Ottawa, ON (April 24, 2024) – The 41^st edition of Défi sportif AlterGo kicks off in three days with the National Boccia Open hosted at the Maurice Richard Arena from April 26 to 28. Montreal has been a hub for boccia since the Défi sportif AlterGo first began hosting the annual National Boccia Open about 25 years ago.

The National Open will bring some of the best boccia athletes from across Canada with representation from British Columbia, Ontario, Québec, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The competition will include individual play only and will feature two classes not yet recognized internationally, in BC5 and Open classifications.

• What: 2024 Défi sportif AlterGo National Boccia Open
• When:
  • Friday, April 26, 10:30 – 18:15 EST: Individual Competition
  • Saturday, April 27, 9:00– 17:45 EST: Individual Competition
  • Sunday, April 28, 9:00 – 16:45 EST: Individual Competition
    17:00 EST: Medals Ceremony
• Where: Maurice-Richard Arena, 2800 Viau Street Montréal, QC H1V 3J3
• Who: Forty-seven athletes are participating in the National Boccia Open as part of the 2024 Défi sportif AlterGo.

BC1

Chris Halpen (Victoria, BC)
Dorya Belal (Brossard, QC)
Hanif Mawji (Burnaby, BC
Justine Bureau (Lévis, QC)
Krystel Larose (Montréal, QC)
Kyle Scott (Hamilton, ON)
Mario Girard (Montréal, QC)
Stephen Westcott (Conception Bay South, NL)

BC2

Bastien Huard (Lévis, QC)
Benoit Ostiguy (Montréal, QC)
Christopher Labelle (Blainville, QC)
Danny Pouliot (Saint-Lambert, QC)
David Simoneau (Montréal, QC)
Dominic Gomez (Whitby, ON)
Gaétan Lottinville (Montréal, QC)
Margot Vignal (Montréal, QC)
Marie-Laurence Bolduc (Sainte-Marie de Beauce, QC)
Mégane Ravary (Montréal, QC)
Olivier Dussault (Québec City, QC)
Olivier Roy* (Québec City, QC)
Pierre-Yves Lévesque (Montréal, QC)
Samuel Maurice (Saint-Anne-des-Plaines, QC)
Sandrine Dion (Laval, QC)

BC3

Alexandre Raymond (Sorel-Tracy, QC); Ass’t: Isabelle Blette
Alexandre Ziegler (Montréal, QC); Ass’t: Éric Ziegler
Amine Loulidi (Montréal, QC); Ass’t: Loubna Benabdelali
Bryce Desrochers (Ottawa, ON); Ass’t: Rolly Desrochers
Carter Plumb (Brampton, ON); Ass’t: Jennifer Knight
Esraa Sbeiti (Montréal, QC); Ass’t: Reghada Sbeiti
Fatima Zahra Abderrahmane (Montréal, QC); Ass’t Marie-Josée Duchesne
Jennifer Goulet (Oshawa, ON); Ass’t: Terry Goulet
Josh Gautier (Niagara Falls, ON); Ass’t: Joyce Gautier
Mariane Paquet (Québec City, QC); Ass’t: Martine Auger
Nico Iemma (Oshawa, ON); Ass’t: Patrick Iemma
Samuel Lafleur (Saint Dominic, QC); Ass’t: Nathalie Laflamme
Sylvie Maheu (Montréal, QC); Ass’t: René Nicolas

BC5

Andrew Woodrow (St. John’s, NL)
Jean-Loup Lamiot (Montréal, QC)
Marc-Antoine Goupil (Honfleur, QC)

Open

Ariane Dubuc (Montréal, QC)
Ariane Soulard (Montréal, QC)
Daniel Hutchison (Victoria, BC)
Hunter Cross (Oshawa, ON)
Kylie Waters (Victoria, BC)
Myriam Morin (Montréal, QC)
Nancie Caldwell (Montréal, QC)
Richard Brochu (Montréal, QC)

NOTE: There are no BC4 athletes registered at this moment. Athlete classes (i.e., BC1-5, Open) above are subject to change after classification has been completed.

* indicates: National Boccia Team Member

Interview Availability

• Peter Leyser, Executive Director, Boccia Canada
• Yan Martin (for French Interviews based on availability), Director, Défi sportif AlterGo
• Participating athlete from your region (contact Holly Janna, Communications Lead and National Team Coordinator, Boccia Canada).

About Boccia Canada

Boccia Canada is the boccia delivery arm of the Canadian Cerebral Palsy Sports Association (CCPSA), the National Sport Organization for the Paralympic sport of boccia. Boccia Canada is focused on providing athletes and individuals of all ages and skill with the chance to play a unique Paralympic sport. CCPSA leads, develops and grows boccia from grassroots to producing World Champions, and we collaborate with partners to increase participation of Canadians with physical disabilities in sport.

About boccia

Boccia is a Paralympic sport of precision and strategy similar to lawn bowling or curling, played by athletes with Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, and related disabilities. It is one of only two Paralympic sports that do not have an Olympic counterpart. Athletes compete in one of six sport classes based on their level and type of disability: BC1, BC2, BC3, BC4, BC5, and Open. For more information on boccia, visit www.bocciacanada.ca.

Media Contact:

Holly Janna
Email: hjanna@bocciacanada.ca
Phone Number: (514) 944-5193