| Drew Goldsack Completes Cinderella Story |
| Tuesday, 22 December 2009 15:05 |
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Drew Goldsack Completes Cinderella Story by Winning Gold in Cross-Country Skiing Olympic Trials.
CANMORE, Alta. (December 20, 2009) Drew Goldsack completed a remarkable comeback story while, all but officially, securing a spot on Canada's cross-country ski team headed to Whistler in February by winning the men's Teck Sprint Series classic-ski race on Sunday at the Canmore Nordic Centre. After being forced to the sidelines over the last year with an injury to his left ankle which required surgery, the 2006 Olympian from Red Deer, Alta. had one shot at qualifying for a spot on Canada's Olympic roster - participating in this week's Olympic Trials in Canmore, Alta.. If that wasn't enough, he spent the biggest week of his life prepping for the race by fighting off the flu, and was not been able to eat anything solid until hours before he hit the start line. Skiing on fumes, nothing would get in the way of the determined Goldsack's quest to return back to the World Cup circuit and his second trip to the Olympic Games after a difficult two years. "This has gone full circle for me and it is absolutely awesome," said Goldsack, who also finished second in Saturday's classic sprint race. "I had no choice but to do things the hard way this time. I don't normally get nervous, but I did feel the pressure today and I knew I had to win." Goldsack wasted no time alerting the field loaded with the nation's top skiers hungry for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete at a home Olympics that he meant business. Goldsack was the fastest qualifier on the 1.7-kilometre sprint course at the Canmore Nordic Centre, and led each of his three heats to finish on top of the podium. "I knew what I had to do today and I am just so happy I was able to get it done," said Goldsack, who pumped his arms in the air after crossing the finish line. "Things have changed so much since 2006. Back then our team was pretty much set, but the pool of men's athletes is so much deeper and talented today than four years ago so it is a lot tougher to get there now. I am looking forward to representing Canada." In the sprint competition, the top-30 athletes after a qualification round advance to the head-to-head heats, which has six athletes racing head-to-head. The top-two athletes in each race move onto the next round. Goldsack was joined on the podium by Calgary's Brent McMurtry in second spot, while Graham Nishikawa, of Whitehorse, powered his way to the bronze medal. On the women's side of the draw, Dasha Gaiazova controlled her Olympic destiny by completing a golden hat-trick at the Olympic Trials after winning each of the three women's selection races. The Banff, Alta. resident won her third straight race on Sunday, the women's Teck Sprint Series - which is a component of the Haywood NorAm Series. "I guess that seals the deal," said Gaiazova, who also won the 15-kilometre skate-ski race last week in British Columbia and Saturday's Teck Sprint Series race in Canmore. "I think this course is made for me and I just skied extremely well all day. I am very happy." An alternate on the 2006 Canadian Olympic roster, Gaiazova has dominated the Haywood NorAm Series, North America's premier race development series over the last two seasons. On Sunday, she stomped the field in the qualifier and in each of her three heats through the challenging 1.45-kilometre women's course. "I think I am in the best shape of my life and I couldn't have picked a better time for that to happen," said Gaiazova. "I really want to keep skiing well, and even better in February. I'm looking forward to representing all of Canada at the Games." The 25-year-old Gaiazova was joined on the women's podium by Perianne Jones, of Almonte, Ont., who won the silver medal after returning from the World Cup circuit for the holiday break. Calgary's Shayla Swanson locked up third spot in a fight to the finish line with Jones. The final event in Cross Country Canada's Olympic Trials takes place on Tuesday with the women's and men's 30- and 50-kilometre classic race. Earlier in the day, Canada's Alex Harvey and Sara Renner hit the start line for the men's and women's World Cup distance races in Rogla, Slovenia on Sunday. Harvey, of St-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que., battled through the tangled 30-kilometre mass start classic race to post a 22nd-place time of 1:23:26.2. The Olympic silver medallist, Renner of Canmore, Alta., finished 24th in the women's 15-kilometre classic mass start with a time of 47:41.4. "Alex is at a much higher level right now than he was at this time last year and he was really good today," said Dave Wood, team leader, Cross Country Canada. "The start of these mass starts are difficult because everyone is fighting for position. Sara was also really solid today so the results are encouraging." Norway's Petter Northug Jr. won the men's race at 1:22:55.8, while Poland's Justyna Kowalczyk finished on top in the women's event with a time of 45:01.9. The Canadian team will now split during the short holiday break. Some of the team will return to Canmore, while the remainder of the team will head to Davos, Switzerland to prepare for the Tour de Ski which starts on January 1. . Cross Country Canada is the governing body of cross-country skiing in Canada. Its 51,000 members include athletes, coaches, officials and skiers of all ages and abilities, including those on Canada's National Ski Teams and Para-Nordic Ski Teams. Cross-country skiing is Canada's optimal winter sport and recreational activity with more than one million Canadians participating annually. COMPLETE NORAM RESULTS: http://www.zone4.ca Top-5 Women's Results: 1. Dasha Gaiazova, Banff, Alta.; 2. Perianne Jones, Almonte, Ont.; 3. Shayla Swanson, Calgary; 4. Madeleine Williams, Edmonton; 5. Rhonda Jewett, Canmore, Alta. Top-5 Men's Results: 1. Drew Goldsack, Red Deer, Alta.; 2. Brent McMurtry, Calgary; 3. Graham Nishikawa, Whitehorse, Yukon; 4. Len Valjas, Toronto; 5. Sean Crooks, Thunder Bay, Ont. WORLD CUP RESULTS: http://www.fiscrosscountry.com Top-Five Men's Results: 1. Petter Northug JR., NOR; 1:22:55.8; 2. Alexander Legkov, RUS, 1:22:56.5; 3. Maxim Vylegzhanin, RUS, 1:22:56.7; 4. Giorgio Di Centa, ITA, 1:22:57.3; 5. Jens Filbrich, GER, 1:22:57.7 Canadian Results: 22. Alex Harvey, St-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que.; 1:23:26.2 Top-Five Women's Results: 1.Justyna Kowalczyk, POL, 45:01.9; 2. Marit Bjoergen, NOR, 45:06.5; 3. Anna Haag, SWE, 45:06.6; 4. Kirstin Stoermer-Steira, NOR, 45:17.1; 5. Kristina Smigun-Vaehi, EST, 45:22.5 Canadian Results: 24. Sara Renner, Canmore, Alta., 47:41.4 Written by Cross Country Canada as a media release and edited by IMPACT magazine. |
