Olympics Bound...

[yyzcanuck]

Based on this news release... Matt Morison has secured a 'priority' position on the Canadian Olympic Team. What the hell does that mean?

From the following CSF LINK:

ANDERSON WINS, CALVÉ SILVER; CANADA CONCLUDES WORLD CUP SEASON WITH 23 PODIUMS

Morison gets berth in Olympic Nomination

Mar. 22, 2009

Canada concluded the 2009 LG Snowboard FIS World Cup on a successful note having two riders on the Parallel GS podium in Valmalenco, Italy on the last day of competition, with Jasey-Jay Anderson of Mont-Tremblant, Québec showing his late season supremacy for the victory matched with a silver medal by Caroline Calvé of Aylmer, Québec.

With the two podiums, Canada concluded the 2009 season with 23 medals –six gold, seven silver and 10 bronze, just one medal shy of the All Time World Cup record set last season.

In Valmalenco alone, Canada won five medals making the World Cup Finals the most productive stop on the World Cup this season.

“I feel very accomplished with the results at the end of the season. The legs are still rolling quite nicely. I probably had my best season ever in Alpine racing,” said Anderson, winning his second consecutive victory in Parallel GS.

Anderson, the best snowboarder in Canadian history, now has 55 podiums in his illustrious career including 24 victories. This season alone, Anderson added four medals to his collection: two gold and two bronze, in addition to his World Championship victory.

FIS BIOGRAPHY: JASEY JAY ANDERSON

Anderson defeated toughest rival Benjamin Karl of Austria by 0.18 seconds in the gold medal duel for the victory. Austrian and Overall World Cup leader Siegfried Grabner won the bronze.

“I got my two best run of the day in the Finals against Karl. I knew I had to do that to win. I wasn’t expecting to make it that far in the rounds. In the semis, Seigfried and I were tied after the two runs, but since I was the one catching up to him, the duel went my way to move on into the finals.”

“Starting the year I was aiming for the third rank in parallel GS. After the first few races, I was starting to question whether that was possible or not. Today I really had to get that win to accomplish the goal.”

Matthew Morison of Burketon, Ontario placed in fifth position for the third time since January 8, 2009, securing himself a priority spot on the Canadian Snowboard Federation’s 2010 Olympic Games Internal Nomination procedures.

Michael Lambert of Toronto, ON, qualified for the finals, placing in 13th position, his second best result of the 2009 season. Patrick Farrell of Oakville, Ontario, did not advance to the elimination round and finished in 30th position.

CALVÉ GETS FIRST PODIUM OF CAREER

In Women’s action, Caroline Calvé won the silver medal, winning her first ever World Cup medal on the LG Snowboard FIS World Cup Tour.

Calvé won her first three duals to make it into the Big Finals but conceded victory to the 2009 World Cup champion Amelie Kober of Germany.

“It wasn’t an unexpected result with the results that I had in La Molina last week in tough course conditions. To have unblocked over there and have good feelings gave me momentum and confidence that I didn’t have before,” said Calvé after the race.

"I didn’t enter the race telling myself I needed a medal, but on the other side I knew I was feeling really well, in good physical shape and not physically tired from the season.”

Kober now has 10 career podiums including seven victories on the World Cup tour, with five of her wins coming this season.

Austrian Doris Guenther won the small final dual with her teammate Claudia Reigler to complete the podium with the bronze medal.

Alexa Loo of Richmond, BC, also qualified for the elimination round but lost her opening dual and took the 13th place. Kimiko Zakreski of Calgary placed 26th while Ariane Lavigne of Mont-Tremblant took the 47th position.

In the men’s category, Austrian Siegfried Grabner won the overall title, all disciplines, with a cumulative of 5520 points. Grabner, bronze medalist at the 2006 Olympics in Torino, had 5 podiums this season, including two victories in dual competitions. Canada’s top riders this season in terms of World Cup point was Jasey- Jasey Anderson in fourth position with 4710 points.

Amelie Kober of Germany won the women’s category with 6232 points. She stepped six times on World Cup podiums this season, including five wins. Snowboardcross specialist Maëlle Ricker of Squamish, BC, led the Canadian women with 5100 points with four podiums for Canada.

In men’s world cup action, Canada concluded the season sitting in third position with a cumulative of 26 942 points. Austria took the ultimate season honours to win the Nations Cup with 33 260 points, followed by United States in second with 28 382 points and Canada in third.

In the women’s Canada concluded the 2009 LG Snowboard FIS World Cup season in fourth place on the World Cup tour with a total of 19 185 points. Austria came out on top with 23 470 points leading over Switzerland in second place and the United States in third position.

The Canadian snowboard team will now make its way back to Canada to compete at the 2009 Canadian Snowboard Nationals at Mont-Tremblant in Québec from March 29 to April 4.

[yyzcanuck]

Found more about the selection process HERE.