Megan Tandy, a Veteran at 21

Beyond two Gold medals and one Bronze medal at the Summer Championships in the junior category, her career highlight on the World Cup circuit came at ironically Whistler Olympic Park last March. At the 2010 Olympic Biathlon venue, Tandy had just two penalties to finish 50^th in the 15K Individual. This solid performance at the Olympic venue came at the most appropriate place, as Tandy hopes to make another visit there this coming February. Tandy commented on how the first week of the World Cup season went for the Olympic Host Canadians.

“The moment we have all been waiting for! After a relaxed training week in Bruksvallarna, we are ready for the first World Cups of the season!  The Canadian Biathlon team has been in Östersund this past week and everyone is back in the rhythm of being on tour.

Travelling Family

We have a great support team here, also known as our traveling family! We even have wonderful 1 ½ -year-old Liam Zidek around when we need a laugh!  Our wax team has been working hard all week as have our coaches, massage therapist and psychologist.  We kicked off the season with some great results for JP (Jean Philippe Leguellec); 10^th in the 20K and 12^th in the Sprint.  We are off to a strong start with 3 men top 60 in the Sprint and our women at 34^th and 41^st. All of our athletes are excited about the potential for the next races.

Our men posted 14^th place with their first relay for the year.  Unfortunately 2 of our ladies were sick over the weekend, but are both recovering and gearing up for World Cup 2. Time flies and along with many others, we packed up and headed to Hochfilzen Monday morning for some more great competitions!”

News from VANOC

Eight Canadians have been named volunteer honorary mayors to welcome athletes from around the world to their home away from home at the athletes' villages in Whistler and Vancouver during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

These honorary mayors will be the face of Canada and British Columbia as they host dignitaries and socialize with the athletes and staff during the Olympic Winter Games."Each of the men and women named today as village mayors for the 2010 Winter Games will add an inspirational presence in these homes away from home for the athletes and officials who will start competing here in less than 70 days,” stated John Furlong, VANOC Chief Executive Officer.

Eight Former Athletes

The honorary mayors include: Rick Hansen, a Paralympic athlete and a crusader for disabled people around the world; Tricia Smith, an Olympic Rowing Silver medalist; Anna Fraser Sproule, a former Olympic freestyle skier and broadcaster; Alan Kristmanson, a Canadian Basketball Olympian in 1988; Dr. Douglas Clement, an internationally known sports medicine specialist; Diane Clement, a 1956 Olympian, and author; Marni Abbott-Peter, a Basketball Olympian and flag-bearer at the 1996 Paralympic Games, and Patrick Anderson, a Paralympic Basketball Gold medalist and jazz musician .

Hansen commented on his appointment, "It's a great honor to be chosen to represent Canada as a village mayor at the 2010 Winter Games. As a competitor at past Games, I know how important it is for the athletes and officials; our guests, to have a welcoming place to stay while competing.”

Importance of the Games

Not surprisingly, the number one topic this past week in Östersund was the Olympic Winter Games.

Jonsson Number One in Sweden

Helena Jonsson won the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal for the outstanding Swedish sports performance of the year. She has been installed as Sweden’s Number one best chance for gold in Vancouver. On Monday, Sweden’s SPORTBladet had Jonsson at the top of their top 10 list, with Anna Carin Olofsson-Zidek at number four, and Women’s Biathlon Relay Team at number 10. Not surprisingly, all ten medal prospects are from snow sports, save the Swedish Women’s Ice Hockey Team. Gold fever is alive and well in Sweden.

Is it Björndalen or Svendsen in Norway?

If Jonsson is a good bet for Gold, then two men from neighboring Norway reconfirmed their potential. Emile Hegle Svendsen and Ole Einar Björndalen won the Individual and Sprint competitions in Östersund. In press briefings, both confirmed that the Olympics are number one in their mind. Svendsen confirmed that he would skip the Pokljuka World Cup to get in extra training prior to the January World Cups. At the same time, Björndalen (with eight Olympic medals) knows that it takes a top performance to win an Olympic medal. After Norway’s second in the Relay on Sunday, he commented, “If this were the Olympics, I would be satisfied with a second place, especially with three penalties, but at the Olympics, you have to shoot better than that.”

All three of these talented athletes will be competing in Hochfilzen this week, but there is no doubt that Vancouver is always on their mind.