Chantal Lefebvre and Arseniy Markov could soon get their chance to take on the world. The promising ice dance team, which represents the Minto Skating Club, has been limited to domestic competition while the Russian-born Markov awaits Canadian citizenship.
But Shae-Lynn Bourne, who assists Nikolai Morozov in coaching the duo, told the Sun the necessary paperwork could be finalized before the Canadian championships Jan. 17-23 in London, Ont.
"There's a very good possibility that could happen," said Bourne, a 10-time national champion and 2003 world champ with former partner Victor Kraatz.
"So many people see them training at our rink (in Newington, Conn.) and say 'why haven't we seen them (at international events), they're so good.' They don't understand why."
If the paperwork goes through before nationals, Lefebvre and Markov would be eligible to represent Canada at the Four Continents and world championships, if they qualify.
IMPRESSED OBSERVERS
The couple impressed many observers by finishing third in the senior ice dance competition at the 2004 Canadian championships in Edmonton.
"They were so new last year, but they made a real statement," said Bourne. "They're so fresh, and they have sort of a magic on ice. I'm anxious to see people's reactions to them this time (in London)."
HUNGARY FOR MORE: Looks like a third Olympic Games is in the game plan for Ottawa fencer Sherraine MacKay. And she'll make the quest for Beijing 2008 from a new home base. MacKay and her husband, Geordie, have relocated to Budapest after spending the last three years living and training in Paris. "I hope to be here until 2008," MacKay said in an e-mail. "I will see how it works out with my coach (Viktor Kulcsar) and the other girls, but I love Budapest and want to call it my home for the next four years." MacKay also reports she's finished the manuscript for her as-yet-untitled book about her fencing adventures and turned it in to her editors at Toronto publishing house Fitzhenry & Whiteside last week. The book is scheduled to be released in the spring. MacKay, who's been ranked as high as No. 2 in the world in women's epee, represented Canada at the Sydney (2000) and Athens Games.
ACCEPTING THE CHALLENGE: It's been a magical season so far for Gloucester Skating Club ice dancers Allie Hann-McCurdy and Michael Coreno. The most exciting step yet starts Thursday -- the Junior Grand Prix final in Helsinki. Hann-McCurdy and Coreno qualified for the elite event by winning two medals on the Junior GP circuit this fall ... For the first time, Skate Canada is holding its East and West Challenges at the same venue. The Canadian championship qualifier begins Thursday at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga. Also new to the event: The Code of Points scoring system, which makes its debut in Canadian domestic competition. It'll also be employed at senior nationals in London.
FURY BLANKED: There were no championships for the Ottawa Fury teams entered in the Super Y-League North American finals in Orlando, Fla. But all three sides were competitive throughout the tourney, which featured the top youth teams from across the continent. The under-17 boys and under-16 girls teams both posted 1-2-1 records, while the Under-17 girls went 1-3-0. None advanced out of pool play.
AROUND THE AMATEUR SCENE: Two Ottawa black belts from Lu's Taekwondo brought home gold medals from the Pan American Taekwondo Games held last weekend in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Li Ching Ko was tops in women's first-degree patterns, while Michael Gniazdowski captured the gold in men's first-degree middleweight patterns. He added a silver in sparring ... Olympian Mike Brown of Perth earned $19,090 in bonuses from Swimming Canada for his sixth-place finish and three Canadian records he set in the men's 200-metre breaststroke at the Athens Games. He also received $10,000 in additional funding from the Team Elite Program.
rob.brodie@ott.sunpub.com
