Media Releases

--Interview and photo opportunities with athletes’ families throughout the Games--

Many factors influence an athlete’s performance during competition, but one stands above the others – family support. Competing at the Paralympic Games is a dream come true and what better way for athletes to celebrate this success than with their families cheering them on LIVE from the sidelines. That’s why Petro-Canada is proud to host our athletes’ greatest fans – their families – at the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.

The Petro-Canada Athlete Family Program will accommodate approximately 500 family members of Canadian athletes throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The program provides families with accommodation for five nights, meals, ground transportation and most importantly, tickets to watch their loved ones compete.

An important part of an athlete’s training is learning how to manage distractions. The Petro-Canada Athlete Family Program was designed to help alleviate the distractions around an athlete’s family –whether they have accommodations, if they have been able to secure event tickets or whether they’ll be comfortable during the Games. With this program, athletes know their family will be taken care of and can focus on their performance.

WHO: Families of Canadian Paralympic Winter Games Athletes, including:

• Mark Arendz’s parents (Cross Country and Biathlon)
• Marc Dorion’s mother (Sledge Hockey)
• Arly Fogarty’s parents (Para Alpine)
• Paul Rosen’s girlfriend (Sledge Hockey)
• Tyler Mosher’s fiancé (Para-Nordic)

WHAT: Meet the families behind Canada’s athletes and:

• Learn about the road to 2010 from the family’s perspective and the importance of programs like Petro-Canada’s Athlete Family program
• Get a first-hand account of the sacrifices families have made to help their athletes achieve their dreams
• Understand what it means to family members to be able to support their loved ones from the sidelines
• Capture the emotions families experience at the pinnacle of their athlete’s career

WHERE: Call us and we’ll coordinate

ABOUT PETRO-CANADA
Petro-Canada has a proud 22-year history of supporting Canadian athletes and is a National Partner and the Official Oil and Gas Sponsor of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. In addition to fuelling all Vancouver 2010 fleet and motor coach vehicles, Petro-Canada is fuelling the dreams of hundreds of Canadian athletes through a number of grassroots initiatives. These initiatives include the Petro-Canada Athlete Family Program where the company will host approximately 500 family members in Vancouver and Whistler so families can watch their loved ones compete live at the Games. Petro-Canada also provides funding for 50 pre-carded athlete and coach pairs through a program called ‘Fuelling Athlete and Coaching Excellence’ (FACE).

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For more information, please contact:

In Vancouver
Mahafrine Petigara – 604.623.3007, 604-807-6544 (cell), mahafrine.petigara@karyo-edelman.com

In Whistler
Tanya Anand – 604.240.0376, tanya.anand@karyo-edelman.com