Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2008 35 Legein considering quitting hockey Seven months ago, Stefan Legein walked off a plane at Pearson Airport to a hero's welcome, a gold medal from the World Junior Hockey Championships around his neck. Now, at the age of 19, the Oakville native appears to be walking away from the game. Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson said he received a call from Legein's agent Doug Woods on Tuesday, informing him Legein would Stefan Legein not be reporting to training camp next month. "We knew he was struggling with some issues last season with his passion to play the game," said Howson, who drafted Legein in the second round of the 2007 NHL entry draft, "but we didn't think it would come to this. He's a really good player and hopefully he can sort this out and get his desire back." Legein played four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League, three in Mississauga and his final year with the Niagara IceDogs, after the team relocated to St. Catharines. He separated his shoulder in the gold-medal game at the world juniors in the Czech Republic and missed several weeks. Upon his return, he racked up 18 points in 10 games for Niagara in the playoffs and then joined Columbus' American Hockey League affiliate Syracuse Crunch for two playoff games. It was after joining Syracuse that Legein told the Blue Jackets he needed some time off. "He indicated that he has lost some of his passion and needed a break," Howson said. The Columbus GM assumed that his desire would return over the summer and was surprised to get the phone call from Legein's agent on Tuesday. Howson said if Legein doesn't report to camp, he'll be suspended by the team. A phone call to Legein was not returned. -- Herb Garbutt Okay, here's the plan... Johansson, Stittle finish fourth in Olympic sailing QINGDAO, China -- A late rally by Oakville's Oskar Johansson and teammate Kevin Stittle fell short as they settled for fourth in the fast Tornado catamaran sailing class at the Olympic Summer Games. Johansson and Stittle finished second for the third consecutive race yesterday (Thursday), but that wasn't enough to reel in Argentina's Santiago Lange and Carlos Espinola for the bronze. The Canadian duo began the day fifth overall after 10 races and was 13 points back of the Argentines, who were sixth in the medal race -- which counts double -- and finished with 56 points. Johansson and Stittle finished with 61 points and needed the Argentines to finish ninth or worse in the medal race to move up further. "We went out there and knew we had to have a good race due to the points spread. We achieved that," said Johansson. "We raced well, but our final placing depended on circumstances beyond our control." The Canadians were hurt by poor results in the sixth (15th), seventh (11th) and eighth (12th) races. Competitors drop their worst result. Fernando Echavarri and Anton Paz of Spain won the gold medal with 44 points while Aussies Darren Bundock and Glenn Ashby took silver at 49. -- Torstar News Service Van Koeverden in 500m final Olympic double-medal threat Adam van Koeverden, who was scheduled to paddle in the kayaking singles 1,000-metre final this morning (Friday), will also shoot for gold in tomorrow's (Saturday's) 500m final after winning his semifinal yesterday (Thursday). The Burloak Canoe Club athlete easily advanced to the 500m final by posting a time of 1:42.438 in the semis, easing off at the finish line to save his energy for the medal races. "I was thinking this is the last (race) before a final. Time to tune up. I'm feeling really good. I'm putting my best races together. I'm concentrating on having the best races possible and that's all I can ask of myself," said the Loyola grad. Earlier in the week, van Koeverden set a world record in heats of the 500m -- the event he won at the 2004 Games in Athens -- with a time of 1:35.554. The 500m final will be held at 3:30 a.m. eastern. The news wasn't as good yesterday for van Koeverden's friend and Burloak teammate, Mark Oldershaw, who finished fourth in his canoeing singles 500m semifinal. The top three athletes in each semi advanced to the final. "I went harder at the start than in the heats," said Oldershaw, who was seen as a medal threat. "I guess I wasted too much energy. I didn't have it at the end. I am completely disappointed. I came here to contend for a medal and I'm not even in the final." Burloak's Brady Reardon, Chris Pellini and the men's K-4 crew earned a spot in today's final by finishing third in Wednesday's semi, posting a time of 3:02.572. -- Torstar News Service CHRIS KORNACKI / OAKVILLE BEAVER AIM FOR THE GLOVE: Minor A Athletics catcher Spencer Gaion (left) discusses strategy with pitcher Owen Janssen during the Oakville Little League's championship day Saturday at Cornwall Park. The Athletics fell to the Cardinals in extra innings. Jenner, Kessler on national teams Brianne Jenner has been named captain of the Canada's women's under-18 hockey team that will play against the United States in Lake Placid, N.Y. The three-game series begins Wednesday and continues until Saturday. Jenner also played for Canada at the World Under-18 Championships in Calgary in January, where Canada earned a silver medal. Oakville netminder Christina Kessler was named to the Canadian roster for the under-22 team, which will also play three games against the U.S. in Pierrefonds, Que. The Oakville Trafalgar grad is entering her junior year at Harvard, where she posted a 30-2-0 record with 12 shutouts and a 1.06 goals-against average last season. TRAFALGAR GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB Resident & Associate Memberships Available If you love golf, you will love Trafalgar Golf & Country Club! 18 New Greens · Family Oriented Practice Facilities · No Capital Assessments Join for 2009 & play the remainder of 2008 905-878-2303 www.trafalgargolf.com 2009 MEMBERSHIP SALE SEPT 1-21 GREAT DEALS FOR 2009 CALL TODAY!