Everyone is the media - G20: Street Level

Everyone is the media - G20: Street Level

congrats to all the athletes at COTEAU-DU-LAC, Que

great quote from the mens race winner.

“This is the best thing that has ever happened to me,” said Andrew Yorke following the race. “You name an injury and I have pretty much had it. I have trained so hard through all of these injuries, and that is the hardest thing to do mentally. I usually struggle in the run, but today at the five-kilometre mark, I just ran my guts out and didn’t stop. I have never been so emotional at the end of a race.”



Join us in Kelowna for the Canadian Culinary Championships next Feb.

Culinary competitors drawn to Okanagan

Olympic triathlon medallist Simon Whitfield tries out Delta chef Stuart Klassen’s sezmu beef and foie gras terrine at the press conference held Thursday at the Delta Grand for Canadian Culinary Championships to be held in Kelowna next February.

Sean Connor/Capital News

By Judie Steeves - Kelowna Capital News
Published: June 17, 2010 6:00 PM
Updated: June 18, 2010 6:47 AM

 

Kelowna’s reputation as an “amazing food and wine city” has led to our city being chosen as the Canadian Culinary Championships venue for the next five years.
National culinary advisor James Chatto said the Okanagan is becoming renowned for its food and wine.
As well, it is very central for competitors to access, with direct flights even from Toronto, so it was a natural to host the annual Gold Medal Plates, he added.
The event is a fundraiser for the Canadian Olympic Foundation, and Olympic triathlete Simon Whitfield, a gold and silver medalist, was in Kelowna Thursday for the announcement.
The foundation supports the hiring of world-class coaches and the purchase of top training equipment for high-performance athletes across the country to help them prepare for the Olympics.
Whitfield said he ran his first race here in Kelowna, so it was nice to be back for a visit.
Aside from the economic spin-offs of holding such a popular and prestigious event here, Chatto said Okanagan College students in the chef program will be offered the opportunity to work with competing chefs.
“There’ll be two per chef and they will find it’s an extraordinary experience,” he said.
In addition, in the lead-up to the final competition, Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley will be promoted across the country, with footage of this area, to encourage people to attend the Gold Medal Plates Championship.
Top chefs will compete in regional competitions in all of the country’s major cities over a three-week period during October and November for the chance to come to Kelowna and cook against fellow top chefs from across Canada Feb. 18 and 19, 2011.
Eldorado chef Michael Lyon has competed twice and won twice, and says there’s a certain level of fear going into such a high-level competition. “You’ve got to be your best,” he said.
In the black box competition, one of three the top chefs will compete in next February, Lyon says there are no holds barred.
“It uses all your talent. You’re pitted against the top chefs in Canada. I use a memory of something that worked (in the past) and use the ingredients to recapture that. It’s fun, and there’s a lot of passion too.”
He figures his success is partly to thank for his new Food Network show Chef@Off.
Local chefs who will be competing regionally include Stuart Klassen, of the Delta Grand Okanagan, Roger Sleiman, from Quails’ Gate’s Old Vines Restaurant, and Dana Ewart, of Joy Road Catering in Penticton.
The first event will be held at the Eldorado and will be a mystery wine pairing while the second will be a black box competition to be held at Okanagan College.
The grand finale will be held at the Delta Grand Okanagan. Sandhill winemaker Howard Soon says Peller Estates, including Sandhill and Calona Vineyards, will be among the wineries sponsoring wine matches for the event.
Jim Cuddy, of Blue Rodeo, will entertain and there will be some unique live auction items, including a gourmet cooking class in Tuscany.
The event always sells out, although tickets are $395 for all three events and $250 just for the grand finale. Packages of tickets are available too, ranging from $5,000 to $2,500.

For ticket details, go to: www.goldmedalplates.comwww.goldmedalplates.com.

interview with www.whereparentstalk.com

In the lead-up to Father's Day on Sunday June 20th, www.WhereParentsTalk.com is featuring profiles of 5 Dads who are in the public eye, in our Five Famous Fathers, Five Questions series.  We asked each of them 5 questions about being a Dad.  Here's Part 1.

By Lianne Castelino  www.whereparentstalk.com

The images are seared into the memory, for a lifetime. The result of a phenomenal performance at the 2000 Sydney Olympics by an affable, determined 25-year-old Canadian.

It came in the triathlon - the gruelling discipline that combines – a 1.5-km swim, a 40-km bike race and a 10-km run. Except on this day, Canada’s Simon Whitfield crashed during the bike race portion of the competition. Whitfield got tangled with 14 other riders and was on the ground --- an Olympic medal improbable at best.

Then the Kingston, Ontario native did what he does best.  Persevered.

He got up and started running. He sliced through the competition, with surgical precision. “The Olympic Gold medalist in triathlon from Canada – Simon Whitfield.”  

Pure joy from coast to coast!

Three consecutive Olympics – Gold (2000 Sydney), 11th (Athens 2004), Silver (Beijing 2008).   And he's training for 2012.

Simon Whitfield:  Perseverance.  Iron grit.  Moxie.

These days the 35-year-old is trying to keep pace with two little ones - on a different journey – fatherhood.

Whitfield and his wife Jennie are proud parents to Pippa (3 years old) and Evelyn (4 months).

Here’s Simon’s account of fatherhood, in his own words:

1. What does being a Dad mean to you?

Crazy sleep patterns. Moments I thought I'd never have like dance parties in our underwear, bouncy castle Olympics. My oldest daughter and I having parallel tantrums because we haven't eaten enough, getting teary eyed when she tells me " I love you and mommy but mommy is much funnier, good night". Watching Pippa with her 4-month old sister Evelyn as she tries to kiss her with her snotty nose pretty much guaranteeing us two sick children, jumping from log to log on the beach and wanting to tell everyone in the immediate vicinity that my daughter will be in Cirque du Soleil by the end of the week and finally the dream that someday I can burn all those toys that make random noises even when the kids aren't around distributing those few moments of personal time we have (I imagine the whole ritual around burning the dancing bee toy but suspect that I'd have a change of heart at the last moment and simple hug the toy and end up apologizing.... out loud).

2. What is the one thing you have learned about being a Dad that surprised you?

I'm not sure it surprised me but it reaffirmed to me that I can handle anything as long as I'm not hot or hungry. Jennie's come home many times to find me pacing with Evelyn (and formally Pippa) around the house with the sling, in my underwear with the obvious signs of hastily consumed yogurt on my chest and chin...... smiling and saying "it's good, I got it, nothing to see here".

3. What is your greatest Dad moment that you can share?  

The singing and dancing is special! Pippa can really boogie and thinks she can hold a tune, she loves "da muuzic". Evelyn, Jennie and I often end up as the audience to these spontaneous concerts complete with "no Daddy no, Pippa sing only". Evelyn puts on a brave face and lets out some giggles. Jennie and I usually end up rolling on the floor laughing, until of course we're told to "mommy, daddy, please please sit down".

4. What is your biggest challenge as a Dad?

Patience. My patience has increased 100 fold since Pippa was born, now if I could only figure out the next 10,000 folds..... and the worry, the worry is awful at times, you love your kids so much and the worry can be overwhelming at times.

5.  What is your secret to success as a Dad?

Beyond just appreciating, I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing?  I have an active, fun imagination.  We play lots of fun, imagniary games with castles and cows, clocks and cheese, wait I think I just described Switzerland in 5 C's!!.  Anyway, we have tons of fun, play games and I simply dominate the bouncy castle!

Learn more about Simon Whitfield: 


for the other 4 interviews click here

http://www.simonwhitfield.com 
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Simon-Whitfield/48601001264?ref=ts

Special Cup Correspondent Steve Nash - Delivering Steve Nash to the Worl...

What the.

race report;

4:21am race reports indicates one of two results, unfortunately this is the 'other' result.

embarrassingly it's the same race as Seoul minus the flat tire.

same quad/hip flexor strain running off the bike as Seoul leaving me running on one leg.

same result as Seoul.

this race car needs some time in the shop.

Endurance sport, as I'm sure with most walks of life, can be very humbling at times leaving you with that feeling of "what the - just happened".

S


congrats to Tim and Emma, all class.

congrats to Paula and Mr. Jones, world class.

some pics from Des Moines

7SYSTEMS contest

WHAT’S HAPPENED SO FAR

People from across Canada have submitted their entries for the contest, including choosing the Target Race that they want to do a personal best at between July and October 2010:

• The Target Race needs to last at least 30 minutes and can be a half marathon, a triathlon, a duathlon, a cycling race, a 10k, a marathon, etc.
• It has to be a race that the entrant has finished previously in 2008 or 2009
• The entrant must have chosen a Target Time that is at least a 7% improvement over the time he or she did in ‘08 or ‘09

LET THE VOTING BEGIN

Starting on June 7, 2010, all entries will be posted on this website. VOTE NOW.

SIGN-UP FOR UPDATES ON VOTING >>>

ONCE THE FINALISTS ARE CHOSEN

The three entries who receive the most votes will become the Finalists. They will receive 3 months of FREE 7SYSTEMS endurance sports supplement and coaching support as they prepare for their Target Race to help maximize their chances of reaching their goal times. Read more details about being a Finalist.

HOW A FINALIST WINS

The Champion will be determined based on which Finalist exceeds their time in the Target Race relative to the last time they did it by the greatest percentage.  Read more about the great prizes finalists win.

It’s time to VOTE for the person you want to see as a finalist in the 7SYSTEMS DO MORE contest to see who can improve their race time by 7% over last year!   

Eleven athletes believe they can DO MORE this season and are looking for a little help from 7SYSTEMS endurance sport supplement.  All of the athlete stories are posted online and now it’s your job to vote for the athlete you believe can DO MORE.  Simply log in at http://www.7systems.ca/?page_id=1746 and then read each athlete’s story, and VOTE. 

7SYSTEMS endurance sport supplement contains over 60 key ingredients.  Tested by high performance athletes, 7SYSTEMS is being credited by many athletes as a factor in their success.  It simple terms, many athletes feel that 7SYSTEMS helps them DO MORE.  Find our more at www.7systems.ca   

Jordan, can you help with Pippa's aero position?

congrats to Tony and the EC crew (what a bloody brilliant company!!!!)

trican powered by Chocolate Milk.

Got chocolate milk? Triathlon team happy to recover and party drinking cow juice

Published Tuesday June 1st, 2010

Jim Morris, The Canadian Press

It used to be their guilty little secret. Who knew it was good for them?

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

 

 

Tuesday, August 19, 2008. They used to think they were rebels. After a hard workout Whitfield and the rest of the triathlon team used to down cartons of chocolate milk, even testing the rookies to see how much they could consume. Now the team has found out studies have shown drinking chocolate milk is actually good for athletes. Who knew?

After a hard workout, Olympic champion Simon Whitfield and other top Canadian triathletes would sit around and pour back a few cartons of chocolate milk.
"We have been doing it for years, thinking we were rebels," Whitfield said with a chuckle during a recent telephone interview from Victoria. "Being the endurance geeks that we are."
Turns out studies have shown drinking chocolate milk actually benefits an athlete's recovery. That's important while training for a gruelling sport that combines swimming, cycling and running.
"It has ended up being just the right composition," said Whitfield.
"Replenishing your carbohydrates stores and supplementing with protein after a workout is the best way you can recover for the next workout. We basically have just justified something we have done for a long time."
That's why a few glasses were raised in celebration when Triathlon Canada recently signed a sponsorship deal with the B.C. Dairy Foundation. Part of the agreement will see the refrigerator at the Victoria-based national training centre stocked with chocolate milk.
Kurt Innes, high-performance director for Triathlon Canada, said drinking chocolate milk helps the body rehydrate and rebuild muscle that has been sapped of energy during rigorous exercise.
"It has the right blend of carbohydrates and protein in a very cost effective package," Innes said in an interview. "It makes it a no-brainer for us. There are a lot of other after-market products that are fabricated to meet this purpose.
"Chocolate milk is, in our opinion, one of the better, if not the best, most effective and cost-effective products."
During the 2004 Athens Olympics, American swimmer Michael Phelps used to consume an instant breakfast drink between races.
Some of the studies purporting the benefits of chocolate milk have been partially funded by the diary industry. The results have been published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.
A recent study at McMaster University in Hamilton found women who drink two large glasses of milk a day after their weightlifting routine gained more muscle and lost more fat compared to women who drink sugar-based energy drinks.
That study appears in the June issue of Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise.
There's also a social side to the milk-drinking thing. Gathering for a couple of chocolate cool ones has become a Wednesday afternoon tradition.
"You have to like the people you are training with," said Whitfield. "We train hard. Having a fun element to it, that you look forward to and enjoy the company, is an important part of it."
Of course, put any group of athletes together and competition happens. With a couple of cartons under their belts, the senior triathletes often challenge the juniors in drinking contests.
"I'm sure the rugby team watches someone chug beer," said Whitfield. "We sit around and try and egg on juniors to drink litres of chocolate milk.

Kids of Steel. simply the best.

Dear Simon

I had my first triathlon on Sunday May 30, 2010.  I came in second.  I got a silver medal.  And I got your book.  I also got a Frisbee, a Velcro ball-catching glove, a kite and a beach ball.  My favourite part was the transition from swim to bike because I passed three people.

I had lots of fun.

My friend Mila went in the race too.  She was almost in third.  Instead she came in fourth place.

Love

Hannah