Canada Versus the USA Luge Competition at COP
National Olympic Luge Teams Seek North American Honours
The Canadian and U.S. National Luge Teams will compete head to head this weekend at CODA's flagship legacy facility, Canada Olympic Park, in a Can-Am Race for North American honours. This is the first major race dedicated to the two countries at the national team level. Both the Canadian and U.S. Olympic Luge Associations hope this annual event will become officially sanctioned by the International Luge Federation (FIL) as a North American Championship, similar to the European Championships.| Date: | November 5, 2000 |
| Location: | Canada Olympic Park, Calgary, Alberta |
| Time: | 9:00a.m. - about 12:00 noon |
| Medal Presentations: | Medal ceremony will be held at Tourist Start area approximately 30 minutes after last sled. |
Dual U.S.-Canadian citizen, Clay Ives, will compete against his former Canadian team-mates on the Calgary track for only the second time since his switch to the U.S. team following the '98 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano. Canada's top slider, Tyler Seitz, leads his fellow Canadian senior and junior teammates in what promises to be a keen competition in Mens, Womens and Doubles categories.
The U.S. team is in Calgary training for the 35th Luge World Championships, which will be hosted by Calgary in February 2001. The Canadian team is due back from training in Park City, Utah, late Friday night in time for the Can-Am Race official training runs being held Saturday morning at COP. The Canadian junior and senior teams will be departing from Calgary next week to begin the season's World Cup competition tour in Europe.
CODA is Canada's leader in developing winter sport excellence, from the grass roots level to the country's Olympic best. Through direct financial assistance to national sport organizations and operational support of facilities shared by the public and our nation's top athletes, CODA is Canada's largest private funder of Winter Sport.
For more information or if transmission difficulties contact:
Tim Farstad, CLA-OLTC, 403-247-9884
tfarstad@coda.ab.ca
Web site: www.luge.ca