10/25/2007
Renner, Crawford Headline Canada's World Cup Team

9/26/2007
It's a Boy for Beckie Scott and Justin Wadsworth

9/19/2007
AltaGas Provides $500,000 to Canadian Nordic Team

8/15/2007
Canadian Olympic Association Seeks New President/CEO

5/10/2007
CODA CALLS ON WORLD-CLASS CONSULTANTS TO MOVE CANADIAN CENTRE OF SPORT EXCELLENCE INTO CONSTRUCTION

4/26/2007
CANADIANS SUPPORT CONSTRUCTION OF CANADA’S FIRST CENTRE OF SPORT EXCELLENCE

4/19/2007
CODA HIRES VETERAN OLYMPIC MANAGER TO LEAD FACILITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

4/6/2007
OLYMPIC CROSS COUNTRY SKI QUEEN SET TO WELCOME NEW HEIR

3/28/2007
Canadian Biathlon Team Digest 3/21-25

3/27/2007
Canadian Team Digest 3/12-25

1/5/2007
"GERMAN WOMEN SWEEP THE PODIUM AT BIATHLON WORLD CUP IN FRONT OF 19,000 FANS"

"Calgary's Sandra Keith was top Canadian on the day, finishing in 54th place, just under four minutes behind the leader from Germany. The 26-year-old Olympian found inspiration from the 19,000 fans who braved the elements to watch their biathlon heroes compete."

"ôThe fans here are amazing,ö said Keith. ôThey are lined up along the really steep uphill section and the cheering is so loud that it really motivates you to try to get up the hill as fast as you can.ö"

"Keith's strategy for the race was to use the challenging conditions to her advantage, knowing that her competitors would be facing the same difficulties."

"ôI actually really enjoy competing in the rain,ö said Keith. ôI just remind myself that the other racers are likely not enjoying the conditions and that I can use that to my advantage. You just can't let it get to you because you can't control the weather.ö"

"German youngster, Magdalena Neuner picked up her first World Cup victory, in front of the sold-out Rennsteig Arena. The 19-year-old skied a fantastic race to take the top spot, despite two errors on the shooting range, finishing with a time of 24 minutes 18.4 seconds. World Cup veteran Andrea Henkel had to settle for second, +17.3 behind Neuner. Fellow German Martina Glagow completed the podium sweep, +19.7 off the pace."

"Other Canadians in the race, Red Deer, Alta., native Zina Kocher finished in 65th, Marie-Pierre Parent of St. Paul de Joliette, Que., was 74th and World Cup rookie Sonya Erasmus of Vanderhoof, B.C., was 76th."

1/5/2007
WOODEN LEGS MAKE QUEST FOR GOLD DIFFICULT FOR CHANDRA CRAWFORD IN SPRINT AT TOUR DE SKI IN ITALY

"The 23-year-old Crawford, who was competing in just her second freestyle sprint since the Olympic victory in Italy, claimed a bronze medal in the discipline on the opening day of the Tour de Ski last week. The Canmore, Alta., native was poised to raise the Canadian flag one more time after finishing fourth in the qualifications, and winning her opening heat in the round of 30, but couldn't power her way to the line in the semifinals, and settled for 12th spot."

"ôI started off awesome and was really fast in qualifications so I thought it was going to be a great day,ö said Crawford. ôI got through to the semifinals and was in great position tactically, but my legs turned to wood and I got relegated to the B-Final where I just had nothing left.ö"

"The Tour de Ski is taking its toll on the Canadian athletes. The inaugural event designed to replicate cycling's Tour de France has the world's best athletes hitting the start line for six events in eight days, racing in a variety of disciplines."

"ôI'm used to picking my race, being fresh for those races and always rested and ready,ö said the Olympic champion. ôThis is a whole new challenge and it is very difficult. It is fun to race these events, but even more fun when you have energy.ö"

"The marathon journey knocked Canada's Devon Kershaw off the start line, and into his bed for extra rest. The 24-year-old Canadian, who won a silver medal in the opening day of the Tour de Ski, and wore the yellow leader's jersey for the sprints, came down with a sore throat yesterday and did not compete, forcing him out of the remaining two days of competition."

"Two of the five Canadian men entered in Friday's sprints however did qualify to move on into the heats, which consist of six athletes racing head-to-head, with the top two athletes in each race moving on to the next round. Sean Crooks, of Thunder Bay, Ont. posted another strong result finishing in 19th spot, while Stefan Kuhn, of Canmore, Alta., was 25th."

"Finland's Virpi Kuitunen took home the gold medal in the women's sprint. Kuitunen knocked off the dominant Marit Bjoergen, of Norway, while Italy's Arianna Follis pleased the hometown crowd with a bronze medal performance."

"The Swedes and Norwegians jockeyed for top spot in the men's competition all day long, but it was Norway's Tor Arne Hetland who came out on top when the dust finally settled. Sweden's Thobias Fredriksson was second, while Norway's Petter Northug grabbed third."

"Other Canadian results in the men's race include: Drew Goldsack, of Red Deer, Alta., in 31st; George Grey, of Rossland, B.C., in 39th; and Dan Roycroft, of Port Sydney, Ont., who finished 51st. Three other Canadian women also suited up in the sprint. Perianne Jones, of Almonte, Ont., was 35th; Amanda Ammar, of Onoway, Alta., was 52nd; while Dasha Gaiazova was 54th."

"The Tour de Ski now heads down the road to Val de Fiemme, Italy for the final two days of grueling competition on Saturday and Sunday. The Canadians will suit up for the distance races, with the women's and men's 15- and 30-kilometrer classic events, scheduled for Saturday."

1/4/2007
CANADIAN MEN'S BIATHLON TEAM BATTLE THE ELEMENTS TO CRACK TOP-15 IN WORLD CUP RELAY

"Battling through gusting wind and wet snow, the four-man Canadian contingent, led by two-time Olympian, Robin Clegg, of Ottawa, David Leoni, of Camrose, Alta., Frantois Leboeuf of Val Belair, Que., and Nathan Smith, of Canmore, Alta., crossed the line in 14th place, just under nine minutes behind the leading team from Russia."

"ôWe had a really great race today,ö said Leoni. ôRobin skied an unbelievable first leg, and really put his experience to good use. We tagged off in fifth place and held that position until the final two legs. The atmosphere was amazing, but with almost 25,000 fans in the stadium, it made it a bit challenging to maintain composure.ö"

"Although the team was unable to maintain their top-five position, the result is a great stepping stone for the newly-formed team who were participating in their first race of the season."

"ôWe are a young team, and Frantois and Nathan are both rookies on the World Cup circuit,ö said Leoni. ôEven though we didn't hold onto our top-10 position, we are extremely pleased with the way our team performed today.ö"

"The day belonged to the Russians, who finished the race in one hour 26 minutes and 9.89 seconds, with no penalty laps and only eight misses. Germany's Michael Greis skied an impressive final leg, but it was not enough to catch the Russians, settling instead for the silver medal, +41.8 seconds off the pace. The bronze medal went to Norway, who logged four penalties and 15 misses, finishing +2:45.2 behind the leaders."

1/4/2007
CANADA'S DAVID NIGHBOR LOCKS UP A SPOT AT UNDER-23 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH WIN AT HAYWOOD NORAM IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

"The third stop of the 2006-07 Haywood NorAm Race Series is a qualifying event for the World Juniors and Under-23 World Championships, with many young Canadian hopefuls looking to grab a spot on the team."

"Good conditions made for a quick track, with Nighbor, of North Bay, Ont., completing the race in 23 minutes 47 seconds, nearly half a second ahead of his nearest competitor."

"ôI was a bit nervous today because I was trying a new style,ö said Nighbor. ôI was trying to glide longer, and really focus on my own race rather than on my competitors. I think I skied a consistently strong race and it worked.ö"

"Rounding out the men's top three was Chris Jeffries, of Chelsea, Que., in second (24:24) and Brent McMurtry, of Calgary, in third (25:02)."

"On the women's side, Britney Webster, of Duntroon, Ont., climbed to the top of the podium, finishing the five-kilometrer race in 13:34. Madeleine Williams, of Edmonton, was second with a time of 14:05, while the bronze medal went to fellow Edmontonian Tara Whitten, in 14:17."

1/3/2007
ZINA KOCHER LEADS CANADIAN WOMEN TO 11TH PLACE IN WORLD CUP RELAY

"Zina Kocher, of Red Deer, Alta., led the charge for the Canucks, with teammates Sandra Keith of Calgary, Marie Pierre Parent, of St-Paul de Joliette, Que., and World Cup rookie Sonya Erasmus, of Vanderhoof, B.C., all combining for a solid outing."

"ôThe conditions were quite difficult on the range,ö said Kocher. ôThe wind was really shifty. One minute it was gusting, then it would quiet down and then it would start gusting in the other direction. The mix of artificial and fresh snow made the course really slippery so there were a few crashes, making the already narrow track even trickier.ö"

"Despite gusting wind and difficult conditions on the range, the Canadian squad managed to pull together one of the best shooting performances in the field, with only two penalties and 12 misses."

"Meanwhile the French team captured their second straight relay victory, finishing with a time of 1:20.58.4, despite logging a surprising three penalties and 15 misses. However, strong skiing put them in front of the Germans, who finished with a time of 1:21.05.2, and who also met their match on the shooting range with three penalties and 17 misses. China took home the bronze medal after clocking a time of 1:21.18.8."

"ôIt is a pretty good result for our first relay of the season,ö said Kocher. ôThe team did a fair amount of training during the holidays to prepare for World Championships so we haven't had much of a break. For the most part we are pretty happy with the way we finished today.ö"

1/3/2007
EXHAUSTED CANADIAN SQUAD STRUGGLES TO FIND RIGHT WAX AND SKIS UNDER CHALLENGING CONDITIONS AT TOUR DE SKI

"Amanada Ammar, of Onoway, Alta., and Drew Goldsack, of Red Deer, Alta., led the Canucks in the women's and men's distance races. The 20-year-old Ammar finished 42nd with a time of 32 minutes 11.6 seconds in the women's 10-kilometer classic race, while Goldsack was 48th in the men's 15-kilometer classic event after crossing the line with a time of 42:04.5."

"The only consolation for the worn out Canucks was Devon Kershaw, of Sudbury, Ont., who won a silver medal in the men's sprint race during the first stage of the Tour, continues to hold the yellow jersey heading into the sprint event despite losing significant time on the overall leaders of the Tour after struggling to cross the line in 67th spot at 43:47.3."

"ôIt was extremely challenging and our entire team is disappointed with our performance,ö said the 24-year-old Kershaw. ôWe gave it our best shot and it wasn't good enough, but we have to take the good with the bad. I'm exhausted, but need to get some rest, find some energy and get ready for Thursday.ö"

"It was Slovakia's Petra Majdic who won stage three in the women's division of the inaugural Tour de Ski in Europe with a time of 28:44.8. The Slovenian claimed her first World Cup victory by a 27-second margin over Norway's Kristin Stoermer Steira (29:12.0) in difficult, and snowy conditions that plagued the Olympic track in Germany. Finland's Virpi Kuitunen rounded out the top three at 29:18.6."

"Three other Canadian women joined Ammar in the field. Montreal's Dasha Gaiazova was 46th (32:24.1), while Chandra Crawford, of Canmore, Alta., was 49th (32:40.2), and Perianne Jones, of Almonte, Ont., finished 52nd (33:08.6)."

"ôIt was a struggle all day to find the right wax and skis,ö said Dasha Gaiazova. ôThe conditions were constantly changing so it was hard to zero in on what to be ready for.ö"

"Meanwhile, the German men stormed through the 15-kilometer individual classic stage on their home snow, sweeping the podium. Franz Goering led the German charge after setting the leading pace with a time of 39:40.7. Goering's teammates, Rene Sommerfeldt, locked up second spot at 39:54.0, while Tobias Angerer was third (40:10.7)."

"Other Canadian men to hit the start line included: Stefan Kuhn, of Canmore, Alta., in 50th (42:11.9); George Grey, of Rossland, B.C. in 57th (42:42.4); Dan Roycroft, of Port Sydney, Ont., in 63rd (43:10.2); and Sean Crooks, of Thunder Bay, Ont., was 64th (43:23.7)."

1/3/2007
CANADA'S YOUNG NORDIC SKIERS CONTINUE LEARNING CURVE AGAINST WORLD'S ELITE AT TOUR DE SKI

"The national ski team competing in Europe , which consists of six men and four women ranging from age 20 to 28, took another step forward on their learning curve in the 10- and 20-kilometer pursuit races in Oberstdorf, Germany, January 2, marking the second stage of the inaugural Tour de Ski."

"ôIt was a difficult day, and we had to battle extremely tough conditions including hurricane winds, rain and snow,ö said Dave Wood, head coach, Canadian Cross Country Ski Team following the pursuit races, which combines classic technique with skate skiing. Athletes enter a transition area midway through the race to change equipment. ôWe had some challenges finding the right skis today, but we have another race tomorrow and we'll learn from it.ö"

"Devon Kershaw, of Sudbury, Ont., continues to lead the way for the Canadian squad while enjoying a breakthrough season. The 24 year old moved into 12th spot in the Tour de Ski standings after finishing 25th with a time of 51 minutes 48.6 seconds in the men's 20-kilometer race."

"Benefiting from training alongside Olympic medallists, Beckie Scott and Sara Renner for years, Kershaw and his young teammates relative to the rest of the world's best, are all committed to ensuring Canada's cross country ski program remains at an elite level in all disciplines heading towards the 2010 Olympic Winter Games."

"ôYou can't develop an elite skier overnight. It takes time and patience,ö said Wood. ôBeckie and Sara started hitting their stride when they were around 26. We have a young group, and we need to balance their exposure to really strong competition and domestic races where they have an opportunity to win. It is good to give them the experience racing against the best, and it will go a long way in helping their development.ö"

"Joining Kershaw in the men's field was 25-year-old Drew Goldsack, of Red Deer, Alta. in 38th at 52:18.2, George Grey, 27, of Rossland, B.C. in 52nd (53:24.1), Stefan Kuhn, of Canmore, Alta., in 59th (53:54.2), Sean Crooks, 23, of Thunder Bay, Ont., in 74th (56:37.9), and Dan Roycroft, 28, of Port Sydney, Ont., in 76th (57:51.3)."

"France's Vincent Vittoz led the way in the men's pursuit finishing with a time of 50:55.9. Russia's Alexander Legkov was second at 50:56.8, while Germany's Tobias Angerer was third (50:58.4)."

"Meanwhile Montreal's 23-year-old Dasha Gaiazova led a young quartet of Canadian women in the 10-kilometer pursuit. Gaiazova finished in 44th spot with a time of 31:30.2. Perianne Jones, 21, of Almonte, Ont., who is competing in her first stint on the World Cup after blazing an international trail on the junior circuit over the last three years, finished in 51st spot at 32:44.1. Olympic gold medallist in the sprint event, Chandra Crawford, 23, of Canmore, Alta. continues to focus her training efforts on the distance races finished 52nd, while 20-year-old Amanda Ammar, of Onoway, Alta., was 56th (33:40.9)"

"It was Norway's Kristing Stormer Steira who taught the Canadians a valuable lesson in the German pursuit, after winning the second leg of the Tour de Ski with a time of 29:27.6. The 25-year-old, who has only one World Cup victory to her name, was fourth after the midway point in the race, but quickly grabbed the lead after putting on her skate skis."

"The Norwegian finished 13.3 seconds ahead of Valentina Shevchenko, of the Ukraine (29:40.9), while Russia's Olga Savialova was third at 29:44.8."

12/31/2006
CANADAS NORDIC SKIERS MAKE TWO TRIPS TO PODIUM IN OPENING DAY OF FIS TOUR DE SKI IN GERMANY

"The 24-year-old Kershaw of Sudbury, Ont., and 23-year-old Crawford, of Canmore, Alta. both proved Canadian cross country skiers continue to be a force to reckon with after taking on the world in the opening day of the inaugural Tour de Ski. This new concept is designed to replicate the Tour de France with the world's best athletes hitting the start line for six races in eight days, and nearly $1 million up for grabs in prize money."

"""This is absolutely incredible and it means the world to us,"" said Kershaw following the medal ceremony. ""This is the goal, to have more than one Canadian on the podium each time we prepare for a race, and to see it come through today is awesome. The team is so jacked right now."""

"Kershaw and Crawford, who did not return home for the holidays, were the only two athletes on the national team who were able to train with all their gear after it got lost while traveling from Calgary to Europe on British Airways, getting a bad taste in their version of the 12 days of Christmas."

"""It was such a challenge scrambling to get ready for this event, and it was like we had one bag delivered every day for 12 days,"" said Crawford. ""It was a challenge to find equipment to train and compete with, and we were getting nervous as to if we were going to see our stuff again."""

The off-course shenanigans weren't enough to slow down the feisty Canucks who continue to feed off the momentum of the team's record-setting season last year despite the retirement of Beckie Scott and Sara Renner's decision to take a year off to have a baby.

"The Canadian duo quickly moved their way through the head-to-head heats with the top-30 after qualifying among the leaders on the 1.1-kilometer Olympic course in Munich, Germany. The heats consist of six athletes racing head-to-head, with the top two athletes in each race moving on to the next round."

"Kershaw, who qualified a disappointing 14th but nonetheless was good enough to move on, continued his breakthrough season on the World Cup where he has consistently placed in the top of the pack. Nervous and anxious all week, a valuable meeting with his sports psychologist and head coach, Dave Wood on Friday, gave him the confidence to sprint for the podium on Saturday in a chaotic race that saw many of the world's best crash on a tight and slippery Olympic track."

"""They just told me to look back at the success I've had in the past and I have no reason to be anxious,"" said Kershaw, who won Canada's first World Cup medal in men's cross country skiing in more than a decade last season. ""These sprint races are so chaotic that you really have to see the course the way a hockey player sees the ice. I was able to do that today, but more importantly, I think I've learned how to race against these guys. The sprints rough you up a bit, and the top athletes don't respect you if they don't know who you are, and it is better knowing that going in."""

"Kershaw had no problems seeing his way to podium, picking apart the field and cruising into the thrilling big final where Switzerland's Christoph Eigenmann took home the gold. While Kershaw settled for the silver medal, it was Roddy Darragon, of France, who grabbed the bronze."

"Meanwhile, Chandra Crawford also picked up where she left off at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games. The Olympic champion in the discipline continued to prove her dominance in the women's skate skiing sprint, and put an early stamp of authority on the field when she qualified in third spot."

"""I was a little nervous after I saw how fast I qualified, but this feels good for sure to be back on the podium after a difficult start to the season,"" said Crawford. ""After the race Dave (Wood) said 'I'm back.' This is the first skate sprint we've had all season so I really appreciated the opportunity to race it, and it was a huge day for our team."""

"Crawford maintained her familiar position near the top of the pack for most of the day until the final. After finishing ahead of Norway's Marit Bjoergen in the semi-final, it was the four-time overall women's sprint titleholder, who took the lead and sprinted to gold in the final by more than a second."

"""I could literally hear Bjoergen breathing down my neck in one of the final corners, and knew who it was,"" said Crawford. ""I think this race gives me some more confidence, but more importantly, I know that I have a lot of work still to do to be at the level with the best like Bjoergen consistently."""

Sandwiched between the gold and bronze medalists was Italy's Arianna Follis in second spot.

"Overshadowed by the medal-winning day for Kershaw and Crawford was the remarkable performance turned in by the entire Canadian men's team. Sean Crooks, of Thunder Bay, Ont., posted his best ever result at the World Cup level, and qualified for the World Championships after finishing in 16th spot in the sprint. The 23 year old, who moved into the heats after posting the ninth-fastest time in qualifications, was knocked off in a photo finish in the semi-final round. Crooks' teammate, Drew Goldsack, of Red Deer, Alta., was also fast in the qualifying round finishing third, and settled for 26th spot after coming up short in the opening round of the heats."

"""I am forced to be happy with this result, but Drew and I both left wanting more,"" said Crooks. ""I was hoping to make it to the final and came up a little short. I think this is a really positive day for us though because I know that I'm able to compete out here, and our entire men's team is getting stronger as a group and that is a good sign."""

"Other Canadian results in the men's race include: Stefan Kuhn in 27th; George Grey in 45th; and Dan Roycroft, who finished 75th. Three other Canadian women also suited up in the sprint. Amanda Ammar was 39th, while Perianne Jones was 40th and Dasha Gaiazova was 46th."

"Next up in the Tour de Ski is the pursuit races in Oberstdorf, Germany, with the women's 10-kilometer race on Tuesday, followed by the men's 15-kilometer pursuit taking place on Wednesday."

For complete results: http://www.fis-ski.com.

12/20/2006
OLYMPIC HEROES AND CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY PUT YOUNG CANADIAN CROSS COUNTRY SKIERS ON TRACK TOWARDS EXCELLENCE

"The CPR Ski Tournament is a component of Cross Country Canada's skill development program coined, ""Track Attack."" The initiative is part of the national framework designed to support and foster the development of cross country skiers in Canada. Established in 2005 with a plan leading to 2010, the ski tournaments are a one-day festival of ski relays, sprints and special activities that encourage participation in a fun environment."

"""Holding these children's ski tournaments is crucial, and an advantageous tool for Cross Country Canada to introduce new children to the sport, and motivate the next generation of world-class athletes,"" said Al Maddox, executive director, Cross Country Canada, who added that more than 3,000 youth from 25 selected clubs across the country participated in the program last year. ""The support of CPR has enabled us to add a significant component to six tournament events by including the presence of an Olympic role model."""

"Three-time Olympians Scott, Renner and Theriault will each participate in two of the six selected events across the country. The Olympic athletes will provide an impetus for greater sport development through on-snow training, coaching, and autograph signings, while providing support, guidance and experienced advice. Scott and Theriault retired from the sport this spring, while Renner is taking the year off from competitive racing to have a baby."

"""This is an exciting, new program that will have a direct contribution to attracting and developing new talent for Canada in a sport in which we have demonstrated great success,"" said Paul Clark, vice-president, communications & public affairs, CPR. ""Our employees are proud to be associated with athletes of the reputation and caliber of Beckie, Milaine and Sara, who have demonstrated the values and ethics that make our country great."""

"In addition to the on-snow participation, the Olympic athletes are also committed to an evening fundraising event that reaches the broader cross country ski community in each host location. Proceeds from the fundraiser will be shared by the host club, and Right to Play - an athlete-driven international humanitarian organization that uses sport and play as a tool for the development of children and youth in the most disadvantaged areas of the world."

"""Having new opportunities to pursue excellence through sport will change the lives of aspiring Olympians in every corner of this country,"" said Beckie Scott, who is an athlete ambassador for Right to Play. ""This much-needed funding will enhance the ski tournament programs, and give young children from different regions of the country the ability to interact with Olympic role models."""

"To launch CPR's involvement in the ski tournament program, Scott and her teammates joined dozens of young aspiring athletes from the Foothills Nordic Ski Club in Calgary on the world's longest ski train in an attempt to set a new Guinness world record. The special 108-meter long skis, propelled by 108 skiers over 100 meters, were provided in cooperation with the Keskinada World Loppet and the Norwegian Embassy."

"Cross Country Canada will send the exploit to the Guinness Book of World Records for consideration. The existing record for longest skis made measures 104.8 meters, and were worn by 101 ski instructors in Selva Gardena, Italy."

12/20/2006
CANADA'S DEVON KERSHAW BATTLES WORLD CUP BEAST IN FRANCE

"The world has taken notice of the feisty Kershaw, who is quickly developing into one of the top all-round skiers produced out of Canada. The Sudbury, Ont. native, who became the first Canadian male to win a World Cup cross country skiing medal last year in more than a decade, has consistently skied with the top of the pack in both short and long-distance races throughout the young season."

"Kershaw maintained pace with the frontrunners down the monstrous Nordic highways in France, which included steep and torturing climbs with long, winding downhills, crossing the line with a time of one hour 18 minutes 26.1 seconds."

"""I was really upset about my race earlier this week so I came in with zero expectations and wanted to see what would happen. I had one of my top races of the year,"" said Kershaw, who is four days removed from his 24th birthday. ""For me the 30 kilometer races are absolutely grueling and I needed an extra five kilometers in my legs today. You have to be skillful and calm, and not make a move that is going to be a wasted move. There is so much going on around for such a long period of time that it can be mentally draining and you have to stay sharp."""

"The talented Canuck was able to tactfully pick his way into the lead pack after a blistering start for each of the 80 athletes entered in the field, far removed from the sedate openings more common to the 30-kilometer marathons."

"""I started in row 11 of the mass start so I had to wade my way through quite a few people,"" said Kershaw. ""It is hard starting that far back. It is so chaotic and there is always people falling, and poles snapping, so you have to try not to waste too much energy in the start, but to see the people in front and search your way through the holes that are available."""

"Kershaw's teammate, George Grey, is also starting to find his groove on the World Cup. The 27-year-old Rossland, B.C. native, who is coming off his best ever World Cup result in Europe earlier this week, finished just under three minutes behind the leader in 37th (1:20:05.2)."

"""George would have wanted a better result today, but it is great to see him getting back into top racing form this week,"" said Kershaw. ""It is so important to be out here with George. We tend to feed off each other and build confidence from one another. Each race is so tight, and it is easy to get discouraged, so I think it is a big advantage being able to compete on the World Cup with one of your best buddies at your side."""

"Germany's Tobias Angerer won a dramatic dash to the finish line that saw the top 17 skiers within 45 seconds of the lead. One of the strongest skiers on the World Cup circuit, Angerer reclaimed his stride in France after claiming the gold medal with a time of 1:17:11.8. The German edged out Russia's Alexander Legkov (1:17:12.4) and Eugeni Dementiev (1:17:12.6), who finished second and third respectively in a thrilling chase for the line that had the top-three skiers all within fractions of a second of each other."

"Meanwhile, Virpi Kuitunen continued her superb start to the season with her first-ever freestyle World Cup victory in the women's 15-kilometer mass start race in France. The World Cup point's leader powered her way to the finish with a time of 42:08.8. Kuitunen's teammate Riitta Liisa Roponen was second (42:09.1), while Italy's Arianna Follis was third at 42:09.5."

"Canada's Olympic gold medalist, Chandra Crawford, of Canmore, Alta., and Dasha Gaiazova, of Montreal, did not start the race. Crawford traveled to Germany for a sprint race, while Gaiazova is resting with a sore throat."

12/20/2006
Olympians Renner and Grandi Go Carbon Neutral to Fight Global Warming

"""Play it cool"" is a new initiative by the David Suzuki Foundation to get winter athletes to help combat global warming and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. ""Global warming threatens the winter sports we love and that help define us as a nation,"" says Thomas Grandi. ""If we continue business as usual, we're going to lose that cultural identity and all the recreational opportunities that go with it."""

"A recent United Nations report warns that downhill skiing could disappear completely at some resorts by 2030. The National Science Foundation reported last February that recent studies showed some mountain ranges in Europe and the Western United States have experienced decreases of 50 to 75 per cent in snowfall amounts in recent decades. ""As winter athletes, we have much to lose from global warming, but so do all Canadians, especially our children,"" says Sara Renner. ""Being a winter athlete might end up being a real luxury - if it's even possible."""

"While some places in North America have had early and heavy snow this year, there are more persistent, longer-term troubling trends threatening winter sports. This year on the World Cup alpine circuit, warmer-than-average temperatures in the Alps have led to repeated race cancellations due to lack of snow."

"That's why Renner and Grandi are going carbon neutral and talking to their teammates and other athletes about doing the same. They bike rather than driving in their hometown of Canmore, Alberta. For emissions they don't directly control, such as those produced by air travel and hotel accommodations on the road, they neutralize by purchasing high-quality carbon offsets."

"Grandi is also donating half his World Cup winnings this season to the David Suzuki Foundation. ""It's an issue that hits close to home because we are winter athletes. But it encompasses more than just sports,"" Renner says. ""It's the environment we all share and depend on."""

"""Sara and Thomas are taking bold steps and concrete action to do something about one of Canada's biggest challenges - global warming,"" says Dr. David Suzuki. ""Winter sports are a big part of our country and our culture. We hope Sara and Thomas's example can lead other athletes to help protect their winter sports."" For further information, please contact: David Suzuki Foundation at (604)961-9591."

12/20/2006
HOLIDAY BREAK A WELCOME BREATHER FOR CANADA'S ZINA KOCHER

"Kocher, of Red Deer, Alta. who won her first World Cup medal three weeks ago in Sweden, and has consistently finished among the world's best throughout the first half of the season, was less than satisfied with her performance in the last race before the holidays, missing two targets in the women's sprint event."

"The 24-year-old completed the race in 24 minutes 23.6 seconds, resulting in a disappointing 34th-place finish."

"""It was a really frustrating day,"" said Kocher. ""Conditions were perfect for shooting clean, but the targets just weren't going down for me. That's biathlon though, sometimes it's there and sometimes it's not."""

"Sweden's Anna Carin Olofsson was a force to be reckoned with, capturing her first win of the season and effectively ending the three-race winning streak of Germany's Andrea Henkel. Shooting flawlessly on the range, Olofsson stopped the clock at 22:6.9, a full 32 seconds ahead of Sandrine Bailly, of France, who won the silver medal. Henkel had one miss on the range, and settled for third spot, +41.6 behind Olofsson."

"""Today's race really belonged to the best skiers,"" said a frustrated Kocher. ""Because so many of the top racers shot perfectly on the range, it made it really tough for a good result if you had any misses."""

"Other Canadians in the race included: Sandra Keith, of Calgary in 73rd (+3:51.6), and Marie-Pierre Parent, of St-Paul de Joliette, Que. was 83rd (+4:26.1)."

"The next generation of Canada's top biathletes were also in action on Friday, December 15. In men's Europa Cup competition, Marc-AndrT BTdard got an early Christmas present, turning in his best result of the season with a sixth-place finish, in the men's 10-kilometer sprint event."

"Narrowly missing the podium, the Quebec native shot flawlessly on the range to complete the race in 26:29.4, just 25.5 seconds behind the winner, Christoph Stephan of Germany. Teammate Sebastian Berthod claimed the silver medal, 12.7 seconds behind Stephan, while Austria's Julian Eberhard was third, 14 seconds out."

"Maxime Lebouef, of Val Belair, Que. who posted his best result of the season just a week ago, was 25th on the day, just under two minutes behind the leader."

12/15/2006
HOLIDAY BREAK A WELCOME BREATHER FOR CANADA'S ZINA KOCHER

"Kocher, of Red Deer, Alta. who won her first World Cup medal three weeks ago in Sweden, and has consistently finished among the world's best throughout the first half of the season, was less than satisfied with her performance in the last race before the holidays, missing two targets in the women's sprint event."

"The 24-year-old completed the race in 24 minutes 23.6 seconds, resulting in a disappointing 34th- place finish."

"(It was a really frustrating day,÷ said Kocher. (Conditions were perfect for shooting clean, but the targets just weren't going down for me. That's biathlon though, sometimes it's there and sometimes it's not.÷"

"Sweden's Anna Carin Olofsson was a force to be reckoned with, capturing her first win of the season and effectively ending the three-race winning streak of Germany's Andrea Henkel. Shooting flawlessly on the range, Olofsson stopped the clock at 22:6.9, a full 32 seconds ahead of Sandrine Bailly, of France, who won the silver medal. Henkel had one miss on the range, and settled for third spot, +41.6 behind Olofsson."

"(Today's race really belonged to the best skiers,÷ said a frustrated Kocher. (Because so many of the top racers shot perfectly on the range, it made it really tough for a good result if you had any misses.÷"

"Other Canadians in the race included: Sandra Keith, of Calgary in 73rd (+3:51.6), and Marie-Pierre Parent, of St-Paul de Joliette, Que. was 83rd (+4:26.1)."

Canada's World Cup team will not be competing in the team relay and will head to Italy for a week of training before the holiday break.

"The next generation of Canada's top biathletes were also in action on Friday (Dec. 14). In men's Europa Cup competition, Marc-AndrT BTdard got an early Christmas present, turning in his best result of the season with a sixth-place finish, in the men's 10-kilometer sprint event."

"Narrowly missing the podium, the Quebec native shot flawlessly on the range to complete the race in 26:29.4, just 25.5 seconds behind the winner, Christoph Stephan of Germany. Teammate Sebastian Berthod claimed the silver medal, +12.7 seconds behind Stephan, while Austria's Julian Eberhard was third +14 seconds out."

"Maxime Lebouef, of Val Belair, Que. who posted his best result of the season just a week ago, was 25th on the day, just under two minutes behind the leader."

For complete results: www.biathlonworld.com

12/14/2006
GEORGE GREY POSTS BEST-EVER WORLD CUP RESULT

"The 27-year-old Rossland, B.C. native, who has been struggling during early-season races on the World Cup, discovered some extra energy in his body to finish the men's 15-kilometer classic race with a time of 39 minutes 46.0 seconds on good hard-packed conditions."

"""I felt so much better today than I have all season, and this will definitely be a confidence booster,"" said Grey, whose best finish on the World Cup was a 19th-place result in Canmore, Alta., one year ago. ""I was in a bit of a hole for the last four races, but I tried to refocus and reinforce the things that are sometimes stored away in the back of your head and forgotten about. Today I was finally back racing against everyone else rather than the pains in my body."""

"Grey and his Canadian teammates have been off the top international racing circuit for the better part of two weeks due to unseasonably warm and dry conditions that have been plaguing Europe's winter sport scene. As a result, the Canadian squad has traded its snow skis for roller skis, and has resorted to numerous summer training mechanisms."

"""It has been a landmark year for training and competition over here. We've even been hiking up mountains,"" said Grey. ""It is a little frustrating, but everyone is in the same boat and we've just had to adjust."""

"Norway's Eldar Roenning won the men's race with a time of 39:05.0, while his teammate, Tor Arne Hetland finished second at 39:08.6. Russia's Eugeni Dementiev grabbed the bronze medal after crossing the line with a time of 39:10.4."

"Meanwhile, it was Finland's Virpi Kuitunen who captured the gold medal in the women's 10-kilometer classic event with a time of 26:44.5. Slovakia's Petra Majdic was second at 27:16.6, while Finland's Aino Kaisa Saarinen was third (27:34.7)."

"Two other Canadians also hit the start line in Italy on Wednesday. Devon Kershaw, of Sudbury, Ont., finished 67th (40:52.8), while Chandra Crawford, of Canmore, Alta., was 64th at 31:08.3."

12/13/2006
CANADIANS CROWD THE PODIUM ON U.S. SUPER TOUR

"Conserving energy was the strategy of the day, according to the advice Ammar received from teammate and Olympic silver medalist Sara Renner. She did just that, waiting for the right moment to punch up the effort and take the lead."

"""I haven't done a five kilometer classic in a long time so I was really excited for today's race,"" said Ammar. ""Because we were so high up, I focused on skiing smooth and saving my energy for the uphill section."""

"American Caitlin Compton managed to hold off Tasha Betcherman of Canmore, Alta. by just two seconds, giving them the silver and bronze medals. Other Canadians in the top-15 included: Madeleine Williams who narrowly missed the podium, finishing in fourth place (15:03.7); Edmonton's Tara Whitten was eighth in 15:25.9; and Perianne Jones, of Ottawa, Ont. who stopped the clock in 15:39.4, good enough for 13th place."

"The men followed suit, dominating the top-10 with seven spots going to Canadians. Drew Goldsack of Red Deer, Alta. led his teammates to the finish line, just 17 seconds back of the winner, Kris Freeman of the U.S."

"""I was really pleased with my result today,"" said Goldsack. ""Kris Freeman has been in the top-30 on the World Cup circuit, so to be that close to him is definitely an encouraging result."""

"The Super Tour continues in Sun Valley, Sunday with a 15 kilometer classic competition for the women and a 30-kilometer classic race for the men."

12/13/2006
CANADA'S ZINA CRACK'S TOP-15 AT WORLD CUP PURSUIT IN AUSTRIA

"Starting more than a minute behind the leader following a sixth-place performance in Friday's December 8 sprint race, the Red Deer, Alta. native, made her way into the top 15 after losing nearly three more minutes off the leading pace in heavy rain and icy conditions on a barren track in Europe. Kocher finished three minutes 51.5 seconds behind Germany's Andrea Henkel, who was first to cross the finish line."

"""I'm satisfied with my result despite the conditions because it wasn't easy out there,"" said Kocher. ""I know it is not excellent, but it is a personal best. I find the pursuit races a little more difficult to concentrate because there is so much going on and many distractions, whereas in the individual races I can just focus on my own pace. It is something I need to work on getting more comfortable with."""

"The women's pursuit discipline has the fastest 60 athletes from Friday's sprint. Athletes start according to their time behind the sprint leader. Each athlete skis a two-kilometer track five times, while hitting the shooting range between each lap. Shooting consists of a combination of two prone and two standing. Kocher missed five out of her 20 shots on the range."

"""The leader only missed one shot so that was the difference. I think if I could have even shot 90 percent I would have been right there,"" said Kocher, who has quickly made her way into the pack with the world's elite this year after claiming the nation's first World Cup biathlon medal in more than a decade. ""I skied really well today, and I really picked it up in the final lap so I'm happy despite the shooting."""

"Andrea Henkel took advantage of her 30 second lead from Friday's sprint victory to cruise to her second gold medal in as many days with a time of 32:29.28. The 28-year-old German hit 19 of her 20 targets which helped distance herself from her closest rivals, Norway's Linda Grubben and Sweden's Anna Carin Olofsson, who battled it out for the silver medal position on the final lap. Grubben won the dash for silver, finishing 37.4 seconds behind Henkel, while Olofsson settled for third, 39.9 seconds off the mark."

Calgary's Sandra Keith was the only other Canadian to hit the start line in women's action. The 26-year-old settled for 45th spot more than seven minutes behind the gold-medal time.

"Meanwhile, nobody has yet been able to stop Ole Einar Bjoerndalen from taking the top step of the podium in the men's World Cup. The Norwegian claimed his fifth straight victory on Saturday in the 12.5-kilometre pursuit race after dominating the field with a time of 39:50.91. Russia's Dmitri Iarochenko was his next closest competitor, crossing the line in second spot, 2:08.1 later. Iarochenko's teammate, Ivan Tcherezov, was third +2:20.0."

"David Leoni, of Camrose, Alta., finished as the top Canuck in the men's pursuit race. Leoni crossed the line in 51st spot, 7:37.0 behind Einar Bjoerndalen. Ottawa's Robin Clegg also qualified for the Austrian pursuit, but did not finish."

12/13/2006
CANADA'S ZINA KOCHER MAINTAINS STRIDE AMONGST WORLD LEADERS WITH SIXTH-PLACE FINISH

"With just one miss on the range, the 24-year-old Kocher skied her strongest sprint race of the young season, stopping the clock just over one minute behind winner Andrea Henkel of Germany, who finished with a time of 24 minutes 22.6 seconds."

""I skied really well today, and if I would have shot clean on the range I think I would have been on the podium," said Kocher. "Winning the bronze medal a few weeks ago has given me the confidence I needed to know that I can be in the top-10 consistently, and start to be a medal threat.""

"The result is key to setting up another strong performance in Saturday's pursuit race, which Kocher will start just over a minute behind the frontrunners."

""I am sitting in a really good position not far behind the leader. If I ski well again, and also have a good day shooting, then hopefully I'll be right in there with the leaders and post another great result.""

"Two other Canadians also posted their best results of the season. Ottawa's Robin Clegg finished in 27th spot, while Calgary's Sandra Keith finished 37th. Clegg completed the men's 10-kilometer sprint just 1:39.7 behind Norway's Ole Einar Bjoerndale, who clinched his fourth World Cup title in a row with a time of 26:27.9. Keith crossed the line in the 7.5-kilometre women's sprint 2:59.9 behind the frontrunner."

"Kocher's results, and those of her teammates, are an affirmation that Biathlon Canada is making strides in the right direction as Vancouver 2010 approaches."

""Through the support of Own The Podium over the past two years, we have been able to augment our coaching and sport science team to provide the athletes with an even greater level of service than we have been able to do in previous years," said Joanne Thomson, executive director, Biathlon Canada. "This detailed attention to the athletes' training programs is proving successful with the improved results that we are starting to see across the board. Ongoing support from Own The Podium over the next three years will only serve to augment further, the gains that Canadian biathletes can make in the sport at the international level.""

"Joining Henkel on the women's podium was Magdalena Gwizdon, of Poland, (+30.6), while China's Yingchao Kong was 37.4 seconds back in third. The men's podium also included Germany's Michael Greis, who finished 39.2 seconds behind Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, while Switzerland's Matthias Simmen was third just 46.5 seconds off the pace."

"Other Canadian results included: Marie-Pierre Parent, of St-Paul de Joliette, Que., in 70th (+ 4:44.9), while on the men's side, David Leoni, of Camrose, Alta., finished 55th (+ 2:32.6), and Jean Phillippe Leguellec, of Shannon, Que., was 100th (+5:34.3)."

"For more information on Biathlon Canada, please visit their Web site at www.biathloncanada.ca."

12/13/2006
CANADA'S MEGAN IMRIE FIGHTS HEAVY SNOWFALL TO CRACK TOP-15 AT EUROPA CUP SPRINTS

"Imrie, a native of Falcon Lake, Manitoba, moved to Canmore just over a year ago to train at the newly upgraded Canmore Nordic Centre."

"""I decided to use the conditions to my advantage today,"" said Imrie. ""I was confident that the training I did in the off-season was going to help me handle the challenging conditions."

"Shooting eight out of 10 on the range, the 20-year-old Junior National Team member skied a strong race, coming in just one minute 16.5 seconds behind leader Jenny Alder of Germany, who crossed the line in 23:06.3."

"""I shot really well on the range and I am sitting in a great position, just over a minute behind the leader, going into the pursuit."""

"Other Canadians in the women's race included Claude Godbout of Quebec, who finished 38th +3.21.2 behind the leader. Winnipeg's Cynthia Clark was 48th (+3:59.5), and Audrey Attali rounded out the Canadian women's squad in 62nd, just over five minutes behind Alder."

"On the men's side, it was a complete German sweep of the top five positions. Simon Schempp has the lead over teammate Christoph Stephan by just over 10 seconds, completing the narrow course in 27:29.2."

"Two Canadians found their way into the top-30. Maxime Leboeuf, of Val Belair, Que. was top Canuck in 27th stopping the clock +2:35.2 behind Schempp. Fellow Quebecor, Marc-Andre Bedard was 30th(+2:42.5). Just missing the top-30, Brendan Green of Hay River, NT. was 32nd only seven seconds behind his teammate Bedard."

12/7/2006
CANADA'S DEVON KERSHAW WINS SILVER MEDAL UNDER THE LIGHTS AT CITY SPRINT IN SWITZERLAND

"Dashing literally from the van to the start line, the strategy paid off. Devon Kershaw of Sudbury, Ont., sprinted his way into the silver medal position on the podium, while Chandra Crawford of Canmore, Alta., won the women's B-final to settle for fifth spot."

"""It is not ideal to jump into a race right out of the van, but we did what we had to do and it was great to get right back into racing after a long lay off,"" said Kershaw, who added the team found out about the race during yesterday's training session in Davos. ""There is no snow in Europe and we've been struggling to find places to race, which is so important to stay in the mental game. I'm happy we came and it was a great night."""

"On a course made entirely of man-made snow, the 400-metre track looped through the downtown streets of Olten. Mounds of snow were brought in to stage the race that featured Olympians and World Cup athletes from Germany, France, Switzerland and Canada, while the roadways were lined with thousands of people dancing to the music and gobbling bratwurst in the true international festival."

"""We need to take this approach to staging ski races in Canada,"" said Olympic gold medalist, Chandra Crawford. ""The music is pumping, people are having a party and just enjoying being part of the event. It is such a great atmosphere and so much fun. Racing in this atmosphere makes it so enjoyable."""

"Crawford, who won her Olympic gold in a skate sprint race, has been focusing on working on her classic sprint technique, distance skiing during training sessions over the last couple of weeks despite the lack of snow."

"""It's tough to stay focused out here with the dry and tough conditions, but the team has really stuck together, and Dave Wood has done a fabulous job in sourcing places for us to ski and train,"" said Crawford."""

"With cancellations and postponements of European World Cup races being commonplace for this season, teams have had to search for alternate training and racing outlets until the snow conditions improve."

"The Canadian squad will be back in action on the World Cup circuit Wednesday, December 13, 2006."

Results can be found on the following links:

www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/1228.html?event_id=20775&cal_suchsector=CC

www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/1228.html?event_id=20775&cal_suchsector=CC>

www.coopcitysprint.ch

12/7/2006
Robin Clegg Fights Back

"The 29-year-old Ottawa native, who is entering his seventh season of competing against the top biathletes in the world, is feeding off some early-season momentum built from teammate Zina Kocher's bronze-medal performance. Clegg, who had one of the fastest times in the range while missing only one shot, crossed the line one minute, 53 seconds behind the leading pace."

"""It usually takes me a couple of races to get going each year because we aren't exposed to the pace over here in Europe while we are training in Canada,"" said Clegg. ""So I am really happy to be able to put together a strong performance at this point in the season. I'm not at Zina's level yet, but I am certainly trying to build off that momentum of her medal. It has been an inspirational shot for all of us over here and is a reminder that we can do it too."""

Clegg was one of 115 starters in the field that had to battle significantly deteriorating conditions in Sweden. The entire field struggled to compete on a combination of icy snow with dirty patches that made skiing a challenge.

"""It definitely makes the skiing interesting and actually makes some of the downhills a test of courage,"" laughed Clegg. ""You have to be very careful, but everyone has to ski under the same conditions. I know I'm on pace with my goals and I was really pleased with my shooting today. If I can get the skiing going with that I'll be right where I need to be."""

"Two other Canadians suited up on Saturday. David Leoni, of Camrose, Alta., was 75th, while Jean-Philippe Leguellec, of Shannon, Que., was 80th. Both athletes finished just over three minutes off the frontrunners."

12/7/2006
CANADA'S ZINA KOCHER WINS BRONZE MEDAL AT BIATHLON WORLD CUP IN SWEDEN

"That dream came true on Wednesday, November 29 for the Red Deer, Alta. native after winning a bronze medal in the season-opening women's 15-kilometer individual Biathlon World Cup event in Ostersund, Sweden. Just one week shy of her 24th birthday, Kocher's result makes her the first Canadian biathlete to step onto the World Cup podium since Olympic gold medalist Myriam BTdard did more than a decade ago."

"""I've been dreaming about this moment every day for years, and everything happened exactly the way it was supposed too,"" said an emotional Kocher, who has been celebrating with her teammates since crossing the finish line just 23 seconds behind the frontrunner. ""I had the same nerves and anxiety that I always do today, but I just went to the race relaxed, and excited to be competing again this season. I crossed that line and started waving my poles in the air. It was unbelievable."""

"After a relaxing morning that included a massage and yoga session, Kocher skied the race of her life, and only had one error on the shooting range, which was good enough to solidify third spot and the first podium finish of her career. Two other first-time World Cup medalists joined Kocher on the podium. Irina Malgina, of Russia, won the season-opener with a time of 50 minutes 41.2 seconds, while Norway's Liv Kjersti Eikeland was second 3.6 seconds back."

"""The smile on my face was so huge when I left the shooting range for the final time,"" laughed Kocher who quickly broke down into tears. ""When I stepped onto the podium, the medal and money meant nothing to me. ""It reminded me of the dedication, hard work, focus and determination to get to this point and put our sport back in the public eye. I've been emotional all day. I haven't been at this as long as my teammates, but this is just so surreal right now, and our team is ecstatic."""

"A gifted and well-rounded athlete recruited from cross country running, Kocher took her first strides in the sport of biathlon in 1998 and joined the national team in 2000. A will to succeed and dedication to achieving excellence has quickly propelled her up the international rankings. Her previous best result was a fifth-place finish in a World Cup sprint event last season."

"""I just hope this reinforces to Canadians, and sport leaders in our country, that Canada's biathletes are medal contenders too, and we are improving internationally. Maybe this will help gain some additional support for our program,"" said Kocher. Canada's"

"Two other Canadian women that have benefited from the new training center model also suited up alongside Kocher on Wednesday. Marie-Pierre Parent, of St-Paul de Joliette, Que., was 69th, while Calgary's Sandra Keith was 70th. Both athletes were just over seven minutes off the leading pace."

Complete results can be viewed at www.biathlonworld.com.

12/7/2006
CANADA'S ZINA KOCHER SPRINTS INTO TOP 30 AT BIATHLON WORLD CUP

"Despite three misses on the shooting range, the Red Deer, Alta. native powered her way into the top 30, nearly two minutes off the leading pace 26 minutes 03.0 seconds, thanks to an improved performance on her skis."

"""My skiing went really well today,"" said Zocher. ""In the past, with three misses on the shooting range, I never would have made it into the top-30. It is really encouraging to know that my skiing has improved so much. If I can shoot a bit more consistently, then I believe I have what it takes to start hitting the podium regularly this season."""

"Kocher fulfilled a life-long dream on Tuesday, November 28, bringing home a bronze medal for Canada in the season-opening women's 15-kilometer individual Biathlon World Cup. It was the first Canadian biathlon medal in nearly 12 years."

"""Winning the bronze medal on Tuesday took a lot of out me,"" said Kocher, who will soon turn 24. ""It was such an emotional day. Although I did not crack the top 10 today, I am satisfied with my race, and I have a good chance of moving up in the 10 km pursuit."""

"Meanwhile, it was Poland's Magdalena Gwidzon, who was perfect on the shooting range, crossed the line first with a time of 24:05.0 seconds."

"Germany's Kati Wilhelm was second in 24:26.4, while teammate Martina Glagow rapped up third spot at 24:40.2., despite having three misses on the shooting range."

12/7/2006
NORWEGIANS WIN DOUBLE GOLD IN BIATHLON WORLD CUP PURSUIT

"Two Canadian athletes qualified to race amongst the top-60 athletes on Sunday. Zina Kocher, of Red Deer, Alta., finished 44th in the women's race, while Ottawa's Robin Clegg had to settle for 48th position after crossing the line three minutes 51.6 seconds off the leading pace. It was the end of an historic week for Canada's biathlon troops. Zina Kocher, who finished more than five minutes behind the leader on Sunday, kicked off the week winning the team's first World Cup bronze medal in nearly 12 years, while Clegg continued to work his way into top racing form with the best in the world."

"It was a brilliant start to the season for Norway's Ole Einar Bjoerndalen who made his way to the top step of the podium all three times he hit the start line. Bjoerndalen set the mark to beat at 34:33.23 in the men's pursuit. Russia's Dmitri Iaronchenko was on the Norwegian's tale for the second straight day, winning the silver medal after stopping the clock just 19.7 seconds behind Bjoerndalen. France's Raphael Poiree was third 29.2 seconds behind."

"Norway's Linda Grubben won the women's event in a time of 31:07.47. Sweden's Anna Carin Olofsson pleased the hometown crowd with a silver medal just 23.3 seconds behind the leader, while Poland's Magdalena Gwizdon rounded out the women's podium finishing third 59.7 seconds off the leading mark."

"Biathlon Canada, the governing body for biathlon in the country, oversees the Canadian Championships, Eastern and Western Canadian Championships, and North American Cups held in Canada. For more information on Biathlon Canada, please visit their Web site at www.biathloncanada.ca on the Internet."

For complete results visit www.biathlonworld.com.

11/21/2006
Alberta Government Steps Up Funding for Olympic Legacy

"The funding represents 25 per cent of the total $276 million cost of the Calgary Olympic Development Association's (CODA) proposed project. It also supports the Own the Podium program, which is designed to place Canada at the top of the medal standings for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver-Whistler."

"""If we want our athletes to be the best, we need to give them the best facilities to train and compete at,"" said Denis Ducharme, Minister of Community Development. ""This government made a commitment to continue Alberta's Olympic legacy so our next generation of athletes could reap the benefits. With our strong fiscal outlook, the province is now able to follow through on this commitment and be the first partner to contribute to CODA's vision of Alberta as a world leader in winter sport development."""

"CODA's project includes upgrades to existing facilities as well as a new athletic and ice complex, which will house Hockey Canada. The project will address natural building lifecycle pressures and major changes to sport training technology and international event hosting requirements. The project will also provide recreational opportunities to Albertans through the CODA venues."

"""The $69 million provided by the Alberta government towards the planned $276 million rejuvenation of our unique Winter Olympic legacy allows CODA to begin developing the first Centre of Sport Excellence in Canada,"" said Bob Nicolay, president and chief executive officer, CODA. ""The Alberta government just delivered more Olympic medals to Canada, and CODA is fully committed to raising the additional money required to give athletes the facilities and services required to be the best in the word."""

"The Alberta government has already shown its support to renew the 1988 Winter Olympic legacies by providing $25.6 million to renew the Canmore Nordic Centre and $600,000 to upgrade the ski jump facility at Canada Olympic Park. It also provided more than $91,000 to purchase new safety fencing at Nakiska Ski Resort to address the safety needs of high performance athletes training there."

"The funding commitment also supports the Alberta-British Columbia Memorandum of Understanding on the Sharing of Olympic Training and Competition Facilities. The agreement strengthens access to training and competition facilities and programs for athletes, coaches and officials in targeted summer and winter sports, as well as promoting sport tourism in each province."

11/21/2006
Canadian Nordic Skier Devon Kershaw Scores Historic Finish in Opening Race of World Cup Season

"The performance by the Sudbury, Ont. native marks the best-ever finish for a Canadian male in more than 10 years in a distance event as another chapter in the freshly cracked history book for the young 23-year-old Canuck. Following the 2006 Olympic Games, Kershaw began turning heads on the international circuit when he won Canada's first-ever medal in a World Cup sprint event, capturing the bronze."

"""This was such an awesome day for me,"" said Kershaw, who skated his way around the Swedish track in a time of 34 minutes 7.2 seconds. ""It was so tight today throughout the entire pack, and I just wanted to fight for ever second and focus on what I can control. I did it and I'm very happy with this early-season start."""

"Filled with energy and youthful enthusiasm for the sport and life, Kershaw has struggled to remain calm in races. But today, he kept his focus on little pieces of the race, and every stride, rather than getting worked up and thinking about the challenges he faced ahead in addition to racing against the best Nordic skiers in the world."

"""I'm not the most relaxed guy in the world so it is hard for me to calm down and focus on the moment, but I just chilled out and was able to put it all together,"" said Kershaw, who said he was aiming to break into the top-30 regularly. ""I know it's early, but I hope our team can carry some momentum from this result and continue to compete for the top."""

"The performance was definitely a breakthrough for Canada's most promising men's skier since Pierre Harvey. Known more for his sprinting and classic skiing skills, the result is proof Kershaw is evolving into an all-round skier."

"""I think Devon had a psychological barrier that he couldn't skate well in these races, but I think with his exceptional performance today he'll be able to get over that now,"" said Dave Wood, head coach, Canadian Cross Country Ski Team. ""He is in great shape, has been training very hard and is now applying himself effectively in all disciplines."""

"Kershaw was chasing the frontrunners, led by five-time Olympic gold medalist and biathlon specialist, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, of Norway, who blew away the cream of the crop on the World Cup with a stunning performance, crossing the line with a time of 33:05.6. Bjoerndalen's teammate, Tore Ruud Hofstad captured the silver medal with a time of 33:28.9, while Germany's Franz Goering rounded out the top-three at 33:35.8."

"George Grey, of Rossland, B.C., was the only other Canadian in the men's field, and finished 49th (34:07.2)."

"Two Canadians also suited up in the women's 10-kilometer skate race. Montreal's Dasha Gaiazova was the first maple leaf-clad female to cross the line, stopping the clock at 27:20.9 and 71st spot. Olympic gold medalist, Chandra Crawford, of Canmore, Alta., was in 82nd (27:59.5)."

"Katerina Neumannova, of the Czech Republic, dominated the women's race, destroying the field with a time of 24:17.9. Estonia's Kristina Smigun trailed in a distant second, nearly 25 seconds back at 24:42.8, while defending overall World Cup titleholder, Marit Bjoergen, of Norway, crossed the line third after a gutsy effort to post a time of 24:51.4."

For complete results: www.fis-ski.com.

"Top-5 Men: 1.Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, NOR, 33:05.6; 2. Tore Ruud Hofstad, NOR, 33:28.9; 3. Franz Goering, GER, 33:35.8; 4. Lukas Bauer, CZE, 33:38.6; 5. Lars Berger, NOR, 33:38.7."

"Top-5 Women: 1. Katerina Neumannova, CZE, 24:17.9; 2. Kristina Smigun, EST, 24:42.8; 3. Marit Bjoergen, NOR, 24:51.4; 4. Valentina Shevchenko, UKR, 24:54.8; 5. Vibeke Skofterud, NOR, 24:55.2."