Petro-Canada Fuels Olympic-Size Dreams For 50 Developing Athletes
FACE Program Helps Canadian Athletes and Their Coaches Dream Big for 2010
Petro-Canada (TSX: PCA, NYSE: PCZ) Toronto, Ontario – Petro-Canada will help 50 more athletes and their coaches from across Canada move one step closer to their Olympic and Paralympic dreams, with the announcement of this year’s Fuelling Athlete and Coaching Excellence (FACE) program recipients. The FACE program provides pre-carded Canadian athlete and coach pairings with $8,000 in financial grants that can be used for everything from training to equipment.
“Representing Canada at the Olympic Games is one the highest honours in Snowboarding,” said Michael Lambert, a FACE recipient from Toronto, Ontario. “But for developing athletes and their coaches, it can be difficult to raise enough money to access all the resources we need to succeed. Thankfully, programs like FACE help close the funding gap and put me and my fellow athletes one step closer to achieving our dream.”
Working with National Sport Organizations across Canada, Petro-Canada’s FACE program provides up-and-coming Canadian Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls with the resources necessary to help athletes achieve national carded status and to improve coaching skills over time. All Olympic and Paralympic sports are eligible for FACE program funding and follow the Sport Canada review process to qualify.
“Petro-Canada’s FACE program* has provided more than 2,300 athletes and coaches with over $7 million since 1988,” said Steven Keith, Director Olympic and Community Partnerships, Petro-Canada. “Building on our 21-year tradition of supporting developing athletes, Petro-Canada is committed to focusing efforts at the grassroots level in communities across the country.”
As a National Partner of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Petro-Canada has pledged $13 million in athletic funding. In addition to their commitment to the FACE program, Petro-Canada’s Fuelling the Dream Fund contributes resources in support of Own the Podium, an initiative to help Canada become the number one medal winner at the upcoming Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and to place in the top three nations at the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.
This year’s FACE program recipients are:
British Columbia
- -Ashley McKilligan, Wrestling, Vancouver
- -Courtney Knight, Para-Nordic Skiing*, Burnaby
- -David Wagner, Basketball, Kamloops
- -Jim Armstrong, Wheelchair Curling*, Richmond
- -Karen Brain, Para-Equestrian*, Saanichton
- -Kerry Spearing, Triathlon, Victoria
- -Kiera Leung, Freestyle Skiing, Coquitlam
- -Justin Merta, Volleyball, Quesnel
- -Ronan Sabo-Walsh, Rowing, Vancouver
- -Sarah Mehain, Para-Swimming*, Vernon
- -Stacie Anaka, Wrestling, Victoria
Alberta
- -Anthony Prymack, Fencing, Calgary
- -Anysia Unick, Gymnastics, Calgary
- -Brady Leman, Ski Cross, Calgary
- -John Fairbairn, Skeleton, Calgary
- -Keegan Soehn, Trampoline, Red Deer
- -Kimberley McRae, Luge, Calgary
- -Peter Martel, Speed Skating, Red Deer
- -Melissa These, Bobsleigh, Hay Lakes
- -Stefan Read, Ski Jumping, Calgary
Saskatchewan
- -Jayd Lukenchuk, Gymnastics, Saskatoon
- -Kendra Chernoff, Swimming, Saskatoon
- -Kim Schneider, Curling, Kronau
Manitoba
- -Mike McEwan, Curling, Brandon
Ontario
- -Anqi Luo, Table Tennis, Toronto
- -Cyndy McLean, Wheelchair Tennis*, Guelph
- -Jennifer Tuters, Rowing, Port Hope
- -Jessica Gaudreault, Water Polo, Ottawa
- -Khetag Pliev, Wrestling, Toronto
- -Michael Lambert, Snowboard, Toronto
- -Michelle Li, Badminton, Richmond Hill
- -Robert Davis, Sailing, Kingston
- -Tamara Jewett, Athletics, Toronto
- -Virginia McLachlan, Para-Athletics*, Windsor
Quebec
- -Camille Thuot, Synchronized Swimming, Montreal
- -David Boily, Cycling, Quebec City
- -Elladj Baldé, Figure Skating, Pierrefonds
- -Genevieve Richard, Soccer, St-Bruno
- -Julien Nury, Cross Country Skiing, Ste-Foy
- -Manuel Cloutier, Wheelchair Rugby*, Vallée-Jonction
- -Marianne Hogan, Triathlon, Bedford
- -Nicholas Lachance, Diving, Greenfield Park
- -Nirra Fields, Basketball, Lachine
- -Scott Mumme, Water Polo, Beaconsfield
- -Sergio Pessoa Jr., Judo, Montreal
- -Valerie Lefebvre, Weightlifting, Godmanchester
Prince Edward Island
- -Stephanie Ramsay, Hockey, Charlottetown
Nova Scotia
- -Jonathan Lohnes, Wheelchair Basketball*, Dartmouth
- -Shaun Fair, Canoe/Kayak, Waverley
Northwest Territories
- -Brendan Green, Biathlon, Hay River
*Paralympic sport
For more on the FACE program and a complete list of this year’s recipients, please visit www.iwilldreambig.ca.
About Petro-Canada
Petro-Canada is one of Canada’s largest oil and gas companies, operating in both the upstream and downstream sectors of the industry in Canada and internationally. The Company creates value by responsibly developing energy resources and providing world class petroleum products and services. Petro-Canada is proud to be a National Partner to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Petro-Canada’s common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol PCA and on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol PCZ.
*FACE is formerly the Olympic Torch Scholarship Fund
