Release: Parade of Champions Rocks Downtown Calgary
June 6, 2014
PARADE OF CHAMPIONS ROCKS DOWNTOWN CALGARY
Tens of thousands of fans come out to celebrate Sochi 2014 Olympians and Paralympians
CALGARY – Today, Sochi 2014 Olympians, Paralympians and coaches marched and rode through the streets of Calgary for the 2014 Parade of Champions presented by RBC and in partnership with the Coca Cola Company, celebrating their Sochi accomplishments with local Albertan fans.
The celebration kicked off with a pre-parade community pancake breakfast hosted by the Calgary Stampede, where 3,800 pancakes were given out to the crowd. Athletes got into the Western Calgary hospitality spirit by serving the pancakes to fans of all ages. Fans were also treated to entertainment on stage at Olympic Plaza with CBC hosts George Stroumboulopoulos, Doug Dirks and Rosa Marchitelli, who pumped up the crowd with music and Olympic trivia before the Royal Canadian Airforce flew by with three Griffin military helicopters.
“It has been unbelievable to see the sheer number of screaming Canadian fans who came out to see us today at the 2014 Parade of Champions,” said Jennifer Jones, Sochi 2014 Olympian and gold medallist. “Getting to connect with all of our fans on such a grassroots level to thank them for all of their support is really the cherry on top of winning a gold medal. This is what sport is all about.”
Olympians and Paralympians started the march on 8th Avenue at 10th street, waving to fans and locals from their floats and making their way down to Olympic Plaza, where thousands more were waiting with hosts George Stroumboulopoulos, Doug Dirks and Rosa Marchitelli. Special guest act Cavalia also entertained the crowds, incorporating their acrobatic performance into the parade along the streets. With over 400 people participating in the parade, the crowds watched 6 floats, 5 wagons, 8 BMW convertibles, 6 trucks, 3 marching bands, stilt wakers, the Mayor and the Calgary Stampede float go down 8th Avenue toward Olympic Plaza.
“We always knew Calgarians would come out to support their Olympic heroes, but the sheer numbers and the enthusiasm of the fans made it special,” said Marcel Aubut, President, Canadian Olympic Committee. “Thank you Mayor Nenshi, the City of Calgary and the Province of Alberta for all of your support. We could not have done this without you.”
“The past three days have been full of magical moments and countless highlights for our athletes and the Canadians they’ve connected with,” said Gaetan Tardif, President of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. “The Parade of Champions today was an amazing experience for all involved and such a fitting way to cap off the Celebration of Excellence. A big thanks to all our partners and supporters for making this unforgettable event come to life.”
“The city of Calgary really came out today to celebrate with us,” said para-alpine skier Josh Dueck, who won gold and silver medals in Sochi and was Canada’s flag bearer at the closing ceremony. “To see the joy that it brings the kids and the hope that it will inspire future athletes really brings purpose to what we do as athletes.”
Athletes were interviewed as they arrived at Olympic Plaza by red carpet host, George Stroumboulopoulos, before participating in a White Hat Ceremony by parade Grand Marshall Naheed Nenshi, Mayor of Calgary. Headline act and Canadian pop superstar Alyssa Reid then ended the show with a bang, entertaining around 5,000 fans in attendance with songs from her smash hit albums. The 2014 Celebration of Excellence will continue tonight with the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame Gala and Induction Ceremony which will take place at the Saddledome.
The Canadian Olympic Committee would like to thank their volunteers and the following partners for making this event successful: RBC, Calgary Hotel Association, Calgary Flames, Coca-Cola, Suncor, TransCanada, AltaLink, BMW Group Canada, Calgary Stampede, Canadian Pacific Rail, Sport Chek, Edmonton Events, General Mills, Molson, Richmond Olympic Oval, Air Canada, Blackout Design, Christie Lites, E = MC2, FM Systems, Pevnick Design, Solotech, Tandem Wine Selection, Federal Government, Province of Alberta, City of Calgary, City of Edmonton and Cirque du Soleil.
For photos taken throughout the day at various events, please visit: photos.paralympic.ca and http://bit.ly/1nPnpmz
For broadcast-quality B-roll, please visit: SendtoNews.com
For more information on the 2014 Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, please visit: http://wp.me/P3DwEw-Xn
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Canadian Olympic Committee Media Office:
Jane Almeida, Senior Manager, Media Relations
Tel: 416-324-4120 / Cell: 416-540-1788
Email: jalmeida@olympic.ca
Luc Beaudin, Coordinator, Communications and Media Relations
Cell: 514-206-6720
Email: lbeaudin@olympic.ca
Canadian Paralympic Committee Media Office:
Alison Korn, Senior Manager, Media Relations
Phone: 613-569-4333, ext # 243 / Cell: 613-298-4927
Email: akorn@paralympic.ca
Martin Richard, Executive Director, Communications & Marketing
Phone: 613-569-4333, ext # 2224 / Cell: 613-725-4339
Email: mrichard@paralympic.ca