| Canadian Ski Cross Launches Newest Winter Olympic Sport |
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Canada to field thirteen athletes on World Cup with focus on growing sport across country. VANCOUVER, BC (September 15, 2009) -- Canada's medal-winning ski cross athletes hit the start gate with school children and corporate sponsors at Cypress Mountain on Tuesday to officially launch the newest and hippest winter Olympic sport, which will make its debut at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. The sport of ski cross combines the thrill of freestyle skiing with the competitive rush of alpine ski racing. Ski cross pits four-to-six athletes against each other as they race down a technically-demanding course that features artificial and natural rollers, jumps, banked turns and tabletops. Athletes navigate the course at speeds upwards of 70-kilometres/hour in a single elimination format. The fastest two skiers to complete the course advance to the next round of competition in this thrilling spectator-friendly race. "Our goal is to showcase ski cross as the coolest winter Olympic sport in Canada. Having the sport's Olympic debut at home presents a tremendous opportunity for us to ignite a passion for ski cross in the hearts of all Canadians," said Cam Bailey, president, Canada Ski Cross, whose organization symbolically staged its official launch metres from the finish line on Cypress Mountain, the venue for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. "This is where it starts for us. Winning an Olympic medal at this venue is an extremely powerful tool for us to give the sport the credibility it needs to build a solid foundation from which to develop the next generation of athletes, and engage future partners from corporate Canada." Loaded with medal potential, Canadian ski cross athletes have captured medals at World Championships, World Cups, and X-Games since they began competing on the international circuit two years ago, thanks in large part to the organization's three founding corporate sponsors: Cold-FX; Westminster Savings; and Carscallen Leitch LLP who were all also announced during the media conference. "Each of these players, along with Own the Podium, have graciously invested in our dream, and play a critical role in providing the financial fuel needed to successfully launch the sport, and achieve excellence on the international stage," said Bailey. "Every additional resource we are able to access is the difference between finishing on or off the podium, and ultimately, propelling more youth across the country into our sport. "We are extremely grateful for all of the generous financial support received from our partners, and we will be looking to build on this solid foundation by engaging additional members of corporate Canada on our exciting journey to ensuring our athletes have access to all of the tools essential to delivering podium performances," he said. Canada Ski Cross announced thirteen athletes to its World Cup team on Tuesday, from which selections will be made later this season as to who will blaze the Canadian trail at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Leading the way on the talented women's team is Ashleigh McIvor, of Whistler, B.C. McIvor, who is pre-selected to be named for the 2010 Olympic squad, was the 2009 World Champion and finished second at the World Cup on Cypress Mountain last winter. McIvor will be joined by four other women on the national team including: Aleisha Cline, of Squamish, B.C., who finished first at the 2009 World Cup on Cypress Mountain; Julia Murray, of Whistler, B.C., who is looking to follow in the footsteps of her parents who were both high-performance athletes by qualifying for the Olympic Games; Kelsey Serwa, of Kelowna, B.C., who was the 2009 Rookie-of-the-Year on the World Cup; and Calgary's Danie Poleschuk, who is one of the rising stars in the sport having found her way into the top-fifteen on a regular basis last year, rounds out the women's team. On the men's side, it is Calgary's Stan Hayer who headlines the team of eight athletes loaded with medal potential. Hayer, who is the team captain and one of the pioneers of ski cross in Canada, finished first at the X-Games in 2009 and captured the silver medal at the World Cup on the Cypress venue last year. Other athletes on the men's team includes: Chris Del Bosco, of Vail, Colorado who won the World Cup event last season at Cypress Mountain en route to finishing second overall in the 2009 World Cup standings; Davey Barr, of Brackendale, B.C., who completed the podium sweep at Cypress with this teammates; Cam Culbert, of North Bay, Ont.; Dave Duncan, who now resides in Golden, B.C., third-year veteran, Brian Bennett, of Whistler, Brady Leman, of Calgary; and Toronto's Nick Zorcic. "Our team of athletes have been dreaming of this opportunity to represent our country for years, and we are looking to put our sport in the spotlight for all Canadians to enjoy," said Hayer. "This is a unique group of athletes that continues to push harder each day in an effort to put the Canadian maple leaf on the international podium, and inspire more Canadians to get involved and try our unique and thrilling sport." Canada's ski cross athletes will kick-off the 2009-2010 World Cup season, December 21-22 in San Candido, Italy. The team's lone World Cup race in Canada will take place on January 28 at Blue Mountain Ski Resort near Collingwood, Ontario. Canada Ski Cross will announce the remaining athletes eligible to be named to the 2010 Canadian Olympic Team during a media conference on January 29 in Toronto. For more information on Canadian Ski Cross, please visit us at www.ski-cross.ca on the Internet. |
