The Tribune

McGill student Jennifer Heil is – bar none – the best female mogulist in the world. She’s won the last four Freestyle Skiing World Cup events, and rides a tidal wave of momentum into the 2010 Olympics. If she doesn’t bring home gold on the first night of competition, it would be a shocking disappointment.

Remember the name Melissa Hollingsworth: you’ll be hearing a lot about her this month. The Alberta native finished third in Turin, but is the consensus favourite to win gold in Vancouver. Canada has more than one medal threat in this event as well – Amy Gough has slid her way onto the team by posting strong times at World Cup events.

The fastest human-powered sport in the world will offer plenty of excitement for the fans in Vancouver. In the “short-track” events – where skaters race against each other on a track about the size of a hockey rink – South Korea will attempt to repeat their dominating performance in Turin, where they won six out of eight possible gold medals.

For many Canadians, anything less than a gold medal in the Olympic men’s hockey event is unacceptable. Four years ago in Turin, the Russians stunned an entire nation when they blanked Canada 2-0, preventing the Canucks from advancing to the semi-finals. The 2010 edition of the Winter Games is nothing less than a chance at redemption for the tournament favourites.

Olympic gold is Canada’s to lose in Vancouver. After winning easily in Salt Lake City and Turin, Canada will be relying on experience to guide them to the top of the podium once again. Canadian legends Kim St. Pierre and Hayley Wickenheiser are back, along with superstar McGill goaltender Charline Labonté, but the team will be without veteran Danielle Goyette for the first time since the 1998 Games.

In the world of sports – where every team seems to think they have a chance at the playoffs and every player parrots the same lines about winning on “Any given Sunday” – the honest and realistic goals of the McGill Redmen volleyball team are refreshing. The players and coaches talk about single games, not tournaments; about learning from mistakes, not about knocking off powerhouse teams like the Dalhousie Tigers; and about competing, not necessarily about winning.

Typically a match-up between two nationally ranked hockey teams would all but ensure an exciting and hard-fought match. Nevertheless, the McGill women’s hockey team is far from ordinary. And on Friday, the Martlets further cemented their reputation as Canada’s best women’s hockey team, defeating 10th-ranked Montreal 3-0 at McConnell Arena.

The McGill men’s hockey team scored four special-team markers on Sunday in a 5-3 win over Nipissing University at McConnell Arena. The result snapped the Redmen’s two-game win streak and improved their record to 17-4-0, reclaiming first place in the OUA East, one point ahead of idle UQTR (16-3-1).

In a little less than two weeks from now, football fans around the world will be glued to their television sets as Superbowl XLIV kicks off in south Florida. Before the football hangover has time to wear off completely, we’ll be turning our sights to the Canadian west coast, as the Olympic torch arrives in Vancouver to tip off the Winter Olympic games.