As WinSport communications director Dale Oviatt walked down the footpath to the bridge overlooking Canada Olympic Park's luge finish area, he clutched a piece of paper. On it were first-run results from the Dec.
As WinSport communications director Dale Oviatt walked down the footpath to the bridge overlooking Canada Olympic Park's luge finish area, he clutched a piece of paper. On it were first-run results from the Dec. 12 International Luge Federation Viessmann World Cup doubles luge event.
He pointed to the Canadian sliders in third place after Run 1 and said: “If they (Canadian doubles lugers Tristan Walker and Justin Snith) can hold on, they'll win $5,000. ”
Oviatt was explaining WinSport's Sarah Burke Performance Award, a contribution to Canadian amateur athletes who podium in World Cup events at WinSport's Canada Olympic Park. Upon watching the Cochranite and Calgarian secure bronze following their second run, he grinned and was off to get the lugers a $5k cheque for their efforts.
“Essentially, in honour of Sarah Burke and in her pioneering attitude and spirit, WinSport decided in 2012 to give out the Sarah Burke Performance Award, ” Oviatt said of the award named for the Canadian freestyle skier who died training for a 2012 superpipe freestyle ski event in Park City, Utah. She was 29.
“So that's $5,000 Cdn to any Canadian athlete who hits the podium at a World Cup senior event here at WinSport at the Calgary location. ”
WinSport handed out a total of $20,000 to Canadian lugers for their World Cup podium finishes Dec. 12-13 at WinSport's luge track.
“This year we have the luge, bobsleigh, skeleton and World Cup moguls as well, ” he said of winter World Cup events going off at the Calgary facility that after 26 years remains one of the top Olympic host legacy sites. “We know how difficult it is for them (athletes) to train and come up with the money every year. Whether they decide to use it for a year-end holiday or towards their training, it all helps. ”
