Do you have your tickets for the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games? 2 weeks to Go!

With just two weeks to go to the Pan Am Games, do you have your tickets? Mayor John Tory said this week:

“People procrastinate on this because they’re not sure of exactly what they want to go and see or when they can go and see it. In my case it is more of a scheduling issue.” 

I can completely understand his comment.

The Pan Am Games are part of my passion so I have made the time to do the research. I have spent hours looking over the schedule, who is competing, when they're competing and which individuals have made the TORONTO 2015 team and comparing it to my calendar. I still don't have all the tickets that I will end up with but am very excited that the tickets I did buy have come in the mail during the past couple of weeks.

I can appreciate people who would love to go, but just don't have the time to research. The task can be daunting. For that reason, I will post my picks of tickets to get during the next few weeks. I will make my picks as specific as possible - meaning, I won't just name the sport but I will say the date and time of the session to make ticket buying easier.

Follow me to see my daily recommendations:
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www.ohcanadasports.com/olympichearts
www.ohcanadasports.com/panam

Don't have time to read this post? Scroll down to the end to see today's picks.

I wrote two blog posts last fall about how I decided which tickets to initially get. You can read part 1 here and part 2 here.

I currently have tickets to 7 events. During the initial lottery process, I chose the Opening Ceremony, the Closing Ceremony, the trampoline medal session and the men's triathlon.

Once detailed schedules were released, I added two athletics sessions and men's basketball.

I chose the men's and women's 100m races session (semis and finals) on Wednesday evening (includes men's long jump, decathlon, women's shot put, women's 400m hurdles, women's 800m and men's hammer) as well as the men's and women's 4x100m and 4x400m session on Saturday evening July 25th. This also includes the final events of the heptathlon, women's 1500m, men's high jump, women's javelin and men's 5000m.

I am more than excited at the list of athletics athletes I'm going to see including Damian Warner, Jessica Zelinka, Derek Drouin, Cam Levins, Melissa Bishop, Jessica Smith, Sarah Wells, Elizabeth Gleadle, as well as our many sprinters.

I look forward to seeing who will represent Canada this summer on our men's basketball team as the announcement hasn't been made yet.

The events I chose seem to be popular choices. The Opening Ceremony, trampoline, triathlon, basketball and the relay athletics session are currently sold out.

Today's picks involve athletics because I believe these will sell quicker than some other recommendations that will follow in the next few weeks.

Eight Canadian athletes have broken Canadian athletics records in 2015:

• Shawn Barber - pole vault
• Andre De Grasse - 200m (competing in 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay)
• Cam Levins - 10000m (competing in the 5000m at the Pan Am Games)
• Elizabeth Gleadle - javelin
• Christabel Nettey - long jump
• Natasha Wodak - 10000m
• Brianne Theisen-Eaton (heptathlon - although competing in long jump and 4x400m relay at the Pan Am Games not the heptathlon)

The two sessions I recommend in particular involve the 100m and decathlon events (if you can get your hands on tickets for the sold out relay session on Saturday night, I highly recommend that too).

Andre De Grasse is in the media a lot recently after winning the NCAA titles in the 100m and the 200m races with (wind-aided) times of 9.75 and 19.58 respectively. He is the first Canadian to run under 10 seconds since Bruny Surin in 1999. Gavin Smellie will also be running the 100m. He was part of the London 2012 Olympic relay team and won the bronze in the relay at the 2013 World Championships.

Damian Warner is the World bronze medallist in the decathlon. It is very likely that he will be on the podium at the TORONTO 2015 Games if not on top of the podium.

There aren't many tickets left for this session (in the corner of the 3rd leg of the 100m relay - but still worth it).

Wednesday July 22 6pm (AT006) featuring 8 Canadian Olympians. 
Click here for tickets.
(Please double check ticket link to ensure you are directed to the correct session)
Men Long Jump Final (Jharyl Bowry, Stevens Dorcelus)
Men High Jump Decathlon (Olympian Damian Warner, Patrick Arbour)
Women 100m Semi-Finals (Khamica Bingham, Olympian Crystal Emmanuel)
Women Shot Put Final (Taryn Suttie, Olympian Julie Labonté)
Men 100m Semi-Finals (Andre De Grasse, Olympian Gavin Smellie)
Women 400m Hurdles Final (Sage Watson, Olympian Sarah Wells)
Women 800m Final (Olympian Melissa Bishop, Olympian Jessica Smith)
Men 400m Decathlon (Olympian Damian Warner, Patrick Arbour)
Men Hammer Final (Olympian Jim Steacy and Daniel Novia)
Women 100m Final  (Khamica Bingham, Olympian Crystal Emmanuel)
Men 100m Final  (Andre De Grasse, Olympian Gavin Smellie)

There are more tickets available for the following evening that includes the last two events of the decathlon and a chance to hear O Canada with Damian Warner at the top of the podium.

Thursday July 23 5:30pm (AT008). Click here for tickets.
(Please double check ticket link to ensure you are directed to the correct session)
Men Javelin Decathlon (Olympian Damian Warner, Patrick Arbour)
Men 400m Hurdles Final (Tait Nystuen, Gregory MacNeill)
Women 200m Semi-Finals (Kimberley Hyacinthe, Raquel Tjernagel)
Women Pole Vault Final (Kelsie Ahbe, Olympian Mélanie Blouin)
Men 200m Semi-Finals (Andre De Grasse, Brendon Rodney)
Men 800m Final (Brandon McBride, Anthony Romaniw)
Men Discus Final (Olympian Tim Nedow, Marc-Antoine Lafrenaye-Dugas)
Women 400m Final (Audrey Jean-Baptiste, Taylor Sharpe)
Men 400m Final  (Philip Osei, Daniel Harper)
Women 10000m Final (Natasha Wodak, Lanni Marchant)
Men 1500m Decathlon (Olympian Damian Warner, Patrick Arbour)

Canadian Canoe Museum Special Exhibition

Don't miss the new page on OHCanada Sports dedicated to the sport of sprint paddling and the Canadian Canoe Museum's exhibition. Click here.

In celebration of the upcoming Pan Am Games and the 2016 Olympic Games, the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough have opened a special exhibition on the sport of sprint paddling (canoe/kayak). I was thrilled to play a small part in this exhibit with one of the photos I have taken being used for the title banner.

Here is the original photo I took at the Mazda Canoe Kayak Knockout event in September 2011 (you can read my blog post and see other photos here):

This is the title banner that they created:

Needless to say that I was thrilled to attend the event and see my (edited) photo on display.

The exhibit is incredible. What a collection of canoes and kayaks they have on display dating back to the 1800's. The exhibit focuses on the history of the sport, the boats as well as the athletes.

"While the roots of canoe racing are indeed ancient, there has been a singular momentum over the last 150 years that has lead to the development of a sport known today as Canoe Sprint." 

"Since its beginnings 150 years ago, it has been the participants and athletes who have had the strongest voice in shaping the sport of canoeing".

They explained the significance of Canada with regards to the sport of sprint paddling.

"By the late 19th century a highlight event held at North American canoeing assemblies was the "War Canoe" race." 

"When the American Canoe Association (ACA) did not demonstrate adequate attention in the cultivation of these events, a Canadian faction split off and formed the Canadian Canoe Association. This organization would later become known as CanoeKayak Canada". 

"The rest of the world would come to call these [war canoes] "Canadian canoes".

They also have various boats that have been used by Olympians over the past few decades, most notably as perched on the right of these photos, Mark Oldershaw's canoe and Adam van Koeverden's kayak.

Although this canoe and kayak are the most recognizable to canoe sprint fans today, it was fascinating to see older boats from previous Olympics like the tandem canoe used by John Beedell and Joseph Derochie at the 1960 Rome Olympics or the Delta Model C1 that Larry Cain won two medals racing at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics (gold in 500m C1 and silver in 1000 C1).

There are biographies throughout the exhibit for many prominent Canadian paddlers.

Para Canoe is also represented.

It's not only canoes and kayaks that are on display at the Canadian Canoe Museum. There is an Adam van Koeverden memorabilia exhibit including three of his Olympic medals.

"Displayed here are a number of items on loan from Adam's family." 

"As this carefully preserved collection of memorabilia suggests, an athlete's family shares equally in all of an athlete's joys and accomplishments."

You can even try your hand at kayaking on the kayak simulator or see if you could keep your balance on the tipping kayak challenge.

This is only a small sample of the items on display at the exhibit. I don't want to give everything away.  It was really worth the drive to Peterborough to see this amazing exhibit. I look forward to returning. There are so many vessels on display and so much to read, that I couldn't absorb it all on opening night especially with the crowd that was present that evening. The exhibit will run until the Rio Olympics in 2016. I highly recommend a visit to the Canadian Canoe Museum before then.

The museum is located at 910 Monaghan Road in Peterborough.

Hours of operation:

Monday to Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Thursday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday & Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday: Noon to 5 p.m.

The Museum is open daily except for December 25 and 26, January 1 and 2. On December 24 the Museum closes at 2:00pm.

Click here to visit their website.

Follow them on:
Twitter @CndnCanoeMuseum.

Facebook /CndnCanoeMuseum.

If you were directed to this post directly, don't miss the new page on OHCanada Sports dedicated to the sport of sprint paddling and the Canadian Canoe Museum's exhibition. Click here.

Are you excited about the Pan Am Games?

I am very biased but I can't wait for the Pan Am Games! I don't want the time to go faster so that they're here sooner, because just like Christmas, sometimes the anticipation is just as exciting as the day.

The Toronto Star contacted me recently looking for superfans of the Pan Am Games. The writer had been looking for people who were excited and she admitted that she found the task challenging. Having been interviewed during the Sochi Olympics and now the Pan Am Games, I did think - am I the only one out there? I'm hoping that because I have a website/blog, perhaps I am easier to find.

Although there are some negative comments out there, I think that there are a lot of people excited about the Pan Am Games.

The Opening Ceremony and many events are almost if not completely sold out.

The Pan Am Committee received double the applications for the volunteer positions they had available.

I applied to be a torch bearer and did not get chosen, so there are obviously many more people interested in the relay than there were spots.

For me, the Pan Am Games is more than the two and a half weeks of competition. It is about building a legacy in the GTA and venues for future athletes to enjoy whether they are recreational, competitive or become Olympic athletes.

It's an opportunity to see events in a way that is potentially once in a lifetime.

Some of our athletes will be competing internationally at home in front of friends and family for the first time.


I got goose bumps earlier listening to Alexandre Despatie talk about the legacy of the Games even before he said that "he gets goose bumps just talking about it".



I have been to events in the GTA where our athletes were competing (like the Toronto Track and Field International that is shown in the video with high jumper Derek Drouin, Kate van Buskirk, Damian Warner and Jessica Zelinka - got my tickets to see those four compete at the Pan Am Games).

Here are my photos from that meet. I get a kick seeing the same scenes on the video.

   

Most of the events I went to were mostly Canadian athletes (canoe kayak, track cycling, diving, swimming). It's easy to cheer for Canada at those meets. You're cheering for almost everyone.

I can't wait for the Pan Am Games when we really get to cheer Go Canada Go!! I can't wait to hear O Canada when our athletes win gold (I already have a few tickets where that will be a strong possibility).

I can't wait to see our athletes do the best that they can, whether that is a podium finish, a personal best or the best that they could do on that day. I also can't wait to see the world's best even if they're not from Canada.

This is our chance to see world class athletes perform in 36 sports. I can't wait.

But don't take my word for it.

Here's an article with Olympic multi-medallist Adam van Koeverden:
http://www.ohcanadasports.ca/media-articles/2015/5/15/post-city-toronto-post-interview-not-excited-about-the-pan-am-games-you-should-be

Here's an article with Olympian Julia Wilkinson:
http://www.ohcanadasports.ca/athlete-posts/2015/5/15/julia-wilkinson-pan-am-games-will-be-huge-for-canada

And for more Pan Am content, click here to see OHCanada Sports' special Pan Am page.

Pan Am Games Torchbearer Contest

Olympic gold medallists Simon Whitfield and Catriona Le May Doan were the MC's this morning as Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games launched the torchbearer contest at the Eaton Centre in Toronto.

"To help ignite the Pan Am spirit, TO2015 is calling for Canadians to enter the TORONTO 2015 torchbearer contest for their chance to carry the flame in the TORONTO 2015 Torch Relay for the Pan Am Games. 

The contest is an invitation to the nation to join the journey, share the spirit and show community pride.

TO2015’s torchbearer contest for the Pan Am Games opened October 1, 2014 at 11:30 a.m. and will close on December 1, 2014, at 11:59 p.m. (ET). Torchbearers for this relay will be announced beginning in March 2015."

(source 2015 Pan Am Games website) 

The event was very well attended by dignitaries including Minister of Sport Bal Gosal and Premier Kathleen Wynne, sponsor representatives, media and spectators in the main area and the balcony above.

The highlight of the event was the introduction of the first torchbearer who will launch the 2015 Pan Am torch relay: Colonel Chris Hadfield. (pun taken from the announcement - I can't take credit)



Colonel Hadfield proceeded to take a selfie with a young girl who couldn't decide whether to become an athlete or a politician - or perhaps an astronaut. I'd love to see this second selfie and photobomb.

The torch relay will begin on May 30th in Toronto and will end when it lights the cauldron at the Pan Am Opening Ceremony at Rogers Centre in Toronto. It will visit 5 major Canadian cities outside of Ontario and 130 communities throughout Ontario.

5 cities: Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Montreal and Halifax.

In Ontario, the torch will travel through 130 communities including:

• South/west to Leamington, Windsor, Chatham/Kent, Sarnia, London and Woodstock
• Northwest to Thunder Bay, Wawa and Sault Ste. Marie
• North to Sudbury, North Bay, Parry Sound, Huntsville, Gravenhurst, Orillia, Midland, Collingwood and Owen Sound.
• East to Ottawa, Smiths Falls, Kingston, Belleville and Brighton
• and the GTA:

"The flame for the Pan Am Games is traditionally lit outside Mexico City in Teotihuacan at the Pyramid of the Sun, in a ceremony led by native Aztecs. Following the lighting, the flame will be handed over to a representative from the Host City. The flame will then be flown back to Canada to begin its nationwide journey before arriving in Toronto to light the cauldron at Opening Ceremony, which signifies the start of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games." 

(source 2015 Pan Am Games website) 

You can sign up for the contest at one of the two touch screen terminals at the Eaton Centre until Sunday October 5th (up one floor from the fountain), just like Olympic gold medallist Rosie MacLennan did just before I did.

(photo credit: TO2015 Twitter)

...or you can sign up online at the Pan Am Toronto 2015 website.

I can't finish this post without a photo of Pachi mingling and posing for photos with fans.

If you haven't requested Pan Am tickets yet, you may want to click here to read my previous post about my selection criteria for choosing which events to attend.

Translation of must-read article from La Presse celebrating all Olympians

I read an article in La Presse yesterday that Olympian Audrey Robichaud had shared on Twitter (@AudreyRobichaud). It is one of my favourite articles about the 2014 Olympic Games.

I'm not sure of the legality of reproducing a newspaper article but my objective is only to share it with as many people as possible. Since the article is in French, I wanted to allow non-French speaking people the opportunity to read the message in the article.

Thank you to Jean-Pascal Beaupré for writing Les "sans-médaille". Click here to read the (better written) original article if you understand French.

I am not a translator or a journalist so my apologies that this will not give the article justice. The photo below which appears in La Presse is credited to Lionel Bonaventure, Agence France-Presse.

Les "sans-médaille" 

(literally translated as The "without medal"

it sounds better in French)

Luck did not smile for all the athletes during the Olympic Games, with some returning
home empty-handed, like the members of Canada 3 four-man bobsleigh 

They don't return home with a medal around their neck. Without a podium, they will be relegated to the dungeon of Olympic history.

These athletes, however, deserve more recognition for their brilliant performances during the Games.

It's true that everyone's attention is dedicated to the medal count. The Canadian Olympic Committee program is named Own The Podium.

For the majority of athletes, however, owning the podium is not their reality. No medals and no major sponsors to ensure their financial future.

There are those who grazed the podium like Brady Leman (4th in ski cross), Jean-Philippe Le Guellec (5th in biathlon sprint) or Maxence Parrot (5th in slopestyle). The most frustrating result, so close and yet so far. 

There are those who were supposed to defy the odds, those who could hope for a medal if all the stars aligned in their favour, namely Marie-Michèle Gagnon (9th in alpine slalom) or Valérie Maltais (short track speed skating). 

Sometimes, with equal talent, it's simply a contest of circumstances - injury, fall, soft snow, disqualification, judges' scores... - that separates the winners from the non-medallists. Sometimes the podium worthy are so numerous that chance is the determining factor. The unfortunate in this category include Erik Guay (10th in downhill) and Alex Harvey (cross-country skiing). 

Then there is the majority, those athletes who arrived in Sochi to reinforce Pierre de Coubertin's message: "the essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well." Although they dream of winning a medal, the majority of the competitors who qualify for the Olympic Games are fully conscious that their chances of reaching their dream of medalling are almost nil. They know where they stand due to their World Cup performances during the four year cycle between the Games. They'll finish 20th, 30th or 40th, outside of the television viewers' radar. 

Of course, surprises and small miracles will happen. Favourites will fall opening the door for the overlooked (Charle Cournoyer's bronze). A competitor inspired by the occasion of the Games will lift his/her performance and come out of nowhere to win a medal (American Andrew Weibrecht in Super-G). This is the exception that proves the rule. 

It's natural to extol the athletes who reached the podium, but in doing so, we oftentimes have the tendency to leave the others behind who also are part of the world elite, who also made the same sacrifices to become la crème de la crème. When we are 5th, 10th or 20th in the world, especially in very competitive sports like cross-country skiing and alpine skiing, should we not be amazed by these performances? 

So the next time we are impressed, with good reason, by the accomplishments of the Dufour-Lapointe sisters, Denny Morrison or Patrick Chan, let's also have an respectful thought for those who performed in the shadows of their winning teammates, Audrey Robichaud (10th), Mathieu Giroux (19th) or Gabrielle Daleman (17th) who left Sochi with their small happiness.

My pick for Canada's flag bearer

It's 20 days until the Opening Ceremony.

The highlight for the Olympic Opening Ceremony for me is seeing our flag bearer enter the stadium followed by Team Canada. I also love to see all the countries' uniforms and who they chose as their flag bearer. Besides looking for international athletes I love, it also gives me an idea of who to watch for.

As much as I may like to see a "professional" athlete I love carry their country's flag, I love that the U.S. has stayed away from having a professional (NBA, NHL, tennis) player carry their flag. I love hearing the story behind the athlete they choose to lead their team (that I normally don't know and possibly most Americans don't know). Click here for one example.

I love trying to guess who will be Canada's flag bearer.

Here are our latest flag bearers:

Opening Ceremony:
2012 Simon Whitfield (triathlon)
2010 Clara Hughes (speed skating)
2008 Adam van Koeverden (kayak)
2006 Danielle Goyette (hockey)
2004 Nicolas Gill (judo)
2002 Catriona Le May Doan (speed skating)
2000 Caroline Brunet (kayak)
1998 Jean-Luc Brassard (freestyle skiing)
1996 Charmaine Crooks (athletics)
1994 Kurt Browning (figure skating)
1992 Mike Smith (athletics)
1992 Sylvie Daigle (short track speed skating)

Closing Ceremony:
2012 Christine Sinclair (soccer)
2010 Joannie Rochette (figure skating)
2008 Karen Cockburn (trampoline)
2006 Cindy Klassen (speed skating)
2004 Adam van Koeverden (kayak)
2002 Jamie Salé and David Pelletier (figure skating)
2000 Simon Whitfield (triathlon)
1998 Catriona Le May Doan (speed skating)
1996 Marnie McBean and Kathleen Heddle (rowing)
1994 Myriam Bedard (biathlon)
1992 Silken Laumann (rowing)
1992 Nathalie Lambert (short track speed skating)

That is quite a list of Canadian icons leading Team Canada in the past couple of decades. Quite a list to live up to. The past few Games, Canada has had a male flag bearer for the summer Olympics and a female for winter Olympics. Will the trend continue or will they switch it up in 2014? Although it has been a woman for the last four Closing Ceremonies.

There are a lot of things to consider when choosing a flag bearer. We could choose someone with past success at the Olympics like:

• Jasey-Jay Anderson
• Alexandre Bilodeau
• Chandra Crawford
• Charles Hamelin
• Kaillie Humphries
• Ashleigh McIvor
• Denny Morrison
• Christine Nesbitt
• Maelle Ricker
• Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir
• Women's hockey player
• Men's hockey player

We could choose someone who has excelled on the world stage who hasn't yet succeeded at the Olympics:

• Patrick Chan
• Justine Dufour-Lapointe
• Alex Gough
• Erik Guay
• Roz Groenewould
• Alex Harvey
• Devon Kershaw
• Mikaël Kingsbury
• Mark McMorris
• Spencer O'Brien
• Kaya Turski

Being a veteran or leader is a great quality for a flag bearer:

• Chandra Crawford
• Erik Guay
• Charles Hamelin
• Alex Harvey
• Denny Morrison
• Heather Moyse
• Christine Nesbitt
• Hayley Wickenheiser

We could choose someone with a great story like the U.S. have done in the past. 

• Jan Hudec who emigrated from Czech republic as an infant with his parents in a home- made raft. Has overcome multiple injuries.
• Larisa Yurkiw who funded her Olympic dream when she lost Alpine Canada funding last year while coming back from injury
• Heather Moyse (3 time Olympian, multi-sport athlete coming back from injury)
• Alex Harvey (making history in cross-country skiing, all in the family ... father is summer and winter Olympian)
• siblings - Hamelin brothers (father is Speed Skating Canada program director), Dufour-Lapointe sisters
• love story/2010 memorable moment - Charles Hamelin and Marianne St-Gelais

The competition schedule is a concern. Athletes competing the day after the Ceremony (or soon afterwards) often do not attend the Ceremony and wouldn't want to be flag bearer because it could affect their performance. Other athletes with their competition being in the second week may want to stay away from the craziness of the Olympic Games for as long as possible so may not be in Sochi for the Olympic ceremony.

Who does this cancel out? Quite a few, including Patrick Chan, Tessa Virtue, Scott Moir, Mark McMorris, Hayley Wickenheiser and Chandra Crawford.

Also looking at the past flag bearers, do we want to repeat recent sports who have been represented? 2010 speed skater, 2006 women's ice hockey, 2002 speed skating. Although worthy, this cancels out Christine Nesbitt and Haeley Wickenheiser.

Here is my short list of athletes to be Canada's flag bearer in 2014.

Alexandre Bilodeau
Pro - first gold medal on Canadian soil, if curse is real, another Canadian (Mikaël Kingsbury) could win gold (also sentimental for me having been at the moguls event to see him win gold in 2010)
Con - sportsmanship/frustration issues this season may put damper on leader criterion

Sydney Crosby
Pro - Although I would normally not want a professional athlete as flag bearer, the golden goal in 2010 ignited the country, we haven't had a male hockey player as flag bearer since 1948, he would need no introduction
Con - too mainstream/professional; has a NHL game that night - could he be in Sochi instead?

Erik Guay
Pro - most successful Canadian alpine skier with 21 World Cup podiums, crystal globe winner, world champion, downhill is well known and popular event
Con - has been SO close at the Olympics (4th and two 5ths), I'm worried about the flag bearer curse (I am SO hoping he medals in Sochi), also competes two days after the ceremony.

Charles Hamelin
Pro - 3-time Olympic medallist (2 gold within 30 minutes on home soil), 26-time World Champion medallist, family affair (brother, father, girlfriend)
Con - sport is high risk, so flag bearer curse could easily affect outcome

Alex Harvey
Pro - history making results in cross-country skiing (including 4 recent podiums of which 2 are wins), father is 2-time Olympian (1976 road cycling, 1988 cross-country skiing)
Con - has been SO close at the Olympics (4th), my fear of curse (especially with 4 recent podiums including 2 wins), competes 2 days later.

Kaillie Humphries
Pro - 2010 Olympic champion, perfect season last year
Con - competition starts Week 2 so may not be in Sochi, bobsleigh not as popular as other sports in Canada

History is being made at the 2014 Olympics with women being included in halfpipe and ski jumping. Slopestyle is also being added as a sport.

One of the major reasons for women freestyle skiing being added is Sarah Burke who lobbied the IOC for inclusion. I would love our flag bearer to be a tribute to Sarah who died January 19, 2012. Roz Groenewoud is an obvious candidate competing in the event that Sarah was the favourite to win Olympic gold. A recent injury and the event being scheduled in the second week makes me doubt that Roz would be available for the Opening Ceremony.

Another athlete inspired by Sarah is Kaya Turski who competes in slopestyle. As much as I would love to see Kaya carry the flag into the Opening Ceremony, I fear that Sarah and Kaya (or Roz) are not known enough in Canada for it to be a moment where Canada stands up with pride. It could be an opportunity however to share Sarah's story with a larger audience - especially with Canada Post releasing a Sarah Burke stamp as a pioneer of winter sports.

I received a tweet reply from Marc Durand, host of Objectif Sotchi on Radio-Canada.  He had a great idea to honour Sarah. Whoever we choose to be flag bearer could wear a Sarah sticker/patch on their uniform like many athletes do now. I would love for the whole team to wear a Sarah sticker/patch and the commentators to point it out and explain the significance.

So if the decision was up to me who would I choose as flag bearer? I would choose someone with experience and knowledge of what it takes to succeed and how to handle disappointment at Olympic Games. I would choose someone who is not competing within 48 hours of the ceremony. My choice doesn't "need" to win a medal to complete their career but are expected to medal. I would choose someone who has given us memorable moments and someone that the other athletes would be proud to follow into the stadium.

I would choose Charles Hamelin.

I don't have a vote though and I will be happy with whoever is chosen to lead Team Canada in to the Opening Ceremony.

Olympic hopefuls model the 2014 Olympics collection

Originally published on SportCafé.ca

Hudson's Bay unveiled Canada's Olympic and Paralympic Team's 2014 Olympics collection this past week. Eighteen Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls were on hand to model the collection. Most of the athletes are still competing to qualify for the 2014 Games, but the group of athletes present was very impressive.

(front row left to right)
Chloé Dufour-Lapointe, Moguls - 2013 World Champion (dual moguls), 2011 World silver medallist (dual moguls) 5th 2010 Vancouver Olympics
Brad Bowden, Sledge Hockey and Wheelchair Basketball- 2004 Paralympic gold in wheelchair basketball, 2006 Paralympic gold in sledge hockey, 3-time Olympian, 3-time World Champion
Dylan Moscovitch.  Figure Skating Pairs - 4th 2013 World Championships
Jean-Luc Brassard, Assistant Chef de Mission - 4 time Olympian - moguls, gold medal 1994 Olympics, 44 World Cup moguls' podiums, 18 World Cup victories
Kirsten Moore-Towers, Figure Skating Pairs - 4th 2013 World Championships
Billy Bridges, Sledge Hockey - 2006 Paralympic gold in sledge hockey, 3 time Paralympian, 3 time world chamipon
Justine Dufour-Lapointe, Moguls - 3rd 2013 World Championships, 2nd WC Moguls Standing 2012, 2013

(Middle row)
John Leslie, Para-Snowboarding - 5th in his first World Cup, 2011; 8th 2012 World Championships. Para-Snowboarding makes its official Games debut in 2014.
Erin Mielzynski, Alpine Skiing - World Cup Gold Medallist 2012, World Cup Bronze, 2013
Cheryl Bernard, Curling - 2010 Olympic silver medal
Jan Hudec, Alpine Skiing - 2007 World Silver Medallist (downhill), 4-time WC Medallist, 2-time World Cup Winner including 2007 downhill at Lake Louise, 2010 Olympian
Mark Arendz, Para-Nordic Skiing and Biathlon - 2013 gold medal and two bronze medals at IPC Biathlon World Championships, 2013 overall IPC World Cup Biathlon Champion

(Back row)
Lenny Valjas, Cross-Country Skiing - Five time World Cup medallist
Brad Spence, Alpine Skiing - 2010 Canadian Champion, 12th in slalom Kitzbuehel 2010 and Alta Badia 2009, 2010 Olympian
Andrew Poje, Figure Skating Ice Dance - 4th World Championships, 2012
Kaitlyn Weaver, Figure Skating Ice Dance - 4th World Championships, 2012
Robbi Weldon, Para-Nordic Skiing and Para-cycling - Gold London 2012 Paralympic road cycling, two top-5 2010 Paralympic Games in para-nordic skiing
Jesse Lumsden, Bobsleigh - 2012 World Silver Medallist Men's Two-Man, 2010 Olympian

It was revealed that the clothing that the athletes will be wearing are made in Canada. The items for sale in stores are made in China. The more than 200 athletes competing at the Olympic Games will receive 39 items and the 55 athletes competing at the Paralympic Games will receive 32 items as part of their 2014 uniform. "This will outfit them in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, during Podium Presentations, and while hanging out in the Olympic village."

The collection showcases "Canada's iconic colours: Maple Leaf Red, Northern White and Winter Night Black" in colour-blocking patterns. With more than half of my wardrobe being black, I personally love the black accent added to the red and white in the collection.

The Maple Leaf is used throughout the collection along with the 2014 Team Crest representing sportsmanship, competition, athleticism and national pride.

The beaver, the loon and the polar bear are also featured on many items in the collection.

For the fifth Olympics, the mittens are the highlight and this year's edition looked amazing showcased in a display as we entered the venue.

Pairs figure skaters Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch were front and centre wearing the red duffel coat ($275) a single-breasted coat in wool/nylon blend with a zipper and toggle style buttons that is accented with a black stripe around the waist. The duffel coat also looked great paired with the beaver scarf ($25) that alpine skier Brad Spence wore (below).



Ice dancers Andrew Poje and Kaityn Weaver looked great in the Colour-Blocked Soft Shell Jacket ($125) that is weather resistant and warm. These jackets will be a favourite with outdoor-loving Canadians.

I would love to know what black top with the red stripe that skier Erin Mielzynski is modelling. I'm not seeing it in the collection list. Perhaps it's an athlete-only item.

Justine Dufour-Lapointe wore the women's reversible puffer jacket ($150) with a Maple Leaf Appliqué Cotton Tee ($35).

Her sister Chloé modelled the Black Marl Fleece Hoodie ($75) over a Canadian Olympic Team 2014 tee ($30) (or long-sleeve $45).

Jan Hudec was warm in the chunky knit Canada beaver sweater inspired by classic sports like skiing and curling. The Canada maple leaf and 2014 Team crest are featured on the sleeves. A curled up beaver is featured on the back (shown here by curler Cheryl Bernard). Jan also sported the team stripe tuque ($20)

Cross-country skier Lenny Valjas looked sporty in the Colour-blocked polo. This may be another athlete-only item as I don't see it in the collection.

Para-nordic skier and biathlete Mark Arendz sported the Sochi 2014 Canada Tuque ($20), the beaver scarf ($25) and a 2014 Paralympic tee ($30). For the first time, Hudson's Bay has partnered with the Canadian Paralympic Committee to design two unique tees (red for women and black for men) that feature the Canadian Paralympic Team emblem in the 2014. There is also an Olympic version of this tee with the 0 replaced by the oval Canadian Olympic Team logo.

Brad Bowden is wearing what looks like winter mittens. On the collection list, there are winter gloves ($30) described as black finger gloves with a hint of colour-blocking and Canadian symbols.

Brad Spence is wearing the Black Marl Fleece Pants ($60) with  ankle cuffs and waistband bound by two single white and red stripes.

Billy Bridges wore a colour-block hat which may be an athlete only item. Hudson's Bay is selling a black trapper hat ($45) as well as an all-red micro fleece lined beanie ($15). CANADA is showcased in the middle of the scarf that also features a fringed hem.

Most items seen at the unveiling are available at Hudson's Bay stores and at their online store, along with many other clothing items for men, women, children, youth and infants. There are also accessories like pins, bracelets, luggage tags, backpack, plush toys, fleece blankets, towels and a mittens key chain that I may not be able to resist.

I spoke with a few of the athletes afterwards and they loved the collection. Being a part of the unveiling have inspired them even more to make the Olympic Team and be in Sochi in just under 100 days to represent Canada.