MEDIA RELEASES
February 7 , 2008
True Sport Foundation Announces Finalists For the 35th Canadian Sport Awards
Recognizing Excellence in Sport in 2007
The True Sport Foundation (TSF) today announced the finalists for the 35th Canadian Sport Awards (CSA), the ultimate recognition event for excellence in Canadian sport. The annual awards program honours the true champions of sport: athletes, coaches, volunteers, leaders, inspired youth, and more.
“This year’s nominations feature an amazing wealth of talent and commitment,” says Victor Lachance, Executive Director of the True Sport Foundation. “Congratulations to all of those who received a nomination. It is a tribute to the hard work, the dedication and the victories of our country’s finest athletes.”
Following on the success of last year’s partnership with Sport Manitoba, the 35th Canadian Sport Awards will take place again in Winnipeg and will include a joint awards presentation with Sport Manitoba in recognizing provincial and national athletes. The awards are scheduled for March 19, 2008 at the Garrick Theatre.
This 35-year-old tradition will also include a new community outreach effort designed to engage school children in sport. The True Sport Road Trip is scheduled for March 20, the day following the Canadian Sport Awards. For this first-time event, attending athletes will visit three inner city schools to examine issues and challenges specific to each school. Athletes will read, play and inform the kids with the goal of demonstrating how sport can lift the human spirit.
“Sport Manitoba is once again pleased to showcase Manitoba’s best on the national stage with the country’s outstanding athletes, coaches, volunteers and sport leaders.” said Jeff Hnatiuk, Sport Manitoba President and CEO. “We are also excited with this year's new initiative that will enable elementary, middle school and secondary students to meet some of the role models who have distinguished themselves through their participation in sport.”
The sport community was invited to nominate athletes and persons for the Leadership Awards, Corporate Excellence Award, Investors Group Spirit of Sport Award and the True Sport Community Award. The TSF will rank the three finalists in the Athlete Performance Awards from the top eight results published by Sport Canada.
CSA 2007 Finalists
The Athletic Performance Awards recognize outstanding athletic performance. Finalists include:
Male Athlete of the Year
Brent Hayden, Swimming
Gary Reed, Track and Field
Adam Van Koeverden, Kayaking
Female Athlete of the Year
Perdita Felicien, Hurdling
Kalyna Roberge, Speed Skating
Karine Sergerie, Tae Kwon Do
Junior Athlete of the Year
Erica Morningstar, Swimming
Ryan Cochrane, Swimming
Philippe Riopel, Speed Skating
Team of the Year
Curling: Men's World Championship (Glen Howard)
Curling: Women's World Championship (Kelly Scott)
Hockey: Men's World Championship team
Partners of the Year
Figure Skating World Championship; Ice Dance (Dubreuil/Lauzon)
Rowing World Championships; Men's Eights (Wetzel/Light/Rutledge/Seiterle/Howard/Kreek/Hamilton/Price/Byrnes)
Swimming: M 4x200 Free (Hurd, Johns, Hayden, Say)
The Leadership Awards recognize and celebrate an individual’s outstanding contribution to the betterment of sport. Finalists include:
Leadership in Sport Award
Dr. Roger Jackson
Doug Leigh
Michael Smith
Coach of the Year Award
Derrick Campbell
Paul Kristofic
Scott Oldershaw
The Corporate Excellence Award recognizes and celebrates a corporation who provides outstanding support to Canadian sport. Finalists include:
Bell Canada
General Motors of Canada
Insight Sports
The Investors Group Spirit of Sport Story of the Year category recognizes and celebrates Canadian heroes who, in the pursuit of sporting excellence, have demonstrated values such as fairness, inclusion, perseverance, sportsmanship, respect for others, and a true love of sport. Finalists include:
Sue Swain
Lauren Woolstencroft
Ray Zahab
Nomination Eligibility
Any Canadian citizen can nominate an individual, team or corporation for the Canadian Sport Awards. Individuals and corporations can also self-nominate. Eligible entries are for performances or contributions from January 1, 2007 through to December 31, 2007.
The CSA brings together leaders from the sporting and corporate communities who represent the pinnacle of commitment and competition: Canadian amateur athletes, coaches, sport leaders and volunteers. The annual event promotes sporting excellence across Canada, and reminds Canadians how sport lifts the human spirit.
About the True Sport Foundation
The True Sport Foundation is a charitable organization committed to ensuring that sport makes a positive contribution to Canadian society. Managed by the Foundation, the Canadian Sport Awards boasts a strong relationship with its modern day founding partners, which include Athletes CAN, the Commonwealth Games Association of Canada, the Canada Games and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport. For more information about the Canadian Sport Awards, please visit www.canadiansportawards.ca.
For complete nomination rules and guidelines, and more information about the Canadian Sport Awards, please visit www.canadiansportawards.ca.
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For more information, please contact:
Robin Turnbull
Canadian Sport Awards
Program Director
True Sport Foundation
(416)604-0310
rtevent@sympatico.ca
or
Kim Browning
Sport Manitoba Marketing
925-5606
Email
