orts Canadian Skaters win big at Worlds Despite fall, Chan wins gold in men’s competition. Ice dancers Moir and Vir- tue also come out on top. By CARLY RHIANNA SMITH top positions at the World Figure Skating weekend. The 2012 competition saw Canada’s Patrick Chan take the gold on Saturday in Nice, France. “He’s a completely unique athlete,” said Skate Canada’s executive director Ted Barton. “No one skates like him.” Barton was in the audience in Nice at the Palais des Expositions. He said what sets Chan apart is his risk-taking jumps and complete mas- tery of the sport. Chan twists and turns his torso about two-to-three times more than other skaters, picks up speed and enters jumps “out of no- where.” “Patrick’s skating skills are so far above anyone else’s in the world that he piles up points and then, with a mis- take, which he loses points for, he still adds up to come out on top,” said Bar- ton. Indeed, Chan was not in top form this weekend. Despite a strong begin- ning to his program, he bailed on a rou- tine jump that ended with his rear end on ice. The crowd whistled and jeered in disapproval, but their reaction had no effect on the judges’ final decision. “Coming here, I had my doubts. I thought, oh my God, am I going to be the guy who lost it, didn’t make it hap- pen, when he was so close?” said Chan to the Toronto Star. “But I snapped my- self out of it because I knew I'd trained hard all season.” Ice dancing pair Scott Moir and Tes- sa Virtue also secured gold at the championships on Thursday night, making it a successful year for Canada. “After Patrick and Scott and Tessa [retire], I would have to be honest and say I’m a little bit worried about [Cana- da’s place],” said Barton. “But we do have a lot of talent in the country. It’s whether we develop it or not.” One of those talented skaters is Kev- in Reynolds, a Coquitlam resident who placed 12th this weekend. “That was the best skate he’s ever had, and I’ve known Kevin since he was about six years old,” said Barton. Reynolds opened his program with a quad (a jump with four revolutions) that Barton called the best of the com- petition. If Reynolds improves and trains hard, he could move up into the top 10 in the world, said Barton. Ceres figure skaters glided into Championships _ this ’ i PAUL CHIASSON/CANADIAN PRESS photo Patrick Chan won gold at the World Figure Skating Championships. MATT HYNDMAN photo Abbotsford Heat players celebrate after winger Greg Nemisz scores in the first period on Friday. The final score was 4-3 for the Heat. Wolves showcase future pros Canucks farm team wins one, loses one against Abbotsford Heat By HAYLEY DOCTOR ncouver fans had the chance to see the Canucks of the future in action as the Chicago Wolves faced the Abbotsford Heat in two back-to-back games Thursday and Fri- day. The Wolves, who play in the Ameri- can Hockey League, are the farm team of the Vancouver Canucks. Some of the top Wolves this season include Jordan Schroeder and Mark Mancari. In Thursday’s game, scored twice in 25 seconds. “Sometimes you get lucky bounces if Schroeder you go to the net,” Schroeder said. “I was fortunate to get one off the leg and it kind of got me going. That same shift my line mates made a great play and it ended up in the back of the net.” “[Schroeder]’s a dynamic player, a leader and a type of player that has de- veloped into a complete offensive and defensive threat every time he is on the ice,” said Jack Barzee of NHL Central Scouting. Mancari scored the winning goalina shootout Thursday, leading the Wolves to a5-4 victory. On Friday, Mancari scored his 28th goal of the season to tie the game at 3-3 and keep the Wolves alive. Although the Wolves lost Friday’s game, they put in a valiant effort. The final score was 4-3 for the Heat. “T think there were a lot of positives,” said Mancari. “I think it was pretty close to a playoff game, if you look at how the game was played. We made a few mistakes we didn’t want to make, and goals that resulted from us not get- ting the puck out.” Mancari has played six games for the Canucks this season. Schroeder was drafted in 2009 to the Canucks but has only played with the Wolves so far, as he still needs to fur- ther hone his skills before he is ready for the big leagues. NEXT games HE Abbotsford plays Rochester at home on April 3 and 4 HE Chicago plays San Antonio on April 4 and Houston on April 6 Source: Abbotsford Heat Chicago Wolves omething for everyone at Urban Rec Play hard, have fun and de-stress with rec leagues By JEREMY SALLY Park, where eight recreational soccer teams face off in their sea- son openers. But instead of jerseys, the players don sweaters and t-shirts. The teams are co-ed, and the girls are running circles around the guys. Adrienne Waunch takes on men twice her size. Her explosive plays on the field belie the fact she only plays casually. “It’s a great way to de-stress,” said Waunch. “You get to meet great people and play with them, or against them.” Waunch is part of a league orga- nized by Urban Rec, an intramural sports company that gives regular peo- ple the chance to play the sports they love. Lisa Dolinski, league and events manager for Urban Rec, says Waunch’s reasons for participating are what the company strives for. “It’s a way for students pressured by studies and those with busy schedules to have fun and compete in a friendly environment,” said Dolinski. In the second half of the game, the sun sets and a blue glow emanates T:: stakes are high at Trillium from BC Place through the Vancouver skyline. Ronaldo Wright wastes no time in his offence and often finds himself in physical contests with other players. But his demeanor on the sidelines is the polar opposite. “This is the best way to spend your evening,” said Wright, laughing. “You form friendships through teamwork. You don’t get that when sitting, watch- ing TV.” Soccer is only one of the sports of- fered by Urban Rec. The company of- fers a range of sports, from flag football to indoor hockey. “Dodgeball is incredibly popular,” said Dolinski. “We have people that come out and dress up in a different uniform every week.” The company organizes beach vol- leyball in the summer, with registra- tion starting in May. Games are held on Jericho beach, in UBC and at Urban Rec’s Urban Beach court near Strath- cona. Back on the field, rain begins to pour but fails to douse the friendly spirit. At the end of the game, players on both teams chant, cheer and shake the hands of their opponents. “m looking forward to seeing all these guys next week,” said Wright. “Anybody that wants to have some real fun, this is the way to do it.” a ee a SS a re JEREMY SALLY photo Competition is fierce at Urban Rec’s soccer games.