U SPORTS – ALMATY, Kazakhstan (U SPORTS) – It was a quiet Sunday for the red and white delegation at the 28th Winter Universiade as Canadians were in action in only two sports on the ninth day of competition in Almaty.

Team Canada website: http://en.usports.ca/universiade/winter/2017/
Almaty 2017 website: https://almaty2017.com
Live streaming: www.livefisu.tv/  
Results, Statistics & Standings: http://www.fisu.net/results/winter-universiade/winter-universiade-2017-main-results

In alpine skiing at Shymbulak Ski Resort, Canada was one of 16 countries participating for the first time in the Parallel Nations Team Event, a duel-style competition which was added to this year’s FISU Games program.

The foursome of Sandrine David of Montreal, Hannah Schmidt of Dunrobin, Ont., Philippe Rivet of Saint-Lambert, Que., and Simon-Claude Toutant of Joliette, Que., started the day on the right foot with a convincing 3-1 victory over Poland in the round of 16.

In the quarterfinals, however, the Canucks fell by the same score to the eventual gold medallists from the Czech Republic, who went on to defeat Russia in the semis and Austria in the final.

In biathlon, eight nations took the start of the mixed relay at Alatau Complex.

The Canadian squad of Jessica Paterson of St. Albert, Alta., Eveline Juce of Hamiota, Man., Taij Mann of Edmonton and Sasha Eccleston of Hinton, Alta., was 16 minutes and 53 seconds behind eventual champion Russia when it was lapped and ended up in seventh place, ahead of Australia.

Monday will be a much busier day for Team Canada, starting at 9 a.m. local (Sunday 10 p.m. EST) with a women’s curling semifinal against Sweden, an opponent skip Kelsey Rocque and her University of Alberta crew defeated 5-3 in the preliminary round.

At 8 p.m. local (9 a.m. EST), live on www.livefisu.tv/, women’s hockey goes for gold against Russia, hoping to avenge a 3-0 loss to the Russians in the 2015 FISU final in Spain. The U SPORTS all-stars had previously claimed the first three titles since the sport was added to the Universiade program in 2009.

Sandwiched between those two crucial contests will be the women’s slalom in alpine skiing, as well as the women’s and men’s relays in cross country skiing.

Men’s hockey enjoys a second consecutive day off on Monday before a much-anticipated semifinal showdown with Russia, Tuesday at 4 p.m. local (5 a.m. EST), live on www.livefisu.tv/.  

RESULTS FROM SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5

ALPINE SKIING

Parallel Nations Team Event

Round of 16
Canada (Sandrine David, Montreal, Que.; Philippe Rivet, Saint-Lambert, Que.; Hannah Schmidt, Dunrobin, Ont.; Simon-Claude Toutant, Joliette, Que.) defeats Poland 3-1, advances to quarterfinals.

Quarterfinal 3
Canada (Sandrine David, Montreal, Que.; Philippe Rivet, Saint-Lambert, Que.; Hannah Schmidt, Dunrobin, Ont.; Simon-Claude Toutant, Joliette, Que.) loses 3-1 to Czech Republic, does not advance.

BIATHLON

Mixed Relay
1. Russia, 1:14.37.8; 2. Kazakhstan, 1:15.08.4; 3. Ukraine, 1:17.10.4; 7. Canada (Jessica Paterson, St. Albert, Alta.; Eveline Juce, Hamiota, Man.; Taij Mann, Edmonton, Alta.; Sasha Eccleston, Hinton, Alta.), lapped.

About the Winter Universiade
 
The Winter Universiade is a biennial international multi-sport event open to competitors who are at least 17 and less than 28 years of age as of January 1 in the year of the Games. Participants must be full-time students at a post-secondary institution (university, college, CEGEP) or have graduated from a post-secondary institution in the year preceding the event.

The Almaty Universiade will feature eight compulsory sports and four optional sports. Compulsory sports: alpine skiing, biathlon, ice hockey, curling, cross country skiing, short track speed skating, figure skating and snowboarding. Optional sports: ski jumping, nordic combined, freestyle skiing and long-track speed skating.

About U SPORTS

U SPORTS is the national brand for University Sports in Canada. Every year, over 12,000 student-athletes and 500 coaches from 56 universities vie for 21 national championships in 12 different sports. U SPORTS also provides higher performance international opportunities for Canadian student-athletes at Winter and Summer Universiades, as well as numerous world university championships. For further information, visit usports.ca or follow us on:

Twitter: @USPORTSca / @USPORTSIntl
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-U SPORTS-

For more information:

Michel Bélanger
Communications Manager
Team Canada
Cell in Almaty: (+) 774 7619 2403
belanger@usports.ca

Ken Saint-Eloy
Manager, Communications
U SPORTS
Cell: 647-871-7595
ksainteloy@usports.ca