Thursday, November 8, 2001
Canuck men's alpine team aims to improve
By ANDREW SMITH -- Calgary Sun
Success breeds success. That is the way Canada's alpine ski team is approaching the new season.
A successful 2000-2001 season was followed with a fourth-place finish by Allison Forsyth in the season-opener two weeks ago in Soelden, Austria. Hopes are high this year will produce more podiums for the Canadians.
Both the women's and men's teams were introduced yesterday in Calgary. The feeling is this Olympic season could be a big one.
"Winning is huge for the team," said Emily Brydon of Fernie, B.C. "When Melanie (Turgeon) and Ally (Forsyth) got their first podiums last year, the good vibes and positive energy affected the whole team. Everybody felt: 'If they could do it, why can't I?' "
Brydon did do it, placing third in a World Cup downhill last December at St. Moritz, Switzerland. It was the first time the 21-year-old won a medal on the senior circuit, making her the third Canadian woman to do so last year.
Unfortunately, Brydon soon after suffered a knee injury that would sideline her for the rest of the season.
With her first trip to the Olympics approaching, Brydon believes big things are brewing for Canada and she hopes it starts in two weeks at the World Cup races in Lake Louise.
"To win on home turf ... I would love to do that for skiing in Canada," said Brydon. "It is just a case of putting it all together. Racing well on the flats as well as the turns."
Yesterday's introduction was a team affair, including developmental and members of the disabled ski team.
The Canadians have been working as a team all summer, logging more than 60 days on snow while the rest of the country was soaking up sun.
That atmosphere helped push the team in training and it is something that should also push them in competition.
"The big thing about already having success is that the pressure is off," said Forsyth, who has three World Cup podium finishes in the last two seasons. "Things are a little lighter around the team with one good result under our belt.
"In a sports group where the team is so big, where we have so much staff and coaches, everyone feels the pressure.
"Good results mean the pressure is off."
On the men's side, the pressure is a little more intense after what they deemed a poor 2000-2001 season.
Led by Edi Podivinski and Thomas Grandi, the new year brings new hope to a team that has been left in the women's tracks. Calgary's Darin McBeath feels the men have some catching up to do.
"The focus is usually on the men but the women had an amazing season last year and are poised for another," said McBeath, whose best finish last year was a 15th place finish at Beaver Creek, Colo.
"We had a disappointing season but that should motivate us."
The men will not race in Lake Louise this year, a fact that disappoints McBeath.
With so few races in Canada, the chance to be successful on home turf is one the team looks forward to.
Instead, he and his mates have to hope they can turn it up a notch somewhere along the line, either in World Cup or Olympic competition.
"I wake up every Saturday with the goal of winning a race, whether it's World Cup or the Olympics," said McBeath. "I don't want my career to be based on one race. There is a full World Cup season out there, the Olympics are just the highlight."
With goals of improving the entire team's season results and placing two athletes on the Olympic podium, Alpine Canada has set what they see as modest but attainable goals for the new year.
2002 Games Alpine Skiing Coverage
