Sunday, December 2, 2001
Canada going the right way on slippery slope to success
By ERIC FRANCIS -- Calgary Sun
LAKE LOUISE -- After five years in the making, this was the weekend Team Melanie turned into Team Canada.
While Melanie Turgeon's modest fourth- and ninth-place finishes proved once again she's Canada's greatest hope for glory, it was the surprising results of several younger Canadians that made the season-opening Winterstart World Cup such a success.
In a World Cup weekend that has generally embarrassed the Canadian women's ski team the last five years, several little-known skiers served notice Alpine Canada's revamped program is starting to pay dividends.
A day after little-known Anne-Marie Lefrancois finished 12th in the downhill to land a spot on the Olympic squad, Genevieve Simard capped things off with an 11th-place finish that shocked everyone as it came with her as the 63rd and final skier of the day.
"It's a new era," said Alpine Canada VP Athletics Joze Sparovec, who remembers well Lake Louise events that featured more Canadian DNFs than finishes.
"It's been hard work for the last five years. We had a vision we were going to develop a group of young skiers to get them to the World Cup level by 2002.
"Most of these girls have been together in the program for the last six years and right now it's like an avalanche -- one girl started and the rest will follow."
With the exception of Turgeon, who essentially trained alone for several years while the youngsters developed at various other levels, Sparovec expected this to be the year several others in the women's program would jump to the World Cup.
"The biggest surprise to me was Allison (Forsyth)," said Sparovec of the technical titan who started the season with second- and fourth-place giant slalom finishes.
"She started scoring on the World Cup a year sooner than I anticipated. Same with (injured Emily Brydon). This is the year we planned on other girls like Gen (Simard), Sara-Maude Boucher, Anne-Marie (Lefrancois) and some girls (on the B squad) like Britt Janyk, Anna Prchal and (C-member) Julie Langevin. They will do well, too. I can see that coming."
Of course, the fact the Canadian women's program now appears to have some depth is all new to a system that received a serious overhaul when the Podium Club sponsorship system was introduced to bolster funding on developing the country's best young skiers. It was then an increased emphasis was placed on the national junior and development team feeder system. As well, on off-season training program with the National Sports Centre in Calgary came to fruition.
Operating with a $3.6-million budget, which is roughly half of what most national programs spend, the Canadian team has managed to add several things it didn't have five years ago. Such support has come in the form of a team psychologist, full-time physiotherapist and better equipment and service, to mention a few.
The result is five women have already qualified for the Salt Lake Olympics, bringing the team total to 10, a larger number than each of the last two Games.
"The coaches have done a good job and, thanks to the sponsors, we have better programs than before because we were struggling in the past," said Sparovec.
Still limited by a budget raised 85% from the private sector, Sparovec said he'd ideally like to see the Canadian Alpine Ski Team (CAST) grow from 36 to 50 skiers.
"When you have a strong team, the younger ones excel much faster," said Sparovec. "When you have good role models at the top, it's easier. I think our youngsters will make it to the top much faster."
Forsyth agrees and was jacked about her squad.
"Since the Crazy Canucks, we couldn't have said we were one of the strong skiing powers of the world," she said. "We are now. On any given day, at least two or three of us can be on the podium and I don't think we could've said that in about the last 20 years."
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