Cindy Klassen News

Clara Hughes will tell you home-ice advantage takes on many forms for the Canadian long-track speedskating team.

Canada's Christine Nesbitt skates to a first place finish in the ladies' 1500m race during the 2009 ISU Speed Skating World Cup Final at the Utah Olympic Oval in Kearns, Utah, December 12, 2009.

THREE Olympic storylines that grabbed our attention in the last week... 1. There he is in all his glory, seemingly screaming out at all us "syrup suckers" and "ice holes" in Canada from one of the most prestigious perches in athletics: the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Kelly Vanderbeek of Canada during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Women's Downhill training on December 3, 2009 in Lake Louise, Canada.

At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, the Canadian women speed skaters were impressive.

Steve Nash, seen here driving against the Raptors in Toronto on Nov. 29, 2009, won the Lou Marsh Award in 2005, the year he won his first NBA MVP award.

Ingrid Paul, left, along with Dutch skater Gretha Smit have been accused of offering Poland's Katarzyna Wojcicka the equivalent of $77,800 Cdn for her starting spot in the race.

Canada's Christine Nesbitt competes in the women's 1000-meter event in the World Cup speedskating competition at the Utah Olympic Oval, Sunday, Dec.

Chad Hedrick grabbed Shani Davis' arm on the medals podium and held it up. The American rivals went at it again Friday, with Davis emerging on top in the final World Cup speedskating event before the Vancouver Olympics.

Canadian speedskaters Christine Nesbitt and Kristina Groves were the top two skaters in World Cup 1,500-metre action for the second straight week, but this time it was Nesbitt with the edge.

Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic won the 3,000 metres at the final speedskating World Cup before the Vancouver Olympics.

Olympic speed skating medalist Cindy Klassen has become an ambassador for Whitchurch-Stouffville's cbm Canada.

Four years ago, Catriona Le May Doan correctly predicted Cindy Klassen would dominate the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.

Thanks to Cindy Klassen national records, not to mention world records, are pretty hard to come by for Canada's female long-track speedskaters.

A day after her 33rd birthday, Kristina Groves gave herself the present of a World Cup gold medal.

Canada's Jamie Gregg finished in 34.45 seconds, virtually matching Joji Kato of Japan.

Indeed, speed skating at the venue could be the perfect melding of style and substance - some of the Games' signature moments are likely to occur in Richmond.

Years ago, a dedicated group of folks set out to provide individuals the chance to participate in a ' and eventually become competitive in a ' the sport of speed skating.

Wayne Gretzky became head coach of the Coyotes in August 2005. Why not Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr? Why not have the two greatest Canadian hockey players in history, representing our favourite sport, representing our country, lighting the Olympic flame at the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Olympic Games next February? Some people will bristle at ...

Forget gold, silver or bronze, can Canada's Cindy Klassen match her 2006 Turin turn of five Olympic medals on the Richmond Olympic Oval - or if TV talking head Stephen Colbert's support for U.S. speed skating and his derision of Canadian "syrup suckers" spoils our West Coast party.