Friday, January 11, 2002
Marcoux, Marcotte see stock rising
By ROB BRODIE -- Ottawa Sun
HAMILTON -- As a teenager toiling on her own at rinks on both sides of the Ottawa River, Valerie Marcoux never lost sight of her dream.
Never gave up on the hope that she'd be a pairs skater someday. Soaring high above a trusted partner's grasp, the Winter Olympics within their reach.
The Gatineau native glided onto the ice last night at Copps Coliseum as one of Canada's best hopes -- along with partner Bruno Marcotte -- to represent the country in pairs skating at the Salt Lake Olympics.
It is all so very real now.
"We've been talking about it since last spring," said Marcoux, 21, about Salt Lake, where she and Marcotte will be in a few short weeks if they finish in the top three this week.
"We can't wait for it to happen."
While world champions Jamie Sale and David Pelletier will win the senior pairs competition in a walk at Canadians, the next two Olympic spots are up for grabs among four teams.
Everything will be decided by the conclusion of tonight's free skate final. The short programs were skated last night.
Marcoux and Marcotte, 27, of Beloeil, Que., who were fourth at last year's nationals in Winnipeg are in the Salt Lake mix. But they know the road to the Olympics leads through the Steel City, and Marcoux said the focus has to stay on this week's competition .
For Marcoux, whose first fling as a pairs skater at age 12 was only brief, this whole ride has been wild, and then some. She spent her teen years training at the Minto Skating Club and her home club in Gatineau (now Patinage Gatineau), and won a novice women's silver medal at the 1996 nationals in Ottawa.
That was as good as it got for her in singles skating. All the while, pairs skating stayed in her mind.
The right match came in August 2000, when coach Paul Wirtz teamed her up with Marcotte. They won their first senior international competition together (the 2000 Nebelhorn Trophy in Germany), and fell one step short of the podium at last year's Canadians.
In the junior women's event yesterday, Ashton Tessier of Minto placed eighth in the short program. Nepean's Ashley Holmes wound up 19th.
2002 Games Figure Skating Coverage
