Canada sets sights on first Olympic ski-jumping medal

As women's ski-jumping makes its Olympic debut at next month's Sochi Winter Games, a young Canadian squad is confident it can finally make a breakthrough in a sport where it has never won a medal.

With Canada naming its seven-member team Sunday at a ceremony here, national team coach Gregor Linsig said his three women jumpers - Atsuko Tanaka, Alexandra Pretorius and Taylor Henrich - had good chances in the inaugural field of 30 competitors, reports Xinhua.

"For the girls, it's not just our three girls, but everyone competing. It's their first time as well," he said. "It's going to be interesting to see who can handle that pressure. All three (Canadian women) have a medal chance, no lie there."

The women jumpers come into the Olympics after a much-publicised legal battle at the last Games. In late 2009, 14 female jumpers filed suit against the Vancouver Games organiser to be included in the Winter Olympics.

While they ultimately lost their case, in April 2011 the International Olympic Committee voted to have women's ski jumping in the Sochi Games.

Among the men named for the Canadian team Sunday were Dusty Korek, Mackenzie Boyd-Clowes, Trevor Morrice and Matthew Rowley.

Boyd-Clowes is jumping in his second Olympics and the 22-year-old is Russia bound after posting a ninth place in ski flying in Austria earlier this month for his best World Cup result yet.