Monday, January 14, 2002
Crossing into the unknown
Strong Canadian nordic skiiers aiming for breakthrough medals at Salt Lake
By CAMERON MAXWELL -- Calgary Sun
Six Canadians are set to wax up their boards and do what no Canuck has ever done: Win an Olympic medal in cross-country skiing.
And based on recent results, the team heading to Salt Lake City next month is the strongest Canadian contingent ever to compete in the gruelling nordic events that will be played out Feb. 9-24.
Led by Vermilion, Alta.'s Beckie Scott, who has two World Cup podiums this season, the team will also consist of Edmonton's Fortier sisters, Jaime and Amanda, New Brunswick's Milaine Theriault, Canmore's Sara Renner and Montrealer Donald Farley.
Scott has the best chance of the group to medal individually and said she's not feeling any external pressure.
"Right now, I don't feel a lot of pressure coming from the outside. If there is pressure, it's coming from myself to race really well," said the 27-year-old, who will compete at Salt Lake in the 10-km, 5-km pursuit, 1.5-km sprint and 4x5-km relay.
Scott said she and the rest of her teammates have high expectations.
"Everyone is going to be looking for some really good results at these Olympics," Scott said.
Perhaps the biggest factor in the minds of the Canadians is the belief they can succeed and compete with perennial cross-country medal powerhouses from Norway, Sweden and Russia.
"We're a prepared team and we're a confident team. We've grown a lot as athletes and individuals and we expect a lot out of ourselves," said Renner, who helped the relay team to a stunning second-place finish in the 2001 World Cup at Soldier Hollow, where the Olympic nordic events will be held outside Salt Lake.
Renner will likely compete in the 10-km, 1.5-km sprint and may race in the 5-km pursuit and the 4x5km relay.
And Renner, 25, says the fact no Canadian has ever won an Olympic medal in cross-country is a big source of inspiration for the team members.
"We're really motivated because it's never been done before and we've never been viewed as a nordic powerhouse, so we're the darkhorses in nordic skiing by a longshot," she said.
"So I see it as an opportunity ... it's perfect for us and we're prepared to do well and it's a chance to shine."
Canada's cross-country coach, Dave Wood, said he believes the team will indeed shine.
"I feel (medals) are a possibility and it's not just speculation. Beckie's done well in the World Cup, and while world championships and the Olympics are talked about, the World Cup is harder because there's more people you've got to knock off to get good results," said Wood, who has coached the senior team since 1998.
Canada's previous best Olympic result in cross-country women's competition was a seventh place for Sharon Firth, Shirley Firth, Sue Holloway and Joan Groothuysen in the 4x5-km relay at the 1976 Games in Innsbruck, Austria.
On the men's side, Pierre Harvey, Yves Bilodeau, Dennis Lawrence and Al Pilcher were ninth in the 4x10-km relay in 1988 in Calgary.
2002 Games Nordic Combined Coverage
