Vancouver Olympic heroes — and young guns looking for gold
2010 GOLD MEDALLISTS STILL IN TOP FORM
ALEX BILODEAU: Winner of Canada’s first Olympic gold on home soil, Bilodeau won the moguls and was second in dual moguls at the 2011 world championships and second overall in the 2010- 2011 World Cup. Sat out the first half of this season and was fifth, second and fifth in last three World Cups. CHRISTINE NESBITT: The long track speed skating gold medallist at 1,000 metres has won all four World Cup races at that distance this season and twice at 1,500. She set a world record at 1,000 metres at the world sprint championships in Calgary last month. KAILLIE HUMPHRIES: The bobsleigh pilot, who won Olympic gold with Heather Moyse at Whistler, has two wins in seven races this season with new brakeman Emily Baadsvik. One of those wins came earlier this month at Whistler. TESSA VIRTUE/ SCOTT MOIR: Ice dance gold medallists won silver at 2011 worlds and were second at 2012 Grand Prix Final. CHARLES HAMELIN: Double gold medallist in 2010 — 500 metres and relay — Hamelin is second to teammate Olivier Jean in World Cup standings. The Canadian men’s relay team has two World Cup wins this season and leads the standings. KEVIN MARTIN: Skip of the gold medal- winning curling team continues to perform well on cashspiel circuit. Won this season’s Canada Cup of Curling and has qualified for the 2013 Olympic Trials. OTHERS: Injuries have hampered Ashleigh Mcivor ( ski cross) and Maëlle Ricker ( snowboardcross). Jon Montgomery ( skeleton) is sitting out 2011- 2012 season and Jasey- Jay Anderson ( snowboard PGS) has struggled this season after one- year retirement following Olympics.
COULD BE 2014 STARS
NOAH BOWMAN: 2010 junior world champion in new Olympic discipline of ski halfpipe. Was surprise X Games silver medallist last month while doing a trick nobody else includes in their run. ALEX GOUGH: The luge athlete from Calgary won a World Cup last February, the first nonGerman to win in 13 years. Also finished third at 2011 world championships. PATRICK CHAN: Fifth in men’s figure skating in 2010, the 21- year- old is the 2011 world champion and two- time reigning Grand Prix Final champion. CHRIS DEL BOSCO: Ski cross favourite in 2010 crashed in the four- man final. Won world championship title in 2011 and X Games last month and has three consecutive runner- up finishes in World Cup overall. ROSALIND GROENEWOUD: Won 2011 world championship in ski halfpipe and X Games gold in 2012. Will be highly motivated to win gold at Sochi to honour the late Sarah Burke, the Canadian freeski pioneer who would have been 2014 Olympic favourite. OLIVIER ROCHON: Young high- flyer from Quebec has a win and three other top- four results in World Cup aerials this season. DEVON KERSHAW: Just missed a medal in 2010 in 50- kilometre classic. Won 2011 world championship gold in sprint relay with Alex Harvey, finished fourth overall in this season’s gruelling Tour de Ski and won a World Cup 15K skate- ski race last month. MIKAEL KINGSBURY: The 19- year- old Quebecer freestyler won the first six World Cup moguls events this season. Has been top four in 18 of last 20 World Cups. BRADY LEMAN: Ski cross racer from Calgary missed 2010 with a broken leg, one of three leg fractures over a two- year period. Has two wins on World Cup circuit this season. KAYA TURSKI: Three- time X Games champion in the new Olympic discipline of ski slopestyle. Montreal native won in 2012 with a record score after becoming the first woman to complete a Switch 1080 in competition.