March 27, 2007 – Canada’s winter athletes concluded a successful 2006-2007 World Cup season on Sunday, finishing the year ranked second overall in total medals with 135. >From the start of the season, through to the completion of last weekend’s Women’s World Curling Championship, Canada is also currently ranked second overall in total 2007 World Championship podium results with 28. Overall, a total of 77 Canadian athletes reached the podium in World Cup and World Championship events during the 2006-2007 winter season. “The 2006-2007 international season was an unequivocal success for Canadian winter sport,” said Chris Rudge, Canadian Olympic Committee Chief Executive Officer. “Together with VANOC, Own the Podium 2010, Sport Canada, our National Sport Federations and sport partners, the Canadian Olympic Committee will continue to help provide Canada’s athletes with as much support as possible in order to achieve our ambitious goal of finishing first overall at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.” Germany finished the 2006-2007 World Cup season ranked first among all nations with 215 medals. The United States of America was third with 134, followed by Austria and South Korea with 128 and 103 podium performances respectively.

In 2007 World Championship events, Germany currently leads all nations with 39 medals. Norway is third with 25, five ahead of the United States which sits fourth. Switzerland rounds out the top five with 15 podium finishes.

“Canada’s World Cup and World Championship success this past season demonstrates that as a nation, we remain on target to achieve our goal of finishing first overall in Vancouver in 2010,” said Dr. Roger Jackson, Chief Executive Officer, Own the Podium 2010. “Through Own The Podium 2010’s targeted high-performance programming, many of Canada’s winter athletes saw marked improvement in their performances this past season. Over the next three years, our challenge will be to continue to effectively develop and target our resources in order to keep Canada’s winter athletes on an upward trajectory during the lead-up to 2010.”

The 2007 winter World Championship season will officially conclude with the completion of next month’s men’s and women’s hockey tournaments and the men’s curling event.

The Canadian Olympic Committee is a national, private, not-for-profit organization committed to sport excellence. It is responsible for all aspects of Canada’s involvement in the Olympic movement, including Canada’s participation in the Olympic and Pan American Games and a wide variety of programs that promote the Olympic Movement in Canada through cultural and educational means. For more information, see the COC website: www.olympic.ca.