Last day for CAN Fund to get matching dollars

When Canadian aerialist Warren Shouldice soared to victory at a World Cup in his hometown in Calgary this past week, he very nearly competed with the advertising space he had for sale on his skis empty.

That's because the veteran athlete has been unable to come up with a personal sponsor this season.

But Shouldice decided to place the CAN (Canadian Athletes Now) Fund's logo on his skis to help publicize the non profit organization and its holiday drive – where athletes are helping athletes. Each dollar raised up until today will be matched. The total so far is about $48,000.

Shouldice's gesture is a reflection of the great appreciation athletes have for CAN Fund, which can supply them up to $12,000 a year to help pay off expenses not covered by their national teams.

The organization has raised a total of $13 million since 1997 and it helped 80 per cent of the athletes who wore the Maple Leaf at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games. The list of recipients is truly a Canadian Olympic Who's Who.

Shouldice knows how much that money can help. When he suffered a compression fracture in his back six weeks out from the 2009 world championships, the money he had from CAN Fund went towards treatments that enabled him to come back and win a courageous bronze medal.

Those making donations get to find out exactly which athletes receive their money and maybe even develop a personal rooting interest. About 650 athletes recently applied to the fund for 2011.

It's clear from talking to athletes over the years and from what they've written on the CAN FUND website, their own blogs and tweeted that the extra money plays a big part in their Olympic preparations.

They're not eating filet mignon with it, but they're eating better and nutrition is a big part of it. More than anything, it helps them worry a little less – and that can be huge when you're prepping for the biggest event of your life.

As gold medal swimming hopeful Ryan Cochrane puts it: "CAN Fund is an invaluable resource for Canadian Athletes; without it we wouldn't be able to attend certain training camps, wouldn't be able to compete against the best in the world, and wouldn't be able to accomplish the international success Canadian athletes are truly worthy of."

 

Paralympians look to future with new program

When he hasn't been starring for Canada's wheelchair basketball team, Joey Johnson has made a pretty decent living playing pro ball in Germany.

Johnson is able to net about $50,000 a year plying his strong inside game for RSV Lahn-Dill in a top flight German league, but at 35 he's well aware it's not going to last forever.

So the native of Lorette, Man., was happy to be able to take advantage of a first ever opportunity for Canadian Paralympic athletes when human resources giant Adecco Group delivered a workshop to athletes in Mississauga on Thursday.

"I think it's pretty exciting," said Johnson, who has helped Canada to two Paralympic gold medals and one silver. "For someone like myself who's getting up there and older, I realize my career's ending.

"You always kind of think about 'What after?' I think this is a great opportunity to provide assistance to us to make that transition from sport to the job world."

This has become more of an issue for Paralympic athletes in the last decade as many of them are able to dedicate themselves fulltime to sport. Johnson said that in wheelchair basketball there's one player in Turkey making $100,000 per season.

Johnson, who suffers from a degenerative hip disease and started playing wheelchair basketball at age 9, lives in Germany pretty much year-round with his wife and three kids. He has been thinking of becoming a coach or perhaps setting up a business running basketball clinics, but he's still not sure yet.

"One of the bigger fears that a lot of high level athletes have is we don't develop a working resume," said Johnson. "We've dedicated our life to sport. They were telling us the accomplishments we have in sport, the skills we use on the court are very much transferable to the working world. Like leadership, commitment to training, perseverance. Employers actually appreciate that and look for those kind of skill sets."

Pictured here L to R are Francois Robert of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, players Joey Johnson and Richard Peter and Jeff O'Neill of Adecco (Photo: Kevin Bogetti-Smith)

Jenn Heil's Retiring But Will Still Have Big Impact

Canadian moguls ace Jenn Heil is retiring at the end of this season, but she's got a pretty good idea of her future dream job.

Heil made her retirement plans official Tuesday in Calgary at a news conference to promote this week's World Cup. It will be the last chance for most Albertans to catch the native of Spruce Grove, Alta.'s act live – unless they're planning on going to the world championships next month in Deer Valley, Utah.

Heil's accomplishments on the hill are legendary – including Olympic gold and silver medals, five World Cup overall titles and two world championships – but her impact off her skis has been just as great and isn't likely to end with her retirement.

The 27-year-old was one of the founders of B2ten, a group of private business people which contributes resources to athletes striving for the Olympic podium. She's also been a big supporter of Plan Canada's "Because I am a Girl" program, for which she is currently trying to raise $1 million.

It was a $25,000 donation that Heil made to that program during the Vancouver Olympics that caught the attention of organizers of the Clinton Global Initiative and got her an invite to their event in New York last fall.

"It was one of the coolest experiences of my life," said Heil. "It's a room filled with incredibly influential people. There's kings and queens and heads of state and presidents and prime ministers and a lot of stars ... Bill Clinton, Hilary Clinton, Barack Obama actually spoke at the closing."

It had an effect on her future outlook.

"One of the ladies I met, she's in charge of philanthropy for Google," said Heil. "In my opinion, she's got the best job out there. She gets to function in a business atmosphere that's very accountable and efficient, but she gets to give away money to help solve some of the world's greatest problems. I thought it was pretty much a dream job."

As a result, Heil plans to adjust her university plans to get a degree in public policy and business. She'll also be visiting the Google campus in California in the fall.

Expect Heil to stay very involved with sport in Canada. She was a great influence on Olympic men's moguls champion Alex Bilodeau, who considers her a big sister. She's also not satisfied with the profile that Olympic sports get in this country, even after the stunning performance in Vancouver.

It's clear her experience at the Clinton Global Initiative has further sparked something in Heil.

"We find so many reasons why we can't do things, but in a room like that it doesn't even cross anybody's mind. It's 'How do we get this done?'"

It's an approach that seems to fit Heil to a tee.

 (The photo was taken by Ryan Remiorz of Canadian Press)

Concussed Kristina Groves Glad She's Not In Crosby's Skates

 
Two things about the concussion that's knocked Canadian speed skater Kristina Groves out for the season:

1) She's happy it happened.

2) She's glad she's not Sidney Crosby.

Not long before Crosby disclosed he's out for the NHL all-star game with a concussion, Groves had an announcement of her own – that she's sitting out the rest of the season after a concussion suffered Nov. 21 in a race in Berlin and will miss next month's world all-around championships in Calgary.

The four-time Olympic medalist from Ottawa is disappointed about the worlds, yet at the same time relieved to have a break after two decades of hard training. She realizes now she was burnt out after the Vancouver Olympics.

“I look back on it and think this is probably one of the greatest things to happen to me in terms of being forced to take the break I knew I needed to but wasn't sure how to do it,” Groves said from Calgary on a conference call Monday.

She had struggled badly before the injury.

“I kind of laugh about it now: I'm literally standing on the line at some of these World Cups with giant question marks in my brain like 'What do I want to do with my life?'”

The 34-year-old said she doesn't have the answer to that question yet. She will return to speed skating next season if she discovers the passion is still there but in the meantime will ponder her other options.

“It changes every five minutes,” she said.

Groves considers herself fortunate she's not a pro athlete when it comes to the issue of concussions and feels for someone like Crosby in terms of the expectations he faces to always suit up, regardless of the injury.

“I'm lucky I didn't feel that pressure,” she said. “Everyone was really supportive. I was also aware and educated enough about concussions seeing those horrible things on 60 Minutes about the NFL guys whose brains turned to mush kind of thing. I really felt like I was taking my time and not doing anything until I'm 100 per cent. Everyone was supportive of that.

“I look at some of the guys in these pro sports like hockey and football, that sort of culture that permeates the whole sport where concussions aren't taken as seriously. I think obviously with Sidney Crosby being out it comes to light and I feel bad for him because I'm sure there's a lot of pressure for him to come back. These guys are paid a lot of money and there's a lot riding on their team's success.

“It's a different situation where they really need him to perform, whereas I'm capable of making this decision myself and say 'It's not worth it. I need to be 100 per cent healthy and fit before I come back.'

“It's unfortunate that it takes someone like Sidney Crosby to get a concussion to make it come out again ... I don't know the whole story with him, but I think he got hit and then came back and got hit again a few days later. From what I've heard, the second hit is the biggest risk because if you've got a concussion and get hit again, you can actually die. That's a big concern. I'm glad he's actually taking time to come back.”

(The above photo by the Star's Steve Russell is of Groves racing to a silver medal in the women's 1,500 metres at the Vancouver Olympics)

 

Chilling statements on NHL concussions revisited

It's incredible to see the same old debate going on right now in the NHL re concussions. Here are some excerpts from a series on concussions that the Star did three years ago that tell you all you need to know about where a huge part of the problem rested then and remains now.

The statement from Eric Lindros on how concussions can erode a star player's skill level should be heeded in regards to Sidney Crosby's current problems.

The comments from Colin Campbell, the man still in charge with setting the tone in the NHL, are chilling.

You can find the complete Star series here.

. . .

Research by the Star has found at least 30 players whose careers were ended by concussion – or in large part due to concussion – since 1996, when the issue was given more attention after the early retirement of Brett Lindros. But Colin Campbell, the NHL's executive vice-president and director of hockey operations, believes that number is inflated.

"Some are legitimate," said Campbell. "I think some you might find aren't legitimate. ... I think there's a small percentage, not a great percentage, of players who use it as an excuse, `Oh yeah, I've got a concussion.' They can milk it. It's a hard thing to really say that you haven't, you know, if you're trying to get some extra insurance money out of it to get paid an extra year or something."

Campbell also said at the time the lack of respect theory – which was raised again by Don Cherry this week – was "a crock."

"I just think that that's overblown and the players who say it don't understand," he said. "Players are competitive. We sell hate. Our game sells hate. You guys, the media, sell hate. ... It was worse (in the '70s when he played), in my opinion."

. . .

The head of the NHL's neuropsychological testing program said at the time the general medical consensus is that players should be kept out of the lineup until they're symptom free – unless it's the playoffs.

"It's not a simple decision of, `Do you have symptoms or don't you have symptoms?'" said Dr. Ruben Echemendia. "There are a lot of other factors that come into play – who's the player, what team are you playing, what game is this? All those factors do come into play."

Echemendia said he views any return-to-play decision as "a combination of risk benefit analyses."

"For example, a player who gets hurt in the first game of the season may have a different risk-benefit ratio than the final game of the Stanley Cup," said Echemendia, president-elect of the National Academy of Neuropsychology. "That's for them to think through. These are competent people, they're adults."

But if the player were concussed, wouldn't his thinking be impaired? Does his brain have less chance of further injury because it's the post-season? And what are the odds these hockey warriors will take themselves out of a playoff lineup?

"They're not going to do it," said former Flyers captain Keith Primeau. "Guys aren't going to think long-term. We never do."

. . .

One can only guess at the impact concussions have had on the overall quality of play of the sport, depriving it of stars such as Lindros and LaFontaine and also limiting the effectiveness of those who soldier on through multiple concussions.

"You might test well in many aspects of life, but I don't think you ever get back to being the way you were," Lindros said. "Really and truly, I don't. I can't remember one player who's made it back to that high level.

"After you go through a few of them, no matter how you try and tell your mind things are back to normal, you're never quite the same."

Ski team's injuries take toll on Manny Osborne-Paradis

Manuel Osborne-Paradis is usually quick with a quip, a devil-may-care guy, but he's sounding like he's got the weight of the world on his shoulders these days.

Or the weight of the Canadian men's downhill team, at least.

Speaking from Wengen, Switzerland, site of Saturday's famed Lauberhorn downhill, they guy they call Manny admits the string of injuries to hit the men's squad have taken a toll on him, too.

World Cup Super-G champion Erik Guay is still out with back woes, Robbie Dixon's sidelined with a concussion. Francois Bourque and Louis-Pierre Helie are gone for the season with knee injuries. World champion John Kucera's comeback from a broken leg is taking longer than expected.

"Obviously Erik and Robbie are going to come back. It's just one race, maybe two. They're not serious injuries," said Osborne-Paradis. "For the morale of the team, it's good when everybody's here. We push each other. We get going.

"Maybe if I was always alone, I'd be used to it and I'd know my tricks how to pump myself up and get myself ready, kind of like (Norway's) Aksel Svindal has to do or whatever. But when you're used to having all those guys on the road, it's tough.

"I have my own room here and there's a lot of time by yourself. You're just trying to get through it. It's tough for the coaching staff. It's tough for everybody. I think we'll bang it off. I don't expect to have a poor result here."

It's a tough slog with the world alpine championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, set to open on Feb. 7. The only other veteran on the men's speed side right now is Jan Hudec, still looking to be a threat again after tearing his right knee in Wengen in 2008 to end his most promising season ever. He's had three re-constructive surgeries and two arthroscopes on that knee.

"We're trying to build some momentum for world champs and we're trying to build something we can work with," said Osborne-Paradis. "It's tough right now. We're a team where we've got some rookies who are very new to the World Cup circuit, they're just kind of fresh out of water and don't really know what to do, what's going on.

"Then there's Jan and I. We're trying, but Jan's touch and go. He does a warmup run in the morning and if he feels good, he can do the training run. With so many injuries that he's had ... I'm the only healthy guy right now and it's a show I've just got to put on for myself right now and kind of build my own momentum and build something that me and the coaches and the staff can kind of proud of for a result."

It's not like the guy's been stinking out the joint. He's been top-15 in the three World Cup downhills to date (an 8th and two 13ths) and is ranked 11th in the World Cup downhill standings.

But as he states: "It's not where I want to be."

He says he feels "a little bit less energetic this year," that the Olympic season took a lot out of the team.

"It's tough to get into that zone where you're so confident in your skiing that you can kind of get away with anything," said the Whistler skier. "You can tell when people have that. It's just something that you need to find.

"You know what? You do one run and it can be there. It's there and it can be found. It's just with all these setbacks this year it's just a little bit tougher of a journey."

It's when it's mentioned to him that it will be tough to race in Kitzbuehel next week considering the state of things that Osborne-Paradis comes to life.

"Hell no, I'm ready to get my best result in Kitzbuehel," he said. "I'm ready to redeem myself in Chamonix. I'm ready to jump on the podium in Garmisch. ... I'm ready for every race. I'm ready for it. I'm skiing well. I'm skiing better than I ever skied. It's the way I'm racing that I'm not ..."

Osborne-Paradis is convinced he's a much better technical skier this season – it's that oomph that's missing right now.

"It's that next little phase, what they call that je ne sais quoi, you know, what makes a racer great. It's something nobody really knows. You have to find it deep down inside and when you find it, use it."

At least, he's in Wengen, where he's been top-5 the last three seasons – 2nd last year, 5th the year before and third before that. He says he won't be satisfied with anything less than top-five again.

"I just don't have that edge yet," he said. "Let's see. Wengen could be it. Who knows? It could be the turnaround, right."

 (The photo was taken by AFP/Getty at the last race in Bormio, Italy)

Canadians are an intimidating force in World Cup ski cross

The atmosphere on the World Cup ski cross tour might be more "chill" – as Olympic champion Ashleigh McIvor describes it – but that doesn't mean the Canadians are averse to using a little intimidation.

The Canadians definitely flexed their muscles Wednesday in Alpe D'Huez, France, as Kelsey Serwa pulled off a victory and McIvor was third in the women's race. Chris Del Bosco, coming back from knee surgery last spring, was fifth for the top men's result.

"I knew I had the potential to do it," said Serwa. "I just had to get my mind in the right mindset. ... I knew the girls would be right behind me right on my tail holding the pressure. So I just kind of went like a bat out of hell."

The Canadians were all on the same side of the draw and, in the semifinals, French star Ophelie David found herself up against the B.C. trio of Serwa, McIvor and Marielle Thompson.

"I think Ophelie was a little intimidated going into this heat with three Canadian girls," said McIvor.

That's exactly how the Canadians like it.

"Why not work together when we can because we all benefit from it," said Serwa. "I think it's an intimidation factor to the other teams. When there's an Austrian and they get into a heat with two Canadians, they go 'Oh crap.' They know we work together and work well together."

It is generally everyone for themselves in the final, but they don't cut each other off. Despite the aggressive tactics, McIvor says the atmosphere on the circuit has changed a lot in a post-Olympic year.

"It's a bit of a vibe I'm catching from everyone around me," said McIvor, back from a little hiatus in Whistler. "I think it's actually bringing the best out in all the competitors. It seems like last year some of the stronger skiers all choked. I think the pressure really affected a lot of people last year."

One athlete who learned to deal with pressure in an Olympic year is Serwa.

"I think I had a turning point at the Olympics," said the 21-year-old from Kelowna, B.C. "I'd be in the start and I'd be stressing out. I'd take a few breaths and go 'Well, if I nail the start, then it makes my job a lot easier down the rest of the course.'

"So I've been carrying that over into these races. You can either totally stress out, muck up and struggle the entire way down or stay focused on the goal and what you want to do and achieve it. The stress is a lot less and it's a lot easier on you body, too."

It took her to the top of the podium Wednesday.

 
(Photos by Getty Images)

Canadian skiers rallying around the troops

It's enough to get Don Cherry interested in ski racing.

The Canadian ski team will be wearing yellow ribbons on their helmets starting this week with the famed Lauberhorn downhill in Wengen, Switzerland, as a message of support to the Canadian troops.

The campaign was kicked off in Calgary today with skier John Kucera, still working his way back from a horrific letg injury, skiing down the hill at Canada Olympic Park to have a yellow ribon decal placed on his helmet by Lt. Col. Martin Delaney, deputy commander of 41 Canadian Brigade Group.

The idea came out of the season-opening speed races in Lake Louise, where Lt. Gen. Andrew Leslie  attended the event with Alpine Canada board member Justin Fogarty, a Toronto lawyer, and told the skiers about how much the teams are supported and cheered by the troops in Europe.

"We talked about it and said 'Hey, we want to show some support for the troops as well,'" said Alpine Canada ceo Max Gartner. "They're flying the flag, they're showing support for us, we want to show support of them.

"We're not going into the political thing of what their missions are, we just want to support the troops. Apparently, they're really proud of the Canadians. And we all fly the flag, right. Our athletes are pretty keen on it, too. The men's downhill team is very excited."

That certainly appears to be the case.

“Sometimes I feel a little bit funny being called a hero when you know people are out there putting their lives on the line,” said men’s ski team veteran Jan Hudec in a statement.

“Downhill skiing is a dangerous sport but the men and women serving in the Canadian Forces do a very selfless job that’s extremely high risk. I will be very proud to wear the yellow ribbon and hope the valuable work done by the Forces will be acknowledged by all Canadians.”

The Janyk Factor: Speaking of the ski team, there was some positive developments on a couple of fronts Sunday, as Mike Janyk pulled off his best result of the season with a fifth-place finish in a slalom in Adelboden, Switzerland, while sister Britt Janyk also had a season's best with a ninth in a Super-G in Austria.

You can watch Mike Janyk's fifth-place run here.

Kershaw Uses Gift: Just a few more bits on cross country skier Devon Kershaw. I mean it's not often – probably never -- you see a breakthrough like that for a Canadian cross country skier. He had four podium finishes (gold, two silvers, one bronze) in a week, more than doubling his previous total of three, and finished seventh overall in the Tour de Ski.

Kershaw is a big fan of the late Steve Prefontaine, the American distance runner whose famous quote is: "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift." Kershaw often did his fitness testing right under a Prefontaine poster with those immortal words. He certainly lived up to them.

Yet Kershaw is one of the most humble athletes you will ever meet. He is always talking up his teammate Alex Harvey.

“He's the best skier the Canadian ski program has ever seen," said Kershaw. "No one can argue that. He's 22 years old, he's better than his Dad, better than Chandra (Crawford), Beckie (Scott). I know they've got Olympic gold medals and I'm not saying that lightly.

"We only had one other person in history medal at world juniors and we've never had anybody medal a few times at world juniors. He has. He's young. It's correct to say he's the most promising athlete we've ever had. He hasn't shown to be the best yet, but all signs point to him being there. Long after I'm retired, he'll be winning a lot. You'll be talking to him a lot.”

And to Kershaw, too, no doubt.

 

Simon Whitfield's cheers for Kershaw a "selfish" pursuit

 
Count Olympic triathlon champion Simon Whitfield among those who's been cheering cross country skier Devon Kershaw's exploits – but he admits to some ulterior motives.

“I love it,” said Whitfield from his Victoria training base. “It's such a great story. It's about the relentless pursuit of something. He's the epitomy of that now.

“I have to admit part of it's selfish. We're working with some of the same people (physiological experts and strength trainers) in Calgary. When I hear about some of the work they've done and see what we're doing now, it builds confidence. To see him kicking ass and taking names, it's awesome to see. It's massive for confidence.”

Whitfield, winner of gold at the Sydney Games and silver in 2008 in Beijing, has also been in touch with Kershaw via e-mail to get his thoughts on altitude training as he gears up for the 2012 London Olympics.

Get on the Bus, Sven: That the Canadians are using a Tour de France style bus on the Tour de Ski to get around and help them recover after races continues to draw a lot of attention in Europe. It was the idea of head coach Justin Wadsworth, who was able to get some financial support from B2ten, a group of well-heeled Canadian business people who contine to help Canadian athletes.

“I think there's going to be a lot of buses next year,” said Wadsworth.

Low profile just fine: There was plenty of media attention after Kershaw's win on Wednesday. The big hitters in Nordic TV coverage from Norway, Sweden and Germany wanted in-depth interviews. A congenial but modest guy, Kershaw didn't mind the sudden attention but would never want the blanket coverage a star like Norway's Petter Northug attracts.

“You should see the media around that guy. It's like Sidney Crosby. He's swamped with media here. There's always cameras in his face. ... It's interesting to see the two sides. I'd rather be in my position to be perfectly honest.”

Today is a rest day for the skiers before racing resumes Saturday in Val di Fiemme, Italy.

 (Photo by AFP from Wednesday's victory in Toblach, Italy)

Devon Kershaw finally pulls off first cross country win

 
After so many close calls, Devon Kershaw finally grabbed it today in Val di Fiemme, Italy – his first World Cup cross country skiing victory in nearly a decade of trying.

On a day where Canada goes for gold in Buffalo against the Russians at the world juniors this evening, Kershaw mined one that's a little tougher to get on the international scene. Only two other Canadian men have ever won -- Ivan Babikov on the final stage of the Tour de Ski in 2009 and Pierre Harvey, who now has a son on the team, Alex.

“I’m thrilled. I’m more than thrilled. I absolutely cannot believe it,” told Kershaw Cross Country Canada's Chris Dornan while being taken to doping control minutes following his victory. “Justin (Wadsworth – head coach) kept telling me all year to be patient and the win would come. I wanted to believe him and I just kept staying with the plan. This is just unreal.”

Kershaw also credited his ski technicians -- “I had the best skis in the world today” -- and Wadsworth, who took over the Canadian team this season after working with the U.S. and implemented a lot of changes among what had been a group wracked by dissension.

“He has taught me to be patient and today that patience paid off in the way the races unfolded,” Kershaw told Dornan. “The old Devon would have went crazy to be in fifth spot in that final today. He has changed me as a skier and I am just so happy for our entire team right now.”

After back-to-back silver-medal finishes on Saturday and Sunday on the Tour de Ski – the sport's grueling test to find the best overall skier – Kershaw got into the final Wednesday as one of the “lucky losers,” the fastest finishers after the automatic qualifying spots.

Then in the final, he hammered into the lead and then held on for dear life as Swiss superstar Dario Cologna put on a strong finishing kick. Kershaw was edged in a photo finish after using a similar strategy on Sunday, but this time Cologna could not catch him and the elusive victory belonged to the modest 27-year-old from Sudbury. Kershaw is an impressive second in the overall Tour de Ski standings behind Cologna.

A popular athlete among his peers, Kershaw was lauded on Twitter by his fellow Canadian athletes for a victory they knew had come from so much sweat.

From Olympic triathlon champion Simon Whitfield: “amazing @devon kershaw proud of our Xcountry ski legend(s)!”

From legally blind skier Brian McKeever: @devonkershaw HOLY S—T!!! World cup victory!! You made me spill my coffee. I'm so PUMPED dude!!!!”

After just missing out last Sunday, Canadian head coach Justin Wadsworth felt it was only a matter of time.

“I think a win is imminent,” he said. “I hope we get one in the next couple of weeks.”

But Kershaw, never one to toot his own horn, was more cautiously optimistic.

“Yeah, I'm sure it's just a matter of time but in the Olympic 50k I was so close to a medal and no Canadian (man) has ever done that before,” he said of his fourth-place finish in Vancouver. “It's just a tough sport, it's competitive, it's deep, especially for a winter sport. Combined, I'm probably .6 seconds away from two wins over two days.

“ I'm thrilled to be racing so fast right now, but I also have a tremendous amount of respect for our sport and the people I'm competing with. These guys are good and there's a lot of them. I'm not sitting there saying 'It's just around the corner.' It could be. I hope so. But at the same time it could be years.” The wait turned out to be three days.