Ottawa to host world’s largest wheelchair curling bonspiel
OTTAWA, November
25, 2013 - Five Paralympic teams (Canada, USA, Korea, Great Britain, Slovakia),
and eleven teams from across Canada, will compete at the 9th annual Cathy Kerr International Bonspiel
from November 28 – December 1, 2013.
Over one hundred
athletes from around the world, plus their coaches, families, and support
staff, will be in Ottawa on Thursday for the only wheelchair curling bonspiel
that offers cash prizes.
Team Canada is the reigning Gold Medal
Champion from the 2013
World Wheelchair Championships, and is working
toward the 2014
Paralympics in
Sochi, Russia. The team’s skip, Jim Armstrong, curled at the Brier five times
from 1973-1987, and was inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 1990.
Wheelchair curling started in Canada in
2001, and is played by athletes with a physical disability that does not allow
them to play regular curling. The rules are the same, the same rocks and ice are
used; however, the rocks are delivered from a stationary wheelchair and there
is no sweeping.
The annual Cathy Kerr International
Bonspiel is held in memory of Cathy Kerr, one of the original board members of
the Capital Wheelchair Curling Club and a leader in inclusion and accessibility
advocacy.
Ottawa’s Capital Wheelchair Curling Club will
host the bonspiel at the RA Centre, at 2451 Riverside Drive, Ottawa. Opening
Ceremonies will start at 8:30 am, on Friday, November 29. Closing Ceremonies
and Medal Presentations will be held on Sunday, December 1, at 3:30 pm.
- 30 -
For more
information, media should contact:
Sarah Shima, Director - Media Relations, Capital
Wheelchair Curling
Club
E-mail: flying_mountain(at)yahoo.com
Cathy Kerr International Bonspiel 2013
Backgrounder
What is
happening?
The world’s largest wheelchair curling bonspiel is returning to
Canada’s capital from November 28 – December 1,
2013.
For the 9th year, Ottawa will host over one hundred athletes
from around the world, plus their coaches, families, and support staff, for the
only wheelchair curling cash bonspiel.
Why is it
important?
This year the World Curling Federation
has chosen the Cathy Kerr International Bonspiel (Competitive Division), as one
of two international events for athletes wishing to be classified for
participation in the 2014 Paralympics in Sochi, Russia.
Who is coming?
Five Paralympic teams have confirmed
their participation, as well as 11 teams from across Canada.
The following teams have registered for
the bonspiel:
• Paralympic Team
Canada
•
Paralympic Team USA
•
Paralympic Team Great Britain
•
Paralympic Team Korea
•
Paralympic Team Slovakia
•
Team Quebec (winners of the 2013 National Mobility Cup)
•
Team Newfoundland/Labrador
•
Team Nova Scotia
•
Team Can-Am
•
Team Ontario
•
Team Daw (Toronto 2)
•
Team Rees (Toronto 1)
•
Team Eddy (Ottawa)
•
Team Ficek (Kenora)
•
Team Reynen (Ilderton)
•
Team Poulin (Lennoxville, QC)
What is
wheelchair curling?
Wheelchair curling is played by athletes
with a physical disability that does not allow them to play regular or “able-
bodied” curling. Played with the same rules as able-bodied curling, wheelchair
curlers play with the same rocks and on the same ice as their able-bodied
counterparts. The difference is that the rocks are delivered from a stationary
wheelchair using either a stick or by hand, and there is no sweeping.
Who is hosting
it?
The 9th annual Cathy Kerr International Bonspiel
is hosted by the Capital Wheelchair Curling Club and will be held at
the RA Centre (2451 Riverside Drive, Ottawa).
Why was it
started?
The annual Cathy Kerr International
Bonspiel is held in memory of Cathy Kerr, one of the original board members of
the Capital Wheelchair Curling Club. Cathy is remembered for her inclusion and
accessibility advocacy, as well as her curling knowledge and leadership skills.
Contact
information
Sarah Shima, Director - Media Relations, Capital
Wheelchair Curling
Club
E-mail: flying_mountain(at)yahoo.com
For more information, please visit our
website at:
Sample
photographs from the 2012 Cathy Kerr Memorial Bonspiel may be found at: http://www.capitalwheelchaircurling.ca/gallery/cathy-
kerr-memorial-bonspiel-2012
Please contact Sarah Shima to obtain permission
for their use.
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