Kristina Groves: What the Puck?!

KRISTINA GROVES: THE GROVESLINE

Canadian speed skating ace Kristina Groves shares journal entries

The Grovesline: Inside the World of Kristina Groves

Kristina Groves, one of the lynchpins of Canada’s speed skating powerhouse, has been kind enough to share the insightful and funny journal entries she sends to family, friends and supporters with this blog. This latest entry is a real beaut as Groves talks about her disqualification at the recent world championships on the Richmond Olympic Oval after crossing the line with by far the fastest time in the women’s 1,500 metres. Groves is a supporter of both Right To Play and Clean Air Champions.

One day when I was a pretty young kid, young enough at least not to know any better, a couple of dumb, older kids taught me a ‘trick’ on the bus on the way home from school. They told me to go home and show my parents this ‘trick’.

That night, as my Dad tucked me into bed, I showed him what I had learned that day. I put each index finger into the corners of my mouth and attempted to say the word ‘puck.’

You can imagine what comes next – the trick is that you can’t actually say ‘puck’; it comes out sounding just a little different.

Being as young and naive as I was, I didn’t actually know what I was saying, although my Dad sure did and his reaction was somewhere along the lines of, “Well now, I don’t think that’s a very nice thing to say.”

Had I been in his position I suspect I would have said something similar, but I also might have also burst into laughter after leaving the room.

It turns out there was good reason for having learned this trick many moons ago. I had quite an opportunity (recently) to utilize it, and in doing so kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.

After I got disqualified from the 1500m at the World Championships for hitting a lane marker, also known as a puck, and thus crossing the line and breaking the rules, I certainly could have put this trick to good use and channeled my brief disappointment rather efficiently. I could have sworn at the very thing that I accidentally hit in just one word instead of two or more! Of course I didn’t actually do this, but it would have been funny if I had.

A lot of people said a lot of things to me after the unfortunate DQ. It was actually a pretty interesting mix of reactions. Most people were incredibly supportive and kind in what they said: “You are still the champion,” they said, and “That was a great race, in my mind you are the winner.”

Some were out and out angry, expressing their disgust with the rule and how unfair it can be: “That is such a stupid rule!” and “I can’t believe they DQ’d you, what an outrage!” Others were oddly sympathetic, offering me words of pity, as though my cat had died: “I’m so sorry for you that you were disqualified.” or “I am really sad for you.”

The best came from the referee who made the call on the DQ who came up to me as I was warming up for the two races I had the next day and just threw up his hands in the air and shrugged and said, “I had to do it! There was no question!” seemingly defending his decision as though I had made a big stink and protested the DQ. He was not apologetic, nor should he have been, but I didn’t particularly care to hear it.

The strange thing was, I didn’t really care.

Many people commented on how calm I appeared after the fact and one kind person even wrote me these words: “Your response to the unfortunate ‘puck’ incident was the epitome of diplomacy worthy of the Queen of England.”

Needless to say this brought a smile to my face. I am human after all though, and I will admit that I unleashed a 30-second rant of rather vocal, profanity-laced frustration in the Canadian locker room. But then just as quickly it all just disappeared and I laughed!!

What else could I do? I had three more races that weekend and, despite that, I had skated the race of my season, one of the very best of my life. No matter what the end result was no one could alter that fact.

Many times I have said that my aim is not to win medals necessarily, but rather aim to achieve that magical feeling of being so in the moment when everything comes together and I feel like I am flying on my skates. I did that in this race and in some ways having the prize removed, by my own fault, left me with only the absolute satisfaction of having achieved the very thing I claim to aim for.

That night back at my apartment I did not wallow in any disappointment, nor harbour any anger towards myself, or the rule, or the ref or anything at all. I felt strangely free and unencumbered by discontent of any magnitude. I simply let it go. I made dinner, sharpened my skates and got ready for the next day.

But I did do something else that night that surprised me – I cranked up the tunes in my new, partially furnished apartment, full of empty boxes and not much furniture to speak of - and I danced! I danced, badly mind you, by myself to whatever it was that was playing, in whatever way I felt like, just because I felt like it. I’m not prone to such behaviour on a regular basis, and looking back it seems rather odd, but at the time it felt so great, and didn’t have anything to do with anything at all.

I suspect that this whole experience will serve me well in the future; just as the lesson I learned on that bus many years ago came to light once again here. The lesson in all this, one I am sure to remember, is simply to continue along the path I am on, and be confident that what I aim for truly is the ultimate goal.

Well that and one more: to not hit the &#!@ing pucks again.

Get Ready to Rumball:  Just a reminder that today you get a chance to go head-to-head with an Olympian when world champion rower Jane Rumball and the University of Toronto rowing team hosts an Erg-a-thon fundraiser in support of Right To Play on Tuesday, March 31, in the front lobby of the U of T Athletic Centre (55 Harbord St, downtown Toronto). It runs from from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Rumball, part of of a Canadian women’s eight that just missed the podium at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a former world champion in pairs, is travelling to Kampala, Uganda, in April to see firsthand the work done by Right To Play, an athlete driven charity that brings sport and play programs to kids in the most disadvantage parts of the world.

As part of the fundraiser, for a mere $20, you can get to challenge Rumball or her friend Michelle Guerette, an American rower who won silver in the women’s single sculls at the Beijing Olympics, in a 100-metre showdown.

For a double sawbuck, I just might try my luck. Figure if I go late enough, maybe Jane and Michelle will be tired enough to give an old guy a chance (Fat chance!).  It's a great opportunity to expose your kids to some first class athletes and people. Planning to take my daughter and some of her friends.

Marcel Aubut Promising Brave New Olympic World

Quick question: Who’s been president of the Canadian Olympic Committee since 2001?

THE CANADIAN PRESS FILE PHOTO

Marcel Aubut is the first French-Canadian to run the COC.

It’s unlikely that anyone but the most devoted Olympic junkie would know the answer to that one – Michael Chambers.

One imagines that’s going to change under the reign of former Quebec Nordiques owner Marcel Aubut, who was elected as president on the weekend in Vancouver. Aubut’s not shy about saying he expects it to change.

“It will,” said Aubut in a telephone interview after winning the post on Saturday. “I am different person. I have the advantage to be already well known in the country as far as the other activities I did.”

Indeed, it’s that profile that may well prove to be Aubut’s greatest asset. It’s going to be a very tough road after the 2010 Winter Olympics, which is when he officially takes over the reins, in April to be exact.

And the changeover won’t happen sooner, says Aubut, despite speculation to that effect in this very same newspaper. Aubut insists he won’t be undercutting Chambers or current ceo Chris Rudge.

“Michael Chambers is there for the next year,” Aubut said. “Before I got elected, we talked and I said if I am elected, how are we going to operate? We agreed in five minutes how we will do it and there will be no problem there. We are good friends. We have 100 per cent of trust. It’s going to be a slow transition.”

Aubut also dismisses any suggestion he’s being driven by ego, declaring that it’s a lifelong passion for amateur sport – something he demonstrated during and after he had the Nordiques – that is his motivation. He said he’s been to the last 10 Olympics on his own dime.

“I am not doing it for power,” he said, before the first question was even asked, referring to speculation in this blog. “I had that all my life. I don’t want it anymore.”

Aubut has his backers. A couple of valued colleagues in the Quebec media believe that Aubut is going to be really good for the COC and amateur sport, that he’s the right guy at the right time and will bring a business-like approach long needed by a group that could be run a lot leaner.

Paul Henderson, former Olympic sailor who headed Toronto’s bid for the 1996 Summer Olympics, has never been one to hold back his criticism – though there are times when even his friends wished he would. Henderson, who’s always battled for the athletes, is another Aubut supporter.

“Yes he is driven outspoken and ambitious,” wrote Henderson in an email. “Most good athletes have the same personality. The COC and Sport in Canada needs an enema led by a strong willed advocate who is politically connected. ‘The meek will not inherit the earth!’”

Aubut is the first French-Canadian to hold the post. It makes perfect sense that the balance of power in Canadian Olympic circles should shift to Quebec, which really is a shining example in so many ways in its support of athletes, from the financial side to the media coverage.

“One of my projects is to try to convince all the premiers to follow that example,” said Aubut.

What Aubut says makes a lot of sense. Let’s hope he’s able to follow through on his ambitious plans. He knows there’s a good chance sponsorship will dry up after 2010, which is why he will be working before and during the Games to get new deals signed while excitement is still high. He said he believes only two sponsors out of about 30 were re-signed after the 1988 Calgary Olympics.

“How come we were so excited for the chance to finish first in Vancouver because it’s home? What about the chance to finish first in Russia in four years? You believe in it or you don’t believe in it,” said Aubut, hitting the nail on the head.

“The problem with Canada is we just give a big shot and then we stop. We have to really show that we believe in sport as the means for the government to get the best return on the investment and make sure that the sport is the answer to a lot of things.

“We have to find a way to make a new agreement or a new deal with the government comparable to the other G8 countries. We are behind. There’s no reason that Canada should be behind. That’s going to be one of my jobs, to make sure we keep our high performance programs in place, summer and winter.

“Second, I want also to also help the team sports and the Pan Am sports to survive, because they don’t get any money right now. Under my leadership, I don’t want to see sport disappear. I want to see sport having good opportunities when the job is done. And that’s what I’m going to do.”

Aubut, who likes to remind people he staged the highly successful Rendezvous ’87 hockey series between the NHL all-stars and the Soviet national team in Quebec City during the NHL all-star break, believes the key is to consistently bring major international events to Canada.

“The problem in Canada is the focus of sport is only when we have major events. That has to stop. The way to stop that is to have a lot of major events. If you have lots of major events, you have some kind of permanency of the focus on sport. That’s why I really want the COC to being behind to fish for many international events. Many of them.”

It should be an interesting ride.

Tough Choices – And Times – Ahead In Canadian Olympic Sport

At a point when it should be the most exciting time on the Canadian Olympic scene with the 2010 Games fast approaching, it’s also a time of much trepidation.

And there’s a lot to be concerned about, what with this weekend’s Canadian Olympic Committee elections in Vancouver (read Dave Perkins' take here) and the announcement yesterday that the CBC plans a dramatic cutback in its coverage of amateur sport (Chris Zelkovich has the low down here).

There are a lot of Canadian Olympic insiders worried about the prospect of former Quebec Nordiques owner and CEO Marcel Aubut winning the election as president over Tricia Smith, a four-time Olympic rower who’s been involved with the COC at several levels.

Aubut is more of an outsider and there are concerns he’s doing it more out of personal ambition and a chance to eventually join the blue blazer brigade with the IOC. Those opposing him believe he’s making a lot of promises to organizations to get their votes that he can’t possibly fulfill once he gets in. They fear he’ll be reckless at a time when the COC needs to take a cautious approach, and that Tricia Smith represents stability at a time when it's needed.

Those who are hoping that Aubut succeeds believes he’s the perfect choice because of his business connections at a time when the COC will need to create new revenue streams and he’s a strong leader at a time when leadership is going to be crucial. It’s expected that Aubut would make the COC a more streamlined, business-like operation. Critics think too much money is being wasted with offices in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Vancouver.

The unfortunate part is the vote won’t be based on what’s best for Canadian sport, but rather the federations and officials with votes tend to vote on what’s best for them personally. There are all kinds of blocs and cliques – all the team sports have banded together, for example – and they will vote for the leader they feel best serves their objectives. In their view, that leader will also be best for sport but not necessarily so.

Make no mistake about it, there are perilous times ahead. The CBC cuts could be devastating for amateur sport. Think of the Canadian alpine team without its races being televised. Figure skating, swimming and track and field also face a big cut in their coverage. These are the mainstream sports. What about the lesser lights who get little to no coverage as it is?

Don’t expect CTV and TSN to fill the gap. They’re didn’t even aggressively pursue the rights to world championships in the big winter sports -- and they’re broadcasting the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

The taps are going to turn off in so many ways after 2010. You can understand why people are scared about the future.

Judges Are Doing Chan A Favour With Their ‘Tough Love’

PAUL CHIASSON/THE CANADIAN PRESS

Lots of hype around Chan, still only 18.

There were many who thought the judges jobbed Patrick Chan last night in giving him third-place marks for the men’s short program, but they’re probably doing the Toronto teenager a big favour.

In many ways, the worst thing to happen to Chan could be winning the world title heading into an Olympics on home ice.

There’s already an incredible hype around the 18-year-old, probably way too much for a skater who has yet to grace the podium at a world championships.

Chan has been built up as the favourite to win the world title tonight in Los Angeles, yet he was ninth in his debut at the worlds last year and fifth at the Grand Prix Final this year. He hasn’t yet built up the mettle to show he’s a consistent performer when the pressure is at its greatest, so having that extra pressure of being the defending world champion next year would be putting a lot on his slender shoulders.

The last time Canada hosted a Winter Olympics, it had the defending world champion in Brian Orser, a skater with a silver at the previous Games and much more experience under his belt.

Orser was put in a position where anything less than gold was to be seen as a failure and, despite a great performance in the Battle of the Brians, his silver medal was unfairly portrayed as a failure in many quarters.

Getting on the podium tonight in L.A. would be huge for Chan. He wants the top rung badly, but not getting there might be more of a blessing than he realizes.

For those who want to watch what’s shaping up as a great showdown between Frenchman Brian Joubert, American Evan Lysacek and Chan, it can be seen on live streaming on cbc.ca as well as on CBC Bold. PJ Kwong does a great job on the commentary.

Figure Skating “Feud” Is Quick to Fizzle Out

The hastily hyped figure skating “feud” between Canada’s Patrick Chan and Brian Joubert fizzled out pretty quickly when the Frenchman refused to bite the hook yesterday at the world championships in Los Angeles.

PAUL CHIASSON/THE CANADIAN PRESS

Spinning Patrick Chan's comments into a feud fizzled out quick.

Perhaps it’s a reflection more than anything on the hard times figure skating continues to experience that there was so much excitement in the media on Monday night when Chan said in an interview after practice that he was fed up with Joubert putting down competitors who aren’t doing the quad jump – a group that includes the 18-year-old Chan.

Chan’s words were strong, but you have to understand what he’s really like to know they would have been said in frustration but not malice.

Chan is an incredibly nice kid – Joubert said as much in declining to fuel the fires yesterday – and he’s also remarkably guileless. He had no idea the feeding frenzy he would have created with his remarks about Joubert on Monday.

But there’s not a whole lot of excitement for figure skating scribblers to latch onto off the ice these days, certainly nothing like the heyday of Nancy-Tonya that most still yearn for, as sick as that might sound.

As the Star’s Rosie Dimanno put it in her column today, “Chan and Joubert have been cast as world squabblers this week, doing the hissy as massaged by media.”

After this initial outburst, Chan is likely to provide a lot less to massage in the future. He’s much more of an old-school competitor who, as he has said in the past, prefers to wage the battle on the ice.

“When we’re on the ice then, yeah, you can say we’re like enemies. But right away when we got off the ice, then we’re just like friends basically. That’s what I really like to think about is that we’re friends,” said Chan in an interview with the Star in February.

“When I leave, I always miss all the guys. I’m not like ‘Yes, I beat them and I won’t see them for another couple of weeks.’ It’s more like ‘Sure I beat them but they’ll be back next time and I’ll still have them as good friends.’”

The men's competition starts with the short program today.

Heather Moyse’s Road to 2010 … Thru the Potato Warehouse

RICK MADONIK/TORONTO STAR

Heather Moyse with her nephew Charlie after winning a silver medal at a World Cup in Whistler with driver Kaillie Humphries.

We’re going to give bobsledder Heather Moyse the gold medal this season for determination to train through any obstacle.

As Moyse relates on her blog, she was back home in Summerside, PEI, for a while before the world championships in Lake Placid to attend her grandmother’s funeral and spend some time with her mother.

She still had to train and her coach suggested that she find a car to push. Well, there’d been a freezing rainstorm and then snow, so finding a good place wasn’t going to be easy – so she called the mayor.

The mayor put her in touch with the guy who runs the potato warehouse, who supplied a dry place to push, and her brother supplied the car.

We’ll let Heather tell the rest in this excerpt from her blog:

“Only in PEI. Having the Mayor of the city hook me up with the inside man of the warehouse, signing a liability waiver for access, and then pushing my brother’s car while in neutral with my brother and nephew sitting in the front seats, cheering me on (with “Eye of the Tiger” blaring from the radio)! Although inspired by the music, pushing and accelerating a car for 25 metres is actually harder than you might think! But REALLY funny for those watching! Only in PEI! I love it!”

We love it, too! Way to go, Heather!

Reflecting on Thomas Grandi …

THE CANADIAN PRESS

Thomas Grandi struts his stuff at a 2006 World Cup event.

A couple of refelections on the recent re-retirement of alpine skier Thomas Grandi, the first Canadian men’s skier to win a World Cup giant slalom event:

* Grandi is the perfect example of why you should never give up on an athlete with great talent. Many had written him off, believing at first that he didn’t have the killer instinct to win and later that his constant back woes meant it was never going to happen for a supremely gifted skier.

But he proved them all wrong, although it would take him more than a decade of trying before he won back-to-back World Cup giant slalom races just before turning 32.

It’s something worth remembering as Canada’s Speed Queens – Britt Janyk, Emily Brydon and Kelly VanderBeek – attempt to rebound from a dismal showing this season heading towards the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

* Grandi should also be remembered for the gesture he made in turning down his Sport Canada funding once he reached a certain level as an athlete so that a teammate more in need could benefit from the $13,000 annually.

The thing is it wasn’t like Grandi was getting super rich at the time. The thing is it wasn’t like Grandi was getting rich at the time.

It turned out the teammate who got the funding was Patrick Biggs. Funny that Grandi should mention in retiring again that he felt bad for knocking Biggs out of a berth at the world championships this season, the notion being that Biggs might have benefitted more from it.

Here’s hoping Grandi stays involved in sport at some level.

You, Me, Aubut and Dupre ... and Barn Owl Revisited

Marcel Aubut, former president and CEO of the Quebec Nordiques, is poised to become the Canadian Olympic Committee’s first French-Canadian president at next weekend’s elections in Vancouver.

If Aubut can beat out four-time Olympic lawyer Tricia Smith, a B.C. native, it will put him in a better position to help Quebec City’s aspiration to host a Winter Olympics in either 2018 or 2022. A bid for the 2002 Winter Games failed miserably, but we know Salt Lake City already had that one in the bag.

Hard to say if Aubut’s got this one in the bag, but he’s got a lot of support, notably from Olympic heavyweight Dick Pound and from Jean Dupre, boss of Speed Skating Canada and a current member along with Aubut of the COC’s executive board.

Olympic insiders say that if Aubut gets the post, he will try to install Dupre as the new ceo of the COC if Chris Rudge steps down from the post as it’s anticipated after the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Michael Chambers will remain as president through the 2010 Games.

Dupre, meanwhile, has some fires on the home front to put out leading to the 2010 Winter Olympics. While the Canadian long track speed skating team is a powerhouse, there is some major dissension in the ranks that threatens to derail a juggernaut team 11 months out frm the Games. Speed Skating Canada is promising action, but there are those who doubt it has the stomach to take the action necessary.

Lobbying and backroom deals will determine the COC elections, as it always does in these situations, as opposed to it being decided by the best choice for the athletes. The most glaring example of that was when Chambers was chosen in 2001 over Doug Hamilton, who’d done an excellent job as an unpaid volunteer in building Canada’s rowing program to prominence and was the clear choice of the athletes as a leader.

Hamilton was a rare breed, someone who cared only about getting the job done right, was effective at doing it, and wanted no personal credit. No wonder he didn’t get elected.

John Furlong, ceo of the Vancouver Organizing Committee, chose to back Chambers at that time and this time is behind Smith, a lawyer who has been involved in the 2010 Games. His toughest adversary in lobbying will be Pound, who himself was opposed to Furlong getting his ceo post.

Should be interesting. Smith is also up for election as vice president if she should fail to get the president’s post. For Aubut, it is all or nothing.

Owl-val Revisted: Photographer Mike Sturk, one of the nicest guys you can meet, has followed up his great pic of the barn owl flying around in the roof of the Richmond Olympic Oval with another of a barn owl in its natural environment, also shot in the same area.

Mike was actually interviewed by the Richmond Review about what it was like to photograph a barn owl in the Oval. He called it “serendipity.” Most photographers can’t even pronounce it, let alone spell it. (A cheap shot, but one my photo buddies have come to expect from me.)

Mike’s our official Mutual of Olympia Wild Kingdom correspondent, a regular Marlin Perkins of this blog.

Get Ready to Rumball ... With One Of Canada’s Top Rowers

So you think you can beat an Olympian?

THE CANADIAN PRESS FILE PHOTO

Jane Rumball, left, pairs up with  Darcy Marquardt in this 2007 photo.

Well, you can get your chance when world champion rower Jane Rumball and the University of Toronto rowing team hosts an Erg-a-thon fundraiser in support of Right To Play on Tuesday, March 31, in the front lobby of the U of T Athletic Centre (55 Harbord St, downtown Toronto).

Rumball, part of of a Canadian women’s eight that just missed the podium at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a former world champion in pairs, is travelling to Kampala, Uganda, in April to see firsthand the work done by Right To Play, an athlete driven charity that brings sport and play programs to kids in the most disadvantage parts of the world.

Like so many of Canada’s Olympians, Rumball is a special breed of athlete, someone who pushes herself to the physical limit in her sport but is driven by more than the need to excel. She’s incredibly passionate about Right To Play and is also currently a medical student at U of T while continuing to train with the national team.

In other words, a great role model, which is why I plan to bring my daughter and some of her friends to this neat event. I mean who would I rather my kid look up to: Miley Cyrus or someone like Jane Rumball. Hmmmmm.

As part of the fundraiser, for a mere $20, you can get to challenge Rumball or her friend Michelle Guerette, an American rower who won silver in the women’s single sculls at the Beijing Olympics, in a 100-metre showdown.

For those wondering: What’s an Erg-a-thon? Well, an erg is a rowing machine, the equivalent to a stationary bike for rowers. You don’t need any experience on one to give it a try.

The Canadian women's soccer team is also currently doing a Right To Play fundraiser.

The Erg-a-thon runs from 7 a.m. – yeah, rowers like to get up early – until 9 p.m. so you’ve basically got no excuse not to show up if you’re in the neighbourhood.

Here’s a little Q & A with Jane …

Why are you looking so forward to your trip with Right To Play?

Jane: I have really enjoyed being involved with Right to Play because it espouses many of the values that I hold dear, with the added benefit of being an organization that is athlete-driven. Sport has opened so many doors for me, but it is also responsible for teaching me values like perseverance, resilience, teamwork and focus. I've had many life lessons from my involvement in sport and play, and it is a privilege to pass those on to others....and kids in particular should be able to have that same kind of opportunity! I'm looking forward to the trip because it is the first time since I started getting involved with RTP (back in 2007) that I can actually go on a field visit. I imagine it will give me a brand new perspective that I can bring to my speaking engagements that I do to raise funds for RTP.

How is school going? How far are you along in your medical studies?

Jane: School is amazing... even more rewarding than I had hoped, and I had pretty high expectations! My classmates are the most interesting and brightest people I have met, and when you combine that with a high level of compassion, it is truly inspiring. The environment makes me want to be a better person each and every day I am there. I am only in my first year, so there's a long journey still ahead, but I look forward to every step of it!

Will you be taking it easy on the people who challenge you at the Erg-a-thon or will it be full throttle?

Jane: For those that challenge, I have to be honest and say that my competitive nature will most likely come out sooner or later! It's fun for me but I also try to do my best when I'm on that machine, and I will definitely not be taking it easy on people who have rowed in the past or if there are guys out there who want a challenge. There are only so many sprints you can do before you get fatigued, so I'll have to make sure to keep the bigger guys near the front of line so I use my energy effectively!

Have you at least gotten a bit out of shape at school?

Jane: It has definitely been tough staying in racing shape during full-time medical school. Once I decided I wanted to race this year, the first few hard workouts made me feel like I was a novice again! Fortunately it comes back pretty quickly, and I have years of training under my belt, so it makes it easier to tell my body it has to get ready to race again. The best thing I did all year for my rowing was to join the U of T nordic ski team. It was so much fun, and I am so terrible at it, that it made me motivated to learn. I absolutely love ski racing, even though I had at least two faceplants per race.

Long Track Storm Been Brewing For Long Time

RICHMOND, B.C. -- The old saw goes that to fix a problem, the first thing you have to do is recognize you have one.

The good thing about Speed Skating Canada is they’re being forthright in acknowledging there’s big trouble within their ranks because of the abrasive management style of long track program director Finn Halvorsen. (Read the Star’s exclusive story on the controversy here.)

The worrisome thing is that this isn’t exactly a new development.

This has been going on for a long time, like since Halvorsen arrived on the scene three years ago.

Speed Skating Canada sought to improve the working relationship between Halvorsen and the coaches and skaters last fall when Brian Rahill, previously its sports director, was moved into the position of high performance and Olympic program director for both long track and short track. The move was made to alleviate the planning and management load on Halvorsen.

“To be honest, it’s been a bit tough on Finn’s part based on his personality profile or perhaps based on his own values and philosophies,” said Rahill. “It’s been tough for him to work within the Canadian system where we’re so much into process, fairness.

“Believe me, it’s been frustrating from his side and probably what led to some of his reactions, which would be categorized in Canada as over the top and volatile.”

Rahill, who will be entering his eighth Olympics as an administrator, said it’s critical the team enters the 2010 Games with a reslience that helps it deal with any adversity rather than being uptight and on edge.

“I know how fragile or how difficult and challenging the Olympic environment is,” Rahill said. “I don’t want to go into the Games fragile because then it can fall one way or it can fall the other.”

Halvorsen reorganized the team’s training groups after taking over, creating a great deal of friction. The Canadian team is broken up into different pods, with a small group of skaters each training under a different coach, some based in Calgary and others in Richmond.

One things that’s become very clear is there are definite issues between Halvorsen and coach Ingrid Paul. He told Paul she was fired two weeks ago in front of all her skaters when he found her talking with Dutch Olympic champion Bob de Jong in the Canadian dressing room at the Richmond Olympic Oval, though he didn’t follow through on the threat. He was furious that Paul had invited de Jong to skate with the Canadians.

A Dutch speed skating reporter told the Star he got a call out of the blue in November from Halvorsen, with whom he’d never spoken before. He said Halvorsen told him he got his phone number from a fellow coach and he was calling because he was concerned that Paul had portrayed herself in a Dutch TV interview as the boss of the Canadian team.

Halvorsen told him he wanted to make it clear that Paul was one of the assistant coaches working with a group of athletes and that he was the man in charge.

Paul was hired last summer to replace Neal Marshall, who helped coach Cindy Klassen to five medals at the 2006 Turin Olympics but fell out of favour with Halvorsen and was stripped of his coaching responsibility to the point he felt he had to resign.

Both Marshall and Klassen said at the time that Halvorsen had never properly communicated the reasons behind the coach’s change in status. One of the chief complaints about the taciturn Halvorsen is that he has poor communication skills.

"I don't understand," Klassen said at the time. "The other skaters in our group are all young up-and-comers and they did amazing last year. They had great seasons. I don't know why (Speed Skating Canada made the change).

"Like Neal said, there's nothing logical about it. Neal's a great coach. I've been with him for four years and I've got nothing to complain about. He was amazing."

The plan was for Klassen to be coached by Paul, but she chose instead to work with sprint coach Michael Crowe in a training group that includes star Jeremy Wotherspoon.

While athletes and coaches are reluctant to go on the record with their concerns, Kevin Crockett, former Canadian Olympic medalist now coaching for China out of the Calgary Olympic Oval, has come out with all guns blazing.

“This guy wants the glory,” said Crockett. “He wants to come in, shake everything up, expect everything to go well, based on his opinion, not a bunch of people’s opinions. He’s not looking for other people’s opinions. He’s making dictator type decisions and he’s changing groups up. It shouldn’t happen.”

Stay tuned on this one.