Courtesy of AthletesCAN

OTTAWA (July 13th, 2017) – AthletesCAN and Investors Group are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2017 Team Investors Group Amateur Athletes Fund bursary.

In keeping with their commitment to amateur sport in Canada, Investors Group established a bursary fund for Canada’s top high performance athletes. A national leader in delivering personalized financial solutions to Canadians, Investors Group annually awards twenty $5,000 bursaries to assist Canada’s elite amateur athletes with the costs of training and competition. Selection criteria includes: athletic achievement, financial need and community involvement.

Since its inception in 2000, the Team Investors Group Amateur Athletes Fund has provided $1.7 million to Canadian athletes.  AthletesCAN administers the bursary on behalf of Investors Group.

“Investors Group is proud to support our nation’s elite athletes with these bursaries,” says Trevor Krahn, Director, Community Investment for Investors Group. “Athletes at this level are constantly juggling the demands of work and school with training and competition. For 17 years, we have been pleased to provide Canada’s athletes with bursaries totalling $1.7 million to assist them in managing these demands so they are well positioned for success in their sport.”

In 2016, Olympian and skip of the top ranked team in the world in the Order of Merit, and top ranked team in Canada, curler Rachel Homan and 2016 Paralympic bronze medallist and 3-time Paralympian, rower Victoria Nolan were two of 20 recipients to earn the Team Investors Group Amateur Athletes Fund Bursary of $5,000 through AthletesCAN.

“As a mom, training for Rio has been very challenging on my husband and children as well as myself,” says Victoria. “I turned to sport to overcome my disability and be a strong role model for my children.  Without support like the Investors Group Amateur Athlete Fund, I would not be able to pursue sport at such a high level. My children are learning firsthand that anything is possible and that it is never too late to realize your dreams!”

“I am currently attending university for a degree in Education,” says Rachel. “The Investors Group Amateur Athlete Fund will help me complete my degree while continuing to train and compete to achieve my Olympic dream.”

AthletesCAN interim Executive Director, Thomas Hall adds: “AthletesCAN is proud to partner with Investors Group, one of Canada’s leading corporate contributors of direct funding to our country’s top high performance athletes.  As a champion of leadership on and off the field of play, Investors Group has recognized the athletic accomplishments, financial need and community involvement of Canadian athletes through the Team Investors Group Amateur Athletes Fund for 17 years.  On behalf of Canadian athletes, AthletesCAN applauds Investors Group for their continued leadership and support where it is needed most.”

Congratulations to this year’s recipients who will continue to leave their mark on the Canadian sport landscape and inspire the next generation of champions across the country.

The 2017 Team Investors Group Amateur Athletes Fund bursary recipients are:

Erica Wiebe (Stittsville, ON) – Wrestling
Alex Boisvert-Lacroix (Sherbrooke, QC) – Long Track Speed Skating
Jackson Payne (Edmonton, AB) – Artistic Gymnastics
Heather Bansley (Waterdown, ON) – Beach Volleyball
Brenda Bowskill (Whitby, ON) – Sailing
Georgia Simmerling (West Vancouver, QC) – Ski Cross/Track Cycling
Dustin Cook (Ottawa, ON) – Alpine Skiing
Evan Dunfee (Richmond, BC) – Athletics (Race Walk)
Kirk Schornstein (Spruce Grove, AB) – Para Alpine Skiing
Jennifer Wakefield (Pickering, ON) – Women’s Ice Hockey
Katerine Savard (Pont-Rouge, QC) – Swimming
Taryn Grant (Winnipeg, MB) – Water Ski
William Dutton (Humboldt, SK) – Long Track Speed Skating
Celina Toth (St. Thomas, ON) – Diving
Korey Jarvis (Elliot Lake, ON) – Wrestling
Valentyna Zolotarova (Vancouver, BC) – Karate
Patricia Wright (Toronto, ON) – Para Karate
Karen Paquin (Québec City, QC) – Rugby
Alexander Fathoullin (Shelburne, ON) – Short Track Speed Skating
Jacqueline Simoneau (Saint-Laurent, QC) – Synchronized Swimming

A special thanks to our selection committee members Greg Edgelow (Wrestling), Andrew Haley (Swimming), and Mercedes Nicoll (Snowboard).

About Investors Group
Investors Group, founded in 1926, is a national leader in delivering personalized financial solutions to Canadians through a network of approximately 5,300 Consultants located throughout Canada. In addition to an exclusive family of mutual funds and other investment vehicles, Investors Group offers a wide range of insurance, securities, mortgage and other financial services.

About AthletesCAN
As the voice of Canadian national team athletes, AthletesCAN ensures an athlete centred sport system by developing athlete leaders who influence sport policy and, as role models, inspire a strong sport culture.