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t The Salt Lake Ttibune WINTER SPORTS Friday, March 9, 2001 Home-Style Cooking Salt Lake City skierstarts drive for Paralympic gold at disabled Nordic World Cup BY BRIAN MAFFLY THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Cross country skiing used to be a way for Steve Cook to stay in shape during cycling’s off-season. Butonly three years after going Nordic, Fee ne bat to larenpol was Wate raced onskis rather than wheel es ly mee al bee ee accomplished 10-member Nordic contingent athe US. disabled ski team start a dress rehearsal dayat Soldier Hollow for next year’s jacinta Winter Games, where Cook hopes to steal some hardware from the Scandinavians, who own Nor- dic sports. “Tt will be a good wayforus to gauge and see what we need to work on,” said Cookofthis week’s disabled Nordic World Cup. He raced in Wednesday's opening biathlonevent, although he lacks the shooting experience to be competitive. “It’s'in our country, so we figured we would Lied ita shot,” said the 32-year-old Cook, a bike ski technician at Wild Rose Mountain Sports. Hetaieed aire ibesend Maleate behindthe winner after all the penalties were added up. Sixty-two athletes from 14 nations are compet- ing this week in the first disabled Nordic World Cupstaged in the United States since 1990. Saturdayis the long-distance event, a 20-kilometer li race forsti 15K forsit-skiers, and Sundayis a relay. Events have : Salt Lake City’s Steve Cook, a top Pachepe cross country skier, com- 8:30 a.m.starts to avoid the disastrous effect the : petes this weekend in a disabled World Cup event at Soldier Hollow. spring sun has onthe track surface. | “Twould like to come back | herein afew years to see : figure skaters and Speedskaters using what . Salt Lake City has made available. Theyoung | people ofSalt Lake City have a great opportunity to have two brand-new ij ilities.” skatingfacilities. Ottavio Cinquanta Presidentof the International Skating Union ‘dies Speedskating ISU President Impressed Continued from C-1 eaete only 6,500 people at next year’s Winter Olympics. Three ago at the NearsOlymuies theM. Waveheld10,000. The 6,500 seats already are sold out, of course. “But the President Cinquanta never argued,” he said. The Games are just the flash, he added. Cinquanta says he is more interested in what happens to theoval in . the next 10 years. “Once the Olympic Games are over, the day after, these facilities must be used,” said Cinquanta, a memberof the International Olympic Committee executive board. And the ISU is available to help make sure that happens, he added. With the oval and the twoice sheets at the Salt Lake City Sports Complex, an expansionofthe Steiner Aquatic Center, both up and running, Salt Lake City has suddenly become “one of the most importantcenters forice skatingin the world,”hesaid. “If the Salt Lake City authorities are available, the ISU will cooperate other events to Salt Lake City, not just the Olympic Games,”he said. “They only have to by alllocating ask us. We're availableto help. eleean! ei becomes ras eee You wouldn't guess it from watching him race, Dut Cook is iniesiig his right foot, the victim an of ‘ik dr ein among ie anap are This mature has exceptional depth, against the industrial accident on a Montana farm when he was 18. Equipped with a high-tech prosthesis, however, Cook has since made a misnomer ofthe term “disabled.” He outraces most four-1limbed outdoor athletes and aharound ers ‘country as al anon cctv. Wisabled Nordic heel skier, his ski World=. ‘say. He only took up Nordicracing in 1995. By 1998 he was fast “ata enough to take fifth aianders in the 5K skatetechnique eventatthe event,5K stand-upskiers,2.5Kforsit NaganoParalympics. =ae year, he competitive cycling to focus on skiing as part ofa mission that comes toa ‘SATURDAY 8:30am.—Long-distance glaseio-tachniqueevent,20K/ ‘15Kstand-upskiers, 15K/10K skiers. head at next year’s :. ‘SUNDAY Paralympic Winter 10¢m.—men's relay, 25K Games in Utah. Byall measures, sitsd, 5Kclassic, SKskate. 11:30am.—women’s7.5K Cookis on the right track, Last year, he went telay . to the world championships in Switzerland hoping to win a medal. Hi came home with three, including the gold in ihe. 10Kclassic. Still, there’s not an ounce ofbraggart in Steve Cook.Hedeclined to predict that he will pull offa win this weekend, confessing only that he has beenskiing well and confidently. He stayed home the European racingtour this winter, so he’s even greater things are in store for Salt LakeCity, which he calls “a quiet but motivated city.” With the advan- tages ofaltitude, top-notch medical facilities and “an airport in thecity,” Salt Lake City has all the elements to ensure its’ future as a winter-sports capital, he said. “This can becomea really incredi- ble center for winter sports — one of the leading cities for our sports,” Cinquanta said. Butit’s not just venues andinfra- structure that Cinquanta wouldlike to see left in Salt Lake City as the leg- acy of the 2002 Winter Games. “T wouldlike to come backhere in a few years to see figure skaters speedskaters using what Salt Lake City has made available,” he said. “The young people of Salt Lake City rtunit Beyondskating, Glnguanta’ thinks sha vonnnd eight monde at symward Chie pionships. U.S. team members include sit-skiers Serebatt er Patent medatd: “Wehave been on the upswing due to the re- sults we had at world championships,” said U.S... coach Jon . “All ofthe sudden, peo ple in the media and onthe [U.S.] ski team are taking notice ofthe program. We've gotten lot of positive reinforcement and heightened interest from other athletes.” One ofthe coach’s recentrecruits has his international racing debut this week. Keith Barney, a. social workerfor patients with spinal cord inju- abled World Cup's European tour. “We had no money, but I decided ahead oftime Iwas going to pay my way,” said Crenshaw,a Colorado hy ‘The trip rewarded him with gold medal in a 10K classic in Oberreid, Germany, then a 20K silver in Austria. ‘The U.S. Nordic community starts disabled skiers along side able-bodied skiers at elite competitions. Few other nations and perhaps no other sports do that. iheome le Wit itgall steal said Kreamelmeye: teacher from. Colorado. epee really respected ty the top ath letes. There’s a mutual respect. People are blown: Anes bo. How airog ey. ake hope we.neves ite t” Canadians Finish 1-2 in GS At SnowbirdSuperSeries THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE first podium finish in a Super Series SNOWBIRD — Canadian Britt Janyk won while teammate Anna Prchal picked up valuable SuperSeries points Thursdayin a giant slalom at Snowbird Ski and SummerResort. race. “The course was nice,” said Kelley, whois planning on the University of Vermont. “It was challenging, really turny and technical.” Janyk won with a two-run combined time of1 minute,38.29 seconds,on the Primrose Path course. Prchal took The event continues today with a secondslalom at 9a.m. Super Series second in 1:39.24 and Jessica Kelley of Starksboro,Vt., was third in 1:39.25. Janyk led both runs with her sec‘ond run of 48.68 the fastest of the day. Janyk’s finish propelled her ae second in the overall standings. She moved past Lindsey Kildow of Vail, FORGETX's& O's. Sports Columnist Gordon Monson goes the limit. Read him — if you dare. TheSalt LakeTribune | who skied off course. Kelley, 18, was the top American andtop juniorin the race. It was her QualityCare e Everyday low prices ¢ Convenient hours ¢ One-stop service e Factory-trained technicians ¢ Genuine Ford parts ia Motorcraft® Tested Tough Ask us about the Ford Extended Service Plan oh Gi See your Service Advisor for details and a copyofthe limited warranty. Brake Service with 18-month MSRPwith exchange.Installation and taxes extra. Motorcraft® The only Extended Service Plan backed by Ford Motor Company. © Affordable * Comprehensive ¢ Easy to sign up Install Motorcraft Preferred Value front or rear brake pads on most cars and light trucks. Excludes machining rotors. Taxes extra. See participating Dealershipsfor price and details through’3/18/01. Great supply of brand nametires at competitive prices! . mE HEARTOFTHE> |
