TURIN -- Has Canada's short track speed skating gravy train run dry?

The question is certainly relevant after a six-medal performance in Salt Lake City and four medals picked up in the Nagano Games of 1998.

There have been no medals to date for Canadian skaters and another challenge ahead in the women's 500 metres at Palavela today. The road in this sport is growing deeper and deeper, making it more difficult for Canadians to factor.

Three Canadian women -- Alanna Kraus of Calgary, Anouk Leblanc-Boucher of Montreal and Kalyna Roberge of Montreal -- are part of a 16-skater field which will whittle its way down in quarter-final and semi-final races today.

Roberge, 19, said she was nervous in her opening heats on Sunday.

"I was stressed," she said. "I was shaking a little at the starting line but I got over it."'

The opportunity to be on the podium won't be easy.

"We're ready," said Kraus, who won a relay medal in Salt Lake. "We're as prepared as we're going to be. We're primed and excited -- and we'll see what happens from there."

Of the three Canadians in the 500, perhaps Roberge has the best chance to end up with a medal.

She is the only team member to have earned the podium this World Cup season in the event. But it is short track, which means anything can happen, anyone can fall, almost anyone can win.