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Saturday, February 9, 2013

Official Annoucement to the 2013 Nationals



OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

 
SATURDAY MARCH 2, 2013 1P.M.

OTTAWA,  RA CENTRE (2451 Riverside Drive)

 
 
You are invited to attend a Reception at the Ottawa RA Centre, 2451 Riverside Drive on Saturday March 2nd at 1 p.m. to officially announce the 2013 Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship. The Championship features teams from across Canada vying for Wheelchair Curling supremacy. This is the

10th anniversary of the games which are becoming more and more popular every year.  At this session there will be an opportunity to meet

Sonja Gaudet Canadas Olympic Wheelchair Curling Champion and also engage in a Learn To Wheelchair Curl Clinic”.

  

Please RSVP:  Rick Baker CEO, Ottawa RA Centre

 
                                     
  
 
       
Ph.: 613-736-6219     Email: rbaker@racentre.com

Friday, February 8, 2013

New Russian coach says wheelchair curling title up for grabs

© • KOSAD/Young Bok Kim
Wheelchair Curling Worlds - Russia=
“We understand that to defend the title is harder then to take it. But I feel we are in good condition, a little bit better than one year ago.”
At last year’s World Wheelchair Curling Championships, Russian head coach Vladimir Shevchenko passed away as a result of cancer during the event, and then his team went on to win the title and its first-ever medal in the sport on the international stage.

Russia will now try to defend their title next week at the 2013 World Wheelchair Curling Championships, which will be held on their home ice in Sochi from 16-23 February.

The competition will also serve as the sport’s test event for the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.

Russia won their championship crown in 2012 with a 9-1 victory over Korea under Anton Batugin, who took over the head coaching reigns.

Batugin said believes the sport is a very open competition where on a good day any team can win, and he thinks that this year’s competition could throw up a few surprises.

“There’s always a chance for a not famous team to win a game against a champion,” he said. “Everything can change in one shot.”

“I think teams that came from the qualification rounds could show good curling and take high places. Finland wants to go to Sochi in 2014 and they have to take some qualification points, and Norway always has a strong team. Slovakia is a dark horse – we haven’t heard anything about them from the last year. We also haven’t seen Sweden. So curling, and especially wheelchair curling, is very interesting, because it always could be a surprise.”

In Sochi, the Russian team will be skipped by Andrey Smirnov, as Marat Romanov, Alexander Shevchenko and Svetlana Pakhomova join him on the ice. Oxana Slesarenko will be the team's alternate.

As the coach, Batugin thinks the team made a great progression toward their gold-medal achievements this year since receiving financial backing from the Sport Ministry.

He hopes to continue the work done by Shevchenko and continue the programme's success through the Sochi 2014 Games.

“The first five years, it was just on enthusiasm from all sides – from athletes, from coaches, and from club managers.

“Then it became more professional. We got some money from the Sport Ministry. It chose the head coach of the Russian national team, and since that time we started to be more successful in competitions, we had more practices and got new equipment.

“This coach built a team, but unfortunately he was sick and died in the beginning of 2012. So, I am, together with my colleagues, continuing his beginnings and trying to move wheelchair curling in Russia to high horizons.”

The 32 year-old has over 11 years of experience in curling involving many different roles. He started out as a curling instructor at a club in Moscow, and he is still a competitive curler himself.

“I’ve been to European Championships, Worlds, World Juniors and the Torino Olympic Games as an ice technician, sometimes as an umpire and twice as a player,” he said.

Now, in his new role as head coach, Batugin explained that last year’s gold-medal game was hard to watch as Russia had already lost to Korea twice in the earlier rounds.

“To be a coach and to watch the game is always harder than to play,” he said.

“The score 9-1 looks large, but the game wasn’t simple. Just some critical mistakes from Koreans gave us the chance to win the gold medal.”

Korea will be back on the ice at the Championships, along with last year’s bronze medallists, China. Other teams competing include: Canada, Finland, Norway, Scotland, Slovakia, Sweden and USA.

Batugin said Russia’s preparations for this year’s competition are even stronger after having competed against – and often beating – able-bodied teams.

“We participate not only in wheelchair tournaments, but also we are competing with able-bodied athletes, and very often we win them,” he said.

“We understand that to defend the title is harder then to take it. But I feel we are in good condition, a little bit better than one year ago.”

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Winter Challenge will return in winter 2013!





L'équipe du Challenge Hivernal est fière de vous annoncer que le Challenge Hivernal sera de retour à l'hiver 2013! Pour plus d'information sur les différentes disciplines, consultez la section Disciplines et compétitions du site internet. Surveillez bien aussi notre page Facebook qui vous tiendra au courant de l'édition 2013.
 
Organisé par Adaptavie en collaboration avec l’Institut de réadaptation en déficience physique de Québec (IRDPQ) et le Défi sportif AlterGo de Montréal, la 3ième édition du Challenge Hivernal se déroulera en février et en mars 2013.
Unique au Québec, cet événement offre aux personnes ayant une déficience physique une occasion hors du commun de profiter de l’hiver. En 2012, la ville de Québec était l'hôte des compétitions du Challenge Hivernal qui réunissaient plus de 200 athlètes d'élite et de la relève du Québec, de l’Ontario et de la Colombie-Britannique. Le Challenge Hivernal a présenté quatre disciplines : le curling en fauteuil roulant, le hockey sur luge, le hockey sonore (hockey pour joueurs handicapés visuels) et le ski de fond para nordique.
 


L'événement hivernal du sport adapté au Québec !

Winter Challenge Team is proud to announce that the Winter Challenge will return in winter 2013!

For more information on the various disciplines, see Subjects and competitions website. Keep an eye on our Facebook page so that you keep abreast of the 2013 edition.


Organized by Adaptavie in collaboration with the Institute of Physical Rehabilitation of Quebec (IRDPQ) and sports AlterGo Challenge Montreal, the 3rd edition of the Winter Challenge will take place in February and March 2013.

Unique in Quebec, this event offers people with physical disabilities an opportunity to enjoy unusual winter. In 2012, Quebec City hosted the Winter Challenge competitions which brought together more than 200 athletes and over from Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia. Winter Challenge presented four disciplines: wheelchair curling, sledge hockey, hockey sound (visually impaired hockey players) and Para Nordic skiing.


To read, see and hear what was said Winter Challenge 2012, click this link.

http://www.challengehivernal.org/discipline.php

for hotel :
http://www.challengehivernal.org/hebergement.php

Monday, February 4, 2013

Prevention of Osteoporosis




Article submitted by: Imogen


Regular Wheelchair Activity and the Prevention of Osteoporosis

Evidence suggests that wheelchair users are at increased risk of osteoporosis. This bone-thinning disease, not only leads to broken bones – most commonly of the wrist, hip and spine - but can impair quality of life and increase someone’s risk of mortality. While our bones are constantly being broken down and replaced with new tissue, as we age the rate at which bone is lost exceeds the formation of new bone, but in osteoporosis bone loss occurs more quickly still. Certainly studies amongst people who have experienced spinal cord injuries and use a wheelchair show that the rate at which bone loss occurs hastens and within the first 16 months following damage to their spinal cord, a reduction of up to a third of someone’s bone mass can occur; such a large fall in bone density can place someone at significant risk of experiencing a fracture. It has been suggested that bone loss occurs more quickly in wheelchair users, as they do not undertake weight bearing activity – that is activity when on your feet, where the weight of your body stimulates the growth of new bone in the lower body thus strengthening the bones of the legs, pelvis and lumbar spine. However, there is some evidence that activity undertaken whilst in a wheelchair can have a positive impact on bone density and therefore reduce osteoporosis risk.

Scientific research

A study which investigated the difference in bone density between athletes who used a wheelchair and those who did not, found that although the leg bone density of wheelchair users was around a quarter lower than the able bodied athletes, no difference was observed in the bone density of their arms. Additionally those athletes who commenced activity sooner after treatment showed higher levels of bone density in their legs, torso and body as a whole; these results held true even when other influencing factors such as age and the type of sport were controlled for. Another study found that wheelchair users participating in racket sports had greater bone density in the spine and hip; although the curling wand could not be described as a racket and less force is exerted, the upper body actions required in curling could still prove helpful in preserving bone mass. This provides evidence that wheelchair activity can help to maintain bone density in the upper body and that commencing such activity as soon as is practical to do so can help to preserve bone density throughout the entire body. Therefore, not only can participation in wheelchair sports help with rehabilitation, but it can provide long-term benefits for bone health.

Other lifestyle factors

Whilst undertaking regular wheelchair activities may help to slow the decline of bone mass, it is likely to have most benefit when combined with other lifestyle changes shown to be protective against osteoporosis.

  • Smoking is well known for its negative impact on various aspects of health, which extends to that of the bones; smokers are more likely to develop osteoporosis and although the mechanism for this is unclear, this is yet another good reason to quit smoking. 
  • While many people are aware of the importance of adequate calcium in the diet to maintain bone strength, not everyone is able to achieve sufficient intake of this important mineral. As a general rule, including three servings daily of dairy produce or their equivalent –a serving would be a third of a pint of milk, a 6oz pot of yogurt and an ounce of cheese – as well as other calcium rich foods such as tinned fish with bones, green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, pulses and nuts will help to ensure enough calcium is obtained through the diet. 
  • Vitamin D aids calcium absorption and our main source of this is through the action of sunlight on our skin; though as many of us now spend less time outdoors and use sunscreen, the amount we produce is suboptimal. A few dietary sources of Vitamin D exist – oily fish, eggs, as well as cereals, margarine and milk fortified with the vitamin – but it would be difficult to meet the recommended daily intake. If you are concerned you are not obtaining adequate calcium or Vitamin D, speak with your doctor or pharmacist, as a supplement may be indicated. 
  • Besides calcium and Vitamin D a range of other vitamins and minerals play a role in preserving bone strength, so the best way to achieve an adequate intake of these is to eat a balanced diet including all food groups – namely carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables, protein rich foods and dairy foods. 
  • Salt is composed of sodium and chloride, and high levels of both in the blood are associated with adverse effects on the body. Diets high in salt can contribute to a fall in bone mass. This is thought to be due to the fact that an excess of sodium in the blood is associated with increased urinary calcium excretion; this calcium is thought to largely come from the bones. Reducing salt intake has been shown to lower urinary calcium losses and halving daily salt intake from 10g to 5g has the same benefit on bone density as taking a high strength calcium supplement. As well as directly increasing calcium losses, the increase in blood pressure seen with high salt intakes is itself thought to further increase calcium losses via the kidneys. 
  • A high alcohol intake is another known risk factor for osteoporosis. Alcohol interferes with the body’s ability to absorb calcium, triggers the release of stress hormones that signal increased loss of bone and may directly damage the cells involved in bone formation. If you wish to drink alcohol stick within the recommended guidelines, which in Canada have been set as no more than 10 alcoholic drinks a week for women and a maximum of 15 for men; though drinking less than this is likely to carry greater benefits.

Through a combination of regular exercise and other lifestyle modifications, wheelchair users can help to preserve the strength of their bones and reduce their chance of developing osteoporosis. Taking part in wheelchair curling or similar activities may therefore play an important role in the prevention of fractures.