Short Track
You official has confirmed himself a few days ago after the expiry of the contract, announcing a new assignment. Éric Bédard is not more the coach of the Italian national short track: after four years of work at the helm of Arianna Fontana and his companions, his future will be France. Disappointed by the offer of renewal, for the uncertainties on the future and that the programs of the Italian Ice Sports Federation, the now former coach of the Blues has left Italy to accept the proposal beyond the Alps. The 37 year old Canadian guide so Bleus for the next four Olympics, having taken over in 2010 by Fabio Magarotto bringing the Italian short track at the height of his success with three medals at the last Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Thursday 15 May 2014 9 minutes reading time
For now shrouded in uncertainty. At the helm of the national team could be his assistant and fellow countryman Kenan Gouadec, arrived in September 2011 to complement its Bédard. The hypothesis remains plausible this, but the situation will be not defined before May 31, after the election of FISG. For that occasion expects the successor to the outgoing president (not standing for re) Giancarlo Bolognini, the head of the Federation for 17 years when short track has experienced incredible growth in the financial statements of Italian ice.
The Olympian with the Canadian relay team at the 1998 Nagano and Salt Lake City in 2002, silver in Turin in 2006, announced an agreement with the French, and from next week will be already to work in the training center of Font-Romeu, built almost 50 years ago and where the team has basic blues. Just the federal structure of the Pyrenees, cutting edge, has an impact on the choice of the coach Canadian, which seemed practical possibilities a passage to Canada after the not exciting Olympic season with Frédérick Blackburn and Derrick Campbell as coaches. "I am without a contract from April 1 - Bédard said to the press transalpine - At the end of March, I presented, with my assistant Gouadec, a development plan that would cover Italians over the next eight years. All inclusive: the national team through a development team, clubs, coaches and more. The counter did not meet our expectations. It was not serious approach, so I have explored other avenues that led me to grant me with the French during the last hours, "said the engineer originally from Sainte-Thècle in Quebec.
So Bédard leaves after four years and a huge amount of success really important. As a technician, the FISG chose him after the first few good years with the Canadian youth and experience with the first team of Germany from 2008 to 2010. Right after the Vancouver Olympics, had arrived in Italy to prepare the path to the Games of 2014. their experience culminated with the three Olympic medals in Russia, where the blue star Arianna Fontana won a silver (500m) and one bronze (1500) Individual and third place in the relay women (with her companions Lucia Peretti Martina Valcepina and Elena Viviani). In the four years in the beautiful country, led the team in blue no less than eight World Cup podiums (six of the Fountain, equally distributed between the editions of 2011 and 2012, and the last with the women's relay Championships last March in Montreal). Even more successes at European level, with the only international medal men thanks to Yuri Confortola, 2011 European bronze in the 1500m. Then, again the Europeans arrived three gold medals in the overall standings from 2011 to 2013, always with Arianna Fontana, to which he added the bronze in 2014. Besides the consecration of the blonde 24-year-old Valtellina, is exploded even the most Valcepina young Martina (born 1992), who won two bronze medals at the continental (2011 and 2012). Then, a bronze and a silver in 2011 and 2012 with the women's relay. To close the loop of the successes of the last four years, impossible not to mention the World Cup, where the Fountain was able to finish and dedicate the Italian-Canadian partnership with the first individual title of a blue-General in the history of short track (in the 2011 season -2012), with 500 meters won the Cup in front of the companion Valcepina.
"Uncertainty" however, remains the password requirement to describe the situation for the immediate future of the Italian short track. Waiting for the May 31 date watershed to learn about the continuation of Federal Street, Arianna Fontana, to be married to former colleague Anthony Lobello, the very same day of the elections, has yet to reveal his intentions. The hypothesis of his retirement from competition does not seem remote, especially since about his decision more repeatedly stated that any reaffirmation of the technicians would have an impact. In addition, Martina Valcepina, has just announced she is pregnant with twins (it was already during the Olympics in February) and will focus on other priorities well in the coming months. Half the girls last Olympic relay is not certainly in a situation that sees the shoes on top of the immediate concerns. They wait Elena Viviani and Lucia Peretti, grown much under the guidance of technical outgoing and successful women in the relay of miracles (and heavy medals). It may appear the most Valcepina young Arianna, Nicole Martinelli, Ylenia Tota, Federica Tombolato, Nicole Gomez Botter, all interesting prospects for the post Bédard. The men's team, however, has elements which stand out among the young Tommaso Dotti, David and Edward Viscardi Reggiani (the most promising grew by just Bédard National), where you should find out if the senators can still Confortola and Rodigari play an important role. The rest, we'll see. For now there is very little to safe for short track blue.
Social media engagement
Ultimi in Sport invernali
A Ushuaia si è entrati nel vivo dell'inverno, donne élite azzurre nella seconda parte del camp. E Rossetti cresce...
Facciamo il punto della situazione sul lavoro dei gruppi femminili di CdM (con loro anche gli slalomgigantisti della nazionale maschile) nella Terra del Fuoco, da Goggia e le velociste che poi andranno a La Parva dalla fine della prossima settimana, sino alle specialiste delle discipline tecniche ancora oltreoceano per una settimana.
2