Montrealers to root for in Sochi

The Dufour-Lapointe sisters
 
A lot of talk has been directed towards the amenities and politics concerning these Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, but that’s in part because the actual sports haven’t started yet.

There are events to be held, though, so if you plan on watching, here’s a list of Montreal athletes looking to make us swell with civic pride at this year’s Games. Be sure to root extra hard for them.

Erik Guay (downhill skiing): After a disappointing fifth place showing in Vancouver, the high flyer from Mont-Tremblant is looking to cement his status as one of Canada’s great downhill daredevils. He’s got a chance to win Canada’s first medal in alpine skiing in 20 years.

Kaya Turski (slopestyle skiing): What is slopestyle, you ask? Originally an X Games thing, it’s about hitting a series of jumps going down the hill, and performing a different aerial trick every time. Turski tore her ACL last summer, but she’s still considered the best at this new Olympic event.

Caroline Ouellette (women’s hockey): The captain of the women’s hockey team knows a thing or two about the Olympics — she already has three gold medals. This is the first time Ouellette — who was an assistant coach at Concordia last year and plays for the Montreal Stars of the CWHL — will wear the C at the Olympics.

Montreal Stars (women’s hockey): Besides Ouellette, Montreal’s premier women’s hockey team is well-represented in Sochi. Props to alternate captain Catherine Ward, Meghan Agosta, Haley Irwin, Charline Labonté and Lauriane Rougeau. And if you’re a Yank, Julie Chu is repping the Stars for Team USA.

The Dufour-Lapointe Sisters (women’s moguls): Everyone’s talking about Maxime, Chloe and Justine, the trio of sisters who all qualified for the games. Could the podium be a family affair? Let’s hope so. The Dufour-Lapointe’s are basically Canada’s version of HAIM.

Alexandre Bilodeau (men’s moguls): In Vancouver, Bilodeau became the first Canadian to win Gold on home soil. Here’s hoping he can get it done while abroad.

Jasey Jay Anderson (snowboarding): One of snowboarding’s most iconic names is back after ending his retirement. You can’t keep a good boarder down. ■