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Photo finish Olympics years away, but van Koeverden still has plenty of incentive By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF 43 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, May 6, 2009 DAVID A. GILMOUR / SPECIAL TO THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IN THERE: Oakville Little League opened its 2009 season Saturday with games in several different age divisions. Above, Greg Lazaris of the minor AA Rangers (left) barely outraces Red Sox first baseman Chance Thomas to the base. Pitch Hit & Run competition Saturday Oakville Little League will host the local round of the Major League Baseball Aquafina Pitch Hit & Run competition this weekend at Oakville Little League Field of Dreams. The competition will be held Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and is open to all children in Oakville, Mississauga, Burlington and surrounding areas, regardless of whether they play in Oakville Little League or not. Winners of the regional round will advance to sectional competition, with the top performers there qualifying for the Toronto Blue Jays Pitch Hit & Run Finals at the Rogers Centre in June. Winners of the Blue Jays competition earn a spot in the MLB finals at the 2009 Major League All-Star Game in St. Louis. In 2007, Oakville 9/10 age group champion Tristan Pompey went on to become the first Canadian crowned as a MLB Pitch Hit & Run champion, winning the MLB All-Star event in San Francisco. Pitch Hit & Run is the official skills competition of Major League Baseball. More than 560,000 kids, ages 7-14, are expected to participate in this year's program. The competition recognizes individual excellence in core baseball skills of pitching, hitting and running. Participants pitch to a strike zone target from 45 feet away, hit off a tee for distance and accuracy, and are timed running from second base to home plate. Competitors are divided into four age divisions (7/8, 9/10, 11/12 and 13/14). Participation is free, and all competitors Saturday will receive a free hot dog and drink from Oakville Little League. To find out more about the Pitch Hit & Run baseball skills challenges, or for more information on Saturday's event, visit the Oakville Little League website at www.ollb.org. It would be hard to replicate the buildup to the Olympics, especially if you're given the honour of carrying Canada's flag into the opening ceremonies. In fact, it could easily be a bit of a letdown for Adam van Koeverden as a long four-year cycle of competition begins leading up to the 2012 Summer Games in London. But he and his fellow Olympians from the Burloak Canoe Club will have another special event to work toward this year when Halifax hosts the world championships. "It certainly adds something to the whole experience," van Koeverden said before leaving for the season's first World Cup race. "It's rare to have a high-profile event at home so it's similar to the Vancouver Olympics for the winter athletes. Through my career, this will be the only chance to race in an event like this at home. It's great for Canada and it gives people here a chance to see worldclass racing." And while a world championships at home will definitely provide motivation, it is more than three months away. In the meantime, van Koeverden's own competitiveness is more than enough to keep him going as he prepares for the season-opening race in the Czech Republic. "My goals are always pretty much the same," the 27-year-old said. "Race well every time I line up." The World Cup season will be just over a month long. After the Czech Republic, the next race is May 22 in Poland and the season wraps up with the third race in Hungary on June 5. Though he will still have designs on being the first across the line, van Koeverden said the World Cup races will give him a good gauge of his fitness level. After a long and tiring Olympic year, van Koeverden took a breather following the Beijing Games. "I took a lot of great time off," he said. "It was good having some time to enjoy the things I like to do. But I definitely still spent a lot of time in boats." His off-season training included a cross-training trip with Canada's triathlon team in January. But there's still nothing like getting back on the water and racing. "I'm looking forward to getting a few races under my belt," van Koeverden said. WE ARE FOOTBALL! OVFL 1 LEAGUE IN ONTARIO # Equestrian heads south Adrienne Iverson is hoping for some perfect Harmony in the U.S. The local equestrian is moving to Waukesha, Wisconsin, to partner up with the prestigious show horse farm Harmony Farms as she works towards qualifying for a future Olympic Summer Games. Iverson has been competing in equestrian events for more than a decade, opting early on to focus on her passion for equestrian riding over other competitive sports. She turned professional in 2005 and has enjoyed great success at all levels of equestrian hunter and jumper competitions in Canada and the US, producing numerous wins and cash purses. Iverson represented Canada at the North American Young Rider's Championship in Lexington, Virginia. She gained a reputation for skillfully developing young horses in preparation for high-level competition, and returned numerous wins on a line up of quality mounts, culminating to champion of the National Futurity Finals. LEARN TO PLAY FROM ONLY $ · · · · Flag & Tackle Football for Boys & Girls 5-19 yrs. old House League & Rep Safe, inexpensive fun! We W supply all equipment & uniforms equipment un Certified Instructors teach yo how ed d you y to play! · Open to ALL OAKVILLE RESIDENTS AKVILL 199 We offer you OVFL Football, where kids have received NCAA & CIS Scholarships and graduated to NFL & CFL! 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