Sport Shorts: World Sprint Canoe Championships
Decision Day: Golf and Rugby Sevens have been proposed by the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board for addition to the programme of the 2016 Olympic Games. The proposal will be submitted to the full IOC Session for a final decision at its meeting in Copenhagen in October. Seven sports gave presentations to the Board at its last meeting in June: baseball, golf, karate, roller sports, rugby, softball and squash. The Board also voted to add women’s boxing, among other events, to the programme of the 2012 Olympic Games in London. A complete listing of the proposed changes can be found by visiting .
Government of Canada Invests in Summer Sports: The Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of State (Sport), announced the distribution of nearly $52 million to 43 summer national sport organizations for 2009-2010 through the Government of Canada’s Sport Support Program. The Sport Support Program (SSP) is the primary funding vehicle for initiatives associated with the delivery of the Canadian Sport Policy. SSP funding is aimed at developing athletes and coaches at the highest international levels, providing sound technically based sport programming for all athletes, increasing the number of Canadians from all segments of society involved in sport, and advancing Canadian interests and values in Canada and abroad. For more information please visit the Canadian Heritage – Sport Canada website: .
Smoke on the Water: The first heats of the 2009 ICF World Canoe Sprint World Championships are underway in Dartmouth, N.S. Adam van Koeverden and Karen Furneaux lead a team of 40 Canadians, looking to strike gold in Canadian waters. Lake Banook hosts the fastest paddlers in the world August 13-16. Keep track of the meet at .
Hitting the Ice Soon: Hockey Canada announced that Ottawa Senators forward Jason Spezza has been added to the roster for their Summer Orientation Camp, August 24-27 in Calgary. There was room for Spezza’s addition after the retirement of Joe Sakic and Ryan Getzlaf opting out of the on-ice sessions due to off-season surgery. The national women’s team faces top international competition at the end of the month, as they host the United States, Sweden and Finland in the 2009 Hockey Canada Cup in Vancouver. The tournament is the final sport test event for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and runs August 31 to September 6.
Countdown to Singapore 2010: August 14 marks one year until the first ever Youth Olympic Games in Singapore where Athletes aged between 14 and 18 years will compete in 26 sports and take part in a Culture and Education Programme. The Youth Olympic Games (YOG) is a new initiative by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to engage the youth of the world through the twin pillars of sports, and culture and education. It is a new highlight on the world’s sporting calendar and Singapore is the first host city. Learn about the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games at .
Speed Skating Trials Heat Up: Things are getting tight at the Canadian Olympic short-track speed skating trials in Vancouver. Jessica Gregg took advantage of a fast start in the 500 metres gave her the winning edge while Kalyna Roberge led from start to finish in the 100 metres. On the men’s side, Liam MacFarlane took the victory in the 500 metres and Olivier Jean took the 100 metres. Skaters will race three times at 500m, 1,000m and 1,500m and each skater’s best two results at each distance are used to determine their ranking. With Charles Hamelin’s pre-qualification, there are four spots up for grabs on the men’s squad and five for the women. Follow the trials at .
Canada On Track at World Athletics Championships: The IAAF World Athletics Championships run August 15-23 in Berlin and Team Canada has its sights set on international glory. 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Priscilla Lopes-Schliep and two-time World Championships medallist Perdita Felicien give Canada an exciting one-two punch in the women’s 100m hurdles. Shot putter Dylan Armstrong and 800-metre runner Gary Reed, both fourth-place finishers at Beijing 2008, are also contenders for the podium in Berlin. For more information, consult .
