Calgary Ski Jumps Remain Open

TORONTO (December 11, 2015) – Ski Jumping Canada is pleased to announce that thanks to the support of the Canadian Olympic Foundation (COF) and WinSport, the ski jumping complex at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary will remain open through 2018.

The COF’s investment of $75,000 per year over three years reduces WinSport’s substantial financial commitment required to operate the jump complex.

“Ski jumping facilities are expensive to operate and maintain. The ramps and landing hills require snow making, maintenance and significant manpower to operate in a safe and effective manner,” said WinSport President and CEO Barry M. Heck. ”WinSport is in the business of providing quality training facilities to athletes of all ages and levels, and we can now continue to do that for Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined.”

“As the jump complex at WinSport is the only year-round training facility in Canada, it was imperative to the sports of both Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined that they remain open and viable,” said Tom Reid, Chair of Ski Jumping Canada.

“The support from the COF, Own The Podium, the Canadian Olympic Committee and WinSport means that more young athletes can get involved and that our national teams can continue to train at home as they gear up for Korea 2018.”

With two World Cup bronze medals and a fifth-place finish at the World Championships this past season, the Canadian national team athletes are poised for success at the 2017 World Championships and the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

“With a guaranteed home training ground for the next three years, it’s up to Ski Jumping Canada and our athletes to prove that we can compete with the best in the world. I certainly expect to see our women’s team be in the medal hunt in 2018,” said Reid.

“An athlete’s daily training environment must be the best in order for them to achieve excellence when it matters most,” said Leanne Nicolle, Executive Director of the Canadian Olympic Foundation. “The ski jump facility at Winsport is a legacy from the Calgary 1988 Olympic Winter Games and is essential for the sport in Canada. The COF is pleased to grant to such a worthy cause and we look forward to seeing tangible and positive results.”

The grant is part of the Canadian Olympic Foundation’s commitment to supporting the Canadian sport system. Since 2007, the Canadian Olympic Foundation has granted more than $38 million to the Canadian sport system through priority sport partners.

About Ski Jumping Canada:
Ski Jumping Canada (SJC) is the national sport governing body for ski jumping in Canada, and is responsible for:
• Promoting the sport in Canada
• Governing the conduct of ski jumping competitions in Canada.
• Selecting and training members of the ski jumping national team.
• Developing programs to train athletes, coaches, judges, and officials.
• Representing ski jumping in the Canadian Ski and Snowboarding Association.
• Representing ski jumping in the Canadian Olympic Committee.
• Representing ski jumping in Canada to FIS

About the Canadian Olympic Foundation:
Established in 2007, the Canadian Olympic Foundation gives to priority partners that drive high performance athletic achievement for Canada’s Olympic podium potentials and for our next generation of Olympic athletes. Learn more at olympicfoundation.ca or follow Canadian Olympic Foundation on Facebook.

About WinSport:
The Winter Sport Institute provides world-class sport facilities where Canadian athletes can discover, develop and excel. WinSport owns and operates Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Alta., the Bill Warren Training Centre located at the Canmore Nordic Centre and the Beckie Scott High Performance Training Centre on Haig Glacier, Alta. A not-for-profit organization, WinSport supports national sport organizations, encourages educational opportunities and subsidizes the operation of unique training and recreational facilities used by the nation’s top athletes and the general public. For more information on WinSport please visit www.winsport.ca

For more information, please contact:
Dale Oviatt, Director of Communications
WinSport
T: 403-247-5601
C: 403-461-9074
E-mail: dale.oviatt@winsport.ca

Jessie Barrett, Coordinator, Marketing and Communications
Canadian Olympic Foundation
T: 416-324-5012 C: 416-346-5141
E-mail: jbarrett@olympic.ca