News – Page 48 – Cycling Canada Cyclisme

CANADIAN TRACK CYCLING TEAM LOOKS TO SHINE IN MEXICO

(Ottawa, ON – Jan 16, 2014) The Canadian Track Cycling Team is in Guadalajara, Mexico, this weekend ( January 17-19) for the third and final stop on the UCI Track Cycling World Cup circuit.

Canada will be represented by six athletes – four women and two men, and looking to add to the three medals (1 gold, 2 silver) it earned in the opening World Cup of the season in Manchester, and the two medals (2 silver) it earned at the second World Cup in Aguascalientes, Mexico.

On the women’s side, the team is aiming for a Top 2 finish in the Team Pursuit and a Top 6 in the Omnium. The men will be looking to place in the Top 16 in the Sprint and qualify to the second round of the Keirin.

This will be the team’s final racing opportunity to assess and sharpen athletes for the upcoming UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Cali, Colombia, February 26^th to March 2^nd.

The competition in Guadalajara starts on Friday and ends on Sunday.

Click here for results!

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CANADIAN TEAM

2014 UCI TRACK CYCLING WORLD CUP

GUADALAJARA, MEXICO

Women’s Events:
Laura Brown – Team Pursuit
Steph Roorda – Team Pursuit
Jasmin Glaesser – Team Pursuit
Allison Beveridge – Team Pursuit, Omnium

Men’s Events:
Hugo Barrette – Sprint, Keirin
Joseph Veloce – Sprint

January 16, 2014/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA AND MORNEAU SHEPELL PARTNER TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE CRITICAL NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT WITHIN THE ATHLETIC COMMUNITY

Morneau Shepell’s Mental Health in the Workplace program offered to Cycling Canada staff, leading the way for others to address and manage mental health

TORONTO, Dec. 12, 2013 /CNW/ – Morneau Shepell and Cycling Canada are working together to remove the stigma around mental health and provide effective solutions for a mental health strategy in the competitive sport community.

Recognizing the critical importance of mental health support in high-performance athletics, the two organizations paired up to bring awareness to the issue and have completed practical training to the Cycling Canada staff through Morneau Shepell’s Mental Health in the Workplace program.

Clara Hughes, six-time Olympic medalist in cycling and speed skating and guest analyst with CBC/Radio-Canada’s broadcast team for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, commends the program saying, “Mental health training is a key element that will allow the support staff of the national team to recognize clearly when an athlete is struggling. Most importantly, this training will provide strategies for proper support. Not only is Cycling Canada leading the way for sport in the country, but they are also providing the foundation of a healthy workplace for athletes, coaches and national team staff. This can only lead to success on and off the playing field.”

Recent research has shown that the prevalence of mental health issues among athletes tends to be as high, if not higher than the rest of the population.¹ According to a 2010 report, psychiatric diagnosis of elite athletes, anxiety disorders are most prevalent at 39 per cent, followed by major depressive episodes at 23 per cent, substance abuse disorders at 17 per cent, eating disorders at 6 per cent and personality disorders at 3 per cent. The stigma behind mental disorders is often attributed to athletes being perceived as “emotionally very strong people,” leaving many athletes to be overlooked in discussions about mental health.²

In November 2013, Morneau Shepell conducted a full-day customized training session for Cycling Canada’s leadership team. In the course, participants learned observable warning signs of major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, eating disorders and addiction. They also learned about the effects of the stigma relating to these issues, an introduction to effective management practices, strategies for promoting good mental health, the importance of resiliency and finally, were provided with resources for support – whether for staff, colleagues or themselves.

“We’re very proud to partner with Cycling Canada in the effort to increase awareness and spearhead mental health initiatives in the sports industry,” said Alan Torrie, President and Chief Executive Officer, Morneau Shepell. “The staff and athletes that participated in the training session responded in a highly positive way. We look forward to building a long-term relationship with Cycling Canada.”

Greg Mathieu, CEO of Cycling Canada believes the collaboration acknowledges the need to provide support to athletes and staff. “When an athlete is physically injured, it is manifested in a way that we can see and relate to on a personal level. However, when a person is suffering from depression or other mental health struggles, it is not obvious and few of us in sport are in a position to identify where assistance can be found,” Mathieu said. “Through this program, we intend to acknowledge the need, provide support and enhance awareness.”

About Morneau Shepell’s Workplace Mental Health Services and Expertise
Morneau Shepell has been a leader in workplace mental health for over 30 years developing fulsome, innovative strategies and solutions that help management teams improve the productivity and performance of their organizations by creating psychologically healthy workplaces for their people. With mental health being the single most significant driver of disability absence cost, Morneau Shepell offers best-in-class Disability Management Solutions and is currently helping leading organizations implement the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s new National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace, introduced in 2013. Morneau Shepell is the Canadian or global first to market within a number of areas including, a Global Domestic Employee Assistance Program (EAP), a Global Expatriate EAP, Mental Health in the Workplace Training for Managers, Return-to-Work Facilitation and Workplace Harassment Solutions, among many others. Morneau Shepell offers end-to-end support to organizations in addressing the multi-faceted issue of workplace mental health.

About Morneau Shepell Inc.
Morneau Shepell is the largest company in Canada offering human resources consulting and outsourcing services. The Company is the leading provider of Employee and Family Assistance Programs, as well as the largest administrator of retirement and benefits plans. Through health and productivity, administrative, and retirement solutions, Morneau Shepell helps clients reduce costs, increase employee productivity, and improve their competitive position. Established in 1966, Morneau Shepell serves more than 8,000 clients, ranging from small businesses to some of the largest corporations and associations in North America. With approximately 3,300 employees in offices across North America, Morneau Shepell provides services to organizations across Canada, in the United States, and around the globe. Morneau Shepell is a publicly-traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: MSI). For more information, visit morneaushepell.com.

ⁱ “Sports Psychiatry: An often misunderstood and under-serviced area of medicine in the world of sport,” Proactive and Preventative Medicine, 2013 – Saul Marks, MD, University of Toronto
ⁱⁱ “Psychopathologie et sport de haut niveau,” Science & Sports, 2010 – M. Salmi, C. Pichard, E. Jousselin

SOURCE: Morneau Shepell Inc.

For further information:

Contacts:

Cathren Ronberg
Director, Corporate Communications
Morneau Shepell
416-355-5632
cronberg@morneaushepell.com

Kait Cavers
Business Development Manager
Cycling Canada
613-248-1353, x2609
Kait.Cavers@cyclingcanada.ca

December 12, 2013/by Communications

CANADIAN TRACK CYCLING TEAM SET TO ROCK AT WORLD CUP

(Ottawa, ON – Dec 4, 2013) The Canadian Track Cycling Team will hit the boards this weekend in Aguascalientes, Mexico for the second stop of the 2014 UCI Track World Cup.

Canada will be represented by six athletes – five women and one man.

Canada performed exceptionally well in the opening World Cup event of the season in Manchester, winning three medals – one gold and two silver – in the Women’s Team Pursuit, Women’s Points race and Women’s Omnium.

The competition starts on Thursday and ends on Saturday.

Results can be found here

Follow Cycling Canada on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cyclingcanada and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cyclingcanada.

CANADIAN TEAM – 2014 UCI TRACK CYCLING WORLD CUP – AGUASCALIENTES, MEX
Women’s Endurance Events:
Gillian Carleton
Laura Brown
Allison Beveridge
Steph Roorda
Jasmin Glaesser

Men’s Endurance Events:
Hugo Barrette

December 5, 2013/by Communications

CYCLO-CROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS BRING CANADIAN SEASON TO A CLOSE

The Canadian domestic cycling season concluded on Saturday, November 30th, with the Canadian National Cyclo-cross Championships, held in Surrey, BC, for the second consecutive year. Over 200 athletes across nine categories competed for the honour of wearing the maple leaf jersey awarded to each national champion. Olympic mountain bike professionals Catharine Pendrel (Kamloops, BC) and Geoff Kabush (North Vancouver, BC) won the premier Elite women’s and men’s titles.

Cyclo-cross is a fast and exciting discipline of cycling that requires both bike handling skill and stamina. Athletes compete on a circuit of grass, gravel and mud with numerous obstacles that require them to dismount and run with their bikes. It is extremely popular in Europe, with crowds of over 75,000 attending major World Cup events, and has been growing in popularity in North America over the past decade.

More than one rider referred to the 2013 Canadian Cyclo-cross Championships as epic, and it certainly was an appropriate description. Rain throughout the day created a muddy, slippery circuit that became more treacherous every race, and strong fields resulted in aggressive racing. In the marquee Elite races, Catharine Pendrel took her first cyclo-cross title for the women, while Geoff Kabush proved that he is still the man to beat with his fifth title.

Pendrel was the odds-on favourite for the women, but defending champion Mical Dyck (Victoria, BC) and another former champion Wendy Simms (Nanaimo, BC) kept the pressure on all race, with Pendrel beating Dyck by a scant 16 seconds, and Simms taking the bronze medal.

In the Elite men’s competition, Kabush battled with Aaron Schooler (Edmonton, AB) and Mike Garrigan (Hillsburgh, ON) in the early part of the race before soloing away for his fifth title. Garrigan faded in the second half of the race, leaving Schooler alone in the silver medal position, while Kabush’s team mates Cameron Jette (Toronto, ON) and Derek Zandstra (Trenton, ON) were steadily moving up through the field, with Jette taking the bronze medal just ahead of his team mate.

In other categories, Manitoba riders Michael van den Ham (Brandon, MB) and Willem Boersma (Portage la Prairie, MB) dominated the Under 23 and Junior Men races, respectively.

The 2014 Cyclo-cross National Championships have been awarded to Winnipeg, Manitoba.

December 5, 2013/by Communications

TORONTO 2015 SPORT LEGACY FUND PLAN ANNOUNCED BY TO2015, GOVERNMENT OF CANADA, PROVINCE OF ONTARIO

$70-million fund to ensure years of support for Aquatics Centre and Field House, Athletics Stadium and Velodrome

TORONTO November 12, 2013 – The legacy of the “People’s Games” will live on for decades, thanks to a $70-million fund announced today in Toronto.

The TORONTO 2015 Sport Legacy Fund Plan, jointly supported by the Government of Canada and Province of Ontario, was announced at the CIBC Pan Am/Parapan Am Aquatics Centre and Field House at the University of Toronto Scarborough.

The venue, which is now 65 per cent complete, is one of the three brand new facilities built for the Games to be supported by the Legacy Fund. The others include: the Cisco Milton Pan Am/Parapan Am Velodrome and the CIBC Pan Am/Parapan Am Athletics Stadium at York University.

“These state-of-the-art facilities are a boon to our communities and athletes,” said Ian Troop, chief executive officer of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015). “This Legacy Fund will not only ensure they remain at international standards for high-performance sport, it will also help facility owners with their operating costs for years to come.”

The Legacy Fund will be supported through contributions of up to $65 million from the Government of Canada (subject to Treasury Board approval) and $5 million from the Province of Ontario.

Managed by the independent Toronto Community Foundation, the Legacy Fund will contribute to the operating and capital maintenance of the facilities for the next two decades, at a minimum. The foundation was selected after applying to TO2015’s qualification and expression of interest (Q/EOI) last fall.

“This Legacy Fund will help ensure Canadians can continue to use these facilities and benefit from sport programming well beyond 2015,” said the Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport). “Through this investment, our Government is making sure that generations to come have access to these world-class facilities, which will perhaps help create some of Canada’s future stars.”

These facilities are also drawing other Canadian national teams and sport organizations. The Canadian Sport Institute Ontario (CSIO) is moving its head office to the Aquatics Centre and Field House, as is Wheelchair Basketball Canada’s National Academy. Diving Canada, Swimming Canada, Synchro Canada and Water Polo Canada will also move components of their high-performance teams and training programs to this facility.

In Milton, the Canadian cycling team will be able to stay home to train in a world-class, year-round facility for the first time in more than two decades when the Velodrome opens in the fall of 2014. Cycling Canada and Cycling Ontario are also opening offices at the facility.

“The TORONTO 2015 Games will be a game changer for Canadian summer athletes,” said Curt Harnett, four-time Olympian, three-time Olympic medallist in cycling and the chef de mission for Canada’s TORONTO 2015 Pan American Games team.

“Not only are they providing much needed sport infrastructure in Ontario, but today’s announcement means these venues will continue to offer our athletes the world-class facilities and conditions they deserve,” he said.

At York, Athletics Canada will make use of the new Athletics Stadium and facilities to expand its high-performance programs.

In the case of all three facilities, the high-performance sport users and facility owners will work closely together to identify opportunities to bid for and host major provincial, national and international events on an ongoing basis. This initiative will support the ongoing development of high-performance sport and sport tourism in Ontario and Canada, as well as provide economic stimulus for the area. It will also be a step forward in establishing Toronto as a premier national and international centre for sport hosting.

“The vision of the province is to see the legacy of the 2015 Games enrich and enhance the lives of Ontarians for generations,” said Michael Chan, Minister Responsible for the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games.

“Creating a strong, lasting legacy of the Games will serve athletes, university students and communities while creating social and economic benefits for Ontario,” he said. “Through the development of high performance sport at local, national and international levels, communities across the Greater Golden Horseshoe will be put on the map as premier destinations to live, practice and play.”

The first payments from the Legacy Fund are scheduled to be made in 2014 after the facilities officially open. The Aquatics Centre and Field House will reach substantial completion in July, with the Velodrome and Athletics Stadium following that fall. All three facilities remain on track and on budget.

In the first three years of the Legacy Fund, the Aquatics Centre and Field House is expected to receive approximately $4.1 million, the Velodrome $736,000, and the Athletics Stadium $288,000. Thereafter, future drawdown allocations will be determined by the Legacy Fund Allocations Committee, based on annual business plans submitted by the facility owners. It is anticipated the fund will last for a minimum of 20 years.

The allocations committee will consist of seven representatives selected by the Government of Canada, Province of Ontario, Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) and the City of Toronto.

“This announcement is just the beginning of long-term sport legacies that the people of Toronto will benefit from thanks to our role as Host City of the 2015 Games,” said Toronto City Councillor Mark Grimes (Ward 6 Etobicoke-Lakeshore), the Mayor’s Pan Am Games Champion.

“The Aquatics Centre and Stadium will be vital hubs for athletics in their respective communities,” he said. “They will create access to elite facilities for local residents, university students and high-performance athletes alike. The City of Toronto applauds the Government of Canada and Government of Ontario for their commitment to our city’s athletic community.”

Marcel Aubut, president of the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), said: “Thanks to our federal and provincial governments, many more of our Canadian athletes will have access to world-class facilities for generations to come. I know how much this country wants to win, and today’s announcement will go a long way to help create and prepare our future champions.”

Gaétan Tardif, president of the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) stated: “The ongoing support of these three important venues is fantastic news for our plans to increase awareness and access to parasport training. Having world-class, accessible facilities on home soil will take the Paralympic Movement to a whole new level in Canada.”

“The Toronto Community Foundation is pleased to have been selected as the manager of the TORONTO 2015 Sport Legacy Fund,” said Rahul K. Bhardwaj, president & CEO, Toronto Community Foundation. “We look forward to working with the partners and facility owners to ensure the Games continue to deliver lasting benefits to high-performance sport in Canada and the health and well-being of our communities for years to come.”

November 12, 2013/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA REACTS TO DOPING ADMISSION OF RYDER HESJEDAL

(Ottawa, ON – October 30, 2013) Like many Canadian cycling fans, Cycling Canada was shocked and saddened to learn that Ryder Hesjedal was involved in doping over a decade ago.

To his credit, he has been open and honest with the anti-doping authorities that investigate such matters in a confidential fashion as we learned today through his statement and the subsequent statement of Travis Tygart, CEO of USADA.

We continue to urge any athletes that have information about doping in the sport to come forward to the CCES to help with the ongoing fight against doping.

Follow Cycling Canada on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cyclingcanada and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cyclingcanada.

October 30, 2013/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA POSITION ON ALLEGATIONS OF DOPING BY CANADIANS

(Ottawa, ON – October 30, 2013) Cycling Canada is concerned by the allegations made public today related to Michael Rasmussen’s new book Yellow Fever. The allegations towards Chris Sheppard, Seamus McGrath and Ryder Hesjedal dating back to 2003 are another example of why the international federation (International Cycling Union – UCI) needs to come to agreement with WADA on a way to deal with such allegations of historic doping.

The WADA Code has a statute of limitations of eight years. As such, even if these three athletes admitted to these allegations, this information in and of itself, would not result in anti-doping rule violations. We believe that the UCI and WADA should continue to work toward an agreement on an amnesty program that would relate historic cases of doping that are outside the statute of limitations. This type of amnesty could allow cycling to deal with historic cases while learning the scope of the cheating and the methods that were employed to avoid detection.

Since the Lance Armstrong USADA report and findings, Cycling Canada has been working with Canada’s national anti-doping organization, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports (CCES), to get to the heart of the use of Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) in Canadian cycling. The fact that athletes are not willing to speak out about their personal experiences with doping remains a serious stumbling block in this pursuit.

As for the Canadian riders cited in today’s allegations, if they have information they wish to share regarding their experiences in cycling and the issue of doping, it remains our hope that they will come forward should they have information that can assist in the fight against doping.

Cycling Canada has always taken a strong stance against doping and we wish to reiterate that doping has no place in our sport. Those that break the rules will be punished to the fullest extent allowed by the anti-doping regulations.

Follow Cycling Canada on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cyclingcanada and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cyclingcanada.

October 30, 2013/by Communications

CYCLING QUADRENNIAL PLANS UNVEILED

(Ottawa, On – Oct. 25, 2013) – A clear vision for the future is crucial to success in sport. After each Olympic Games Cycling Canada produces a new quadrennial plan, which guides the key decisions for the following four years to help ensure we meet our goals.

This living document is updated each year until a new one is produced after the next Olympics.

Cycling is complex, with five sports divided into dozens of disciplines, each of which has its own challenges. Cycling Canada has developed an overview quadrennial plan as well as a plan for track, road, mountain bike, BMX and para-cycling.

These plans can be found by clicking the links below.

October 25, 2013/by Krisw

Alison Sydor to be inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame inducts eleven new Honoured Members
-Nine athletes and two builders receive Canada’s greatest sporting honour-

TORONTO, ON – Tonight, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame will host the 2013 Induction Celebrations
presented by the Canada Games and induct eleven new Honoured Members including game-changing
curler Russ Howard, sport development architect Dr. Jean-Guy Ouellet, versatile cycling champion Alison
Sydor, five-time Paralympian André Viger, the 1992 Women’s Olympic Gold Medal Rowing Team –
Coxless 4: Kirsten Barnes, Brenda Taylor, Jessica Monroe-Gonin, Kay Worthington and Jennifer Walinga,
hockey visionary Murray Costello and hockey champion Joe Sakic. Induction into Canada’s Sports Hall of
Fame is Canada’s greatest sporting honour. With the Induction of the Class of 2013 tonight, Canada’s
Sports Hall of Fame will have a total of 540 Honoured Members.

“We are proud to honour the Class of 2013 this evening,” said Tom Quinn, Chairman of the Canada
Games Council and Co-Chair of the 2013 Induction Celebrations, “They are truly an inspiring group of
Canadian sport heroes. By sharing and celebrating their achievements, we aim to inspire all Canadians to
be the best they can be in sport and life.”

The 2013 Induction Celebrations presented by the Canada Games will be held tonight in Toronto…

Full Media Release: Media Release – Class of 2013 10.16.13

October 16, 2013/by Communications

Employment opportunity – Coordinator, Road and Track

Cycling Canada is currently hiring! Can you contribute to a leading-edge program?

The Track and Road Program Coordinator will be responsible for assisting the delivery of both Track and Road High Performance and development programs. The Track and Road Program Coordinator will partner with the National Track and Road coaches to support the High Performance objectives and delivery of the approved quadrennial plan and annual High Performance plan as defined by the High Performance Director.

The Track and Road Program Coordinator will give technical assistance to the Competition Coordinator to ensure the successful implementation of the national Track and Road championships.

Track & Road, Coordinator – EN [Application Deadline: October 18, 2013]

September 30, 2013/by Communications