HUAUCHINANGO, MEXICO – Canadian slalom athletes have qualified Canada’s quota spots for the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games and are coming home from the Canoe Slalom Pan American Sports Festival in Huauchinango, Mexico with two bronze medals.
Natasha O’Connell & Maxime Leboeuf
This was O’Connell’s first international competition and bringing home a medal has made the experience even more memorable. This was also an international racing debut for Jeremy Tian of Ottawa.Maxime Leboeuf of Valleyfield, QC won bronze in Men’s K1 and Ottawa’s Natasha O’Connell won bronze in Women’s K1. Both athletes actually ranked fourth in overall standings but when a country has more than one competitor in the race, only the top result is counted for medals. In effect, the podium is comprised of the top three nations in a particular race.
Canada’s athletes in Mexico were all junior team members and showed considerable strength competing in the senior field. Canada’s Senior Team athletes are currently training at the World Championships site in Deep Creek, Maryland, USA.
Summary of Results
| Athlete(s) | Event | Rank |
| Maxime Leboeuf (Valleyfield, QC) | Men’s K1 | 4th (87.40) *3rd nation Bronze medal |
| Natasha O’Connell (Ottawa, ON) | Women’s K1 | 4th (105.24) *3rd nation Bronze medal |
| Liam Smedley (Dunrobin, ON) | Men’s C1 | 7th (94.86) *5th nation |
| Kylie Zirk (Saskatoon, SK) | Women’s C1Women’s K1 | 5th (127.95) 8th (110.46) |
| Liam Smedley (Dunrobin, ON) & Maxime Leboeuf (Valleyfield, QC) | Men’s C2 | 8th (111.66) *5th nation |
| Jeremy Tian (Ottawa, ON) | Men’s K1 | 10th (107.79) |
CanoeKayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada. The organization’s vision is to be a Canadian sport for families, communities and champions. From supporting clubs to developing a competitive National Team, CanoeKayak Canada works to grow a sport which is a rich part of Canada’s heritage.
-30-
Media Contact:
Ian Miller
Communications and Marketing Officer, CanoeKayak Canada
613.314.1352