Recruitment camp for bobsleigh and skeleton athletes announced
Feature photo: Two-time Olympic bobsleigh medallist Lascelles Brown (Dave Holland)
Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton is looking for male and female athletes who may have the power, speed and strength to pilot or push Canada’s sleds down world and Olympic tracks to glory.
The recruitment camp will hit five provinces and seven cities starting at the Terry Fox Track & Field Centre in Ottawa on June 14. The federation has listed more details on its website.
Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse carry the flag together at Closing Ceremony of Sochi 2014.
Many of Canada’s top bobsledders and skeleton athletes came from other sports. Double Olympic champion Kaillie Humphries was an alpine skier, while her brakeman for the Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014 triumphs, Heather Moyse, was a track athlete who played rugby at an international level for Canada.
Age also shouldn’t discourage potential recruits. Olympic skeleton champion Duff Gibson had a collegiate rowing and speed skating background before he took up skeleton in earnest at age 33, then stood atop the Olympic podium six years later helping Canada to a 1-2 finish in that sport with Jeff Pain.
Duff Gibson (centre) and Jeff Pain at Turin 2006. (Photo: La Presse Canadienne)
In recent years, sliding sports have become a major source of pride and medal haul for Canada in winter sports. The next generation of world and Olympic greats could be found during this recruitment drive.
If an athlete brings speed and power to the table, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton will figure out the rest.
