for a medal in 2011 at the World Championships. To be able to hang in for one more season and experience the World Championships in Norway, and see Devon and Alex become World Champions, was an incredibly memorable final season.”

With Canada’s Beckie Scott having just broken through to win Canada’s first Olympic medal in the sport, Grey emerged onto the National Ski Team in 2002 with a group of bright-eyed, energetic young men from across the country poised and determined to follow Scott’s trail to the international podium.

Devon Kershaw was the first to find his way onto the podium. Kershaw became the first male in more than a decade to mount the international podium in 2006, and it didn’t take long for the others to follow suit. Four years later, Grey enjoyed a breakthrough moment of his own with his most memorable races coming at Whistler Olympic Park. The veteran teamed up with National Ski Team rookie, Alex Harvey, in 2009 to win a World Cup bronze medal in the sprint relay at the Olympic Test Event in Whistler. His best Olympic and individual career finish was eighth during the pursuit competition in 2010 when all three Canadian men finished in the top-10, and all four in the top-20.

“Getting my hands on just one medal was such an incredible high for me, and sharing it with such a talented athlete and friend in Alex made it even sweeter,” said Grey, whose best individual result outside the Olympics was a ninth-place finish at the Tour de Ski prologue in 2009. “My fondest memory has to be the 30-kilometre pursuit race with Ivan (Babikov), Alex (Harvey), and Devon (Kershaw) skiing right at the front of the pack with me. We were showing the world that we had finally arrived, and what we were capable of as a team. It was a career best for me, and to do it at a home Olympics with three of my buddies was amazing.”

After 10 years of blood, sweat and tears, Grey leaves the sport with the Canadian men’s squad amongst the best in the world.

“When I joined the Canadian men’s team we were described as ‘Canada’s most anonymous athletes,’ he said. “Now our team has World Championship medallists, World Cup medallists, Tour de Ski medallists. We have delivered a solid team. I know Canada is in good hands and there is loads of great talent coming up the system so I will sleep well.”

While racing was such a small part of his career, it was the countless hours of training with his friends and teammates that taught him to be patient, driven, tough and most importantly, goal-oriented along the journey.

“I get nostalgic thinking about all the hard training days that I endured with teammates at my side,” said Grey, who cites five-to-six hours of roller skiing in the pouring rain, nearly 50 kilometres of running and stomping their way up to glaciers as some of the most grueling training moments. “Only with your closest teammates is it possible to repeat training days like this every other week. My team and I have shed more sweat and spit on mountains than most would ever think possible.”

With the last goal remaining in his career to ski to the top of the podium on Saturday at the Haywood Ski Nationals, Grey would like to stay within sport if there is an opportunity to do so in the future, while also studying in the securities industry.

“The 2010 Olympics were sensational. The World Champs this year in Norway were staggering, but I am more than happy to wave a warm good-bye and smile at all the precious memories that I have accumulated. Thank you to everyone for your incredible support. My father always told me it is the process and not the outcome. I have fully realized that now, and I will never forget those who have helped me along this incredible ride.”

March 04, 2011 (Oslo, Norway) – Check out these cool videos of Devon Kershaw and Alex Harvey winning Canada’s first ever gold medal at the Nordic World Championships in the men’s Team Sprint Classic. Watch the Canadian team’s reaction courtesy of George Grey and lots of great race footage.

NRK video HERE.

Canadian Team Reaction by George Grey

Oslo Men’sTeam Sprint Final Two Laps

March 04, 2011 – Check out this fantastic collection of Oslo 2011 photos with emphasis on men’s team sprint winners Canada’s Devon Kershaw and Alex Harvey. The Toronto Star photo gallery features lots of pics of Kershaw and Harvey, including their famous “air guitar” celebration pic. Click HERE to view the slideshow.

February 14, 2011 – February 12, 2011 will marked one year to the day of the Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The Ceremony, which was dedicated to the memory of the Georgian luge athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili, who had tragically died in a training accident that morning, introduced the world to a city and a country ready to open their arms and welcome the world and the best winter athletes for 16 days of top-level sporting competition and a party that would go down in the annals of Canadian history. This weekend, events will be held across the country to commemorate the start of those Games, including a special breakfast event for the fabulous “blue jacket” volunteers.

With a record 82 National Olympic Committees (NOC) taking part in the Vancouver Games, the 16 days of sport that followed the Opening Ceremony were always going to be competitive and draw world-wide interest. So it was no surprise that 26 different NOCs ended-up winning medals and that the Games drew in record-breaking audience numbers. Perhaps for the home crowd, the greatest exploit of the Games was Team Canada’s record 14 gold medals, including Canada’s first on home soil and in ice hockey. This had been made possible in part thanks to the “Own The Podium” programme, which provided funding to Canadian athletes striving for victory and is being continued and expanded due to its success last year.

Looking After The Environment
The Vancouver Games were about more than just great sport, however. They were also about leaving a sustainable legacy to the city, region and country. Environmental sustainability was a key element of the Vancouver 2010 Organising Committee’s (VANOC) strategy, with an ambitious carbon management programme put in place; sporting venues that were all built to according to Canada’s green-building standards; new public transport infrastructure created to take people out of their cars; and a successful Games-time drive to get people onto public transport that continues to bear its fruits even now. From its award-winning venues to its effect on people’s transport habits, the Vancouver Games undoubtedly set new global standards for environmental sustainability at a sporting event.

Creating Better Futures
The Games also played an inspirational role for more than just those watching on TV or who were in the stadium. VANOC worked with their partners to ensure that disadvantaged sectors of society also profited from the Games, with initiatives like the Vancouver 2010 Fabrication Shop providing carpentry training and work experience for disadvantaged young people, indigenous people, single mothers and immigrants. A separate programme saw local philanthropic florists June Strandberg and Margitta Schulz lead a group of 23 women in producing the 1,750 Victory Ceremony bouquets for the Games. Many of the women had experienced violence in their lives, were single parents, or were recovering from drug and alcohol abuse. Today, these trainees have a stronger skill set, greater confidence and the opportunity to gain further employment as a result of their experience while working on the Games. But the social legacy of the Games was more than just training: the temporary accommodation from the Whistler Olympic Village was sent to six communities in British Columbia to provide 156 permanent, affordable homes for elderly, homeless, and low-income residents.

Investments For Today And Tomorrow
As a catalyst for development, the Games have also played a role in the Canadian economy, with Games venues that will be used by local communities and elite sport for years to come, and a new notoriety that has allowed greater investment in the region. The Metro Vancouver Commerce Olympic Business Program, for example, has generated CAD 306 million in economic impacts in under a year, well over the CAD 50 million that was expected by February 2012. This initiative has also led to the creation of 2,500 jobs in the lower mainland of British Columbia. On the back of the Games, Canada has also moved to the number one spot in the FutureBrands’ Country Brand Index and seen a 10 percent jump in visitors to the country. With even just these few points in mind, there is no doubt that the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games were a great success both on and off the field of play.

February 02, 2011 (Erzurum, Turkey) – Canadian athletes resumed competition in curling, alpine skiing, biathlon and snowboarding on Tuesday at the 25th Winter Universiade. In men’s curling, the Queen’s University rink led by skip Jon Beuk of Kingston, Ont., improved to 4-3 with two preliminary matches remaining thanks to a 6-5 win over the United States. Canada scored two points in each of the second, fourth and seventh ends to build what looked like a comfortable 6-2 lead but the Americans refused to quit and scored twice in the eighth and once more in the tenth to make it a one-point affair.

Canada completes round-robin play Wednesday with matches at 2 a.m. ET (9 a.m. local) against South Korea (6-1) and at 12 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local) against Turkey (0-7).

After capturing Universiade gold in 2003 in Tarvisio, Italy, the Canadian men are coming off back-to-back sixth-place finishes in 2007 and 2009.

It was a different day on the ice for the Canadian women, Universiade champions in 2007 and silver medallists in 2009. The University of Regina foursome led by skip Brooklyn Lemon fell to 3-5 with one round-robin match left following losses to Germany, 8-4, and Russia, 4-3.

Against the Germans, Canada led 2-1 after four ends but saw their rivals score seven times over the next five ends, including three points in the fifth and another three in the eighth. The duel with Russia was much closer but despite erasing an early 2-0 deficit, the Canadians came up just short in the end.

Canada (3-5) completes the preliminary round Wednesday at 7 a.m. ET (2 p.m. local) against Turkey (0-8).

In biathlon, the finals of the women’s 7.5 km sprint and men’s 10 km sprint were contested on Tuesday.

Kathryn Stone also of Camrose, Alta., was the top Canadian female finishing 29th in a time of 28:29.2. On the men’s side, Jon Skinstad led the Canadian effort with a time of 33:10.1, good for the 30th position.

In alpine skiing, after a one-day delay due to poor weather, competitors were able to complete the first of two runs in the super combined event. Kendall Brown of Toronto was the top Canadian female in the slalom and stands in 26th place thanks to a time of 49.91, while Philippe Rivet of Greenfield Park, Que., crossed the finish line in 48.68 and is 24th after the men’s slalom.

In snowboarding, no Canadians advanced past the elimination round in the men’s parallel giant slalom. Calgary native and University of Calgary student Dylan Riley finished in 22nd place with a time of 1:19.04.

Both the Canadian women’s and men’s hockey teams were off on Tuesday but the women’s squad held a joint practice with Great Britain. The 30 minutes of ice time saw the red-and-white share drills and routines from a skill development perspective.

“We’re going to learn so much from this,” commented British head coach Simon Manning. “This gives our team so much energy as we’ve developed immensely and now these 28 girls have an opportunity to practice and develop with Canada.”

The reigning Universiade champion Canadian women (4-0) wrap up round-robin play Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET (8 p.m. local) against host Turkey (0-4).

TEAM CANADA RESULTS: Tuesday, February 1

ALPINE SKIING

Women’s Super Combined Slalom (Run 1 of 2)
1. Barbora Lukacova, Slovakia, 45.42

26. Kendall Brown, Toronto, Ont., 49.91
28. Nicole Poleschuk, Winnipeg, Man., 50.33
Maëlle Bergeron, Quebec City, Que., did not finish
Rebecca Nadler, Ottawa, Ont., did not finish
Marie-France Tessier, Montreal, Que., did not finish

Men’s Super Combined Slalom (Run 1 of 2)

1. Calle Lindh, Sweden, 46:18; 24. Philippe Rivet, Greenfield Park, Que., 48.68; 33. Olivier Lacaille, Montreal, Que., 49.27; Simon Mannella, Montreal, Que., 50.54; 48. Braden Long, Clarksburg, Ont., 50.92; Louis Morin, Montreal, Que., did not finish.

BIATHLON

Women’s 7.5km Sprint Final
1. Vita Semerenko, Ukraine, 23:29.5
2. Evgeniya Sedova, Russia, 24:18.7
3. Emilia Yordanova, Bulgaria, 24:27.4

29. Kathryn Stone, Camrose, Alta., 28:29.2
32. Lauren Brookes, Halifax, N.S., 30:20.9
35. Jennifer Paterson, St. Albert, Alta., 32:24.5
36. Elizabeth Mawdsley, Fort Smith, N.W.T., 32:58.2

Men’s 10km Sprint Final

1. Artem Pryma, Ukraine, 28:25
2. Sergii Semenov, Ukraine, 28:31.7
3. Evgeniy Garanichev, Russia, 28:38.9

30. Jon Skinstad, Camrose, Alta., 33:10.1
39. Kai Skinstad, Camrose, Alta., 35:15.8
40. Johnny Forward, Corner Brook, Nfld., 35:16.2
43. Jaime Robb, Hay River, N.W.T., 37:01.4

CURLING

Women’s Preliminary Round

Game 7 of 9

Germany 0 0 1 0 3 0 0 3 1 X – 8
Canada 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 X – 4

Game 8 of 9

Russia 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 X – 4
Canada 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 X – 3

Canada (3-5) completes the preliminary round Wednesday at 7 a.m. ET against Turkey (0-8).

Men’s Preliminary Round

Game 7 of 9

Canada 0 2 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 – 6
USA 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 – 5

Canada (4-3) completes the preliminary round Wednesday with matches at 2 a.m. ET against South Korea (6-1) and at 12 p.m. ET against Turkey (0-7).

SNOWBOARDING

Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom Elimination
1. Sebastian Kislinger, Austria, 1:14.14

22. Dylan Riley, Calgary, Alta., 1:19.04, did not advance
26. Frédéric Laurin-Lalonde, Montreal, Que., 1:30.46, did not advance
30. Mackenzie Carter, Maryhill, Ont., 1:25.63, did not advance
38. Antoine Laurin-Lalonde, Montreal, Que., 45.37, did not advance

Team Canada website HERE.
2011 Winter Universiade website HERE.

January 26, 2011 (Ottawa, ON) – A delegation of 102 student-athletes and 39 officials will represent Canada at the 2011 Winter Universiade in Erzurum, Turkey, from January 27 to February 6. The opening ceremonies of the 25th Winter World University Games are set for 8 p.m. local time (1 p.m. Eastern) on Thursday.

The two Canadian hockey teams will be in action on opening day, both at 4 p.m. local. The women begin the defence of their Universiade title against Finland while the men – silver medallists in 2009 – kick off the tournament against Slovenia.

“Our group of athletes is going to be competitive,” said Canadian chef de mission, Beth Ali. “We’ve seen success over the years in curling, hockey and speed skating and we hope to see similar results here in Turkey.”

“The athletes’ village is beautiful with the ski jumping venue visible from most residences including our own,” added University of Toronto’s Director of Intercollegiate and High Performance Sport, who arrived in Erzurum on Saturday. “The staff and volunteers have been great and we look forward to what promises to be an outstanding Games.”

In addition to hockey, Canada will be competing in alpine skiing, biathlon, cross country skiing, curling, short track speed skating and snowboarding over the next two weeks.

At the last Winter Universiade in Harbin, China, in 2009, Canada tallied six medals including one gold (women’s hockey), four silver (men’s hockey, women’s curling, short track men’s 1000m, short track men’s 5000m relay) and one bronze (short track women’s 3000m relay).

Canada’s best showing at the Winter Universiade came in 1985 when Canadian student-athletes returned from Belluno, Italy, with 18 medals including five gold. An exceptional short track speed skating team featuring numerous Olympic medallists such as Susan Auch, Maryse Perreault, Louis Grenier and Michel Daignault accounted for 17 of those podiums and all five first-place finishes.

Canada also hit double digits in 2003 in Tarvisio, Italy, amassing 10 medals including two gold, five silver and three bronze.

The first Winter Universiade were held in 1960 in Chamonix, France. Canada claimed its first medal in 1968 at the fifth biennial Games in Innsbruck, Austria, when the men’s hockey team skated to a third-place finish. The first Canadian gold medal came four years later in Lake Placid, NY, when alpine skier Lisa Richardson won the downhill race.

Websites and Links
– Team Canada website HERE.
– Team Canada schedule by sport HERE.
– Team Canada schedule by day HERE.
– Official Universiade website HERE.

Following is a complete list of student-athletes and officials representing Canada in Erzurum (listed by sport).

TEAM CANADA STUDENT-ATHLETES

Alpine Skiing
– Maëlle Bergeron Cegep F.-X.-Garneau Quebec City, Que.
– Kendall Brown Westminster College Toronto, Ont.
– Catherine Morel Cegep F.-X.-Garneau Quebec City, Que.
– Rebecca Nadler Harvard University Ottawa, Ont.
– Nicole Poleschuk University of Nevada Reno Winnipeg, Man.
– Marie-France Tessier University of Montreal Montreal, Que.
– Philippe Crête Belzile Laval University Cap-Rouge, Que.
– Olivier Lacaille University of Montreal Montreal, Que.
– Braden Long Dartmouth College Clarksburg, Ont.
– Simon Mannella Laval University Montreal, Que.
– Louis Morin Laval University Montreal, Que.
– Philippe Rivet Champlain College Greenfield Park, Que.

Biathlon
– Lauren Brookes University of Alberta (Augustana) Halifax, N.S.
– Elizabeth Mawdsley University of Alberta (Augustana) Fort Smith, N.W.T.
– Jennifer Paterson University of Alberta (Augustana) St. Albert, Alta.
– Kathryn Stone University of Alberta (Augustana) Camrose, Alta.
– Johnathon Forward University of Alberta (Augustana) Corner Brook, Nfld.
– Jaime Robb University of British Columbia Hay River, N.W.T.
– Jon Skinstad University of Alberta (Augustana) Camrose, Alta.
– Kai Skinstad University of Alberta (Augustana) Camrose, Alta.

Cross Country Skiing
– Adele Lay Carleton University Eden Mills, Ont.
– Alexia Pichard-Jolicoeur Laval University St-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que.
– Zoe Roy University of Utah Bracebridge, Ont.
– Mary Thompson Laurentian University Woodstock, Ont.
– Maja Zimmermann University of Alberta (Augustana) Edmonton, Alta.
– Colin Abbott Carleton University Whitehorse, Yukon
– Benjamin Hébert Laval University Montreal, Que.
– Jesse Heckrodt University of British Columbia Enderby, B.C.
– Anthony Killick University of Calgary Fort McMurray, Alta.
– Vincent Ruel Laval University Charny, Que.

Curling
– Brooklyn Lemon University of Regina Maryfield, Sask.
– Chelsey Peterson University of Regina Estevan, Sask.
– Ashley Green University of Regina Yellowknife, N.W.T.
– Nicole Lang University of Regina Regina, Sask.
– Sarah Watamanuk University of Regina Crane Valley, Sask.
– Jonathan Beuk Queen’s University Kingston, Ont.
– Andrew Inouye Queen’s University Ottawa, Ont.
– Chadd Vandermade Queen’s University Ottawa, Ont.
– Scott Chadwick Queen’s University Marysville, Ont.
– William Francis Queen’s University Toronto, Ont.

Hockey (men)
– Scott Aarssen Western Ontario University London, Ont.
– Kevin Baker Western Ontario University Georgetown, Ont.
– Ryan Berard Carleton University Niagara Falls, Ont.
– Matt Caria Lakehead University Sault St. Marie, Ont.
– Francis Charland U of Quebec at Trois-Rivières Victoriaville, Que.
– Marc-André Dorion McGill University St-Hubert, Que.
– Yashar Farmanara Western Ontario University West Vancouver, B.C.
– Anthony Grieco Western Ontario University Brampton, Ont.
– Dominic Jalbert University of Ottawa Hull, Que.
– Geoff Killing Western Ontario University Embro, Ont.
– Thomas Kiriakou University of Guelph Richmond Hill, Ont.
– Maxime Langelier-Parent McGill University Montreal, Que.
– Brandon MacLean Carleton University Burlington, Ont.
– Matthieu Methot University of Ottawa Ottawa, Ont.
– Tim Priamo University of Guelph Guelph, Ont.
– Chris Ray University of Waterloo Kelowna, B.C.
– Jean-Michel Rizk Wilfrid Laurier University Durham, Que.
– Jordan Smith Lakehead University Sault St. Marie, Ont.
– Kyle Sonnenburg University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ont.
– Keaton Turkiewicz Western Ontario University Brantford, Ont.
– Evan Vossen McGill University Swift Current, Sask.
– Jim Watt University of Windsor Edmonton, Alta.

Hockey (women)
– Ann-Sophie Bettez McGill University Sept-Iles, Que.
– Andrea Boras University of Alberta Calgary, Alta.
– Beth Clause Brock University Hamilton, Ont.
– Kim Deschênes University of Montreal Saint-Quentin, N.B.
– Jenna Downey StFX University Stratford, Ont.
– Suzanne Fenerty StFX University Cole Harbour, N.S.
– Breanne George University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Sask.
– Carly Hill McGill University Dorval, Que.
– Andrea Ironside Wilfrid Laurier University Collingwood, Ont.
– Liz Knox Wilfrid Laurier University Stouffville, Ont.
– Erin Lally Concordia University Calgary, Alta.
– Jocelyn Leblanc Dalhousie University Moncton, N.B.
– Alicia Martin Wilfrid Laurier University Etobicoke, Ont.
– Addie Miles University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Man.
– Mariève Provost University of Moncton Laval, Que.
– Ellie Seedhouse Western Ontario University Whitby, Ont.
– Jacalyn Sollis University of Guelph West Vancouver, B.C.
– Candice Styles Wilfrid Laurier University Orangeville, Ont.
– Courtney Unruh York University Fort St. John, B.C.
– Kelsey Webster York University Duncan, B.C.
– Jessica Zerafa University of Guelph Mississauga, Ont.

Short Track Speed Skating
– Gabrielle Waddell University of Calgary Red Deer, Alta.
– Andrea Do-Duc Concordia University Montreal, Que.
– Sabrina Bourgela Maisonneuve College Pointe-aux-Trembles, Que.
– Valérie Lambert U of Quebec at Montreal Montreal, Que.
– Kristy Shoebridge University of Calgary Calgary, Alta.
– Gabriel Chiasson-Poirier U of Quebec at Montreal Sherbrooke, Que.
– Allyn Gagnon U of Quebec at Montreal Montreal, Que.
– Pier-Olivier Gagnon Cegep Rosemont Quebec City, Que.
– Liam McFarlane University of Calgary Calgary, Alta.
– Vincent Cournoyer Cegep Édouard-Montpetit Boucherville, Que.

Snowboarding
– Anne-Frédérique Grenier Laval University Beaupré, Que.
– Justine Côté Laval University Petite-Rivière-St-François, Que.
– Antoine Laurin-Lalonde École de technologie supérieure Montreal, Que.
– Dylan Riley University of Calgary Calgary, Alta.
– Frédéric Laurin-Lalonde University of Montreal Montreal, Que.
– Mackenzie Carter Carleton University Maryhill, Ont.
– Pierce Smith Humber College Caledon, Ont.
– Rob Ritchie University of Calgary Calgary, Alta.
– Taylor Ronsky University of Calgary Calgary, Alta.

TEAM CANADA PERSONNEL AND COACHES

Mission Staff
– Chef de Mission: Beth Ali (University of Toronto)
– Assistant Chef: Mary MacDonald (CIS)
– Communications Manager: Ari Grossman (Wilfrid Laurier University)
– Operations Manager: Elizabeth Kiraly (CIS)
– Chief Medical Officer: Dr. Devin Nielsen
– Chief Therapist: Andrea Prieur (University of Toronto)
– Physician: Dr. Taryn Taylor (Carleton University)
– Therapist: Jacques Lavergne (Laval University)
– Therapist: Vicky Wiltshire (Queen’s University)

Alpine Skiing
– Head Coach / Team Leader: Vincent Lavoie (Laval University / Quebec City, Que.)
– Coach: David Côté (McGill University / St-Hubert, Que.)

Biathlon
– Team Leader: Joan Skinstad (University of Alberta – Augustana / Camrose, Alta.)
– Coach: Hans Skinstad (University of Alberta – Augustana / Camrose, Alta.)

Cross Country Skiing
– Team Leader: Mary Waddell (Wahnapitae, Ont.)
– Head Coach: Mark Tierney (Corner Brook, Nfld.)
– Coach: Sara Nielsen (University of Alaska Anchorage / Whitehorse, Yukon)
– Coach: Kirk Potter (Whitehorse, Yukon)

Curling
– Team Leader: Wendy Morgan (Burlington, Ont.)
– Coach (women): Travis Brown (Loreburn, Sask.)
– Coach (men): Richard Henderson (Thunder Bay, Ont.)
– Team official (women): Alison Fisher (Regina, Sask.)

Hockey (men)
– General Manager: Brian Bourque (University of Waterloo)
– Head Coach: Clarke Singer (Western Ontario University)
– Assistant Coach: Kevin Figsby (Concordia University)
– Assistant Coach: Shawn Camp (University of Guelph)
– Equipment Manager: Bob McLeod (Western Ontario University)
– Therapist: Gunner Obrascos (University of Guelph)
– Video Coordinator: Cam O’Donnell (Western Ontario University)

Hockey (women)
– Head coach: Les Lawton (Concordia University)
– Assistant coach: Stacey Colarossi (York University)
– Assistant coach: Mandi Duhamel (Carleton University)
– Therapist: Marcel Charland (University of Toronto)
– Doctor: Patti Galvin (University of Guelph)

Short Track Speed Skating
– Team leader: Jennifer Cottin (Montreal, Que.)
– Coach: Paul Hunter (Calgary, Alta.)
– Coach: Jon Cavar (Calgary, Alta.)
– Coach: Jeff Scholten (Mascouche, Que.)

Snowboarding
– Team Leader: Nadia M’Seffar (Vancouver, B.C.)
– Coach: Patrick Gaudet (Montcalm, Que.)

January 14, 2011 – Cross Country Canada is pleased to announce that the following athletes have been selected to the 2011 World Cross Country Ski Championships Team competing in Oslo, Norway from Feb.22-March 6 – selection synopsis to follow.

– Devon Kershaw  (Ona-Wa-Su/NST)
– Alex Harvey (Club Nordique M.S.A/NST)
– Dasha Gaiazova (Rocky Mountain Racers/NST)
– Chandra Crawford (Canmore Nordic/NST)
– Stefan Kuhn (Canmore Nordic/NST)
– Perianne Jones (Nakkertok/NST)
– Ivan Babikov (Foothills Nordic/NST)
– Len Valjas (Team Hardwood/NDC Québec/NST)
– Phil Widmer (Canmore Nordic/NDC Québec/NST)
– George Grey (Blackjack/NST)
– Brooke Gosling (Foothills Nordic/CXC)

January 07, 2011 (Oberhof, Germany) – Sweden took advantage of key shooting, despite heavy rain and high winds, on the final two legs of the 4x6km Women’s Relay held yesterday to execute a come-from-behind victory at Oberhof’s World Cup venue. Sweden’s team of Jenny Jonnson, Anna Carlin Zidek, Anna Maria Nilsson and Helena Ekholm suffered only one penalty, while utilizing eight spare rounds, to finish 52.3 seconds ahead of second place France, who compiled three penalites and nine spare rounds respectively. Belarus rounded out the top three with a time of 1:19:24.5.

Sweden’s team got off to a slow start, despite a solid shooting performance from Jonnson, and found themselves in fourth place after the first leg. Trailing the likes of Slovakia, Ukraine, and Finland, the second leg was no change in fortune for the team, as they remained in fourth after Zideck passed off to Nilsson.

Sweden’s third leg proved to be a spark for the team as they moved up to second placed behind Nilsson’s three spare round performance, and Ekholm brought home the victory with a no-miss final lap.

Thursday’s harsh weather conditions were undoubtedly a factor in determining the champions, as there were 84 penalties and 263 spare rounds used across all of the 21 teams who competed. The heavy rain and powerful winds made shooting no easy task for the world-class athletes.

Canada’s relay squad consisting of Zina Kocher, Megan Imrie, Rosanna Crawford, and Melanie Schultz, North America’s lone representative, was among an astounding nine teams who were disqualified as a result of being lapped in the challenging conditions.

The United States, although present in Oberhof, did not field a team on Thursday due to a lack of available racers.

Full results HERE.

Results (brief)

1. Sweden (1+8) 1:17:53.1
2. France (3+9) 1: 18:45.4
3. Belarus (1+13) 1:19:24.5
4. Ukraine (5+12) 1:20:46.3
5. Russia (8+16) 1:20:59.2

LPD Canada (4+14)