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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday August 15, 2007 - 31 Van Koeverden finally nabs elusive world title Adam van Koeverden isn't one to beat around the bush. In my dealings with the 25-year-old , the local native has always been quick to point out when he doesn't agree with a statement, or doesn't care to answer a particular line of questioning. Thankfully, for him, myself and any other writers conducting interviews in the future, there is one annoying question that won't need to be asked -- why, despite a growing number of international kayaking wins, had a world championship gold continued to elude him? Van Koeverden made sure of that at last weekend's flatwater racing world championships in Duisburg, Germany. The paddler, the 500-metre gold medalist at the 2004 Olympics in Greece, finally secured his first world championship gold with a victory Sunday in the 500m. The win came a day after van Koeverden earned silver in the 1,000m distance. Despite his past Olympic success, which also included a 1,000m bronze, van Koeverden says he can finally call himself a world champion. And it feels good. "The only way you can say you're a world champion is if you win the world championship," van Koeverden said yesterday. "I don't think (an Olympic win makes you a world champion). There's no world championships in the (Olympic) year, but it's just an easy thing to say that it counts. That's just an easy way out." There was nothing easy about van Koeverden's win in the 500m final. He finished the race in a world-record time of 1:36.279, the fastest time he has ever posted. And he needed to, considering Great Britain's Tim Brabants -- who edged out van Koeverden in the 1,000m final -- finished only .328 seconds behind him. "It was really tough," van Koeverden said. "In the last 50 metres, everyone said I was tightening up and it looked like I was struggling a little bit, but that's what it takes. Winning a world championship was not going to be easy. I'm not just going to cruise (to the finish)... it's not a beauty contest. The first guy to the line wins, not the prettiest guy to the line." Van Koeverden has long believed he is stronger in the 1,000m distance than the 500m. Interestingly, he still feels that way, even though his top two international wins -- Olympic and world championship -- have come in the shorter race. "I'm going to hold fast that I'm still better in the 1,000, and that's because there's legend Bert Oldershaw, has endured a lot not many guys in the world who can do during his athletic career, including surwhat we do in the 1,000," he said. "I'm the gery to remove a bone tumour in his left only guy in the world to do 3:24 twice. hand. Now, he's likely to become the third That's ridiculously fast. It's almost getting generation of Oldershaws to compete in ridiculous when you know what typical amateur athletics' showcase event. times are, 3:40, and we've gone 16 seconds "It's amazing how much he's dealt with," faster than that. van Koeverden said. "He's really inspirational "Sixteen seconds is a lot, that's 90 to all the guys on the team for being able to metres," he continued. "Having done that bounce back from the injuries and be as time and knowing I can go under 3:30 pret- competitive as he always is. He's never comty much any day of the week, I just feel it's plained about pain or discomfort or that he my stronger distance. There's can't paddle. I'm pretty sure "Winning a world a lot of guys who can say the it's all behind him and he championship was same thing." doesn't have to worry about it He'll be tested in an even too much, he can just concennot going to be shorter distance next month, trate on paddling." easy. It's not a beau200m, at the Mazda And what of the Canadian ty contest. The first Canoe/Kayak Knockout. That team's performance at the guy to the line wins, event will be held Sept. 14-15 world championships, as a not the prettiest guy at Ontario Place in Toronto, whole? In total, the Canucks the closest to home that van qualified four boats for the to the line." Koeverden has competed Beijing Olympics (men's internationally in his career. kayaking singles 500m and Adam van Koeverden Brabants and a number of 1,000m, canoeing singles the world's other prominent paddlers are 500m, and kayaking pairs 500m). expected to attend. "It wasn't great," van Koeverden said. On another note, van Koeverden was "We didn't qualify the K-4 and the girls didhappy to see Burloak Canoe Club teamn't qualify, and the men's K-2 guys in the mate Mark Oldershaw qualify a Canadian 500m weren't really happy with their race, boat for next summer's Olympics with a just narrowly qualifying for the Olympics. I fifth-place finish in the canoeing singles didn't really have the world championships 500m event. of my dreams, either. Oldershaw, son of Canadian team coach "I'm not going to sugarcoat (things)." Scott Oldershaw and grandson of paddling Van Koeverden never has. Injury-ravaged Angels survive for Canadian silver By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR The Oakville novice 1 Angels had a different type of MVP at last weekend's peewee girls' Canadian fastpitch championships -- a Most Valuable Physiotherapist. Despite being ravaged by injuries to several key players, Oakville managed to post the best-ever showing of an Angels squad at a fastpitch nationals, reaching the tournament final in Winnipeg before falling 2-1 to the Brampton Blazers and settling for silver. Oakville head coach Barry Brown was almost forced to laugh out of disbelief as he recalled the number of Angels in the tournament's infirmary. The team's top pitcher, Alex Sagl, blew her arm out during the round-robin and was unavailable in the medal round, while shortstop Taylor Brown, the club's leading hitter, popped her knee out of joint in the Angels' second game but remained in the tournament. Other afflictions included third baseman Kelsey Bardy (Charlie horse), second baseman Brittany Parkes (back spasms), catcher Nova Bozinoski (wrist and flu), and Jennifer Wilcox, Lyndsay Butler and Nicole Cerpnjak (flu). "They had a first aid tent there, where a girl was a chiropractor and masseuse, and she knew about eight of our girls by their first name. That's how bad we had it," said Barry Brown. "It was $2 a visit, and at the end of the tournament I gave her $100. If it wasn't for her, we wouldn't have been there (at the end)." Making the Angels' second-place finish even more unlikely was the fact that the team featured four 12-yearolds and four 13-year-olds, a distinct disadvantage in a division that allows girls up to the age of 14 to compete. Brown said that he knew the Angels had talent when he picked the squad last fall, but was hoping to simply qualify for nationals and gain experience this season. Oakville, instead, won the provincials last month and finished one victory away from national gold. "Next year, that's the year they should go to nationals, and that's their age group," he said. The Angels actually held a 1-0 lead in the championship SECOND IN CANADA: The Oakville novice 1 Angels earned silver at the peewee girls' Canadian fastpitch championships in Winnipeg last weekend. game, as Jennifer Wilcox singled home Bozinoski in the second inning. Brampton, however, replied with two runs in the third frame, both runs coming after a disputed call at second base that extended the inning. The Angels' best chance to tie the game came in the sixth, when Rene Helmer reached second base with two outs, but Oakville was unable to cash the equalizer. The loss to Brampton was the Angels' second of the tournament, following a 5-4 loss earlier in the double-elimination medal round. Oakville's other defeat came at the hands of the Stratford Flames, 3-2, as the Angels went 6-0 against teams from outside the province. Those wins came against the Regina Lazers (12-0), Richmond Islanders (6-5), Winnipeg Lightning (11-4), Les Rebelles du Quebec (4-0) and Fraser Valley Fusion (8-1 and 7-2). Also contributing during the tournament were Jocelyn Carabott, Hilary Dawe, Lauren Goacher and Lauren Lyttle. Bardy, Butler and Helmer were picked up by the Angels for the nationals. Angels regular Stephanie Birtles was forced to miss the Canadian championships because of a back injury suffered at the provincials.