September 10, 2009 (Calgary, AB) – One of Canada’s most accomplished ski racers, Olympic champion Beckie Scott will provide the keynote address at a breakfast fundraising event hosted by the Alberta World Cup Academy on September 16th at the Calgary Petroleum Club. The purpose of the breakfast is to introduce the Academy’s Racing Team to the Calgary corporate community and generate profile and potential sponsorships ahead of the team’s 2009/2010 campaign. With many of the Academy’s athletes aiming to represent Canada at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver as well as the Alberta World Cup to be held in Canmore the week prior, this season presents tremendous opportunities for local athletes and sponsors alike.

With Scott slated to speak alongside Academy athletes and reigning Canadian Senior and Junior champions Gord Jewett, Heidi Widmer and Marlis Kromm, the event will provide a unique showcase of Canada’s elite cross-country skiers of past, present and future.

The Alberta World Cup Academy is Canada’s first and only privately funded, high performance cross-country ski racing development program. Founded in 2008 in Canmore, the Academy is a sport development legacy arising directly from the overwhelming success of the World Cup cross-country events held at the Canmore Nordic Centre in 2005 and 2008.

“Having the opportunity to race against the world’s best on home soil was a key to my development as a skier,” notes Scott. “Seeing the legacies of this successful event hosting re-invested in the future of our sport through athlete and coach development is absolutely inspiring and I couldn’t be more excited about being involved in this event.”