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Local speedskater makes national development team By Jesse Cole Omineca Express Jamie MacDonald says that her favourite aspect of speedskating is how exciting the sport can be. “I’m in short track speedskating and it can be pretty intense,” the Fort St. James local says. “There is a lot of G-force and speed - you really need to be able to be agile coming in and out of the corners. It’s like roller derby on ice.” MacDonald, who has been named as part of the Canadian national speedskating team’s development team branch, has been speedskating since she was only six years old. “Our neighbour recommended the sport and I just ended up falling in love with it.” The national development team is the training ground for speedskaters who show exceptional promise. It serves to hone their skills in hopes of helping them compete on a national and perhaps even olympic level. The Canadian national team consists of 12 of the top speedskaters from across Canada, of which eight are part of the national team while the remaining four are placed on the development team. “Basically they’re training us to Jamie MacDonald 1500 metre race. bring us up to a world-class level,” says MacDonald of her role in the she competed in a 1000-metre race in team. MacDonald’s rise to the national Trentino, Italy. Her performance at this development team came after she race, where she placed 19th, was what earned a spot competing with the Inter- got her recruited to the national team. It’s an achievement that MacDonald national University Sports Federation (FISU). The spot with FISU brought is proud of but says came as a surprise. MacDonald all the way to Italy, where “I’m proud of myself, but I definitely
Photo by Bill Christ
surprised myself.” Adding, “I knew I was good, but I didn’t realize I could be that good.” MacDonald’s aspirations don’t stop with the development team. She has even loftier goals for her future, both abroad and at home. “Next year I’m
hoping to be on the FISU games team and I’d like to improve my ranking here in Canada,” she says. MacDonald also has her sights set on the 2018 olympics saying, “I hope to get more practice at a high-level and make the olympic team for 2018.”
Legebokoff Trial: Pickaroon tagged as possible weapon The murder trial of Cody Alan Legebokoff, 24, who stands charged in the deaths of four area women will continue Monday. Court was adjourned Thursday after the B.C. Supreme Court jury heard from three RCMP officers about varying aspects of their investigation including a search of Legebokoff’s apartment and his car. Court was shown two tools, an axe and a pickaroon (log-turning tool,) that have been previously introduced as possible murder weapons. Corp. John Grierson, a member of the serious crime unit in 2010 and 2011 said he helped with “manual labour” in the search of the accused’s truck between January 13 and 15 of 2011. Grierson said
he noted what appeared to be blood on the back side passenger seat and samples were seized. Also a bank book was found in the vehicle’s glove box. The second witness Thursday, Const. Dennis Engel, testified that said he went to Legebokoff’s apartment on Dec. 1, 2010 and during a search, found a pickaroon leaning against the wall, right side of the bed, behind a bedside table. The officer said he also found a small axe in a boot closet. On cross-examination by defence counsel James Heller, the officer was asked if the pickaroon was “easy to see?” “You could see the handle,” Engel said. Engel also described later taking the
pickaroon with him to Erie, Pennyslvania where it was to examined by forensic anthropologist Stephen Symes, a specialist in tool markings on bone. Symes previously testified that he could not eliminate the pickaroon as the weapon used in at least one of the attacks. Asked by Heller if it was “tough” going through security, Engel explained that Air Canada was aware of the trip and its purpose, so clearance documentation was in order and he was able to have it with him “the whole time,” during the flight. Engel also told the court about his role in a Dec. 3 and 4, 2010 search of the area where the body of Loren Leslie, 15, was found. He said he saw “lots of blood” in
fresh snow that he estimated was six to eight centimetres deep. On re-examination by the Crown, the witness said the blood he saw in areas was not on the surface but being “kicked up” by search and rescue people. Corp. Dino Raja testified about his part in the 2011 searches connected with the case against Legebokoff including a grid search. The trial which began June 2 is expected to last several weeks and continues before B.C. Supreme Court Justice Glen Parrett. Witnesses in the case so far have included family members of the victims, several medical experts and several RCMP officers involved in the case.