Leaders Of The (Younger) Pack

It's always been the natural order of things in the figure skating world.
You hold a Winter Olympics, then wait for the expected retirements to start rolling in.
Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon obviously didn't get the memo.
And to hear one of their young contempories tell it, nobody's the least bit unhappy that the four-time Canadian champions didn't pack it in to make way for the next generation.
“We're so lucky to have them,” said Tessa Virtue, 17, of London, Ont. “As amazing as they are on the ice, they're even more incredible off the ice.
“We really appreciate all their help and advice.”
Virtue and her partner, Scott Moir, would probably be celebrating their first Canadian senior title this week if Dubreuil and Lauzon had moved on. With a 34.98-point score for their Golden Waltz compulsory today, they were head and shoulders above the rest of the field.
But while others might suggest Virtue and Moir should be miffed that their turn is being put on hold by the No. 2-ranked team in the world, they say it simply isn't so. Even if Dubreuil and Lauzon are still there when the Vancouver 2010 Games roll around.
“People thought that we would be a little angry that they were staying,” said Moir, 19. “But we'll definitely be glad if they stay another four years. They're such great, great skaters and do such good things for our country.
“Our goal is to be world and Olympic champions someday. Whether it happens before they retire, we don't know.”
Dubreuil, 32, and Lauzon, 31, look at all the younger skaters battling the make their mark in the ice dance discipline and can't help but smile.
“We feel a little bit like parents,” said Dubreuil. “We know we're the veteran team here and we feel excited about what is under us.”
They'll be the champions for a fifth time by Sunday. With a 41.16-point compulsory score, that's pretty much assured. But they've got much bigger fish to fry before this season is over.
“Our goal this year is to win worlds, and everything we do is done in that regard,” said Lauzon.