LAKE LOUISE, Alta. — The Canadian men's downhill ski team hopes to erase some disappointment from last year by earning more podium finishes this World Cup season, which will help lay a foundation for medal success at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

The men managed just three top-three finishes last season after being on the podium 12 times in 2006-07.

"The big thing for this year is getting on the podium," said Calgary's John Kucera after being top Canadian in Wednesday's first day of training for this weekend's opening downhill race of the World Cup season. "Two years ago I had great results and big lows at the same time.

"Last year I kind of managed to get rid of those valleys and was really consistent. But I made small, little mistakes that kept me off the podium."

Men's coach Paul Kristofic was happy his skiers consistently placed in the top-10 last year and earned 2,046 World Cup points to finish sixth in the country standings. For him, the next step is more top-three finishes.

"I hope to have more podiums than last year and keep the consistency," he said. "For me that's really important that we can go through the season and start the next season in a good situation.

"We are trying to make the team bigger and more consistent. To prepare for the Olympics is going to be really important physiologically. There are lots of things to learn for everybody. Not only the racers but everyone on the team to go there the right way."

Every time Manuel Osborne-Paradis of North Vancouver pushes himself out of the start gate this season he will be filing away information he hopes will help him at the Olympics.

"Every race I do is a preparation for the Olympics," said Osborne-Paradis, who was disqualified from training Wednesday after missing a gate. "The more you ski and the more you learn to race, the less mistakes you are going to make so that will lead onto a better result at the Olympics."

But Erik Guay of Mont-Tremblant, Que., said the Olympics are not even on his radar yet.

"I'm not thinking about the Olympics, I'm not thinking about the world championships," said Guay, who was 20th in training. "I'm thinking about the job I have to do here."

The men will race a downhill Saturday and a super-giant slalom Sunday.

There were big expectations for the men's team last season. Calgary's Jan Hudec won the opening downhill at Lake Louse, and finished third in Bormio, Italy, before his season ended with a knee injury. Canada's only other podium came when Osborne-Paradis won a bronze in a downhill at Wengen, Switzerland.

"I thought a lot about what went wrong last year and I really have no idea," said Osborne-Paradis. "I am just going to try to start off like I finished it."

One explanation Osborne-Paradis offers is many of last season's races were held on dark, overcast days, or in bad weather conditions.

"On the easier (weather days), the younger guys have more of a chance," he said. "The veterans take over when it gets harder and last year it was a harder season."

Guay had five podium finishes during the 2006-07 season but did not have a top-three finish last year.

"You are supposed to progress every year so I guess on that side it would have been a failure," he said. "As far as consistency and technical skiing, I thought I was there.

"A couple of bad lucks here and there and the podiums didn't happen."

Alpine Canada's goal is to win at least three medals at the 2010 Games.

Osborne-Paradis said to win at the Olympics you need to consistently reach the podium during the World Cup.

"If you don't feel like you deserve it or belong there, you'll never be there," he said. "No matter how good a skier you are, you just won't fluke out and do it (at the Olympics). You need to stand on the podium, you need to feel like you can do it and have done it."

Kucera said winning builds confidence.

"What is really important is you want to have a nice progression towards the Olympics," he said. "I felt in my last season it was heading in the right direction.

"The next logical step for me is to step up on the podium a few times. It's a good confidence boost."

A test of the team's ability to perform on the day will come this February at the world alpine ski championships in Val d'Isere, France.

The downhill course which will be used at the world championships is extremely steep, with no gliding and few jumps. That makes it a much different hill than what will be used in Whistler during the Olympics. Still, Alpine Canada has set a goal of winning two medals at the world championships.

"I hope for some podiums, for sure," said Kristofic. "We will have to fight strong and be positive."

Alpine Canada has set a goal of winning at least two medals at the world championships. The plan for the Olympics is to be on the podium at least three times but Gartner believes four medals are possible.