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00:01Previously on Making Canada's Team,
00:04the rush of media sponsorship and appearances
00:06had most of Canada's team spinning.
00:09Oh, I was just there. It's kind of fun.
00:12Alex Lutet returned home to Slovenia.
00:15Everything you think that's not going to happen
00:17is probably going to happen.
00:19Kala and Sierra spent their off-season in different ways.
00:23You've got to plant a lot and make money out here.
00:26Johan made incredible strides towards his Olympic dream.
00:30And everyone dug in for their last chance
00:33to train before Milano Cortina.
01:18One misstep. A twist. A snap silences everything.
01:23The anticipation of Milano now extinguished.
01:30In an instant, the dream bends, breaks, and slips away.
01:37Alex Lutet has torn her ACL.
01:41Bustin' free.
01:43Four years of preparation undone.
01:48Alex is looking at a full year until she can compete again.
01:53How do you feel?
01:57In a cruel twist, it happened here.
02:00At a test event for the athletes in Prodazzo.
02:03The site of ski jumping for Milano Cortina 2026.
02:17It is four in the morning.
02:22The day after getting a new ACL, my knee bled through the bandages.
02:36My mom is braiding my hair.
02:38I finally got some pain medication.
02:40I no longer feel like I'm dying.
02:42The nurse keeps speaking German to us even though we don't really know what she's saying.
02:47And it's snowing here.
02:49They say sports don't follow scripts.
02:52But as tragedies go, Shakespeare would be envious.
03:03She will remain here in Europe and begin the four-year process of representing Canada at the Olympics.
03:13Next time.
03:21Tragedies, disappointments, setbacks.
03:25They strike without warning.
03:27A stumble.
03:28A fracture.
03:29A moment that rewrites everything.
03:35And setbacks don't discriminate.
03:37They visit prodigies and underdogs.
03:40Rookies and legends.
03:42But the story, the real story, is not the stumble.
03:47It's the step after.
03:50Because there's a strange alchemy in the struggle.
03:53A transformation you don't get from effortless wins.
03:58Setbacks are where resolve is added to the championship recipe.
04:04Where discipline meets desperation.
04:09Where belief stops being a word and becomes a muscle.
04:16In these moments, doubt is loud.
04:20But possibility is louder.
04:23Because uncertainty isn't the end of the story.
04:27It's the place where the next chapter begins.
04:31The highest honor an athlete can achieve.
04:34Writing another passage in the great folktale of what it means to be Canadian.
04:41Rip.
04:41The powerful play goes on.
04:44And you may contribute a verse.
04:51And it all manifests here.
04:53In their last stops.
04:55Before Milan.
04:58It's not a long time.
05:00It's on the count of three.
05:04It's on the count of three.
05:09It's on the count of three.
05:26Hockey World Championships Raphael has spent the last few months nursing a
05:33nagging shoulder injury but she's finally cleared this inaugural women's
05:37championship is an opportunity for her to make a statement to Hockey Canada
05:42before the para ice hockey training camp begins
06:06Canada and Raphael make decisive work through the bracket but run into a
06:11Goliath in the gold medal game the USA women's team appears to be as strong as
06:17the men's side
06:19a dominant 6-1 win over Canada an opportunity for redemption has presented
06:25itself the first steps back after the stumble
06:28pump drop on the first ever gold medal game looking for the Michigan
06:31and it's in for Michigan
06:33Ferencene over the 6-0 top left corner and it's 2-0
06:43the women cannot avenge the men this time as USA handily defeats Canada 7 to 1
06:50silver medal aside Raphael had a golden performance at the tournament and looks
06:56to carry that momentum into training camp
06:58Yon
06:59Hockey World бŃĐșet
07:04Je vais dans l'optique de juste avoir du plaisir pis donner ce que j'ai pisâŠ
07:09Je peux que gagner desâŠJ'ai si Ă quoi m'attendre pis au piche au piche ça peut ĂȘtre juste
07:16ĂȘtre mieux
07:21Bye Papa!
07:27J'ai eu, selon moi,
07:29un trĂšs bon championnat du monde
07:30avec les filles.
07:31J'ai retrouvé toute ma mobilité.
07:34Je l'ai mĂȘme renforcĂ©e.
07:35Mais oui, je pense que je suis dans une bonne place.
07:37Je suis confiante.
07:40J'ai un bon tournoi,
07:41et j'essaie juste de build lĂ -dessus
07:43pour ce qu'il y en a.
07:46Raphaëlle, c'est une grande fonceuse
07:48avec une grande force de caractĂšre.
07:50Comme je disais tantĂŽt, il n'y a rien qui l'arrĂȘte.
07:52J'ai jamais laissé place
07:53Ă ce que quelqu'un s'apitoie sur son sort.
07:56Elle a toujours pris les devants,
07:57ça fait que tu oublies qu'il manque une jambe
07:59et qu'elle a un handicap.
08:01J'étais sûr de rester plus que deux jours.
08:04Tu es au courant?
08:05Oui.
08:10Sois prudente.
08:14Bien, c'est sûr qu'on est là pour la supporter
08:16et que ça l'aille bien ou pas bien.
08:18Ăa, on va toujours ĂȘtre lĂ .
08:20Mais c'est sûr que c'est elle qui fait le plus gros du travail.
08:23Ăa fait que c'est juste normal quand tu aimes tes enfants
08:25de les supporter et de les encourager.
08:27Qu'ils fassent quand mĂȘme leurs tĂąches et tout,
08:29mais on a une bonne relation.
08:32On essaie de se comprendre
08:34et d'avoir du plaisir.
08:37C'est plus facile que juste s'engueuler.
08:39C'est sûr qu'on veut aller à Milan.
08:43Puis quand je dis toute la famille,
08:45mamie, papi aussi, qui veut venir,
08:48ça fait longtemps qu'on la supporte
08:49puis qu'on croit dans son rĂȘve.
08:50C'est sĂ»r que si le rĂȘve s'accomplit,
08:53on va l'accompagner Ă Milan.
08:55No athletes are self-made.
08:58And behind each of them are a network
09:00of loved ones and supporters
09:02that make dreams possible.
09:08William D'Angenou
09:09is at the doorstep of the Milano-Cortina Games.
09:12After not making the team in 2022,
09:15he looked inwards.
09:17He learned.
09:18He grew.
09:19And now with a renewed sense of self and perspective,
09:22he's at a major milestone,
09:24competing here, now,
09:26at the National Short Track Championships.
09:29The Olympics, next Olympics in Milano,
09:31are super important,
09:34just on a redemption standpoint.
09:47William is competing across several events,
09:50racing against friends and teammates
09:52in one of the cutthroat realities
09:54of World Tour team selection.
10:02Today, anything can happen.
10:07The results decide who skates which distances.
10:11And for Will,
10:12it's the last chance to read the field
10:15before the national roster takes shape.
10:18We're going to have the final
10:20for the men.
10:22Mission number 4,
10:24lane number 4,
10:25du Québec,
10:26William D'Angenou.
10:32Rip.
10:34Let's go, Will!
10:41Let's go, Will!
10:51Let's go, Will!
10:53Let's go, Will!
10:55Let's go, Will!
10:57Will does what he does best, win.
11:01Let's go, Will!
11:05Let's go, Will!
11:09Although a huge victory in the race,
11:11William can't enjoy the moment for too long.
11:14Trials are one bout after another.
11:17Will gears up for the 500 meter,
11:20an event that he usually earns gold in.
11:23William D'Angenou!
11:36They approach the final lap.
11:38Will has one last chance at the first position.
11:45But after a rough stir,
11:47the victory slips through Will's fingers.
11:55Joseph!
11:56Thank you!
12:04Aujourd'hui,
12:05malgré des résultats qui devraient m'enchanter,
12:10je ne sens pas que j'ai patiné
12:12Ă la hauteur de William D'Angenou.
12:14Mais mon coéquipier fait que tout ça
12:15Ă©tait tout simplement meilleur,
12:16selon moi.
12:17Je me sens un peu imposteur,
12:20honnĂȘtement.
12:23J'ai beaucoup de travail Ă faire encore
12:24avant les Jeux.
12:29Mais c'est difficile,
12:29parce que je suis arrivé deuxiÚme,
12:31ça m'aurait fait autant chier.
12:32Fait que je me sens comme
12:33si il n'y avait pas de bonne solution.
12:35Fait que c'est ça.
12:38On va se parler.
12:39On va se reparler.
12:39Je ne pense pas...
12:40Je connais FĂ©lix aussi.
12:41C'est un trĂšs bon gars,
12:42puis je ne pense pas qu'il va m'en tenir rigueur.
12:44Puis je pense qu'il comprend aussi.
12:45Je pense qu'il comprend.
12:48Tout le monde,
12:49surtout sur le short track,
12:51face immense pression.
12:53Et parfois,
12:54il s'entend.
12:55AprĂšs la race,
12:56Will clashes avec un teammate,
12:58casting doubts
12:59sur son progrĂšs Ă©motionnel
13:01et comment il va s'attendre
13:03l'ISU short track world tour.
13:09In Québec,
13:10Mikkel reflects
13:11on not only going to the Olympics,
13:13but going to his last one.
13:16He was only 21 years old
13:19when he qualified
13:19for his first games in Sochi
13:21and quickly made his mark
13:23on the sport,
13:24often considered
13:25to be the king of moguls.
13:27Mikkel is a three-time Olympic medalist,
13:3029-time Crystal Globe winner
13:32and a Québécois icon.
13:33But to his son,
13:35Henrik,
13:36he's only one thing.
13:37Oui.
13:39Dad.
13:40Mom.
13:42Bravo!
13:45J'ai tellement gagné souvent
13:46pis ça serait spécial
13:47de gagner
13:48quand mon petit gars est lĂ .
13:51Pis quand je ressens le stress,
13:53je fais juste imaginer
13:53sa petite face.
13:55Pis, euh,
13:56honnĂȘtement,
13:57ça m'enlÚve toute la pression.
13:59Ouais!
14:00Bravo!
14:00Encore!
14:01Encore!
14:03Je rentre dans la chambre d'hĂŽtel,
14:04je reviens chez moi.
14:06LĂ , je suis papa.
14:07Je ne suis plus le skieur,
14:08donc je voudrais vivre
14:11ce que j'ai vécu en 2018.
14:14Mais cette fois-ci,
14:16je vais avoir toute ma famille
14:17avec moi.
14:31Je pense que j'Ă©tais fait
14:32pour ĂȘtre un sportif.
14:38Toute ma vie,
14:38ma priorité était le ski,
14:41ce que je me souviens.
14:43Pis lĂ , c'est plus le ski,
14:45c'est mon petit gars.
14:46Closing the book on something
14:48that familiar,
14:49that fundamental,
14:50comes with pros and cons.
14:52Tu sois gentil que ma mat?
14:54Si mes mat sont bons,
14:56je vais avoir 37
14:57aux Jeux en...
14:5920-30.
15:02Je te dirais 95 % sur
15:05que c'est mes derniers Jeux olympiques.
15:10On est chanceux au Québec,
15:11t'sais.
15:12On est vraiment une puissance mondiale
15:14dans notre sport.
15:17Mais sans Alex, il n'y a pas de moi.
15:20Sans Jean-Luc, il n'y a pas d'Alex.
15:26Mick m'a probablement ramené,
15:28m'a appris, m'a fait, m'a rappelé,
15:30m'a ramené aux sources aussi
15:32de pourquoi j'avais commencé le sport.
15:34Pis si Mick est en santé,
15:36les choses vont bien se passer.
15:37Pour lui, aprÚs ça,
15:39de garder la tĂȘte haute,
15:40pis de planifier aussi l'aprĂšs-carriĂšre,
15:43pis tout ça.
15:45Pis de continuer Ă inspirer
15:46les jeunes dans notre sport.
15:47Il a fait un excellent job,
15:49pis j'ai aucun doute qu'il va continuer
15:51Ă le faire avec ses derniers Jeux olympiques.
15:57J'ai encore la passion,
15:59j'ai hĂąte Ă la saison,
16:00mais c'est ça.
16:04Je suis extrĂȘmement satisfait
16:05de ce que j'ai accompli.
16:08Pis là , cette année,
16:11j'Ă©tais Ă 99 victoires.
16:12C'est la premiĂšre course de la saison,
16:14donc j'ai l'opportunité de
16:17continuer Ă Ă©crire des pages l'histoire Ă Oka,
16:19pis remporter ma centiĂšme victoire.
16:21Ce serait pas facile, oui,
16:24mais c'est pas impossible non plus.
16:31Le 100th World Cup win
16:33se réveille en ce qu'il y a saison.
16:36Mais c'est senti que Mikkel
16:38a déjà atteint.
16:43Le Paralympic Ice Hockey Camp
16:46commence dans Oakeville, Ontario,
16:48avec 30 participants
16:49invités à remplir 23 disponibles.
16:53Auversé les matchs,
16:54le premier coach, Boris Ribalca.
16:57He was promoted after Canada lost handily to the USA at the World Championships.
17:02The horse has been around for a couple of years now.
17:05As an acting coach, to have him as the head coach is just, it's fun.
17:10So, yeah, nice to see the guy again.
17:12So, yeah.
17:14You're using your f***ing sticks. He has three legs.
17:17I'm feeling good. I'm excited to hit the ice.
17:20It's time for all cards on the table.
17:23What's delivered on the ice today will determine Raphael's destiny.
17:30It won't matter who U.S. puts out, who China puts out, who Czechia puts out, who Korea puts out.
17:35It doesn't matter.
17:35We have line 1A in a game, 1B in a game, 1C in a game.
17:40Any questions there?
17:44Two! Two are going!
17:52I want to be the world's best. It's simple. No excuses.
17:55Here we go. Back at her.
17:58Change it up.
18:00It's offense.
18:01Yep.
18:022-1-2. 2-1-2.
18:07You've got to start the drill.
18:09Don't panic. Just relax. It's free.
18:15With Raphael's portion of the training camp wrapped up, all that's left is for coach and player to reflect.
18:22Between, like, my injury and the women's side of the game, playing with them, like, my body is not necessarily,
18:28like, used to play to that pace anymore.
18:31The summer that I had, I think I gave what I had.
18:35I thought it was excellent all the way around from the young group to, as you said, some of the
18:40veterans who are staying will be, as I said, meeting as a staff to kind of finalize things.
18:44But, yeah, it was just so fun to be honest with the guy and be consistently, like, out of my
18:50comfort zone and to push my limits.
18:52It was pretty good.
18:55I think life is about timing.
18:57If it's not now, if it's not a couple months, it'll be here.
19:02So, I think, I'm going to be appealing them one day.
19:05I'm sorry to tell Canada they are not done seeing my face.
19:10Raphael overcame her setbacks and delivered to the best of her abilities when the moment called for it.
19:18Kala Eriksson, already being a lock from Milan, is encountering his own setbacks at a very inopportune time.
19:26We were down in Chile on our preseason camp.
19:29I dislocated my shoulder down there, unfortunately.
19:33It's coming along good, so we were able to get back on snow here in Panorama.
19:37Some athletes are in Europe starting the World Cup season.
19:40We're still here, and so we're in a weird bubble of not having a physio, which is a weird thing
19:47for us.
19:47And so, Sierra's taken over on the taping.
19:50Yeah, we're taping now.
19:52I didn't crash skiing.
19:54I was walking down to the start without my skis on, and I slipped and put my arm up to
19:59save myself, and it popped out.
20:02It's so frustrating that this part of the season has been a slower start for us, where typically this is
20:09where I tend to find a lot of my tempo.
20:14Are we done?
20:15Yeah, you want to try it?
20:16Yeah, it feels good.
20:17Yes.
20:18While most of our subjects dial in their final details privately on isolated mountainsides and in closed-door training camps,
20:27the PWHL has turned women's hockey trials into a very public spectacle.
20:32None bigger on the calendar than the Toronto Scepter's home opener.
20:37I started working with a stylist, which is amazing, so I don't have to think about what I'm going to
20:40wear.
20:40But she thought we'd bring back, like, Britney Spears here with these low-rise jeans.
20:44What is this, like, 1999, 2000s?
20:47Didn't think as a mom I'd be wearing low-rise jeans, but here we are.
20:50The gravity of the situation is not lost on Natalie Spooner.
20:54She spent the entire off-season rebuilding her body.
20:59Today, though, she's finally feeling like herself again.
21:02As her partner, it's always inspiring because I know why she's doing it.
21:08Her why is her son, our son, Rory.
21:10So to see her have the runway, to be able to put in the time, effort, just get back to
21:14feeling good, playing the game she loves.
21:17There were some tears.
21:18There were some good emotion.
21:20But I think never tell Natalie no.
21:23That's one thing I've always learned.
21:25So she's one of the most determined people I know.
21:28We're excited.
21:29Obviously, Rory's excited to be back in the rink to see his mom play, getting ramped up for the Olympics.
21:34How proud are you right now?
21:36Very proud.
21:36Very proud.
21:38The mood is positive, and she's enjoying the atmosphere and the company of her teammates at what is essentially a
21:45homecoming game,
21:46where Team Canada will certainly be tracking Natalie's return to form.
22:00Number 24, from Scarborough, Ontario, Natalie Spooner.
22:09The Scepter's home opener begins with the play matching the excitement of the moment,
22:14as Blair Turnbull capitalizes on an offensive gap during a penalty kill.
22:18In comes Turnbull, shorthanded, scores!
22:25I'm going to go backdoor and build a wall.
22:28Now Natalie Spooner, turn to sign, wrangled.
22:32Let's not give them anything.
22:34Gets caught up on comfort, and they go down.
22:37Gotta go, gotta go!
22:38But Boston and Abby Newhook are the ones riding the energy,
22:42rising to the occasion, as a lucky bounce ties the game for them.
22:46They score!
22:47I don't know.
22:49She was kind of soft.
22:50Yeah.
22:51Go, Mommy.
22:51Let's go, Scepters.
22:54Another opportunistic play puts the fleet up by one.
22:57A chance for Tiffany.
22:58She scores!
22:59But the Scepters do not wilt.
23:02And Natalie Spooner, riding the most dedicated and driven offseason of her life,
23:07looks to send the crowd home satisfied with the team.
23:10Get on it.
23:10Get on it.
23:11And to go home satisfied with herself.
23:14Yeah, yeah, yeah.
23:15A chance for Spooner, what a save!
23:21Both fun.
23:22I think I had more time there to take a, take a, whoop, whoop, whoop.
23:26Down by one, with a minute left.
23:28Spooner is tasked with finding the equalizer.
23:31Person shoots, it's up high.
23:33As the board's looking for a run, run, run, get there!
23:37Yeah!
23:43Did she save that?
23:45Where the f*** did that go?
23:48The puck barely stays out of the net.
23:51And with that, the fleet escaped with the victory.
23:54How are you?
23:58Oh, that was so close.
23:59While the stats will reflect Deceptor's loss, the subtext was clear.
24:05Natalie Spooner is returning to form.
24:09Still in control.
24:11If he was sliced through the D, a chance of, yeah, this time!
24:13She finds it back in the net!
24:15Correction.
24:16Spooner is back.
24:19Just days later, scoring the game-winning goal against rival Ottawa Church.
24:24Yeah, it's nice for one just to go in, get that little monkey off my back.
24:29Oh, is this nice?
24:31Wow!
24:32This is the mood she's looking to ride into Milano Cortina 2026.
24:40In Salzburg, Austria, Alex is on her way to her daily physiotherapy appointment.
24:46It's been six weeks since her successful ACL surgery, but recovery is never easy.
24:53With every painful step, she rebuilds her strength and sharpens her focus on a new dream,
24:59the 2030 Olympic Games.
25:02And stop a little higher.
25:05Now close your eyes and do it a way slower.
25:09But to reach that dream, she has to look back on the day it all went wrong.
25:16When I first came over the hill, the jump was really good.
25:19I was like, yeah!
25:23The first moment when I landed, I felt like a pulling in my knee.
25:27And like, I felt that throughout my whole body.
25:31And when I was lying on the grass, I could hear the announcer say,
25:34oh, the Canadian world champion has fallen.
25:43Definitely it sucks that I'm not going to go to the Olympics this year.
25:46My identity since I've been nine years old has been to be, you know,
25:50one of the best athletes in the world.
25:52You know, you've got this one shot every four years,
25:55and to not have that shot is really disappointing.
25:58It's definitely a humbling experience.
26:05You know, ski jumping is so much about fine-tuning small muscles.
26:09Now I'm starting to get to do some exercise and build some muscle back up.
26:13Lots of treatments.
26:15The emotional pain was way worse than the physical pain.
26:18Yeah, that one hurts.
26:20Kind of confronting fat shame about some kind of very public failure.
26:24It's like one of the lowest moments in your life,
26:26and people are just writing articles about you like you're not a person.
26:30I don't want it to define me.
26:33Will I be able to come back as strong as I was before?
26:35I think the answer is that you can come back stronger.
26:39It's feeling a lot better.
26:40I'm just doing so good, I've been crying this year today.
26:44Alex's situation is devastating,
26:46but her discipline and dedication
26:48are likely to inspire millions of Canadians
26:51at the next Winter Olympics.
26:53She will look to the future.
26:56The present, and all of its minute details,
26:59will belong to Mark Arends.
27:01Minus 11, almost 12.
27:03That's a nice, doable temperature.
27:05The first World Cup race of the season is today,
27:08and it's being hosted where Mark trains.
27:10You'd think that would give him an advantage.
27:13His coach and brother, Menno, disagrees.
27:16There's extra pressure, right?
27:18Being so close to home with people around it.
27:21Some athletes just prefer not to,
27:23to make sure they have that feeling.
27:25Yeah, it's gonna be fun.
27:27Sun is shining.
27:28It's a good day in Canmore.
27:30On this good day,
27:31Mark reflects on his journey
27:33and the lessons he's ready to pass on.
27:35Yeah, I think I always felt more at home in the mountains.
27:41Sometimes you gotta lead by being yourself and by alone.
27:46You know, I have to go kind of blaze my own trail.
27:49I want the next generation to be better.
27:51I want to share my experiences,
27:52my learning, my knowledge, my wisdom
27:55with the next generation.
27:57You know, if you build it, they will come.
28:03And as that thought ends,
28:06the race begins.
28:08You know you're fighting good
28:09when you have a provincial park
28:10named after yourself
28:11and you're still in the next year.
28:13I want the highest level of performance.
28:16I know what I've done in the past,
28:19but I'm curious as to what challenges
28:22I can take on and succeed beyond.
28:25And what is the limit now?
28:38If you don't see it, you can't be it.
28:40And I think that's really powerful.
28:42I'm a farmer's son
28:44who grew up in the smallest province
28:45in Prince Edward Island
28:46and that's where I started from.
28:50Sometimes we handicap ourselves almost
28:53by saying, oh, you're from a small province.
28:55My feeling is endurance sport,
28:57you actually can do it almost anywhere.
28:59The challenge is finding
29:00that new level of performance,
29:02but where does that come from?
29:03Does it come from the physical?
29:04Does it come from the shooting,
29:06the skiing, the technical,
29:07or off the snow?
29:09Can I achieve even more?
29:13Mark Gorenza working to set up
29:15this time to date.
29:21Mark may have won this World Cup,
29:25but he reminds us that his real focus
29:27is on something greater,
29:30the 2026 Paralympic Games.
29:33Priority is March 7th of 2026,
29:36around noon.
29:38To me, the overall is being consistent
29:40so that by the time I get to games
29:42that I know what I need to do
29:44and I'm capable of doing it.
29:46Mark is dialed in.
29:48This World Cup win,
29:49a strong bellwether for what's to come
29:52for the old pro.
29:54Seeking to follow that example,
29:56Johan's final testing event begins
29:58with plenty more tension for the rookie.
30:00We're hitting speeds in the four man
30:02of like 150, 155 on like a really cold day.
30:06Personally, my fastest has been about 150.
30:08We go across Europe
30:09and even though tracks could be more technical,
30:12harder to drive,
30:12at least we know they're not as fast
30:14because as you get faster,
30:15it becomes a lot harder for the pilots
30:16to kind of keep it, I mean, dialed.
30:18Like the difference of just two kilometers an hour
30:20from I'm in control to
30:21I'm just barely hanging on in here.
30:25As a brakeman,
30:26I don't tend to worry myself about such things.
30:28I just push and stay low, stay aerodynamic
30:30and hopefully we come out, you know,
30:33heads up at the bottom.
30:34For most people,
30:35going 150 kilometers an hour in a bobsleigh
30:38is the kind of thing you politely decline.
30:41But Johan has jumped right in
30:43from diving to working two jobs
30:45and training tirelessly.
30:47You need to keep your knees straighter?
30:51He's finally feeling confident
30:54and his team can't help but notice.
30:58We recruit a lot from sports
31:00that have power and speed.
31:02So football, track and field, rugby.
31:04Johan came from diving
31:05and that is a very, very different world.
31:08But what we noticed very, very quickly
31:09with Johan is his explosive power.
31:16In his first year, you know,
31:17you could definitely tell
31:18he was, no pun intended,
31:20fish out of water.
31:21Wake up, let's go.
31:22But he started to pick it up pretty quickly.
31:26Anytime he's coming in for coaching,
31:28he's got his notebook with him.
31:29He wants to get better.
31:33It's about resilience.
31:34It's about fighting for everything.
31:35Felt like I popped off the same leg.
31:37You know, he's showing those qualities.
31:39The learning curve is very steep.
31:40It takes a lot.
31:41But he's doing very well.
31:54There's no doubt
31:55Johan has come a long way.
31:57But today in Whistler,
31:58he'll be put to the test.
32:00Today are the World Cup team selection races.
32:04Today is a big day for us.
32:05It's a four-man evaluation.
32:10You know, I think everyone wants
32:12to make the World Cup if they can.
32:13That's the big goal
32:14to kind of be on the highest level circuit
32:16and duking it out
32:17with all the other teams
32:18that are going to make it to the Olympics.
32:19So that's what I'm going for today.
32:22After eight months of intense training,
32:24Johan stands at this pivotal moment
32:26and reflects on his journey.
32:31He's finally here,
32:33hoping all his hard work will pay off.
32:36Today's my chance to show off
32:37everything that I've been working on.
32:39I've started climbing the mountain,
32:40but the peak is still so far up.
32:44I feel confident.
32:46Just got to put it all forward now.
33:01As Johan and his team emerge from the sled,
33:04you can tell the excitement is setting in.
33:08They've tested every bit of their training
33:10and left nothing behind.
33:12Now they wait for the scores
33:14and the moment that could turn
33:15their World Cup dream into reality.
33:19Made the World Cup team,
33:20which is good to see.
33:23I'm grateful to have made the World Cup team,
33:25but at the end of the day,
33:26the job's far from done.
33:28It's a strangely bittersweet success
33:31for the young bobsledder,
33:33as he knows he will need to continue
33:35these elite performances
33:36into the World Cup season
33:38should he wish to arrive in Milan.
33:42All rookies don't handle these challenges
33:44the same way.
33:46A surprise last-minute setback
33:48for Culler and Sierra
33:49is met with bubbly resolve.
33:52I think once you go through an injury,
33:55you mature as an athlete.
33:57It also allowed us to step back a little bit,
34:00and he spent a lot of work on drills
34:01and technical because we couldn't risk the shoulder.
34:07You know, if you're not pushing,
34:08you probably won't get injured,
34:09but you probably also won't be able
34:10to be the best in what you're trying to do.
34:12So I think for me,
34:14there's a big part of just making sure
34:15he grows into the athlete he wants to be.
34:18He was good right off the bat too,
34:19which is never a good thing.
34:22Culler may have been good from the start,
34:24but if he wants to reach the podium
34:25at the Paralympics,
34:27there's still a lot of work to do.
34:29Like our coaches have told us,
34:30this is behind us now.
34:31You know, we've moved on from the injury.
34:33Now we've got to think about,
34:34you know, we're racing.
34:40We're not going to slack out here.
34:42We've got places to be.
34:43Can you hear me?
34:47Go, Flo.
34:48Of course, it's clear.
34:49He wants to train as hard as he can,
34:51and he wants to go out there and win.
35:02I want to be at the top.
35:04Point blank.
35:08Challenging one out there.
35:09It's really challenging.
35:10Last year, we had 12 or 13 podiums.
35:13If we can bring the same intensity
35:15and not let the nerves get to us around the games,
35:18I think that we have an amazing chance
35:19of getting a couple of podiums.
35:23Service.
35:25All this is clear.
35:27After a few slow runs,
35:29Culler and Sierra's speed is back,
35:31and so is their confidence.
35:33It's getting faster.
35:34It's having fun.
35:35It's groovy.
35:38It's been a big push.
35:40I think everyone's excited to get there
35:41and see all the hard work hopefully pay off.
35:44I don't want to come second.
35:46I don't want to come third.
35:46I don't want to come fourth.
35:47I want to win.
35:54And plus the party after will be a lot more fun
35:56if I do get some gold.
36:00In Ruka, Mikel begins the attempt
36:03for 100 World Cup wins.
36:05But after a successful qualifying run,
36:08he feels a pull in his groin,
36:10which alarms his coach
36:12and puts the milestone in jeopardy.
36:15We talked about it.
36:16It's Alex.
36:17It's tough to make this decision.
36:18And I know you won't do it.
36:20You'll have a ball in the leg.
36:21You'll have a ball in the leg.
36:24You'll have to go.
36:25I want to go.
36:26I want to go.
36:27And I know it's tough.
36:30It's tough, but I don't have the top 1
36:34to know.
36:34I want to know.
36:37That's why you've won everything
36:38for years.
36:40When you go, you go, go, show, go, show time.
36:46I want to take the best decision.
36:49I have a hard time,
36:50but I just wanted to do it.
36:53It wouldn't serve anything.
36:54I don't have to do it.
36:58Big moments and big swings are important to every athlete's legacy.
37:04But the big picture is something everybody must stop and contemplate,
37:08even on the precipice of greatness.
37:15This is it, William D'Engineau, a bastion of Canadian short track.
37:24Here in his hometown, at the first stop on the ISU Short Track World Tour, with something
37:35to prove.
37:35William D'Engineau, we ask for complete silence at the start please, silence au départ, merci.
37:50Go to the start.
37:54Ready.
38:01Go to the start.
38:04Ready.
38:25Go to the start.
38:29Go to the start again.
38:31Results he will aim to replicate when he competes in this event at the Milano Cortina Games.
38:36I kind of feel blessed right now, to be honest, to be in that situation.
38:40I would have never thought that four years ago I would have been in that position.
38:43So to be there right now is like, there's added pressure, but it's kind of a good thing,
38:47right?
38:48It's a beautiful full circle moment for me and it's kind of the end of a redemption
38:53story for me, not making the games and then qualifying.
38:56I want Canada to be proud of me and I want to be proud of myself and that goes with
39:00great
39:01results, hopefully, but also being authentic with myself and being the purest version I
39:06can be of myself.
39:06William has made remarkable strides, not just in athletics, but in self-discovery.
39:14Self-discovery being arguably the most important part of the whole exercise.
39:22Why am I compelled to do this?
39:25What can I make possible?
39:28How much of myself do I have to give?
39:39And who will walk that path into the unknown by my side?
39:47It's been self-rediscovery for Natalie.
39:51Her recovery from injury while difficult has only strengthened her base and her bonds.
39:56For me, like hockey has always been fun and to just be able to find that fun and enjoy
40:01the game again and, you know, not be in pain, not feel like I'm battling every single second
40:05of my life that I'm out there is, yeah, it feels good.
40:08Look at that muscle, look at that muscle.
40:11There you go, look.
40:12Yeah, I definitely got more muscle now, so that's good.
40:16Adam, Rory, my parents, like I wouldn't be able to do this without all of them and their
40:21support definitely was not always a happy person through my recovery.
40:25There were bad days.
40:26As much as it feels good for me to be out here, I think it's they also are really appreciating
40:33getting to watch me play again and have fun and feel good out there and enjoy these moments,
40:39too, because they're part of all of this.
40:42And Johan Esprit Parkinson joining them in this four-man sled.
40:47You cannot have any variance, look at them drifting a little bit.
40:50Look at that, across the line.
40:51That's a good run.
40:52Eighth place, that's an excellent run.
40:54The Canadians will take that.
40:55I'm looking outside, I'm like this is the craziest view I've probably ever seen.
40:59I'll give you guys a quick look.
41:01So I'm super excited to have this chance and doing my best to prepare mentally for the
41:05resilience and the grit that's necessary to get this job done.
41:10So, yeah, that's the update and time to get to work.
41:15Thanks.
41:35Without proper testing on the hill and with the poor conditions, Mikkel and his team
41:39have a difficult decision to make.
41:42He would never have taken the decision.
41:46He's tough, he wants to go.
41:48No, he would never have taken the decision.
41:51He would have to take it for him.
41:55Yeah.
41:57One day after.
41:58In my mind, it was almost 100% that I was going to compete.
42:04The most important for me this season, it was to get in health to the Olympics.
42:10For the question of a little bit of retirement, I'm going to sit with my family.
42:18Look at the future priorities in our life.
42:24Mikkel will leave his legacy and 100 World Cup wins on hold as he focuses on the Milano-Cortina
42:312026 Olympics and self-preservation.
42:34A concept very familiar to Raphael Toussignon.
42:38That was my exit meeting with Boris and all the other coaches.
42:42They told me it's not a yes, it's not a no.
42:44At this point, they were still discussing it.
42:46Even if I'm not selected, I know that until the last minute, they would have thought about bringing me.
42:56On Tuesday this week, I actually learned that it was cancer.
43:01So I have, um, a breast cancer in my right boobs.
43:08Ah, s*** part. Sorry for my glitch.
43:12I'm going to have to go through six months of chemo.
43:16About timing, um, my goal is to do the same.
43:20I want to go to a primit game.
43:21I might sound desperate or crazy or whatever, but I want to, I'll do everything in power to make it
43:27happen.
43:27I think it's actually helping me to have something to look forward to and some, like, short-term goals through
43:37that.
43:38Right now, this weekend is to have fun.
43:41All my teammates know, and that was very important to me, too.
43:45I'm trying to laugh about it.
43:47Over the last couple days, I'm just like, life can get worse, I have cancer, like.
43:54As an athlete, I'm trying to face adversity.
43:57My life gave me a good opportunity to actually, uh, work on that, too.
44:04I still have a lot of things to, um, to do for my sports, in my career, in my life.
44:11So, I'm going to get through this.
44:13If I get to a primit game, it will make a hell of a story, honestly.
44:18Um, so, yeah.
44:21I started the community by crying.
44:24I'll finish it by crying, I guess.
44:30So much of this life is what you make of it.
44:33Every bond formed, every new challenge engaged can be as significant as you want it to be.
44:40And so it is with the Olympics and Paralympics.
44:43From a distance, these could just be games.
44:47But focused and tight, we can see what it means to be Canadian.
44:52It's not a medal, or a number, that reveals that character.
44:58Being Canadian isn't determined by results.
45:01It's laid bare by the commitment to the pursuit.
45:08Those of us watching may not have the gifts of those competing.
45:12But in every heart and mind across this country exists.
45:17The determination of Mikael Kingsbury.
45:20The reliability of Kala Erickson and Sierra Smith.
45:24The bravery of Johan Eskrick Parkinson.
45:28The fortitude of Alexandria Luton.
45:31The accountability of Natalie Spooner.
45:34The stewardship of Mark Arends.
45:37The enthusiasm of William D'Angeneux.
45:40And the resilience of Raphael Tuzignan.
45:52In Chamonix, 1924.
45:56Could they have imagined what would be possible now?
46:00Does our team now fully understand what they represent in that lineage?
46:05Or to the rest of Canada?
46:08Perhaps it's not for them to know, but for us to interpret.
46:13For it to be exactly what we need it to be.
46:16We're going into the final turn.
46:19Katrina Lemaitre is leading.
46:22Monique Dool is leading.
46:24Monique Dool is leading.
46:24Monique Dool...
46:24Mikael Kingsbury take a bow.
46:27Win number 100 on home soil here.
46:30It's unreal.
46:31Thank you guys so much.
46:32I can't believe I'm at 100.
46:35Congratulations.
46:36I think you're exactly what this team needs.
46:43I got the good news last Tuesday.
46:46I'll only need five treatments because the tumour is pretty much all gone.
46:51Can't wait to hit the ice again.
46:53Do you want to meet the Bobsleigh athletes nominated for Team Canada?
46:58Johan S. Kirk-Parkinson.
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