Speed Skating Canada – Ottawa, August 10. 2017 – Speed Skating Canada is proud to add Nagano Skate to its family of corporate partners as official supplier of technical equipment.

Founded last March, Nagano Skate specializes in state-of-the-art speed skating equipment not worn on the ice, such as carbide, and has created an exclusive line of products such as Frank’s Signature precision sharpening tools and the Golden Rocker 1.0 rocker machine

Thanks to this partnership that will be in effect until 2022, provincial and territorial associations will get financial help through an annual global rebate program to be given back to Canadian speed skating. Furthermore, national team members will get a 15 % discount on all on-line purchases.

Nagano Skate will also set up an academy to help everyone in the country who needs to learn more about speed skating, from the basics of skate sharpening to the conception of training plans. These lectures will notably be given at Speed Skating Canada national events.

“Speed Skating Canada is very happy to welcome Nagano Skate to its team of partners,” said Speed Skating Canada CEO Susan Auch. “We are all prouder to see that former athletes have gotten involved in order to share their knowledge and help improve our sport across the country. Thank you and welcome!”

Among the company’s administrators are short track speed skating Olympic medalists such as Eric Bédard and François Drolet. Drolet was the short track national team’s equipment manager during four seasons. Four-time Olympic medalist Charles Hamelin, for his part, is a company ambassador, as he uses Nagano Skate products on a daily basis while also playing an active role in product development.

“Nagano Skate is proud of this partnership with Speed Skating Canada,” said the company’s general manager François Drolet. “Nagano Skate is a company that was founded by skaters and for skaters, and we hope to do our part to bring Canadian speed skating to another level. Our mission is to share our passion for sports with athletes and coaches by giving them access to innovative and groundbreaking equipment as well as quality training so as to give everyone the opportunity to reach their full potential in a secure environment.”

Nagano Skate is presently finalizing the on-line transactional feature on its www.naganoskate.com website, which should be launched this September. Once the site will be operational, a user code will be made available to allow provinces and territories to benefit from the rebate, and to allow national team members to get their discount.

About Speed Skating Canada

“To Challenge and Inspire Canada to Thrive through the power of Speed Skating”

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.

Speed Skating Canada would like to thank its sponsors: 

Premium partner: Intact Insurance

Funding partners: Government of Canada (Sport Canada), Own The Podium, Canadian Olympic Committee

Official On-Ice High Performance Apparel: Li-Ning

Long Track Team Sponsor: KIA

Official Suppliers: Auclair, USANA

Official Technical Equipment Supplier: Nagano Skate

Sport Development Partners: Winsport Canada, Calgary’s Olympic Oval, University of Calgary, Institut national du sport du Québec, Government of Quebec, Canadian Sport Institute-Calgary, City of Montreal, Quebec City, Conseil du sport de haut niveau de Québec

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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