Sport Shorts: Gough, Lamoureux, Ski Cross Pace the Weekend
Alex Gough: The Calgary native has, this season, turned into Canada’s premier medal contender in luge. On Sunday, in Cesana, Italy, Gough registered her second fourth-place result this season at a World Cup. Earlier this season, she posted a 6th-place result. The world has stood up and taken notice. On the men’s side, Sam Edney (Calgary) finished 7th, another impressive result for Edney this season. Jeff Christie (Calgary) was 20th.
Justin Lamoureux: Snowboarder Lamoureux (Ottawa) won silver at a World Cup in Calgary on Saturday in halfpipe. What a time to get hot and grab his best-ever result, just two weeks before the Olympic Winter Games begin.
All ski cross racers: It’s hard to pick one name when five Canadians capture medals at the Winter X Games in Aspen on Sunday. The ski cross team is proving to be very deep and really picking up speed toward the Games. Three Canadian men swept the podium with Chris Del Bosco (Sudbury, Ont.) first, Dave Duncan (London, Ont.) second and Brady Leman (Calgary) third. The women were strong as well, with Ashleigh McIvor (Whistler) finishing second and Kelsey Serwa (Kelowna, B.C.) third. Leman is the only athlete here who didn’t make the Olympic cut for 2010.
Michael Janyk: The male half of the sister-brother alpine combination (with Britt) finished 10th in slalom on Sunday at a World Cup in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. Janyk (Whistler) is ranked 10th overall in slalom now, with five top-10 finishes this season. Janyk and his technical skiing teammates will head home to train at the national centre in Nakiska, Alberta to prepare for the Olympic Winter Games.
Emily Brydon: On Sunday, the Fernie, B.C. native skied to ninth place in super-G at a World Cup in St. Moritz, Switzerland. She is ranked No. 22 in the world in super-G. Shona Rubens (Canmore, Alta.) had a career-best super-G finish of 18th.
Alpine Additions: Alpine Canada managed to nominate a full team of 22 skiers – the maximum allowed – for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Late last week, three more skiers were added to the Olympic team: Georgia Simmerling (West Vancouver), Marie-Pier Préfontaine (Saint-Sauveur, Que.) and Patrick Biggs (Orleans, Ont.).
