May 09, 2013 (Ottawa, ON) – The Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) is pleased to announce the 2013-14 recipients of the Para-Equipment Fund, supported by Invacare Canada, as well as the Recruitment Program Fund. Both funds are supported by the Government of Canada’s Sport Support Program.

The Para-Equipment Fund (PEF) delivers grants of up to $5,000 to national and provincial sport organizations as well as local level clubs to purchase adapted equipment – for sports such as wheelchair basketball, sledge hockey, or skiing for people with visual impairments, for example – to enable people with a disability to take part in sport. Grants awarded help the sport organizations cover 50 per cent of the total cost of the equipment.

This year, 42 sport organizations representing 17 parasports in regions across Canada received a total of $154,679.17 from the Para-Equipment Fund. Due to the matching nature of the Fund by the recipient, a total of $309,358.34 will be invested into the parasport system.

“Our involvement in the Para-Equipment fund allows us at Invacare and our performance wheelchair team at Top End to work towards our goal of making life’s experiences possible,” said Vince Morelli, General Manager of Invacare Canada, a leading manufacturer of wheelchairs for both everyday use and competitive sports. “The Fund will help nurture the hopes and dreams of more kids with disabilities, allowing them to participate and be active through Invacare’s product lines – and maybe even one day compete for Canada at the Paralympic  Games!”

The Recruitment Program Fund (RPF) awards grants of up to $10,000 to sports organizations to financially support the creation of a new sports program or the expansion of an existing successful program that provides a positive introductory sports experience for participants
with a disability.

Funds may be used towards enhancing program options, such as facility rental space, coaching, volunteer training and more.

This year, 28 sport organizations representing 18 parasports in regions across Canada received a total of $196,151.00 from the Recruitment Program Fund.

Between the two funds, a total of $350,830.17 in funds will be distributed to 60 sport organizations across the country (10 organizations are receiving both funds), representing 21 different sports. Including the matching of $154,679.17 by recipients of the Para-Equipment  Fund, a total of $505,509.34 will be invested in sports programs and sports equipment for people with a disability in Canada.

The complete list of recipients of the 2013-14 Para-Equipment Fund and Recruitment Program Fund is posted and downloadable HERE.

“Supporting the Para-Equipment Fund and Recruitment Programs Fund, and playing a leading role in the inclusion of people with disabilities in sport are things our Government is proud to do,” said the Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport). “By providing these opportunities for people with disabilities, we are helping develop athletes who could one day proudly wear the maple leaf and represent Canada on the international stage.”

“Making the benefits of sport available to all is critical to Canada becoming a world leading Paralympic nation,” said David Legg, President of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. “To do this it is essential to make available quality introductory sport programming and adapted sports equipment in order to give those with a disability a place to play and a positive sport experience. I would like to congratulate the recipients of the Para-Equipment Fund and the Recruitment Program Fund, and thank Invacare Canada, the Government of Canada, and all involved in parasport for their dedication and efforts in helping develop Canada’s parasport system.”

May 02, 2013 (Montreal, QC) – The Canadian Olympic Committee has several job openings based at its Montreal headquarters, including Athletic Marketing Manager, Athlete Services Manager, Games Executive Director, and Sport Executive Director. Follow the links below for more information about each job posting.

Manager, Athlete Marketing
Organization: Canadian Olympic Committee
Location: Montreal
Deadline Date: May 14, 2013
Date Posted: April 29, 2013
For job description visit HERE.

Manager, Athlete Services
Organization: Canadian Olympic Committee
Location: Montreal
Deadline Date: May 14, 2013
Date Posted: April 29, 2013
For job description visit HERE.

Executive Director, Games
Organization: Canadian Olympic Committee
Location: Montreal
Deadline Date: May 14, 2013
Date Posted: April 29, 2013
For job description visit HERE.

Executive Director, Sport
Organization: Canadian Olympic Committee
Location: Montreal
Deadline Date: May 14, 2013
Date Posted: April 29, 2013
For job description visit HERE.

April 12, 2013 – Asiago, Italy, home of Rode Wax, world-famous cheese and the 2013 Masters World Cup! Between February 15th and 22nd, 103 Canadians were among the 1,173 skiers from 25 nations who competed in the annual event which is open to athletes aged 30 and older. Skiers race in 5 year age categories – in 2013 the oldest woman was 86 and the oldest man 89. (In 2011 when the Masters World Cup was hosted by Sovereign Lake Nordic Club in B.C., the oldest competitor was a 93 year old American man). Competitors can choose to race classic or freestyle in each distance, which varies from 5 km to 45 km, depending on age and sex.

Asiago lived up to its reputation and hosted a lively and unforgettable event, under sunny skies on immaculately groomed tracks. Spectators lined the course to cheer on the participants and the multi-lingual announcers kept up a lively commentary in the stadium. A large refreshment tent served hot meals, baked goods and lashings of coffee and hot chocolate, and prior to each race competitors energetically prepared their skis in the crowded wax tents. Old friends greeted one another – many of the same racers attend the World Masters every year and lasting friendships are formed even if the only form of communication is a broad grin and a hug or a handshake.

Canadians did well in podium results, winning 6 gold, 9 silver and 5 bronze medals. This was one of the largest Masters World Cup Canadian teams for a European venue – usually the number is between 30 and 50 when the competition is held in Europe. Included in this year’s team was Pierre Harvey, who finished 4th in the Men’s 45 km classic race. Complete race results can be found at www.mwc2013.com

The Masters World Cup (MWC) in cross country skiing is actually a Canadian invention. It became an outgrowth of the masters movement in Canada – the Canadian Masters Cross Country Ski Association and the Canadian Masters Cross Country Ski Championships – initially conceived and formalized by Bill Gairdner of Ontario. Bill was the first president of the Canadian association and very quickly took the masters cross country skiing concept to the world stage to form and lead the World Masters Cross Country Ski Association which is now responsible for ensuring that an annual MWC happens.

The first MWC was held in 1980 at Morin Heights, Quebec and was organized principally by Jan Hansen of the Viking Ski Club. The following year did not see a MWC as the FIS (International Ski Federation) sorted out what to do with the demands of this bunch of old skiers who wanted a World Championship. However in 1982, after the FIS agreed to a “World Cup” concept, Sweden stepped into the breach and the MWCs have been held annually ever since.

February 20, 2013 (Whistler, B.C.) – Join Olympic and World Cup gold medalists Devon Kershaw and Alex Harvey, along with rising stars Len Valjas and Perianne Jones as they compete in the Haywood Ski Nationals – the last major domestic racing event before the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

More than 600 of Canada’s best cross-country skiers will race in the 2013 Haywood Ski Nationals, the largest of three Nordic national championships to be held at Whistler Olympic Park, March 23 – 30, 2013.

The Olympic Park is the site of the Sea to Sky Nordic Festival where Canada’s elite winter athletes will compete in Biathlon Nationals and North American Biathlon Championships, Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Canadian Nationals.

With hundreds of athletes on site for biathlon, cross-country, and ski-jumping/Nordic combined, the event will “return us to the excitement of 2010 Olympics,” says event chair Sherryl Yeager.

“We’ll have more athletes, more races and more adrenalin pumping in this two-week period than we did in 2010,” says Yeager. “This event is going to give you non-stop all-day high-level racing from Canada’s best.”

Whistler Olympic Park is the site of the 2010 Winter Olympics and offers world-class racing trails and a picturesque recreational trail system that meanders through old growth forest in the Callaghan Valley. This is only the third time the Ski Nationals have been hosted in the Sea to Sky Corridor in 20 years. They were first held in Vancouver in 1991 and at Whistler Olympic Park in 2008.

All events are free of charge for spectators.

www.skinationals.com

December 27, 2012 (Victoria, B.C.) – After years of preparation, Canadian Sport Centre Pacific is excited to be evolving to Canadian Sport Institute*. The institute designation, recently granted by Sport Canada and Own the Podium, is a reflection of the organization now being a world class Olympic and Paralympic training environment. Leading nations across the globe also boast ‘sport institutes’ for high performance athletes. As a result, the name change indicates Canada’s strength and parity as a sporting nation on a global level.

To build a sport institute, you need excellent personnel, programs and facilities. Through hard work and careful planning, the Canadian Sport Institute has created a facility-based system to service Olympic, Paralympic and up-and-coming athletes across British Columbia. Having everything under one roof is the key to success. From performance planning, biomechanical analysis, physiology and sport nutrition to strength and conditioning, athletic therapy, mental performance consultation and massage therapy, BC-based athletes and coaches have all the help they need to win medals for Canada.

“Through the support of our national and provincial partners, we work to power podium performances for Canada,” explains Wendy Pattenden, CEO of the Canadian Sport Institute. “Now that we are recognized as a sport institute, this designation reiterates our desire to compete and win against the best of the best. Our team is determined to do everything possible to ensure BC and Canadian athletes and coaches succeed on the world stage.”

Canadian Sport Institute’s three main locations are found in Victoria at PISE, in Vancouver at the Creekside Community Recreation Centre, and in Whistler at the Whistler Athletes’ Centre. Here, athletes and coaches are serviced by 60 of the best scientists and practitioners in their fields, some of them Olympic medallists themselves.

A member of the national Institute network (also located in Calgary, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic), Canadian Sport Institute’s reach is province-wide. The Canadian Sport Institute provides provincial oversight on high performance programs and services for athletes and coaches in partnership with viaSport British Columbia and the PacificSport regional sport centres in Northern BC, the Interior, the Fraser Valley, the Okanagan, and on Vancouver Island.

For complete details about the Canadian Sport Institute and all of our programs and services, please visit www.csipacific.ca.

October 12, 2012 (Ottawa, ON) – In partnership with the Government of Canada, the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) is pleased to announce that it will be recognizing 55 Canadians for their contributions to the Paralympic Movement through the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

The call for nominations closes October 15, 2012.

February 6, 2012 marked the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the Throne. To commemorate this historic occasion Canada created the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal to be awarded to 60,000 nominees from across Canada for significant contributions and achievements by Canadians. Included in this number will be 55 Canadians put forward by the CPC who have made a significant difference in the advancement of the Paralympic Movement in Canada.

These 55 individuals will also join the 145 athletes who represented Canada at the London 2012 Paralympic Games as medal recipients. They will be selected by the CPC’s External Representation Committee who will review all nominations and provide a list of 55 nominees to the CPC Board of Directors for approval. This list of names will then forwarded to the Office of the Governor General for final endorsement.

Nominees must fall into one of three categories: Athlete, Coach and Builder. Each category will be evaluated on the following criteria:

1. Athlete
Outstanding athletic performance (medals at Paralympic Games, participation in multiple Games, world or national records, etc.).
Contribution to the Paralympic Movement through activities undertaken outside of sporting or competition commitments (community service, public speaking, sport promotion, etc.).
Sustained contributions to the Paralympic Movement (a legacy exists as an athlete, a mentor, a coach, an administrator, etc.).

2. Coach
Outstanding coaching performances that have led to medals at Paralympic Games and World Championships. Involvement in multiple Paralympic Games and overall total body of work including Canada Games and Regional/Provincial Championships.
Contribution to Paralympic Movement through sport development (community or elite), coach development, mentoring, and technical innovation.
Sustained contributor to the Paralympic Movement.

3. Builder / Administrator
Outstanding lifetime contribution to the growth and development of the Paralympic Movement nationally and/or internationally.
Provided ground-breaking leadership or innovative practices/programs.
Made a significant impact to the development of Paralympic sport. This may include contributions made nationally or internationally to specific sports within a specific disability group, or to athletes with a disability as a whole.

In addition to the criteria above, to be eligible for a Jubilee Medal the nominee must:
Be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, but need not necessarily reside in Canada;
Have been alive on February 6th, 2012, the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty’s accession to the Throne. The medal can be awarded posthumously, as long as the recipient was alive on that date.

The Nomination Form for the Diamond Jubilee Medal can be found on the CPC website and must be completed in full, including the full name, address, phone number and email address of the nominator AND the nominee along with a one-page outline of the nominee’s activities and achievements.

Please send the completed form and attachments by October 15, 2012 to:

Canadian Paralympic Committee
Attention: Diamond Jubilee Medal Selection Committee
225 Metcalfe Street
Ottawa, ON K0C 1C0
Email: kpoapst@paralympic.ca

Further criteria and information on the Diamond Jubilee Medal can be found at www.gg.ca

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee

The Canadian Paralympic Committee is a non-profit, private organization with 46 member sports organizations dedicated to strengthening the Paralympic movement. The Canadian Paralympic Committee’s vision is to be the world’s leading Paralympic nation. Its mission is to lead the development of a sustainable Paralympic sport system in Canada to enable athletes to reach the podium at the Paralympic Games. By supporting Canadian Paralympic athletes and promoting their success, the Canadian Paralympic Committee inspires all Canadians with a disability to get involved in sport through programs delivered by its member organizations.

Follow the Canadian Paralympic Committee:
www.paralympic.ca
www.facebook.com/CDNParalympics
www.twitter.com/CDNParalympics
www.youtube.com/CDNParalympics

March 30, 2012 (Ottawa, ON) – Canada’s sporting heroes remain hungry to deliver a return on the Government of Canada’s continued investment in high-performance sport following Thursday’s budget announcement that ensured the Harper Government’s ongoing commitment to driving podium performances.

“The Government of Canada continues to lead the way in creating a new culture for winning, which Canada’s athletes and coaches fully support,” said Anne Merklinger, chief executive officer, Own the Podium. “This commitment reinforces the Canadian Government’s leadership in delivering the resources athletes need to climb onto the podium at Olympic, Paralympic and major international competitions.”

Own the Podium, which has been a driving force behind Canada’s continued evolution into a world-leading sport nation, is funded nearly exclusively by the Government of Canada. Originally launched in 2005 as a national initiative, Own the Podium is designed to provide medal-potential athletes with additional resources and high-performance programming to help them achieve podium success.

Canada’s 50 per cent increase in the Summer Olympic medal count from Athens to Beijing is in large part attributable to the Government of Canada’s leadership, according to one of Canada’s most decorated Olympians – two-time Olympic medallist in triathlon, Simon Whitfield.

“We simply could not have achieved what we did without the tremendous financial support from the Government of Canada’s investment in Own the Podium,” said Whitfield, who electrified the nation with his silver-medal triathlon triumph in Beijing. “From camp funding and staff support, to the heat chamber, and our satellite setup at the actual Games that included our own wonder chef Cosmo, OTP’s funding ensures we have the optimal conditions to excel.”

After five years of record investment, Own the Podium became a household name following the nation’s overwhelming success at the 2010 Games where Canadian athletes achieved their goals of finishing number one overall with an historic 14 Olympic gold medals, and in the top-three of the overall Paralympic medal count with 10 gold, including three by cross-country skier Brian McKeever.

“Before our program had access to Government funding through OTP, we were amateurs guessing our way through the results while competing in high performance sport,” said McKeever – a 10-time Paralympic medallist, who became the first winter-sport athlete to qualify for both the Olympics and Paralympics in 2010. “OTP is responsible for growing the program by developing young athletes, and also increasing the level of our team to where we now have every athlete hitting the start line with a focus on winning.”

Building on the success of 2010, Own the Podium’s $36 million annual investment in summer athletes has positioned Whitfield and his fellow Canadian Summer Olympians to accomplish the nation’s ambitious goal of finishing in the top 12 when the world meets in London for the 2012 Olympic Summer Games. Canada also has a goal of finishing in the top-eight in gold medal count at the 2012 Paralympics. Meanwhile, the $20 million of annual funding for winter sport programs has squarely placed Canada as the nation to beat at the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia; Canadian performances on the snow and ice this winter have elevated the nation’s ranking to number one with 35 medals – including 17 gold – in World Championship competition so far this season. Canada’s Paralympic athletes are also focused on finishing in the top-three in the gold-medal count at the 2014 Games.

“The Government of Canada has played a critical role towards ensuring Canadian athletes are amongst the world’s best through their support of the Own the Podium program,” said Merklinger. “Through Government support, Canada’s summer- and winter-sport athletes have come a long way in their pursuit of excellence. The support announced today sends a strong message that the Government of Canada believes in our athletes and coaches, and their performances on the world stage matter to Canadians. We are encouraged Mr. Harper has taken a lead in ensuring this success will continue well into the future, which in turn inspires a healthier and more active Canada.”

February 14, 2012 – US Best – Sunday’s relay effort by the US women has to be one of the top racing days in the history of Women’s Cross Country skiing in the US – if not the top day. It opened a huge gateway into the future. There were many reasons for this relay to be a bomb of the year rather than an effort that would have everyone over here cheering in their offices, breakfast nooks, cars, and where ever they were watching this effort on their computers.

For starters Kikkan Randall, the team’s best skier, sat out another race. On top of that the four ladies on the team had skied a very hard 15km CL WC the day before, Holly Brooks (the starter) is still wearing her wrist splint (now and then) and doesn’t have a bunch of races under her belt the last few weeks and didn’t finish the classic race the day before. Ida, the 4th lady in the pecking order, was replacing Kikkan the leader – BUT – on race day they came to the start line dressed in their striped USA red, white and blue socks over their uniforms and painted red and blue USA’s on their faces to lay down four of the best performances in their careers landing the best-ever USA relay result – 5th place.

Not only missing 4th place by a second, but being less then a minute behind Norway who won – that is something to talk about. QUESTION: What does the future hold – it’s exciting for everyone – and kudos to the coaches and the skiers for their dedication to having such an aggressive approach to building the relay team’s going forward – here we come Sochi! They now have quality and depth in taking this direction that they decided on in the summer months. Sounds like a plan!

Now North of The Border – You have just the opposite direction being taken by the Ladies program in Canada. As I wrote last week the women never made it to Rybinsk and now moving forward (or backward) from there only Perianne [Jones] was in Nove Mesto, while Chandra had to go home for a family emergency and Dasha, the lone member of the newly formed “senior team”, was in Seefeld with her boyfriend for training and an Austrian Alps holiday. It’s been two weeks and only one of the three ladies has raced once in that period – not an international scope in focus that I can see.

Here are some of the numbers that will show you the disparity between the US and the Candian women’s program when it comes to racing starts from the beginning of the season in Sjusjoen, Norway to Nove Mesto, CZE.

Canadian Ladies:
– Dasha – 15 races
– Perianne – 17
– Chandra – 17 (emergency trip home)

US Ladies:
– Jessie – 24
– Kikkan – 35
– Holly – 34 (broken wrist)
– Liz – 33
– Ida – 25
– Sadie – 19 (off the circuit a couple of weeks ago)

I don’t place the blame on the Canadian girls, but on the coaching staff, mainly [Justin] Wadsworth and [Eric] DeNys as they work with the ladies and chart the course for the year. But mainly it’s the coaches direction and expertise that is counted on here for going in the right direction. You say I’m not being fair, what about the Men’s program? They’ve been pounding the circuit since Sjusjoen in mid-November, so why not the Ladies? It’s a program that is not building towards Sochi.

I can remember watching Devon [Kershaw] fighting his way through season’s 5-6 years ago and getting beaten down but going back for more the next year… and look at him now.

The Canadian Ladies are racing about 1.4 races per week (mostly sprints) which is not enough to be in racing shape. This plan has way too many breaks – the training should have been done in the summer. I think this was the way of the 90s, the old North American way, not the new dedicated “we will be in Europe all winter way” adopted supposedly by both team this year. Sorry Canadian Ladies – you got the short straw this year.

Can any of the Canadian Ladies make it to Falun for the WCup finals…? Not likely – Chandra has a chance, but it is slipping away fast. Time for this program to change gears – real fast.

Talk To You Next Time,
Marty

December 27, 2011 (Davos, Switzerland) – When the Canadian XC squad was in Davos for the FIS WCup earlier this month, new CCC sponsor One Way organized a photo shoot for the country’s top skiers. Check out the pics and put on your shades for the ones where the team is decked out in their “yellow flash” parkas!

December 21, 2011 – Send us photos of your team, your athletes and yourself wearing the Olympic Red Mittens so we can rally all Canadian sport fans around this great contest!

As winter holidays come around again, so do the iconic Olympic Red Mittens from the Hudson’s Bay Company. The COC wants people to show off their national pride and win a pair of these popular Christmas stocking stuffers. Canadians are already spotting Olympic Red Mittens everywhere.

From now until Jan. 1, the COC is inviting fans to post photos to our Facebook page or Tweet us @CDNOlympicTeam, using the hashtag #RedMittens with their photo of the Olympic Red Mittens. Fans spot Olympic Red Mittens, take a photo and we will choose the best picture to earn an official full-zip hoodie from the Canadian Olympic Team’s replica collection by the Hudson’s Bay Company.

Runners-up will claim a pair of Olympic Red Mittens for themselves.