OTTAWA – The Canadian Olympic Committee and CanoeKayak Canada are pleased to officially name 15 athletes to Team Canada for the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games. CanoeKayak sprint events will take place from July 11 to July 14 in Welland, ON and will feature an extreme demonstration of speed as athletes go head-to-head in races of 200, 500 and 1000 metres.
CanoeKayak sprint is one of Canada’s top performing summer sports having won 24 Olympic medals since 1936. The Canadian team won seven medals at the 2011 Guadalajara Pan American Games including four gold. With an A-team gearing up for Toronto, three Olympic medalists will headline the team. Olympic bronze medalist and reigning World Champion Mark de Jonge of Halifax, NS will bring his notorious speed to the K1 200m and has been working hard with his coach Frédéric Jobin to prefect his race. Mark Oldershaw, an Olympic bronze medalist will compete in the Men’s C1 1000m. Four-time Olympic medalist Adam van Koeverden of Oakville, ON will race the Men’s K1 1000 metre.
The athletes have been selected for the team based on the results of the first set of National Team Trials and three World Cups – all of which took place over the course of May. The athletes are back from Europe and are preparing to represent Canada on home water starting July 11.
CanoeKayak Sprint Team for Pan American Games
Men’s Kayak
| Athlete | Hometown | Club | Event* | Coach |
| Mark de Jonge | Halifax, NS | Maskwa | Men’s K1 200m | Frédéric Jobin |
| Adam van Koeverden | Oakville, ON | Burloak | Men’s K1 1000m | Scott Oldershaw / Larry Cain |
| Brady Reardon | Burlington, ON | Burloak | Men’s K4 1000m | Scott Oldershaw |
| Andrew Jessop | Halifax, NS | Maskwa | Men’s K4 1000m | Scott Oldershaw / Chad Brooks |
| Philippe Duchesneau | Sherbrooke, QC | Pointe-Claire | Men’s K4 1000m | Scott Oldershaw |
| Pierre-Luc Poulin | Lac Beauport, QC | Lac Beauport | Men’s K4 1000m | Frédéric Jobin / Chad Brooks / Luc Grenier |
Women’s Kayak
| Athlete | Hometown | Club | Event* | Coach |
| Michelle Russell | Fall River, NS | Cheema | Women’s K1 200m & 500m, K4 500m | Mark Granger / Mike Kerrivan |
| Émilie Fournel | Montréal, QC | Lachine | Women’s K4 500m | Mark Granger |
| Hannah Vaughan | Dartmouth, NS | Banook | Women’s K4 500m | Mark Granger / Jan Kruk |
| Kathleen Carole (KC) Fraser | Oakville, ON | Balmy Beach | Women’s K4 500m | Mark Granger / Peter Martinek |
Men’s Canoe
| Athlete | Hometown | Club | Event* | Coach |
| Mark Oldershaw | Burlington, ON | Burloak | Men’s C1 1000m | Scott Oldershaw / Larry Cain |
| Ben Russell | Dartmouth, NS | Banook | Men’s C2 1000m | Laszlo (Csom) Latorovszki |
| Gabriel Beauchesne-Sévigny | Trois-Rivières, QC | Trois-Rivières | Men’s C2 1000m | Laszlo (Csom) Latorovszki |
| Jason McCoombs | Dartmouth, NS | Banook | Men’s C1 200m | Rob Stott / Jan Kruk |
Women’s Canoe
| Athlete | Hometown | Club | Event* | Coach |
| Laurence Vincent-Lapointe | Trois-Rivières, QC | Trois-Rivières | Women’s C1 200m | Rob Stott / Mathieu Pelletier |
*several events still to be finalized
Staff
| Name | Hometown | Role |
| Scott Logan | Waverley, NS | Team Leader |
| Natalie Brett | Montréal, QC | Team Manager |
| Scott Oldershaw | Toronto, ON | Coach |
| Mark Granger | Montréal, QC | Coach |
| Laszlo (Csom) Latorovszki | Waverley, NS | Coach |
| Rob Stott | Toronto, ON | Coach |
| Larry Cain | Oakville, ON | Coach |
Quotes
“Our team has trained hard for this unique multi-sport event and we’re excited to make Canada proud on home water. This is a big opportunity for our team to showcase its strength and to simulate our major Games plans for Rio in a very realistic and highly competitive environment.”
Scott Logan, High Performance Director, CanoeKayak Canada
“Participating in a multi-sport Games in Canada will be a new experience for me and I’m really looking forward to it. Racing infront of a home crowd at such a big event is going to be such a thrill.”
Mark de Jonge, TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games athlete
“Congratulations to all of the athletes who made the team – you deserve this great honour and now get to represent your country on home soil which I know will be an unforgettable experience for you all. Canada is behind you 100 per cent of the way.”
Marcel Aubut, President, Canadian Olympic Committee
“I am very excited about our canoe/kayak sprint team going into Toronto. All of our athletes are very strong contenders and I have full faith in this team heading into the Games. Congratulations to all of the nominated athletes today, Canada is ready to cheer you on.”
Curt Harnett, TORONTO 2015 Team Canada Chef de Mission
“Canadians will be watching and cheering on the talented canoe/kayak sprint athletes representing Canada at the Pan Am Games in Toronto. Our Government was proud to invest in upgrading the Welland Flatwater Centre, where your talent and determination will have us holding our breath as you compete against some of the best canoe/kayak athletes in the Americas. We are very proud of you and wish you luck as you compete at home during the Year of Sport in Canada!”
The Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport)
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.
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Media Contact:
Ian Miller
Communications and Marketing Officer
613.314.1352
imiller@canoekayak.ca