Speed Skating Canada – Ottawa, March 17, 2016 – Intact Insurance Company, Speed Skating Canada’s major sponsor, announced today that the Burnaby Haida (Burnaby, B.C.), Hamilton (Hamilton, ON), Inuvik (Inuvik, N.W.T.), Les Élites de Portneuf (Donnacona, QC), Montréal-St-Michel (Montreal, Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension borough, QC), Ridge Meadows Racers (Maple Ridge, B.C.), Saint John Amateur (Saint John, N.B.) and Westman (Brandon, MB) Speed Skating Clubs were each awarded a $1,000 bursary as part of the 2015-2016 Podium Tracker program.

Last weekend, Canadian skaters won a total of eight individual medals in events held at the ISU World Short Track Championships in Seoul, South Korea, and at the ISU Long Track World Cup Final held in Heerenveen, Netherlands.

At the ISU World Short Track Championships, Marianne St-Gelais won a gold medal in the 1500m and silver in the 500m. Charles Hamelin won a gold medal in the 1000m, while Samuel Girard got a silver medal in the 1000m and Kasandra Bradette, a bronze, also in the 1000m. 

At the ISU Long Track World Cup Final, Ivanie Blondin won a silver medal in the mass start, and Heather McLean and Gilmore Junio won bronze medals in the 500m.

St-Gelais and Hamelin also won the silver medal in the overall standing, as did the Canadian men’s and women’s relay team at the ISU World Short Track Championships. Gilmore Junio, Alexandre St-Jean and Vincent de Haître also won the silver medal in the men’s team pursuit at the ISU Long Track World Cup Final. 

                                                                                                       

The Intact Podium Tracker Program tracks individual medals won by Canadian short and long track speed skaters in World Cups and World Championships. Each time an athlete steps onto the podium, Intact Insurance donates $1,000 to a local speed skating club in Canada.

This season, Intact Insurance Company gave a total of $70,000 in donation to 70 clubs, representing the 70 individual medals won by Canadians in World Cups and World Championships events.

Since the inception of the Intact Podium Tracker Program during the 2010-2011 season, Intact Insurance has donated a total of $285,000 to Canadian speed skating clubs.

“We are proud of the strong showings from the Canadian team,” said Anna Rajpat, Intact Insurance’s Vice President of Brand Development and Customer Experience. “Through the Intact Podium Tracker Program, we hope to support more young skaters and skating clubs across Canada in their training and racing needs, further promote speed skating in Canada and help build future Olympians in the sport.”

Here is the list of the recipient clubs this season which were each awarded a $1,000 grant from Intact Insurance (*: new clubs added this week):

ALBERTA
-Border Blades Speed Skating Club (Lloydminster, AB)
-Ichi-Ban Speed Skating Club (Calgary, AB)
-Linaria Speed Skating Club (Westlock, AB)
-Medicine Hat Kinsmen Speed Skating Club (Medicine Hat, AB)
-Peace Wapiti Speed Skating Club (Grande Prairie, AB)
-Rocky Mountain House Speed Skating Club (Rocky Mountain House, AB)

BRITISH COLUMBIA
*-Burnaby Haida Speed Skating Club (Burnaby, B.C.)
-Dawson Creek Speed Skating Club (Dawson Creek, B.C.)
-Esquimalt Speed Skating Club (Esquimalt, B.C.)
-Fort St. James Speed Skating Club (Fort St. James, B.C.)
-Kamloops Long Blades Speed Skating Club (Kamloops, B.C.)
-Kelowna Speed Skating Club (Kelowna, B.C.)
-Mission Racers Speed Skating Club (Mission, B.C.)
-Port Coquitlam Speed Skating Club (Port Coquitlam, B.C.)
-Prince George Blizzard Speed Skating Club (Prince George, B.C.)
*-Ridge Meadows Racers Speed Skating Club (Maple Ridge, B.C.)
-Salmon Arm Ice Breakers Speed Skating Club (Salmon Arm, B.C.)
-Sardis Fliers Speed Skating Club (Chilliwack, B.C.)
-Williams Lake Speed Skating Club (Williams Lake, B.C.)

MANITOBA
-Eastman Speed Skating Club (Eastman, MB)
-Winnipeg Speed Skating Club (Winnipeg, MB)
-River Heights Speed Skating Club (Winnipeg, MB)
*-Westman Speed Skating Club (Brandon, MB)

NEW BRUNSWICK
-Codiac Cyclones Speed Skating Club (Dieppe – Moncton – Riverview, N.B.)
-Fredericton Speed Skating Club (Fredericton, N.B.)
-Restigouche Comets (Restigouche, N.B.)
-St. Croix Blades Speed Skating Club (Saint Andrews, N.B.)
*- Saint John Amateur Speed Skating Club (Saint John, N.B.)

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
-Fort Simpson Speed Skating Club (Fort Simpson, N.W.T.)
*-Inuvik Speed Skating Club (Inuvik, N.W.T.)
-Norman Wells Speed Skating Club (Norman Wells, N.W.T.)

NOVA SCOTIA
-Northside Blade Speed Skating Club (Sydney Mines, N.S.)
-Nova Scotia Masters Speed Skating Club (Halifax, N.S.)

NUNAVUT
-Cambridge Bay Speed Skating Club (Cambridge Bay, NU)
-Iqaluit Speed Skating Club (Iqaluit, NU)

ONTARIO         
-Barrie Speed Skating Club (Barrie, ON)
-Clarington Speed Skating Club (Clarington, ON)
-Gloucester Concordes Speed Skating Club (Ottawa, ON)
*-Hamilton Speed Skating Club (Hamilton, ON)
-King Speed Skating Club (Nobleton, ON)
-Kitchener-Waterloo Sertoma Speed Skating Club (Kitchener-Waterloo, ON)
-Markham Speed Skating Club (Markham, ON)
-Milton Speed Skating Club (Milton, ON)
-Niagara Speed Skating Club (Niagara Falls, ON)
-Oakville Speedsters Speed Skating Club (Oakville, ON)
-Quinte Blades Speed Skating Club (Belleville, ON)
-Sudbury Sprinters Speed Skating Club (Sudbury, ON)
-Thunder Blades Speed Skating Club (Thunder Bay, ON)

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
-Speed Skate PEI (Charlottetown, PEI)

QUEBEC
-Club de patinage de vitesse Les Satellites d’Alma (Alma, QC)
-Centre régional courte piste – Laval (Laval, QC)
-Club de patinage de vitesse de Drummondville (Drummondville, QC)
-Club de patinage de vitesse les Ailes d’or de LaSalle (Montréal, QC, LaSalle borough)
-Club de patinage de vitesse de Laval Ste-Dorothée (Laval, QC)
*-Club de patinage de vitesse Les Élites de Portneuf (Donnacona, QC)
-Club de patinage de vitesse et centre régional d’entraînement Les Mustangs de Québec (Quebec City, QC)
-Club de patinage de vitesse de Lévis (Lévis, QC)
-Club de patinage de vitesse de Mirabel (Mirabel, QC)
*-Club de patinage de vitesse Montréal-St-Michel (Montréal, arrondissement Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension, QC)
-Club de patinage de vitesse de Pointe-aux-Trembles (Montréal, Rivière-des-Prairies – Pointe-aux-Trembles borough, QC)
-Club de patinage de vitesse Les Rapidos de Baie-Comeau (Baie-Comeau, QC)
-Club de patinage de vitesse de Saint-Constant (Saint-Constant, QC)
-Club de patinage de vitesse Montréal-Gadbois (Montréal, arrondissement Sud-Ouest, QC)
-Club de patinage de vitesse Trois-Lacs (Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC)
-Club de patinage de vitesse de Victoriaville (Victoriaville, QC)
-Tornades de Châteauguay (Châteauguay, QC)

SASKATCHEWAN
-Nipawin Speed Skating Club (Nipawin, SK)
-Regina Speed Skating Club (Regina, SK)
-Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club (Saskatoon, SK)

YUKON
-Whitehorse Rapids Speed Skating Club (Whitehorse, YK)

More information can be found on Speed Skating Canada’s website at www.speedskating.ca or on the Podium Tracker Program at www.podiumtracker.ca/en/index.html.

About Speed Skating Canada

Speed Skating Canada (SSC) is the governing body for competitive long track and short track speed skating in Canada. Founded in 1887, the association is comprised of 13 provincial and territorial branches representing more than 14,000 individual members, and counting. SSC believes that sport is an apprenticeship for life and prizes respect for others, integrity, excellence of effort, as well as a safe, healthy environment. SSC recognizes and values its outstanding volunteers who give freely of their time and expertise. It also celebrates the 63 Olympic medals won by Canadian athletes since 1932, as well as the coaches, officials and other dedicated individuals who helped them on their journey. 

SSC is proud to be affiliated with partners that share the same vision and values including our premium sponsor Intact Insurance, as well as our funding partners, the Government of Canada, Own the Podium, and WinSport Canada.

About Intact Insurance
Intact Insurance is Canada’s largest home, auto and business insurance company, the choice of more than four million consumers. Its coast-to-coast presence and its strong relationship with insurance brokers mean the company can provide the outstanding service, comfort and continuity customers deserve. Intact Insurance (www.intact.ca) is a member company of Intact Financial Corporation (TSX: IFC), the largest provider of property and casualty insurance in Canada (www.intactfc.com). 

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For information:

Patrick Godbout

Communications & Media Relations Manager

Speed Skating Canada

Email: pgodbout@speedskating.ca

Phone: (514) 213-9897

Website: www.speedskating.ca  

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SSC.PVC

Twitter: www.twitter.com/SSC_PVC

Media Inquiries:

Hazel Tan, 

Manager, External Communications

Intact Insurance

(416) 341-1464 ext. 48073

hazel.tan@intact.net