October 10, 2008 (Vancouver, BC) – Many factors can influence an athlete’s performance during competition, but one ingredient stands above the others — having family members in the stands. To help make this a reality, Petro-Canada has developed the Petro-Canada Canadian Athlete Family Program in partnership with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC).

Created by Petro-Canada and its Hospitality Services provider, Jet Set Sports, the Canadian Athlete Family Program will allow approximately 500 Olympic and Paralympic athletes’ family members to accompany them and attend their competitions at the 2010 Winter Games. Families will receive up to four nights’ accommodation in a superior quality hotel located in downtown Vancouver. All hotel meals, competition tickets for when their athlete competes, airport ground transfers as well as transportation to the competition venues are included.

“Petro-Canada is convinced that the Canadian Athlete Family Program will give the opportunity to Canadian athletes to perform their best at the Vancouver games, without worrying about accommodation and ticket purchases for their families,” explained Alan Thomson, Petro-Canada’s Manager of Olympic Hospitality Programs. “Having their immediate family members at the competitions is an important factor that contributes to their success.”

Each participating athlete is allowed to invite two family members. Even though athletes have yet to qualify for the 2010 Winter Games, the COC and CPC have been able to provide the exact number of athletes in each sport, allowing Petro-Canada to make reservations based on these numbers.
Taking the opportunity

Short track speed skater Marc-André Monette from Pointe-aux-Trembles, Quebec, is one of the athletes who will likely benefit from this program. His wish is to see his parents in the stands during his first Olympic Winter Games, in Vancouver in 2010. “They are my number one fans,” said Monette. “Parents support us when we are young and often when the crucial time comes, they are not there to share this with us.”

That’s what happened during the 2007 World Team Championships in March when Marc-André and his brother Jean-François won the competition. “I would have loved my parents to have been able to see us on the podium at our first World Championships,” Monette said. The same thing occurred for his silver medal at the 1,000-metre event at the 2008 World Cup in Quebec.

The timing of the Canadian Athlete Family Program is right for Monette who will be able to invite his parents without worrying about the details: “It is something that I won’t need to stress about. It is great being able to feel their pride after so many years of support in the glory and sometimes in the disappointment. The fact that we can share the small details making these moments unforgettable makes a difference, because I don’t have to explain over the phone what happened during the race or they find out by themselves on the television,” he shared.

The 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver is a great opportunity for Petro-Canada to support Canadian athletes. “In 2010, the Games will be held in our own backyard and we believe the best way for us is to support our Canadian athletes by helping help their greatest fans – their families – be there to see them compete. We are very proud to be able to do this for our athletes,” said Mr. Thomson.