Sports.

Canadian Paralympian lands first backflip on sit ski

@ Josh Dueck

By Keating Smith, Contributor

1-year-old Josh Dueck
Decco conquered the

trick earlier this month that
left him a full T-11 paraplegic in the
spring of 2004. While training in the
Silver Star terrain park just outside
of Vernon, Dueck attempted his
signature backflip off a jump, which

   

sent him 10-stories into the air
instead of the three he anticipated.
Dueck landed on his head, breaking
his neck and severing his spinal
cord. From that point on, he has
been wheelchair-ridden.

This tragic accident did not
end his career. Dueck has won
medals in the X Games and won
silver during the 2010 Winter

Paralympics. Despite the podiums
and medals, Dueck still wanted
to land a backflip on a sit ski—as
impossible as it may have seemed.
“T did think about that when
I was first hurt but the reality was
really far away,” Dueck said in
an interview with the Globe and
Mail. “As I got better and talked
about [doing a sit ski backflip], it
was Nicholas Bass, who used to
coach with the Canadian aerials
team, who said, “This is not only
possible; it’s really easy to do.’”
The possibility of doing one was
only a matter of understanding the
physics and science behind them.
Dueck spent the summer in
Colorado at an indoor training
facility, and after completing
several successful backflips in the
Whistler-Blackcomb terrain park on
their airbag jump earlier this year,
he was ready to do the real thing.

“Obviously safety is a top
priority for me in this backflip.”
“The last thing I want to be is ina
worse situation than what I’m in
[right now].”

Powder Mountain Cat skiing
built him a jump in the Whistler
backcountry at his request. He
“knew that deep-soft snow would
leave him the biggest margin for
error.” After a few straight airs
off the jump, he had a feel for the
mountain and “sent it” on the
February afternoon, landing on
his first attempt. “Having a spinal
cord injury is not easy. But I chose
to move forward and focus on the
things that make me happy.”

Mike Douglas, a Whistler-based
ski producer/ director and good
friend of Dueck, documented the
whole experience. You can watch it
at: www.salomonfreeski.com

 

NHL Trade Deadline; who’s selling, who’s buying?

Canadian teams coast-to-coast

By Josh Martin, Sports Editor

The Vancouver Canucks are most
likely not going to do anything
significant leading up to the
February 27 trade deadline. They
arguably have all of the components
that they need to make another run
at the Stanley Cup. There has been
some talk about Cory Schneider
being involved in a blockbuster
trade that would bring a top six
forward to the organization, but
right now that is too much of a

risk with the inconsistent play of
Roberto Luongo in the playoffs. If
anything the Canucks will land a
third-line forward in exchange for
Mason Raymond.

The Calgary Flames, as of last
Thursday, are sitting one point

out of the final playoff spot in the
Western Conference, which simply
means that if they want to make

a push they’re going to be buying
come trade deadline. Jarome Iginla,
Olli Jokinen, and Alex Tanguay
have been pretty solid up front, but
when it comes to the Flames third
and fourth line they’re lacking.
They need depth and another solid
two-way defenseman who can
compliment Jay Bouwmeester on
the backend. Look for the Calgary
Flames to make a splash heading
into the deadline.

The Edmonton Oilers haven't
had a terrible season despite

18

being in the 14 spot in the Western
Conference so far this season.
They’ve shown a lot of potential
and promise with their young guns;
Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Ryan
Nugent-Hopkins, and Sam Gagner,
who will all be the nucleus for the
Oilers organization for years to
come. This team is in its rebuilding
stages and with only 50 points in
56 games the playoffs are out of
the question. Finishing as one of
the bottom teams in the league this
year will be beneficial in getting
yet another top pick in the NHL
draft this summer to add on to
their list of talented young players.
The Oilers are going to continue

to rebuild their team with the
exception of veteran winger Ryan
Smyth, who is a possible candidate
for a trade in exchange for an up-
and-coming young gun.

The Winnipeg Jets are in that
bubble of either making it or
breaking it with just six points out
of the final playoff spot. They need
to shop for a first-line forward that
can carry the load on his shoulders
if they want to string together
some wins in order to make the
playoffs. However with their given
circumstances it doesn’t look as
though they have the options to
acquire that top guy and make it
happen. On the other hand, for
Jets fans it’s a thrill just to watch
hockey again in their hometown.
I’m sure Winnipeg won't be too

disappointed when the Jets don’t
qualify for the post-season.

The Toronto Maple Leafs hold
the eighth and final playoff spot
in the Eastern Conference with 64
points as of last Thursday. They
have a solid team with Phil Kessel
and Joffrey Lupul leading the way
with 62 and 61 points respectively,
but they need a solid number

one goaltender. They can’t keep
trading games between Jonas “The
Monster” Gustavsson and James
Reimer who are both putting up
numbers that are comparative to
a backup goalie at best. GM Brian
Burke needs to pull the trigger

for a proven starting goaltender...
perhaps the Canucks very own
Cory Schneider?

The Ottawa Senators are in a
similar situation as the Toronto
Maple Leafs, sitting at seventh spot
in the tight Eastern Conference.
They too are in desperate need of a
goaltender with their whole team
reluctantly relying on number one
Craig Anderson who isn’t exactly
starting material. Other than that,
their defence is in solid shape with
Erik Karlsson bolstering the blue
line and leading the league among
defensemen in scoring with 53
points, and their offence isn’t the
main concern. The Senators are
going to have to shop for a number
one goaltender if they want to be
real competitors in the playoff race.

The Montreal Canadiens have
taken a bit of a plunge compared to
the team that they were last year.
They’re in 13 spot in the East with
a 23-25-10 record and are eight
points out of the final playoff spot.
Their main concern seems to lie
offensively where they’re lacking

a number one centre to take on the
reins, however it seems that they’re
too far off from the playoff race to
even make the playoffs this season
which could mean that they’Il be
selling some of their guys. 32-year-
old Scott Gomez has just one goal
and seven assists this season, a
bitter disappointment. Look for

his name to be among trade talk
rumours within the next week.

ett) ALTE