CYCLING CANADA AND LOUIS GARNEAU LAUNCH 2016 CYCLING TEAM COLLECTION

(Ottawa, ON – April 08, 2016) At the upcoming Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Canadian cycling team uniforms from Louis Garneau Sports will blend cutting-edge technology with a nod to tradition.

This year, Team Canada will continue to sport the traditional light blue jersey with white sleeves and red maple leaves that dates back to the 1960s. This is the same iconic design as the one worn by Hall of Famers Alison Sydor, Jocelyn Lovell, Curt Harnett, Steve Bauer and Gord Singleton. Louis Garneau wore the kit himself in the 1984 Olympic Games and has been the producer of the Canadian National Cycling team kits ever since. The national symbol, the maple leaf, is visible on the rider from every angle, creating a strong visual impact.

The simple design disguises the forward-thinking technology associated with Garneau apparel, encompassing fabric construction, performance features, and moisture management. The 2016 edition will be the fastest and most comfortable Team Canada kit ever made thanks to extensive development work between apparel manufacturer Louis Garneau Sports and the aerodynamic expertise of Alphamantis Technologies. Directly involved at each stage of this collaboration were athletes and staff from Cycling Canada’s high performance programs. Canadian National Team athletes also underwent numerous fit sessions with Garneau to maximize aerodynamic efficiency.

“I could not be more proud of the tremendous development work that has been done with Cycling Canada,” said Founder and President Louis Garneau. “For months we have collaborated relentlessly in order to create the best-performing apparel for our cyclists at the Rio Games. We’ve put all of our expertise at the service of the team, and the result speaks for itself: state-of-the-art apparel that will allow our athletes to compete at the highest level and concentrate on their performance, not on the reliability of their equipment.”

“Cycling Canada is committed to providing our athletes with the best possible tools required to perform at the highest international level,” said Cycling Canada High Performance Director Jacques Landry. “We are proud to work with partners like Garneau who share this commitment and we are grateful for all the research, development and passion that has gone into delivering a world-class product to our world-class athletes.”

For the first time, authorized exact replica versions of the Team Canada jersey will be available for sale at select retailers that carry the Garneau product line at the end of May. A portion of the proceeds of each sale goes back to support the Canadian Olympic Team as well as Cycling Canada’s National Team programs.

ABOUT LOUIS GARNEAU

Louis Garneau Sports, a global company with its head office located in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, QC, is an international leader in the design and manufacture of sports clothing and accessories. The company has over 400 employees and is ever growing. Thanks to the sponsoring of high-profile international athletes and teams, and to the sale of its products in over 40 countries, the company is in constant progress and relentlessly centers its efforts on development and innovation. More than ever, athletes all around the world stand out and perform in outstanding fashion thanks to the Louis Garneau brand. For more information please visit www.louisgarneau.com.

April 8, 2016/by Communications

Sport leaders sign landmark agreement for B.C

SPORT LEADERS SIGN LANDMARK AGREEMENT FOR B.C.

RICHMOND, B.C. (February 5, 2016) – Today, a new sport memorandum of understanding was introduced by the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC), Own the Podium (OTP), the Province of British Columbia (B.C.) and viaSport BC, whereby the five partners commit to collaboration on a set of pertinent principles. This partnership aims to further develop and explore new opportunities for British Columbian youth to realize their full potential from playground to Olympic and Paralympic success.

In its resolution dated October 16, 2014, the United Nations recognized sport as a means to promote education, health, development and peace. As such, it represents an important asset to society – and each partner is committed to that resolution.

To ensure this promotion of education, health and development through sport, as well as B.C. and Canada’s performance on the field of play, the five partners recognize the importance of increasing collaboration and efficiency to achieve common success. This agreement represents a shared commitment to work together to support B.C.’s sporting communities.

Through this agreement, the partners will explore opportunities to collaborate based on principles such as:

Providing the best conditions and support possible for the athletes and coaches of today and tomorrow;
Increasing collaboration between provincial sport organizations and national sport federations;
Working collaboratively on actions and initiatives to get youth more active and adopt healthy lifestyles, progressively enlarging the pool of youth engaged in sport;
Continuing to make sport and its funding a priority and influence this priority with strategic public and private partnerships in the Province of B.C.;
Continuing to work collaboratively in B.C. to achieve Canada’s international sport objectives.

The COC, CPC, OTP, B.C. and viaSport agree to work together and with other partners to create increased opportunities for sport and physical activity to be a relevant and important part of British Columbians’ lives.

The event livestream can be viewed at: http://www.viasport.ca/events/live-announcement-canadian-sport-alignment-strategy-partnership

High-res event photos will be available here: http://olympicca.webdamdb.com/albums.php?albumId=1379660

QUOTES

“The Canadian Olympic Committee strongly believes in the importance of this provincial and national collaboration in favor of sport development, and applauds the Province of British Columbia for exploring further opportunities with sporting partners. Together, we are working toward a strong Canadian sport system from the playground up, inspiring our youth to lead healthy, active lives while at the same time, ultimately growing the pool of future potential Olympians. Our best chance of success is to work as one team from coast to coast to coast.”

– Tricia Smith, President, Canadian Olympic Committee

“The Province of British Columbia has such a strong sport system and with the leadership of all partners aligning efforts, together we can further bolster the growth of Canada’s national sport system. This will in turn provide greater opportunities for athletes with a disability to prosper and reach Paralympic success, and for Canada to become a world-leading Paralympic nation.”

– Gaétan Tardif, President, Canadian Paralympic Committee

“It takes a cohesive team to achieve success in any walk of life, and that certainly holds true in developing Olympic and Paralympic champions. These champions can come from anywhere in our great country and perform at their best when there is strong collaboration between all partners. Our partnership with British Columbia will attract more youth to sport and ultimately increase our pool of high performance athletes, inspiring new champions well into the future. This is a vehicle for developing a healthier population, more active communities and a prouder, stronger and united Canada.”

– John Furlong, Chair, Own the Podium

“This agreement aligns with British Columbia’s commitment to sport and to encouraging our youth to become more involved in a healthy and active lifestyle. The Province looks forward to building on its already strong reputation as a national leader in developing Olympic and Paralympic athletes. The signing of this new memorandum of understanding will further the relationship between our province and its partners.”

– Hon. Peter Fassbender, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development

“viaSport envisions an active, healthy British Columbia where sport inspires a field of possibilities for all. It is through partnerships at the community, provincial and national levels that we are able to support the delivery of programs aimed at fostering excellence from the playground to the podium. We are excited to be part of this ground-breaking initiative which will continue to make sport and physical activity relevant for all British Columbians.

– Caley Denton, Board Chair, viaSport

About the Canadian Olympic Committee:

The Canadian Olympic Committee leads the achievement of the Canadian Olympic Team’s podium success and advances Olympic values in Canada. Independent and predominantly privately funded, the Canadian Olympic Committee delivers resources that Canada’s elite athletes need to perform at their best and give their everything, every day. The backbone of Canada’s Olympic movement, the Canadian Olympic Committee works with National Sport Federations to prepare the Team for the Olympic, Youth Olympic and Pan American Games. By sharing our athletes’ stories, we inspire all Canadians through the power of sport: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee:

The Canadian Paralympic Committee is a non-profit, private organization with 27 member sports organizations dedicated to strengthening the Paralympic Movement. The Canadian Paralympic Committee’s vision is to be the world’s leading Paralympic nation. Its mission is to lead the development of a sustainable Paralympic sport system in Canada to enable athletes to reach the podium at the Paralympic Games. By supporting Canadian high performance athletes with a disability and promoting their success, the Canadian Paralympic Committee inspires all Canadians with a disability to get involved in sport through programs delivered by its member organizations. For more information, visit www.paralympic.ca.

About Own the Podium

Own the Podium, a not-for-profit organization, prioritizes and determines investment strategies for national sport organizations in an effort to deliver more Olympic and Paralympic medals for Canada. Own the Podium’s largest contributor of funding is the Government of Canada with additional funding provided by the Canadian Olympic Committee and its Canadian Olympic Foundation, the Canadian Paralympic Committee, along with the corporate community.

Own the Podium was created in 2005 to help Canada become the number one nation at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and to place in the top-three nations in the gold medal count at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. Own the Podium continues to drive Canada’s high performance sport system forward in a quest to help more athletes and coaches win more medals in future Olympic and Paralympic Games.

About viaSport

viaSport British Columbia is a not-for-profit organization created in 2011 as a legacy of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Our mandate is to increase awareness, opportunity and participation in sport across the province–at every stage of life and in every community.

By leading the province in building a stronger, more effective sport system, we will bring more families to the field of play, more fans into the stands, more athletes to the podium and more sports events to the province.

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Canadian Olympic Committee Media Office:

Cherry Ye, Program Manager, Media Relations

Tel: 416-324-4123 / Cell: 416-427-4341

Email: cye@olympic.ca

Ricky Landry, Manager, Communications

Tel: 514-861-3696 / Cell: 514 229-4833

Email: rlandry@olympic.ca

Own The Podium Media Office:

Chris Dornan, High-Performance Public Relations

Tel: 403-620-8731

Email: hpprchris@shaw.ca

Web site: www.chrisdornan.ca

Canadian Paralympic Committee Media Office:

Alison Korn, Sr. Manager Media Relations & Communications

Tel: 613-569-4333 ext. 243 / Cell: 613-298-4927

Email: akorn@paralympic.ca

Province of B.C.:

Gillian Rhodes

Communications Director

Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development

Tel: 250-888-1462

Email: gillianrhodes@gov.bc.ca

viaSport:

Alyson Gourley-Cramer, A/Director, Communications & Engagement

Tel: 250-961-5366

Email: AlysonGC@viasport.ca

February 5, 2016/by Communications

THE PERFECT GIFT: BICYCLE ART

Cycling Canada and BicycleArt.ca team up to raise money for cycling

(Ottawa, ON – December 02, 2015) Cycling Canada is proud to announce a unique partnership with Italian artist and former racer Luigia Zilli, who runs the website www.BicycleArt.ca.

The Oakville, Ontario artist has been painting for over 25 years and specializes in bicycle themed art. Over the years, she has painted numerous pieces featuring Canadian National Team Athletes across road, track, BMX and mountain bike disciplines.

Through this partnership, Zilli will donate paintings and artwork for use by Cycling Canada in annual fundraising initiatives. Additionally, 10% of all online purchase made at www.bicycleart.ca will be donated to Cycling Canada for investment in cycling development programs across the country.

Zilli’s bicycle art became very popular since her first cycling painting in 2005, “Tour De France” which was based on an image of the first edition of the Giro di Burnaby, a professional cycling race that takes place in Burnaby, BC.

“We are honoured to partner with Luigia and BicycleArt.ca,” commented Matthew Jeffries, Cycling Canada’s Director of Marketing. “Luigia has demonstrated immense talent through her 25+years of painting experience. Her work is stunningly beautiful and her passion for the sport of cycling translates into wonderful pieces of art. She shares wholeheartedly our commitment to the long-term success of Canadian cycling, and we are grateful for her support.”

Having grown up in Italy, Zilli is an avid rider and passionate about cycling, both from a recreational and competitive perspective. “I paint bicycles because they are my passion. Since childhood I have cycled and grown up in a family of cyclists and in a place where this sport is at its most popular. The inspiration has a lot to do with my personal experience and being involved in activities where the bicycle is at the forefront.”

Cycling enthusiasts can purchase more than just paintings as Zilli also produces and sells wall calendars, holiday greeting cards, commissioned work as well as prints on canvas and paper.

December 2, 2015/by Communications

2016 CYCLING CALENDAR UNVEILED

The 2016 Cycling Canada Domestic Calendar filled with exciting events

(Ottawa, ON – October 22, 2015) Cycling Canada announces 2016 domestic events calendar for all cycling sports.

TRACK

Junior and Cadet age categories will start off an exciting track season, with Canadian Cadet/Junior Track Championships taking place April 1-3 at the Mattamy National Cycling Centre in Milton. The Track calendar will also see the return of the Milton International Challenge. The inaugural event hosted in 2015 only days after the Mattamy National Cycling Centre opened, served as a test event of the Pan-Am Games and welcomed some of the world’s top competitors. The Canadian Track Championships for the Elite, Para-cycling and Master categories will take place in the fall with final dates to be announced.

Two new national sanction events will appear on the track calendar, with the Eastern Track Challenge in Milton on February 13^th and Western Track Challenge to take place in Burnaby, BC (date TBC). The events, geared towards the U15, Cadet and Junior age groups, will provide a competitive platform for up and comers preparing for Canadian Track Championships.

ROAD

The Global Relay Canadian Championship will take place in partnering cities Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec for the Elite, Junior and Para-cyclists. The 2016 edition of the event, running from June 25-29, will see a revamped schedule introduced. The Masters will have a separate Canadian Championships, scheduled mid-June, with more details to come in the following weeks.

Internationally, Gatineau will once again this year host the women’s Grand Prix Cycliste de Gatineau and the Chrono Gatineau in early June. The third edition of the Grand Prix Cycliste de Saguenay and the Tour de Beauce will once again be hosted on back-to-back weeks, allowing teams to compete in both events in a cost-effective way.

The Tour of Alberta is scheduled to return for a fourth consecutive year. Sanctioned as UCI 2.1 race, Canada’s biggest stage race will once again bring the best North American cyclists and some of the World’s best to Western Canada. The UCI World Tour Grand Prix Cyclistes, the only North American World Tour races, are slowly becoming classic races on the World Tour calendar, year after year attracting the best of the best to Canadian soil.

Para-cyclists can look forward to another exciting weekend of competition with the return of the Défi Sportif AlterGo in Montréal, QC.

MOUNTAIN BIKE

The Canadian MTB XCO Championships will take place, as previously announced, in Baie-Saint-Paul, a staple venue in the Canadian Mountain Biking scene. The resort, located in the majestic Charlevoix region, has hosted Canada Cup and Coupe du Québec events for the last 17 years, and will host for the first time the Canadian Championships.

Bear Mountain, a partner of Cycling Canada, will be hosting for the first time a Canada Cup Mountain Bike event, slated for an early-season March 5^th debut. The resort, which is the training base for the Canadian Mountain Bike Team, has developed brand new trails to host the event, which are getting rave reviews with early users. The 2016 Canada Cup MTB Series begins in March, and will run through August. The cross-country series will visit Victoria, Mont-Tremblant, Horseshoe Valley, Hardwood Ski and Bike and St-Félicien. Whistler, during the Crankworx Festival, will once again host the Series finals for the XCO and DH disciplines.

Downhillers will see the addition of the East Coast Open Canada Cup, set to take place at Blue Mountain Resort in Ontario, making its debut in the national series. The series will feature a total of four races for the adrenaline seekers: Mont-Tremblant, Blue Mountain, Panorama and Whistler. The Canadian MTB DH Championships will once again take place at Sun Peaks Resort, promising riders an exciting battle for the coveted Maple Leaf jersey.

Mont-Sainte-Anne remains a classic UCI World Cup race on the international calendar. The Velirium races will take place just before the Olympic Games, allowing athletes to get final training prior to the pinnacle international event in 2016.

BMX

Calgary BMX, host of the 2015 Canada Cup BMX Finals, will be hosting the Canadian BMX Championships for the next two years and will also host the final round of the Canada Cup BMX Series for 2016.

The Canada Cup returns with seven events on the calendar in Abbotsford, Drummondville, Toronto and Calgary. The opening Canada Cup BMX events will be hosted in May in Abbotsford, aligning with the Olympic Qualification window, while Toronto’s Centennial Park Pan Am BMX Centre and BMX Drummond will return for an exciting second and third round of competition.

CYCLO-CROSS

The marquee event of the season will be the 2016 Canadian Cyclocross Championships, scheduled for October 22^nd. Cycling Canada is pleased to announce Sherbrooke, Quebec as the host city of the 2016 & 2017 Canadian Cyclocross Championships. The city has hosted Provincial championships in the past few years, and organizers from the Club Cycliste de Sherbrooke are ready to welcome Canada’s best in this fast-growing cycling sport.

Chief organizer, Stéphane Vallières adds: “We are very excited that Club Cycliste de Sherbrooke has been chosen to host the 2016 & 2017 Canadian Cyclocross Championships. We will work hard to ensure these championships are a success. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the City of Sherbrooke, Destination Sherbrooke and the Siboire microbrewery for their support in the preparation of the bid.”

The full schedule, including all domestic events for all cycling sports and disciplines, has been posted on cyclingcanada.ca.

October 22, 2015/by Communications

FREE BMX CLINIC OFFERED AT CENTENNIAL PARK BMX CENTRE

Ken Cools, Brendan Arnold to offer 75 riders a free clinic on Pan-Am Games track

Cycling Canada, in collaboration with the City of Toronto and Ontario Cycling, will be hosting a FREE BMX clinic at the Centennial Park BMX Centre on Monday, October 12th from 11:30am to 3:00pm.

The event launches the grand Community re-opening of the track, which hosted the BMX events at the Toronto 2015 Pan-American Games.

The clinic will feature Ken Cools, Cycling Canada’s BMX head coach, and Brendan Arnold, Ontario Cycling BMX provincial coach.

The clinic is open to everyone and will be focus on enhancing BMX skills from basic skills to more advanced skills. It is capped off at 75 athletes. Currently, 65 riders have already registered, with only 10 spots remaining. Act fast for this exclusive opportunity!

Riders can register by email: geordie.price@cyclingcanada.ca. The following information is required: Name, Age, Emergency contact and BMX experience.

October 6, 2015/by Communications

CANADIAN BMXERS GET ONE LAST CHANCE AT SUPERCROSS THIS SEASON

Rock Hill, South Carolina, hosts BMX Supercross Finals this weekend

(Ottawa, ON – September 23, 2015) Nine Canadian BMXers are in Rock Hill, South Carolina, this week to compete in ultimate BMX Supercross World Cup of the 2015 campaign.

Canadian riders will have one more chance this year to qualify for the Olympic Selection Pool, and earn points for Canada to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Competition at the Novant Health BMX Supercross Track in Rock Hill begins on Friday with the presentation of the time trial, followed on Saturday with the BMX Supercross motos and finals.

See the GoPro footage of the impressive track at Rock Hill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGmn4GF5Xpw&feature=youtu.be

Rock Hill will host the 2017 UCI BMX World Championships.

TEAM CANADA – BMX SUPERCROSS WORLD CUP FINALS

Jim BROWN (Elite Men)
Kiran KAWA (Junior Men)
Gaby MALENFANT (Junior Men)
Drew MECHIELSEN (Junior Women)
Tory NYHAUG (Elite Men)
James PALMER (Elite Men)
Alex TOUGAS (Junior Men)
Daina TUCHSCHERER (Junior Women)
Chris WHITE (Junior Men)

September 23, 2015/by Communications

Vote for the Event of the Year!

After a very exciting season or racing in Canada, Cycling Canada invites all cycling fans to vote online over the next few weeks to determine the 2015 Cycling Canada Events of the Year. Fan vote will count for 50% of the overall consideration for Road, Track, Mountain Bike, BMX, Para-cycling and Cyclo-cross events of the year.

2015 Event of the Year winners will be determined by an equal proportion of public voting (this survey) and evaluation of the review of the following criteria by relevant staff & committees:

Communication with Stakeholders
Event Promotion
Event Presentation & Execution
Organizing & Planning

Cycling Canada would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of the organizers, with whom we have collaborated this season. Great Canadian events contribute to international success!

The survey will be live until Sunday October 4^th. Category winners will be announced at the 2015 Cycling Canada Annual General Meeting.

CLICK HERE, or see the below link to access the 2015 Event of the Year survey.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5VZMMLK

September 18, 2015/by Communications

SMALL BUT POWERFUL BMX TEAM SET TO COMPETE IN SANTIAGO DEL ESTORO

Argentina hosts penultimate BMX Supercross race of 2015 season

(Ottawa, ON – August 31, 2015) Pan-American Games gold medallist Tory Nyhaug will aim to deliver a podium performance at the upcoming UCI BMX Supercross, this weekend, at the penultimate event on the 2015 Supercross calendar.

Nyhaug missed the first two Supercross races of the season, and will be looking to climb in the standings, where he currently sits in 49^th place.

Pan-American Games BMXers Jimmy Brown and Daina Tuchscherer will also be among the smaller but powerful team racing in Argentina. Two-time UCI Challenge World Champion Alex Tougas, and James Palmer will also be racing for Canada.

Tuchscherer, in her second year as a junior, is ranked 32^nd – fifth among juniors – in the BMX Supercross women elite ranking, thanks to a career-best performance delivered at the third stop of the Supercross season in Angelholm, Sweden where she finished in 12^th position. The 18-year-old is raising eyebrows thanks to her quick progression in the BMX world, which includes a silver medal at the Canadian Championships (top junior) and participation at the recent Pan-American Games. Currently ranked in fourth place the UCI Ranking in her category, Tuchscherer finished 16^th at the 2015 World Championships in the junior women race, racing the semi-finals.

Tougas is also quickly learning the ropes of the sport, competing on the international BMX Supercross scene for the first time season. The young BMXer easily won the Canadian Title in Drummondville in July. At the World Championships, Tougas finished 17^th of the men junior race, narrowly missing a berth in the semi-finals. Tougas is ranked fifth in the UCI Ranking.

Both Tuchscherer and Tougas were crowned 2015 Canada Cup Champions in the junior categories.

Canada aims to continue earning some UCI points towards Rio 2016 Olympic qualification.

Racing begins on September 4 and ends on September 6.

TEAM CANADA – 2015 UCI BMX SUPERCROSS – SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO, ARG

Jim Brown (Elite Men) Airdrie, AB
Tory Nyhaug (Elite Men) Coquitlam, BC
James Palmer (Elite Men) North Vancouver, BC
Alex Tougas (Junior Men) Pitt Meadows, BC
Daina Tuchscherer (Junior Women) Airdrie, AB

August 31, 2015/by Communications

CALGARY HOSTS 2015 CANADA CUP BMX FINALS

Canada Cup Champions will be crowned this weekend

(Calgary, AB – August 25, 2015) The 2015 Canada Cup BMX Finals are taking place this weekend in Calgary, AB, at the Calgary BMX Racing Association track.

The two days of Canada Cup racing begin on August 29, and will allow the BMXers from across the country to earn some coveted UCI points and some Canada Cup points towards the ultimate goal of taking the title as the series comes to an end on Sunday August 30.

“Calgary BMX is very excited to host what could be the biggest BMX event in Canada this year! The City of Calgary and many of the local businesses are very enthusiastic and supportive about the sport of BMX. We are very proud to welcome the world to Calgary and have an excellent race,” said Chris Bullivant, President of Calgary BMX.

The event will offer the organizers one last opportunity to polish details as it hosts the Canadian BMX Championships over the next two years.

“Calgary is a hotbed for BMX in Alberta and Western Canada. We are thrilled to crown our newest Canada Cup Champions in this vibrant city. We are confident that the riders will enjoy this event,” said Mathieu Boucher, Performance Development Director at Cycling Canada. “The organizers have plenty of experience in hosting BMX events, and this will be a great opportunity to gather information in advance of the Canadian BMX Championships that will take place over the next two years.”

Current Canada Cup rankings can be found here: https://cyclingcanada.ca/bmx/canada-cup-series/

Schedule, registration and technical guide information for the event can be found here: https://cyclingcanada.ca/sport/bmx/events/type-of-event/canada-cup/calgary/

August 25, 2015/by Communications

RIO OLYMPIC SELECTION CRITERIA PUBLISHED

With just under a year to go to the Rio Olympics, aspiring Olympians can consult Cycling Canada’s Rio selection policy to find out what they need to do to make the team.

The policy can be found here.

The draft version of the criteria was published on June 19 and updated this week. It is still pending approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee.

The number of athletes Canada can enter in the cycling events will be determined by the Olympic qualification system. Each cycling sport has a different qualification timeline. Cycling Canada will learn its Olympic quotas on the following dates:

Road men: Jan. 15, 2016
Track: March 7, 2016
Mountain bike: June 1, 2016
Road women: June 6, 2016
BMX: June 7, 2016

August 20, 2015/by Krisw