‘Still in the running’
Campbell competing for berth on Team Canada for Winter Olympics
There is a lot at stake for Carsen Campbell during the next few months.
The 22-year-old son of Robert and Cheryl Campbell of Bedeque is training with Team Canada at the National Biathlon Training Centre in Canmore, Alta. Campbell is in contention for a spot on the Canadian team for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
“I’m still in the running,” Campbell said recently.
“We have four start spots for the Olympics for the men’s side. They are going to take four starters and one alternate, but unfortunately I’m sixth at the moment, but that can change.”
Campbell, the youngest of the top-six contenders, has been training year-round in Canmore since he was 18. Team members recently completed a Testival, which included three physical tests and two shooting tests. The tests include an uphill run and two uphill roller ski races. Campbell won the running race.
“It was my first time I ever won any of the events,” he said. “Unfortunately, my shooting testing did not go so well, so I couldn’t win the overall (title).”
Campbell is looking forward to a summer visit home later this. He is excited to be hosting a fundraising run, which is sanctioned by the P.E.I. Roadrunners, in Stratford on July 22.
The Tea Hill 8K for Carsen Campbell will start at 9 a.m., and the entry fee is by donation.
It won’t be long after that and it will be back to business for Campbell as the qualifying process for the Olympics heats up.
In mid-November, he will take part in the trial races for the World Cup team, which is a critical stage in making the Olympic squad.
“If I can qualify for the World Cup team then there would be a pretty reasonable chance I will make it. . . If I don’t qualify for the World Cup team and am racing on the IBU (International Biathlon Union) Cup in the early season then it will be very difficult to qualify for the Olympics. It would still be slightly possible, but the odds would be pretty low.”
Campbell has raced on the World Cup before, but has more experienced on the IBU circuit.
“The IBU Cup tour is also a professional circuit, but basically it’s a level below the World Cup.”
Canada’s biathlon roster is not expected to be officially finalized until about two weeks before Olympics, which runs from Feb. 9 to 25.
“All the World Cups from the start of last year, right up until the last one before the Olympics, are in that selection criteria. It’s basically whoever has the best World Cup results in that period. That’s how the team will be selected.”
Tremere is looking forward to the opportunity to work with McCarthy, who played 759 NHL regular season and playoff games with Calgary, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, Carolina, New York Rangers and Boston from 199394 through the 2003-04 campaign.
“Sandy has a wealth of experience as a player and coach, and his hockey knowledge is extremely high,” said the son of Ted and Shelley Tremere.
“It will be a very good opportunity for me to learn the game from him, and try to improve myself as a coach.”
Tremere, who has previous coaching experience in minor hockey, admits “it will certainly be a transition” going from player to coach at the junior A level.
“I’m sure there will be lots of times I wish I could get back on the ice,” chuckled Tremere, who played one season at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ont., following his junior career.
Tremere, a 2008 graduate of Kinkora Regional High School, said he and McCarthy have already had conversations about the type of team they hope to build.
“We agree on a lot of things,” said Tremere, who graduated from UPEI with a bachelor of science degree in 2015.
“We are excited about the upcoming year, and putting an exciting product on the ice.”