www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, June 23, 2016 | 30 HALTON TRANSMISSION 559 SPEERS RD., #UNIT 3 905-842-0725 www.haltontransmission.com Kevin Nagel Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Sports By Peter Edwards Toronto Star "Connected to your Community" Olympic dream comes MacLean's return receiving rave reviews true for Oakville sailor Except for official Canadian Olympic Committee certification, Oakville sailor Lee Parkhill has qualified for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro this summer in the men's singlehanded Laser dinghy. Sail Canada made the announcement last week following Parkhill's fourth-place finish at the Weymouth World Cup in Portland, U.K. Parkhill has been the Canadian frontrunner in the Laser class for the past year, bringing home a bronze medal at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto and placing fifth at the Rio Olympic Test event in August. Lee was honoured with the 2015 Rolex Sailor of the Year award. "To say that I am elated would be an understatement," he said. "I have dedicated much of my life towards the sport of sailing. I've been sailing in the Laser class since I was 13 years old, and competing internationally since 2008. My ultimate goal has been to qualify for the Olympics, and (last week) I learned that my dream has come true." The journey is never without heartbreak. "I've certainly had many ups and downs in terms of results during the last four years of sailing. I've witnessed the intense loss amongst friends in other countries who do not qualify, and I've experienced that loss firsthand during the last 2012 Olympic qualifier. My fellow Canadian teammates and competitors, Robert Davis and Evert McLaughlin, have been an integral part to me reaching my goal, along with our coach, Steve Mitchell. My hat goes off to both Rob and Evert for pushing our team as a whole to get better." The 27-year-old Toronto native sails out of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club and has been a member of the national team for eight years. "This past year has been the strongest in my sailing career, and will likely be one the most memorable years of my life. Last summer began with a bronze medal at the Pan Am Games and this winter I was honoured with the Rolex Sailor of the Year award. A few months ago, my daughter, Emma Rose, was born. Now I look forward to representing my country at the Olympic Games." Nine Canadian sailors have qualified for nomination to Rio by Sail Canada. Prior to being named to the final Canadian Rio 2016 team, all are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee. News that George Stroumboulopoulos will be replaced by his predecessor is greeted with online cheers. Hockey fans on Twitter gave a big, Don Cherry-style thumbs up to news that Ron MacLean has won back his old job as host of Hockey Night in Canada. "YESSSS!!!!," tweeted Toronto web developer Daniel Pereira after Star sports columnist Dave Feschuk broke the news that, in a comeback worthy of the Cleveland Cavaliers, MacLean will replace Stroumboulopoulos next season in the highest profile spot in Canadian sports broadcasting. In response to the Star's story, MacLean told the Canadian Press that "there's a few balls in the air and things like that," and until Sportsnet executives Scott Moore or Rob Corte "says it's official, it's not official." But his fans weren't waiting to crack open the champagne. "We love Ron MacLean," Pereira tweeted. "It isn't #HockeyNightInCanada without Ron & Grapes!" Ron MacLean, an Oakville Sports Hall of "Amen! And hockey is being restored Fame inductee in 2015, is reportedly headto its rightful line," agreed mediator Su- ing back to his hosting duties at Hockey Night zanne Petryshyn. in Canada. | Oakville Beaver file photo Toronto radio host John Moore wasn't so happy, tweeting: "Strombo out at Hockey Night In Canada. That totally burns." That return to the HNIC spot could leave MacLean, 56, a published hockey author, as a lord of all hockey media if he also retains his spot as sidekick to Cherry on Coach's Corner and as host of Rogers' Sunday night show, Hometown Hockey. There's no word on where Stroumboulopoulos, 43, might go. In an email, MacLean told Feschuk that he couldn't comment on the upcoming season until his superiors "finalize their 2016-17 plans." MacLean held the HNIC host job from 1986 to 2014, and sometimes clashed with league commissioner Gary Bettman in interviews about labour troubles. Stroumboulopoulos was hired in 2014 in an effort to attract younger viewers, who presumably would connect with his independent attitude, skinny suits and VJ past, shortly after Rogers acquired NHL broadcasting rights for $5.2-billion. MacLean didn't snap at the broadcaster when he was exiled to Hometown Hockey, which was broadcast weekly from different small towns. Jr. B lacrosse Buzz clinch division title after sweeping Halton Hills The Oakville Buzz clinched first place in its division, completing a weekend sweep of the Halton Hills Bulldogs with a 17-10 victory last Saturday. Oakville trailed Halton Hills by three points heading into the weekend but kept their hopes alive for first place in the Ontario Jr. B Lacrosse South East Division with a last-minute 8-7 win Friday at home. Saturday, in the final game of the regular season, the Buzz scored eight times in the second period, including six straight that turned a 6-4 deficit into a 10-6 advantage. Ryan Smith, who scored the winner Friday, had four goals in Saturday's win and Eddie Renaud scored three times and set up four more. Tyler O'Brien and Austin Redding also had hat tricks. As you would expect from rivals battling for first, things got a little heated. A line brawl 19 seconds into the second period even saw the goalies squaring off. The teams both hit triple figures in penalty minutes, combining for 237. Marley Angus scored twice for the Buzz, Matt Anderson had a goal and three assists and Ben Heidecker had the other Oakville goal. Adam Wolfe had five assists. Oakville (15-5) secured the third seed in the East Conference. #WeSaveLives Because THEIR life is on the line. Enrol today. Oakville locations 345 Lakeshore Rd. East, Suite 312 180 Oak Park Blvd., Suite 107 YD.COM | (905) 842-6846 Register your new driver for weekend courses or an express 4-day summer driving course. Young Drivers' exclusive Collisionfree!TM driving maneuvers are their best defence on the road. 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