Diving at the Pan Am Games

Note: Pan Am ticket sales will be suspended on March 9th until mid-April.

Is diving one of the events you're interested in seeing at the Pan Am Games? The event will be held at the CIBC Pan Am / Parapan Am Aquatics Centre and Field House. Click here for more detail.

Although we don't know all the Canadian athletes who will be competing yet, the detailed schedule of events has been released. Preliminary session ticket price are $25/$35 while medal sessions are $40/$50. You can buy tickets by clicking here.

This photo shows the seating. The cheaper seats (green) are adjacent to the swimming pool while the more expensive tickets (blue) are adjacent to the diving pool.

(Photo credit: Suzanne Sewell)

The 10m platform is the highest one in the centre of this photo. The 3m springboards are on the far side. The boards near the bottom of this photo (with athletes) are 1m boards which were in use at the Diving Nationals a few weeks ago but are not part of the Pan Am Games.

(Photo credit: Suzanne Sewell)

Here is the schedule:

Canada's women's team the "Fab IV" will very likely land on the podium. Click here for an article written by Scott Russell: Getting to know Team Canada with a focus on the Fab IV.

10m synchro: Roseline Filion and Meaghan Benfeito won Olympic bronze in 2012 (and Worlds silver in 2013)
3m synchro: Jennifer Abel won bronze with a different partner at 2012 Olympics and won bronze in 2013 with current partner Pamela Ware.

They may also perform in the singles events.

Winter Nationals results:

10m Women:

1. Meaghan Benfeito

2. Roseline Filion

3. Celina Toth

3m Women:

1. Jennifer Abel

2. Hailey Casper

3. Fréderique Lalonde

10m Men:

1. Maxim Bouchard

2. Vincent Riendeau (2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist)

3. Philippe Gagné

3m Men:

1. Jamie Bissett

2. Marc Sabourin-Germain

3. Philippe Gagné

10m Synchro Men:

1. Philippe Gagné and Vincent Riendeau

3m Synchro Men:

1. Marc Sabourin-Germain and Maxim Bouchard

Track Cycling: Milton International Challenge Preview

The Milton Velodrome officially opened today.

"The Velodrome saw its first athletes and spectators from January 3 to 6, at the Canadian Track Cycling Championships, presented by Cisco. From January 9 to 11, the Milton International Challenge, presented by Cisco, will welcome cyclists from around the world for a final push for medals and prizes in one of the last events on the calendar for the 2014-15 UCI World Cup season." Cycling Canada

You can read Cycling Canada's full announcement by clicking here.


This week is the first chance for the athletes and spectators to see this new venue which is getting rave reviews including this one from Canadian cyclist James Orton.

I have never seen track cycling in person so am very excited to have the opportunity to see this exciting sport tomorrow. Tickets are still available for $10.

One of the advantages to hosting the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games is that these new venues are being opened in the Greater Toronto Area allowing us to attend events we would not have hosted in the past.

As an added bonus, we have the opportunity to see Olympic bronze medallist Jasmin Glaesser and Olympians Monique Sullivan and Joseph Veloce compete along with the rest of Team Canada. Click here for the full entry list.

I especially love the new "National Champion kit".

Cycling Canada released a preview article entitled Team Canada ready for Milton International Challenge.

"The timber boards of the Cisco PanAm Velodrome are ready to welcome athletes from nine countries in Milton, ON as the 2015 Milton International Challenge is only days away. 

The venue played host to the 2014 Canadian Track Championships this past weekend, and Canadian athletes took the opportunity to feel the track prior to the Milton International Challenge. 

Athletes representing Canada, USA, Jamaica, Trinidad, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom have landed in the Greater Toronto Area to compete in the Canada’s top track cycling race."

"The event kicks off on Friday, January 9, and ends on Sunday, January 11. The full schedule of the Milton International Challenge is posted at http://www.toronto2015.org/CNC-MIC-test-event/schedule 

Tickets for the event can be purchased here."

You can read the article that details who to watch in its entirety here.


Competition Schedule

Friday, January 9

Session 1, 1:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
(W-TS, M-TS) Women’s & men’s team sprint - Qualification
(W-TP, M-TP) Women’s & men’s team pursuit – Qualification
(JW-TP, JM-TP) Junior women’s & men’s team pursuit – Final
(M-SCR) Men’s scratch heat – Qualification
(JW-TP, JM-TS) Junior women’s & junior men’s team pursuit – Ceremonies

Session 2, 5:00 p.m. to 10:15 p.m.
(W-S, M-S) Women’s & men’s sprint – Qualifications
(JW-S, JM-S) Junior women’s & men’s sprint – Qualifications
(W-TS, M-TS) Women’s & men’s team sprint – Final
(W-TP) Women’s & men’s team pursuit - Final
(W-S, M-S) Women’s & men’s sprint – 1/16 Final
(W-S) Women’s sprint – Repechage
(W-SCR, M-SCR) Women’s & men’s scratch race – Final
(W-TS, M-TS) Women’s & men’s team sprint – Ceremonies
(W-TP, M-TP) Women’s & men’s team pursuit - Ceremonies
(W-SCR, M-SCR) Women’s & men’s scratch race – Ceremonies


Saturday, January 10

Session 1, 10:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
(M-OMI-PR) Men’s omnium points race – Qualification
(W-OMI, M-OMI) Women’s & men’s omnium - Scratch race
(W-S, M-S) Women’s & men’s sprint – 1/8 Final
(JW-S, JM-S) Junior women’s & men’s sprint – Quarter-final
(W-S, M-S) Women’s & men’s sprint – Repechage
(W-S, M-S) Women’s & men’s sprint – Quarter-final
(JW-S, JM-S) Junior women’s & men’s sprint – Final (5-8)

Session 2, 4:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
(W-OMII, M-OMII) Women’s & men’s omnium - Individual pursuit
(JW-S, JM-S) Junior women’s & men’s sprint – Semifinal
(W-S, M-S) Women’s & men’s sprint - Semifinal
(W-OMIII, M-OMIII) Women’s & men’s omnium - Elimination race
(JW-S, JM-S) Junior women’s & men’s sprint - Finals
(W-S, M-S) Women’s & men’s sprint - Finals
(JW-S, JM-S) Junior women’s & men’s sprint - Ceremonies
(W-S, M-S) Women’s & men’s sprint - Ceremonies


Sunday, January 11

Session 1 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
(W-OMIV, M-OMIV) Women’s & men’s omnium - Time trial
(JW-K, JM-K) Junior women’s & men’s keirin - First round
(W-K, M-K) Women’s & men’s keirin - First round
(W-OMV, M-OMV) Women’s & men’s omnium - Flying lap
(W-K, M-K) Women’s & men’s keirin - Repechage
(JW-K) Junior men’s keirin – Final (7-12)
(W-K, M-K) Women’s & men’s keirin – Second Round
(JW-K, JM-K) Junior women’s & men’s keirin – Final
(W-K, M-K) Women’s & men’s keirin – Final (7-12)
(W-K, M-K) Women’s & men’s keirin – Final
(JW-K, JM-K) Junior women’s & men’s keirin – Ceremonies
(W-K, M-K) Women’s & men’s keirin – Ceremonies
(W-OMVI, M-OMVI) Women’s & men’s omnium - Points race
(M-MAD) Men’s madison - Final
(M-MAD) Men’s madison - Ceremonies
(W-OMVI, M-OMVI) Women’s & men’s omnium - Ceremonies

Pan Am Tickets Part 2

Today is the last day to request tickets for the Pan Am Games in the initial lottery process. Have you sent in your request? I wrote last week about the criteria I was using to order my tickets. You can read that post here.

This post is giving a bit more information about the various events and venues. You can see the seating charts for the venues and ticket pricing chart below. They really help in choosing what price point to choose as some events will be much better with the most expensive seats (for example, along the 100m straight/finish line at the athletics venue). For others, cheaper tickets are great value. People who are used to seeing the Raptors at the ACC won't mind seeing basketball from any location in the much smaller Ryerson Athletic Centre.

I decided to request tickets for the opening ceremony, closing ceremony, triathlon and trampoline medal session through this ticket process. I'm hoping to get tickets for many more events once the general sale occurs and/or the schedule is revealed in more detail (who is competing and when).

I chose trampoline because there is only one medal session for the sport which means that we are assured of seeing Canada's best in men's and women's as opposed to artistic gymnastics which have various disciplines and are ticketed separately. It is also a great opportunity to hear the Canadian anthem played or see our trampoline athletes on the podium. I am making an assumption that medals will be handed out after the event.

I love this description for the triathlon:

"Grandstands will be erected for both water and road course sides, providing spectators with a prime location to experience all sports at this venue. Taking full advantage of the dual seating system will be the men’s and women’s triathlon – with the grandstands allowing for a view of the swimming course, the transition area and the course’s finish line."

I have never attended a triathlon event, but this sounds like a great vantage point to see the race.

For me, this type of special seating makes it worth going to the Pan Am Games. I would love to see track cycling and really hope to get tickets during the general sale and when I have a better idea of the specific schedule but I know that in the years to come, I will go to Milton to see track cycling. The venue will not change. This is also the case for many sports like swimming, diving, athletics, canoe, rowing, etc. so I am considering whether I will be able to see a sport (before and) after the Games when choosing my tickets.

Another venue that I am hoping to see is the Beach Volleyball Centre:

"Built as a temporary venue, the Chevrolet Beach Volleyball Centre will have 3,000 metric tonnes of sand brought in to create an urban beach. This must-see venue will welcome thousands of enthusiastic spectators for nine days of heart-stopping competition."

I know some beach volleyball players who could compete at the Pan Am Games so I am choosing to wait until the schedule is posted in the hopes of seeing one of them compete. Fingers crossed that it won't be sold out by then - although sold out events will be good news for the Pan Am Organizing Committee.

The Pan Am Organizing Committee announced a few days ago their top 10 ticket requests so far. This is probably a good indication of the events that will sell out first (depending on venue size). Gold medal and bronze medal games are also great choices if you don't mind who is playing but want to see the best representing Pan Am nations.

1. Soccer (Hamilton $20-$35) very affordable with strong Canadian teams.
2. Opening Ceremony (July 10 Rogers Centre $100-$350)
3. Equestrian (Caledon and Mono $25-$75) Choice of dressage, eventing, jumping
4. Track & Field (York University $40-$140) 10am prelims ($40-$70) 5/6pm medal ($80-$140)
5. Artistic Gymnastics (Pan Am Park, Toronto $45-$75) 9 medal sessions to choose from
6. Swimming (Scarborough $40-$140) 5 days: 10am prelim ($40-$70) 7pm medal ($80-$140)
7. Diving (Scarborough $20-$45) 6 medal sessions ($35-$45) to choose from
8. Beach Volleyball (Pan Am Park $20-$45) 25 prelims($20-$30), 2 medal sessions ($35-$45)
9. Indoor Volleyball (Pan Am Park, Toronto $20-$45) 18 prelims and 4 medal sessions
10. Synchronized Swimming (Scarborough $20-$45) prelims July 9, 2 medal sessions Jul 11

Here is an overview of the pricing for the various sports:

Here are the available seating charts with pricing for the various categories.

Opening Ceremony CatA $355 CatB $230 CatC $155 CatD $105
Closing Ceremony CatA $205 CatB $155 CatC $125 CatD $95

CatA $145 CatB $125 CatC $105 CatD $85

CatA $145 CatB $125 CatC $105 CatD $85
(note: CatC and CatD are in front of the diving facility)

CatA $145 CatB $125 CatC $105 CatD $85

CatA $80 CatB $65 CatC $50

CatA $50 CatB $40

Medal Games CatA $80 CatB $65 CatC $50 (Prelims $30-$50)

Medal CatA $80 CatB $65 CatC $50 (Prelims $30-$50)

CatA $80 CatB $65 CatC $50

CatA $50 CatB $40

Good luck to all of you who have requested tickets and thank you for reading.