Canadian Luge Association Celebrates a Season of Excellence at 2011 Annual General Meeting in Whistler

 Athletes, coaches, volunteers, race officials, sponsors and potential corporate partners gathered in Whistler, June 11-12, to celebrate a season of excellence while launching a new era for the Canadian Luge Association on Canada’s West Coast.

Canada’s national team athletes kicked off the weekend extravaganza by sliding into the community to introduce nearly 600 youth at Whistler-based schools to the sport of luge.

In the presentation coined “The Legacy is in your Backyard – Don’t Miss the Opportunity,” Canada’s Olympians urged the next generation of sport heroes to get involved and live healthier and more active lives through sport. In addition to getting photos and autographs, the kids had the opportunity to learn about the luge equipment while taking their first run down the start ramp on a wheel sled.

As athletes returned from the community, the Board of Directors hit the boardroom for the official annual meeting where World Cup medallist and Olympian, Tyler Seitz, was elected as the new vice-president of Olympic luge on the Board of Directors. The Canadian Luge Association was also proud to welcome back Ron Stitt (Treasurer); Rick McMurray (Director of Events); and Fiona Sutton (Director of Officials), who were all re-elected for another term.

The weekend-event was capped off with a private gala dinner with the luge community, along with potential corporate partners and government representatives on the West Coast to celebrate a historic season where Alex Gough became the first Canadian luge athlete to win a World Cup race, win a World Championship medal and to win multiple medals on the World Cup.

Canadian Luge Association president, Ed Moffatt, announced the Whistler Sliding Centre will play host to a World Cup event in 2011-12 season, and will welcome the top athletes in the world for the 2012-13 World Championships.

The Whistler Sliding Centre will host two luge recruitment camps this summer, while the Canadian squad will return the world-leading venue in the fall for training.

The Canadian Luge Association is a not-for-profit organization governing the sport of luge across the country. With the financial backing of its title sponsor, Fast Track Capital, along with the support from the Government of Canada, Canadian Olympic Committee and Own the Podium, the Canadian Luge Association safely recruits and develops the nation’s current and future high-performance luge athletes with the goal of regularly climbing onto the international podium. For more information on the Canadian Luge Association, please visit us at www.luge.ca on the Internet.

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