Calgary Herald from Calgary, Alberta, Canada • 10

Jan. 9, 1987 F3 proper pace becomes a critical race factor CALGARY HERALD I ipil II 1 I i- nil mi nun in A rf i (if I yourself. If you start too fast you may lose too much time later on," said Harvey, of St. Lam-bert-de-Levis, Que. The importance of pacing was obvious in a demonstration relay race at Canada Olympic Park Wednesday night.

Harvey and teammate Al Pilcher, of Orange-ville, Ont, started out strongly in the 30-minute event. Harvey posted some of the fastest lap times on the 800-metre track and had a strong finish, but the less-experienced Pilcher pushed himself too hard in the early stages, faded late in the race and the Canadians slipped from second to fourth place behind the Swiss, Soviets, and Norwegians. Marie-Andree Masson, of Vic-toriaville, who also skied one of the fastest laps Wednesday said mental preparation and steady concentration are essential in top-calibre racing. "We work with a psychologist. If I'm doing my own race rather than worrying about splits (time differences during the race), that's when I do my best," said the 23-year-old.

By Bruce Patterson (Herald staff writer) Cross-country racers are among the best conditioned athletes for any sport but it takes more than strength and endurance to win a World Cup event. More than 100 skiers from 11 countries have tested the Can-more Nordic Centre trails this week to get the right combination of high-tech equipment, wax, and strategy for the Coors World Cup Cross-Country races Saturday and Sunday. Skiers and technicians are doing time trials on downhill and uphill stretches to choose from among up to 12 different models of skis and an infinite blend of waxes. It's a tricky job, particu-lary with the mixture of artificial and natural snow on the Can-more trails. Pierre Harvey, Canada's best hope against the tough Swedes, Soviets, Finns, and Swiss, is painstakingly going over the men's 15-kilometre course half a dozen times to develop his own game plan.

"After five kilometres there is a long uphill. You have to pace Bill Herriot, Calgary Herald Despite two wins, world champ Ed Lukowich wasn't satisfied with his own game Luke's on right track "You think about speed. You start to feel pain but you think if it hurts for me, it hurts for them too. It's a 30 minute race and you have to keep concentrating so you don't lose a second." The chess-like moves of athletes and coaches go far beyond a single event. Norwegian coach Harald Sol-vik explained why the top racers from his country, including the two leaders in the women's World Cup standings, are skipping the Canmore races.

"Some were sick. They've been competing for many weeks and the stay here was so long." He added that the timing of the event isn't good for the Norwegians. They have their national championships next week to select the team they send to the World Championships, Feb. 12-21 in West Germany. Solvik predicted the Swedes will dominate the men's and women's events in Canmore with strong showings by the Soviets and Swiss.

Brian Oh, manager of the Korean team, has an entirely different strategy. His skiers are using the World Cup circuit where they are in the lower ranks to prepare for competition in Asia where they are among the best. "Our goal is for the gold at the Asian games. We will beat Japan," he said. The Koreans have enlisted the aid of American coaches who have to use translators to talk to their team members and they are showing steady progress.

They are focussing almost entirely on the new skating technique and will have some serious problems sticking to the diagonal stride required in Saturday's individual races. WORLD CUP NOTEBOOK: Race organizers have compiled a list of favorite cheers for each of the countries. Fans who are interested in some multilingual efforts this weekend can try LOS LOS (Austria), DO TO HO (Czechoslovakia), HOO VA (Finland), GAN BA RAY (Japan), KO RE A (Korea), HI YA (Norway and Sweden), DA VIE (Soviet Union), LOS LOS (Switzerland), and, of course GO GO GO (Canada and the United States) with ALLEZ ALLEZ for the French Canadians Swiss skiers who won Wednesday night's relay race bypassed various Olympic souvenirs when they were given the pick of the prize table and took the live album package by Bruce Springsteen Marie Dyer, who organized the demonstration race at Canada Olympic Park said the idea is similar to promotional events in Europe where city streets are sometimes covered with snow to set up a temporary course. By Murray Rauw (Herald staff writer) Perhaps the world champions are ready to get serious about defending their title. It hasn't been a vintage Ed Lukowich curling season, but when the real defence of the title started Thursday, it was straight to the 'A' Event, a place the team has learned to call home.

Lukowich started the City Men's Playdowns with a pair of wins, including a 7-6 triumph over. Percy Dumba, the last skip to beat him in the city showcase. Lukowich followed with a 9-2 romp over Darell Smith at the Acadia Recreational Complex to move into the eights of his half of the 'A' Event. Still Lukowich wasn't satisfied. "I think the team is starting to play pretty well but I played two poor games," he said before hustling over to the Saddledome to watch his brother, Morris, perform with Los Angeles Kings.

Lukowich doesn't have to be reminded that Labatt Brier champions have had trouble rebounding with another good year. Of the Canadian champs in the 1980s, only Ed Werenich made it back to the Brier to defend his title. Werenich won in 1983 and lost the nationally televised final in 1984 to Manitoba's Mike Riley. Not only that, Rick Folk (1980), Kerry Burtnyk (1981), Al Hackner ('82 and '85) and Riley were all eliminated early on the playdowns' trail the year following their breakthroughs. With the demands of being the world champions taking precedence, Lukowich's rink of third John Ferguson, second Neil Houston and lead Brent Syme has had to alter its routine this fall.

But even in the bonspiels where they've always played, they haven't done as well, prompting questions about burnout. "We have the same attitude as last year although we haven't been in the groove," said Lukowich. "We are struggling. We've lost the final in two Calgary 'spiels. We lost a final in Bern (Switzerland) and we qualified from the 'A' in Saskatoon.

So we've won some games to get that far. "With the rest of the team playing well today I think it's now a case of getting myself together. I feel confident I can do it." Lukowich last lost in the City's in 1984 when Dumba dropped him to the 'C Event at the Wes-twinds. That set up the memorable game against George Tucker, which Lukowich narrowly won, starting the 11-game streak he's on. Actually opening-day produced few upsets at the Big Four or Acadia.

Of the four city qualifiers from 1986 returning for another try, only Gord Vejprava lost his first game. Lukowich, George Fink and Brian Rosa all won twice. Gary Marks and Ron Kelly, who won berths last year, are not playing this year. Marks' surprising withdrawl came earlier this week. His rink, has landed with Lyle Davis in Zone 1, while Marks is nowhere to be seen.

Another skip winning twice yesterday was Nick Bauer, who has had troubles in the city ever since winnning a berth in 1982. "It would be nice to get out of the city again," agreed Bauer, "not only for for myself, but also for a guy like my third Jim McCool. It would be nice to teach him a thing or two about something other than fastball." McCool is well known as a senior fastball player and coach in Calgary. But he is new to the Bauer rink and has never won a zone crest in curling. yqj' 1 1 1 New system applauded Dean Bicknell, Calgary Herald These Finns are right in step in cross-country prep ra, who upset Judy Pendergast in the opening draw, moved into the quarterfinals by beating Shari Demmon of SAIT 7-4.

Four rinks, Trellis Smith, Shirley McLeod, Wendy Conn and Carol Davis advanced to the quarterfinals Wednesday, while Jill Ferguson was scheduled to play Darlene Schantz and Sherry Fiarclough was to meet Judy Erickson to decide the others. Turner doesn't want her statements to be interpreted as a claim she has the strongest rink in Alberta although she has enormous faith in third Linda Saunders, second Darlene Tucker and lead Debby Mazuren. She has something to prove as well. "Now we're bound to get our strongest representative out of the province. You have a chance to come back and win without counting on someone else." She's off to a good start in the playdowns.

On Thursday at Huntington Hills, she dumped Sheila Heath 9-6 to advance to the eights of the city women's playdowns. She stole five in the sixth end against Heath to seal the win. Turner had started the playdowns with a 7-5 victory over Terry Loschuk. Also making the eights in Thursday's early draw was newcomer Renee Hagara and her rink from the Westwinds. Haga The old format produced plenty of heartbreak for Sandy Turner's rink.

So now that women's curling has restructured the way it selects its provincial champion, Turner's determined to give it a try. This year, three teams will go to the provincials from the South, as the women's final takes on the same shape as the draw used by the men. Turner is delighted to see the end of the round-robin final. "In the round-robin, one bad break and you may not have another life," said Turner, recalling the three times she was runner-up under the antiquated system. Graham, Percy chase Swiss Rob Boyd, of Whistler B.C., an upset winner at Val Gardena, Italy, in December, was third-best Canadian on both runs, placing 21st and 22nd.

Other Canadian results were: Donald Stevens of Rossland, B.C., 29th and 52nd; Daniel Moar of Vancouver, 47th and 57th, Michael Carney of Squa-mish, B.C., 59th and 44th; Robbie Bosinger of Banff, 65th and 63rd; Ralph Socher, of Fernie, B.C., 71st and 68th; and Chris Mclver of Rossland B.C., 77th and 74th. B.C., 42nd in Lucie LaRoche, 18, of Quebec Citv, 43rd in and Kellie Casey, 21, of Collingwood, 61st in 2:22.34. In the second training, other Canadian results were: Savijarvi, 17th in Percv, 21st in Lee, 40th in Stemmle, 44thin Casey, 46th in and LaRoche, 52nd in 2:16.91. Meanwhile, in Garmisch-Par-tenkirchen. West Germany, Karl Alpiger placed first in two timed runs as the powerful Swiss team dominated the first day of training for Saturday's World Cup downhill race.

Felix Belczyk of Castlegar, B.C., was the top Canadian with a fifth-place finish in the second run and a 12th-place in the first. Veteran Todd Brooker of Paris, led the 10-man Canadian team in the first run with an llth-place finish. (Canadian Press) Switzerland's Michela Figini and Erika Hess won the first two training runs Thursday for Saturday's women's World Cup downhill ski race in Mellau, Austria. Hess, who led a Swiss sweep of the top three places in the second run, had the day's fastest training time two minutes 11.07 seconds. Laurie Graham had the top result of the day for Canada, finishing tied for 14th in the second run with a time of 2:13.33.

Karen Percy, 20, of Banff, was the fastest Canadian in the first training run, finishing 16th in a time of 2:14.82. Figini clocked the fastest time of 2:12.11. Other Canadian results in the first run were: Liisa Savijarvi, 23, of Bracebridge, 23rd in Karen Stemmle, 22, of Aurora, 28th in Kerrin Lee, 20, of Rossland, CALGARY CURLING CLUB 100th Anniversary 1988 Requires photos, articles and artifacts for 100th yearbook Please send to c.c.c. 720 3 St. N.W.

Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N9 For additional information, contact lan Maddock at (403) 283-8381 All originals returned. SKI ALBERTA FREESTYLE January 10 11 Canada, Olympic Park, Calgary Watch Aiberta's young, amateur freestyle skiers compete in trie ballet and aerial events at Alpha Ski Alberta Freestyle Series meets The Alpha F'eestyle is sponsored fcy the Alpha Milk Corp cany and coordinated by the Freestyle Ccmmifee of the Canadian Ski Association. Calgary Centre Inn 202 4th Ave. S.W. BOB DUNCANSON Lynn Wood, President of Lynn Wood Chev Olds, is pleased to announce the appointment of Bob Duncanson as a Salesperson.

Please feel free to call Bob regarding any of your automotive needs. 262-7091 OPENS AT 10:30 a.m. CASINO NOON TO MIDNIGHT Protest is upheld FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) If their final semifinal race is any indication, the America's Cup defender final between Australia IV and Kookaburra III should be quite a series. Both boats had already secured their berth in the best-of-nine defender final which begins Jan. 14.

but Wednesday's race, won by Australia IV, was later awarded to Kookaburra III when a protest jury disqualified Australia IV after a collision between the 12-metre yachts. As soon as Kookaburra III reached the pier, it filed the protest a procedure which has become almost common in this series. Australia IV now has lost four races through disqualification in the series that has seen 43 protests filed. With the disqualification. Kookaburra III finished first with 83 points.

Australia IV, skippered by Colin Beashel and run by Alan Bond's syndicate, which won the Cup in 1983. ending the United States' 132-year reign, was second with 77. while Kookaburra II finished third, just out of the running with 70. There was an outside chance that Kookaburra II would be moved into the final on the basis of a protest finding against Australia IV. Murray said Kookaburra II was appealing the ruling that found Australia IV did not rig a balloon jib illegally in the photo finish race Tuesday that won her a final berth.

The international protest jury cleared the jib. called a gennaker. after a seven-hour hearng. Aberta Division. BLiCKIACK-ROULETTE Support our young Alberta freestyle skiers.

They're giving their best! Ipha Guaranteed Goodness Januarys 10, 12, 13, 14. 15 Hallanic Greek Orthodoi Community of Calgary and Dittrtct Oowchitd Twin Arana 1924 -16 Ave. N.E. 250-9383 ixxnnarn na. iaj Lurttpq Aoc..