CROSS-COUNTRY:

Nordic Notepad: Get pumped for the relay

Feb. 21, 2010 — SRC Staff Report

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The Canadian ski community had been waiting for its  boys to break out a good race.

Ivan Babikov had a record-breaking result in the 15 km skate race, but it seemed like the team could do better. Canada qualified two men in the sprint, but didn’t get past the quarters. Everyone knew the men’s team was capable of something more than this ― the combination of Babikov, Alex Harvey and Devon Kershaw, with loyal veteran George Grey as support, had the right chemistry to put something special together for these Olympics on home soil. But when was it going to happen? 

It happened Saturday, during yet another magical day at the nordic venue. Three in the top 10 and four in the top 16 is a thrilling success for a country that sent only one man to the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City. And yet, listening to the comments after the race, from both team members and rivals, one gets the sense there’s a lot more to come. 

The boys were all focused immediately afterward, downplaying the result and their chances for the upcoming week. In fact, they seemed rather upset they weren’t in the medals. Tobias Angerer, longtime German veteran and silver medallist, said, “The Canadians were very strong. Their skis were fantastic, and George, Ivan and Alex skied very, very well. They will have a very strong team for the relay … but we also want a medal, so we will have to see how it goes.”

Saturday’s result and these comments, both from inside the team and from Canada's main rivals, certainly put a lot of emphasis on one of the signature races at the Olympic Games ― the 4 x 10 km relay. This relay has been getting ski fans excited for more than a year, but these results show that all four men are skiing fast at the right time. Only Sweden placed better, as a country, than Canada Saturday. Norway and Italy, traditionally the two main relay rivals, did not fare well in the pursuit, but will nevertheless be strong in the relay. Germany should be another key player, though team stalwart Axel Teichmann is coming off an illness last week and is looking to regain his form.
 
There has been a lot of speculation as to the order of the relay. Kershaw traditionally skis the start of the race and the first classic leg, and consistently hands off to the second skier with the top group. The second skier has usually been the weaker link, but Grey, who will likely ski second, showed terrific form Saturday and is making any doubters swallow hard. Babikov, slightly stronger at skating, will likely ski the third leg, which requires mental toughness and a grind-it-out mentality. Harvey is likely to finish; though lots of pressure for the 21-year-old star, he has the best finish kick and skis a very smart race. 

This group looks to be peaking at the right time to put Canada on the podium in the marquee event at Whistler Olympic Park. A medal in the relay could change the face of cross-country skiing in Canada; it would be a moment as seminal as Beckie Scott’s golden performance in Salt Lake City. And it has the potential to light a passion for skiing in a new generation of nordic racers, much as Scott's medal (and smile) has built a legion of fast young women in Canadian skiing. 

After easy training Sunday morning, Kershaw indicated that his legs felt fresh and he felt fully recovered. Kershaw and Harvey will start the sprint relay Monday morning; though they are not medal favourites in that event, look for them to be opportunistic and take advantage of opportunities in the race as they present themselves. 
 
Monday's sprint relay will be exciting; however, the 4 x 10 km relay on Wednesday could be truly historic. Mark it on your calendars, and turn on your televisions; if you have any way of securing tickets, get yourselves there. You might regret it if you don’t.  SRC