The Vancouver Sun from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada • 32

4. THE VANCOUVER SUN, MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2005 SPORTS Top of the (water) world snowboarding i Canadians complete best championships ever with five medals JEST BY GARY KINGSTON VANCOUVER SUN WINTER SPORTS NOTEBOOK Wotherspoon wins gold KEARNS, Utah Jeremy Wotherspoon of Red Deer, won gold in the 500 metres and finished second overall Sunday at the long track speed skating world sprint championships. Erben Wennemars of the Netherlands successfully defended his overall title, compiling 137.310 points over the four races this weekend. Wennemars took the title by winning gold in the 1,000 metres in the final pairing of the day against Wotherspoon, who was eighth. The 28-year-old Canadian, a four-time world sprint champion, ended second for the second straight year at 137.820.

Joey Cheek of the United States was third at 137.975. American Jennifer Rodriguez claimed the women's overall title, becoming the first U.S. skater in nine years to win the event. Rodriguez set her second straight personal best in the 500 metres Sunday and was the fastest skater in the 1,000 metres to finish with 150.015 points and the first world sprint title by an American since Chris Witty won in 1996. Anzhellka Kotyuga of Belarus, second to Rodriguez in Sunday's 1,000, was second with 150.415 points, followed by Sabine Volker of Germany (150.425).

The event is decided by points, which are a combination of the times for two days of 500-metre races and each 1,000 race time divided by 2. Cindy Klassen of Winnipeg was eighth overall after capturing a bronze in the 1,000, while Shannon Rempel of Winnipeg was 12th overall and Krisy Myers of Lloydminster, was 26th. WHISTLER Canadian snowboard team members climbed in their canoes and paddled out of Whetler Lake, er Whistler Mountain, on Sunday with bragging rights as the world's No, 1 nation. The unexpected opportunity to say those words was enough to leave Martin Jensen, the Canadian Snowboard Federation's high-performance director, temporarily tongue-tied. With a silver by Justin Lam-oureux of Whistler in men's half-pipe under the lights and sometimes heavy rain of Saturday night Canada finished with five medals at the soggy, nine-day FIS world championships.

That was the same total as Austria, but the high-flyin' and gate rippin' Canadians counted two golds to the Austrians' one. "I think one of the most notable things from this world championships is not only that we are the No. 1 nation in the world for snowboarding, is that um where was I going with that said a laughing Jensen as he waited for the half-pipe award ceremonies. "I just got so excited by saying that." Canada was shut out at the first three FIS world championships in 1996, 1997 and 1999, took home a gold and bronze in 2001 and a bronze in 2003. On home turf it almost did become dirt and grass this week after days of relentless rain and at a mountain resort considered the mecca of snowboarding, the Canadians slipped on their snorkels and fins and shone.

It started a week ago Sunday with silver and bronze by Francois Boivin of Jonquiere, and Maelle Ricker of Whistler, respectively, in men's and women's snowboard cross. Then veteran Jasey-Jay Anderson of Mont Tremblant, swept gold in men's parallel giant slalom and parallel slalom on his new high-tech boards. Lamoureux's silver made it a medal in every event but the non-Olympic discipline of Big Air. But it was more than medals around necks that left Jensen so buoyed. After he collected his thoughts, he said: "It wasn't just the medals we got, but the number of top 10s we had.

We had a lot of potential podi- BONNY MAKAREWICZSPECIAL TO VANCOUVER SUN Canada's Justin Lamoureux wears a smile and a silver medal after pulling off a second place In Saturday's half-pipe. the-back expectations in 2010 after five years of being bombarded with the 35-medal mantra from the COC's Own the Podium program. Fortunately, the program is being structured to give Canadian athletes more high-tech and human performance support than ever before. "We have to support them through the earthquake of pressure you get in the Olympic environment," said Mclllfaterick. While organizers here lamented Mother Nature's week-long fury, Mclllfaterick said the rain was a blessing in disguise for the athletes.

"They've had to deal with the adversity, they've had to find out how to mentally block that," he said. "The weather affects everybody. The winners are the ones that can put that aside, focus on the course in front of them." Lipscomb and Lamoureux did that Saturday. The 28-year-old Lamoureux scored 44.6 um athletes they're going to fight to get on the Olympic podium in Torino in 2006." In the men's half-pipe, Crispin Lipscomb of Whistler was ninth and Hugo Lemay of Beauport, 13th. No Canadians qualified for the eight-boarder women's final, but Whistlerites Mercedes Nicoll, Dominque Vallee and Ricker were 10th, 11th and 12th, respectively, and rookie injury-fill in Anne-Marie Gauthier of Quebec City was 16th.

"Three men in the top 16, which means they're all eligible for financial carding from the federal government and all four girls," said delighted Canadian half-pipe coach Tom Hutchison. "The freestyle team started coming together last year. They were kind of raw at the beginning, but over the year, they've really pushed each other." In men's snowboard cross, Tom Velisek of Vernon and Anderson were sixth and 10th, while Dominique Maltais of Montreal was fourth in the women's event. Canada also got a breakthrough performance in men's parallel slalom from Quebecer Philippe Berube, who made it through qualifying to the round of 16 heats for the first time in his young career. "We're strongly encouraged," said Tom Mclllfaterick, the snowboard federation's CEO.

"We've performed at or above expectations. We've shown depth in all the disciplines. To me it's a real sign that our program is starting to come together." Mclllfaterick knows, however, there is still a long way to go to ensure Olympic glory, not only in Italy next year but at Vancouver-Whistler in 2010. He was with the Canadian freestyle team when it bombed at Nagano in 1998 despite a brilliant 1997 season. And he knows the snowboard team wilted under pressure at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City.

Just imagine the piano-on- points on his first of two runs in the final to finish behind Finland's Antti Autti, who had also won gold in Friday's Big Air. "Me and Justin loved it," said Lipscomb of the conditions. "This is what we play in, train in, live in. Everyone else is bummed and angry, we're just laughing. We're not made out of paper.

We can get wet," A "stoked" Lamoureux said everything went right on his silver-medal run. "The switch backside air off the top went super good, to a really good Haakon frontside nine hun- dred. Stomped it clean. McTwist. Again, stomped it clean.

Then frontside seven hundred out the bottom." And you thought picking out figure skating's triple Lutz and double salchow was tough? "This is awesome," said Lamoureux of Canada's medal count. "We wanted to give the home crowd a show." It was a show that left the boss almost speechless. Kelowna's Scott slides into Hearts Upsets abound Former world junior champ earns extra-end victory over Prince George's Patti Knezevic 111 mCIl 's playdowns Peachey, Ryan fail to qualify for provincials BY LYNDON LITTLE VANCOUVER SUN BY LYNDON LITTLE VANCOUVER SUN Silver for Lueders Plene Lueders of Edmonton captured a silver medal while Martin Armen of Switzerland won his second straight World Cup bobsled event Sunday on the new track to be used for the 2006 Turin Olympics. Lueders and his crew of Morgen Alexander of Calgary, Ken Kotyk of Canora, and Lascelles Brown of Calgary finished in 1:51,57. They posted the fastest second run of the day with a time of 55.86.

It's the second consecutive four-man medal for the Canadian team. "It was another great day for us with good consistent runs," said Lueders, who also won a silver medal with Brown in the two-man event on Saturday. "It's always important to get onto the podium, but this is the only competitive race we'll have on this track before the Games, so it was good to have some success here for sure." Zurek wins slopestyle Natasza Zurek of Vancouver won the women's slopestyle competition Sunday at the European Open snowboard event. The 26-year-old picked up 460 points to beat Merl Peltonen of Finland, who was second with 428.0. Cheryl Maas of the Netherlands was third at 378.0.

Pranger tops slalom Austria's Manfred Pranger won a slalom race Sunday for his first World Cup victory, while countryman Mario Matt was the runner-up. Thomas Grandi of Canmore, was fifth for his best slalom finish of the season. Croatia's Ivica Kostelic prevented an Austrian sweep by finishing third, 0.24 back. Hell on podium Jennifer Hell of Montreal stepped on the podium for third time in four races this season winning the silver medal Saturday in the women's dual moguls event at a World Cup freestyle skiing competition.Olympic champion Karl Traa of Norway defeated Heil in the final to take the gold. Jillian Vogtli beat Laurel Stanley in an all-American battle for the bronze.

"I brought my mogul skiing to a new level today," said Heil, who trailed Traa the entire final. "I don't think I had ever skied as fast as I did in the final." Stephanie St-Pierre of Victoriaville, was 12th, Sylvia Kerfoot of Vancouver was 16th, Jennifer Simm of Prince George was 17th, Krlstl Richards of Summerland was 18th and Ellsa Kurytowta of Manotick, finished 19th. In men's dual moguls, Nathan Roberts of the U.S., defeated compatriot Travis Mayer In the final. Rusian Shartfulln of Russia was third. Tough day for Canadians Anja Paerson of Sweden won her first World Cup slalom of an up-and-down season at Maribor Sunday, while Finnish rival Tanja Poutiainen took third to seal the overall discipline title.

It was a tough day for Canadians as Brltt Janyk of Whistler and Brigitte Acton of Mont-Tremblant, encountered difficulties completing the course. Janyk fell during her second run, hitting the base of a gate with her forearm. Acton also failed to finish the first run. Sun news services STUART DAVISVANCOUVER SUN Kelowna skip Kelly Scott yells during her match against Patti Knezevic. 2001 B.C.

winner Dean Joanisse of Victoria and Wes Craig of Kerry Park. Pierce beat clubmate Al Roemer 6-5 to take the event. Joanisse won the title with an 8-5 triumph over McAulay while Craig won the second berth with a 7-1 triumph over Roemer. Craig will be the only repeat Coast skip from last year's provincials in Nanaimo, although Ken Maskiewich, a Coast qualifier last season, is now throwing third rocks for McAulay. Joining Horning in earning Interior berths to Smithers were Bob Ursel and Bert Gretzinger of Kelowna and Tom Buchy of Kimberly.

Ursel won the event 5-4 over Brian Windsor of Kamloops, Buchy topped Windsor 7-2 in the qualifier and Gretzinger edged Windsor 5-4 for the second berth. Ursel and Horning are repeat Interior qualifiers from 2003 04. Ryan and Peachey both have spots in this fall's Olympic trials in Halifax. "I thought we played really well this weekend," said Peachey. "I feel we're quite a bit better team than we were a year ago.

But the guys we were playing against played absolutely outstanding. We got beat by three teams playing their absolute best." WICK ROLLS: The winner of the provincials in Smithers will represent B.C. in the Brier March 5-13 in Edmonton. Kelly Scott is finally going to the Scott. When she won the world junior title back in 1995 as Kelly MacKenzie you couldn't have blamed the Winnipeg teenager for feeling it wouldn't be long before she was competing with all the other top female curlers for a Canadian ladies title.

But Saturday afternoon at the Mar-pole Club a full decade after her junior triumph Scott at last qualified for the national Scott Tournament of Hearts when she and her teammates from the Kelowna Curling Club won the B.C. title with a 7-6 extra-end victory over Patti Knezevic of Prince George. With their victory in the provincials the Scott team advances to wear B.C. colours at this year's Canadian women's championships Feb, 19-27 in St. John's, Nfld.

B.C. hasn't won the national women's title since Kelley Law brought home both Canadian and world crowns in 2000. "I think right now we're just enjoying the moment and saying, 'All right we won the said a delighted Scott. "The bigger picture hasn't really kicked in yet." The 27-year-old Scott relocated with her family to the Okanagan from Manitoba in the late 1990s. She's been knocking on the door for a B.C.

title for several years, reaching the provincials for the first time in 2001. Last year, she make it to the championship game against Georgina Wheatcroft before losing in an extra end. "The difference is this time we had the hammer in the extra end," said Scott. Knezevic had her chance to win it if she could have managed a deuce in the 10th, but a missed takeout and a failed freeze attempt squelched that bid. Instead, the Prince George rink had to settle for a single point and a 6-6 tie, sending game to the 11th.

On the extra end, Scott coolly drew the four-foot with her final stone for the victory. CHILLIWACK- A couple of the biggest names in B.C. men's curling took their lumps this past weekend. At the Coast championships at the Chilliwack Curling Club defending provincial men's champion Jay Peachey of Royal City third in the Brier last year failed to earn one of the four Coast berths to this year's provincials Feb. 3-6 in Smithers.

Meantime, at the Interior championships in Trail, Kelowna's Pat Ryan, the B.C. champion in both 2002 and 2003 and a two-time world champ, was unable to secure one of the four Interior berths in the Smithers field. The 49-year-old Ryan, who won the worlds in 1989 and '94, was beaten 9-7 in a event qualifier Sunday by his former vice skip Deane Horning, who hit his ex-teammate with a four in the seventh end. B.C. was guaranteed a new men's champion when Peachey was bounced from the event Sunday afternoon by Dale Hockley of the host club.

Hockley went on to play for a Smither's berth against 2000 world champion Greg McAulay. McAulay, of Richmond, won the berth by default when Hockley and his rink ran out of time in the 10th end. Joining McAulay in earning Coast berths were his former 2000 teammate Brent Pierce of Royal City, Carter with her from her '95 team. "The ranks of ladies curling in Canada, what with the Olympics and all, is just getting tougher and tougher." Although Scott has had the dominant women's team in B.C. this season earning a coveted Olympic trials berth in December the year hasn't been without its challenges.

The team knew last summer that, by this time of the season, they would be missing regular third Jeanna Richards, who is expecting her first child. So they recruited Michelle Allen of Victoria as a fifth player. "It's our first tournament together with Michelle and she stepped up to the challenge," says Scott of Allen, who curled in the 1999 Canadian championships with Sanders. "She's a true competitor and she played so great for us." WICKS ROLLS: Next year's women's provincials will be in Williams Lake With Wheatcroft unable to successfully defend her title, it's now been more than two decades since a skip has been able to win back-to-back B.C. women's crowns.

"Whether you have the hammer or not it's still going to come down to a shot made or a shot missed," said Scott. "When I knew she was going to force me to draw with my last rock I started going through my draw weight. It had been a while since I'd thrown a draw, but when I came to throw I had already rehearsed it and I went and did it." "I feel we played a great game," said Knezevic, brushing away a tear. "When you come down to it, she made her shot to win it and she deserved it." Knezevic was bidding to become the first Prince George skip to win the B.C. women's crown since Diane Dalio in 1994.

Her team came into this year's tourney with no coach and a 1-13 record over the past two provincials. Yet they finished second in the round robin and then hammered Pat Sanders of Duncan 12-4 in Friday's semi-final. Scott admits she probably didn't realize back in '95 it would take so long after her world junior win to make it to the national Scott. "We've learned so much in those years," says Scott, who still has Sash'a.