As Canadians celebrate their country’s record-setting performances at the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, Triathlon Canada is looking to continue that momentum with a new funding initiative launched on Tuesday that invites the country to ‘Fuel the Drive’ to the podium in 2020 and beyond.
Fuel the Drive is a fundraising campaign that gives all Canadians an opportunity to help fund the nation’s high-performance triathletes’ quest for the podium through online donations – with the goal of raising a minimum of C$400,000 in support for Canada’s Olympic and Paralympic triathlon hopefuls.
Through a partnership with 94 Forward, the organization which manages the Victoria Commonwealth Games Legacy Fund, the first C$200,000 raised will be matched one-for-one.
“There is no argument the performances of the nation’s best Olympic and Paralympic athletes on the biggest sport stage in the world this winter captured the hearts and minds of all Canadians,” said Kim Van Bruggen, Chief Executive Officer at Triathlon Canada. “There simply is no event in the world that has the ability to connect all communities together. That is the power of the Olympics and Paralympics.
“Triathlon Canada congratulates all of the winter athletes for inspiring Canadians – young and old – in all corners of the country. We want to ensure Canadians remain connected through sport by continuing this medal-winning momentum on the road to 2020, but we need Canada’s generous help to fuel our athletes’ drive to the podium.”
Investments into Triathlon Canada’s pursuit of excellence can be made for as little as C$50 at triathloncanada.com/donate. All donors will receive a tax receipt. Funds raised will go towards helping high-performance athletes prepare for Tokyo 2020, ensuring they have the access to resources and tools they require to be fully prepared to challenge for the podium in 2020.
Be it centralized training camps — in particular warm weather acclimitizations, competitions, equipment, and access to sport science and medicine; and with the addition of the Mixed Team Relay race at the 2020 Olympic Games, Canada will also have more athletes in the mix, and additional race opportunities.
“We know it takes a community to build Olympic and World Champions, but Fuel the Drive is about so much more than just financial support,” continued Van Bruggen. “It is our goal to connect our investors directly with our team National Team of athletes, coaches and staff.
“We are seeking to build an engaged community of supporters that will ensure the long-term success of our sport. We look forward to welcoming new members to our family, who will be physically and emotionally invested in the athletes’ pursuit of excellence on the road to Tokyo, and beyond.”
94 Forward will match up to C$350,000 in total funds raised through the initiative. 94 Forward announced one year ago it will financially back the national program in each of the next two years to aid in the implementation of a high-performance program for Canada’s development-level athletes who are accepted into Triathlon Canada’s National Performance Centre.
“Standing on the start line knowing you have accessed all of the resources you need to win – not to mention have the support of the entire nation – brings additional confidence before the start gun goes off,” said Stefan Daniel, 2016 Paralympic silver medallist.
“This unique campaign will not only provide all Canadians with a the opportunity to be directly connected to our team’s journey to 2020, but will also ensure our program remains competitive with the best in the world from the grassroot to the elite level across the country well into the future. This support will enable us to focus solely on training and competition without having financial distractions, and will help develop our next generation Olympic and Paralympic heros.”
Fuel the Drive will be driven through an online campaign over the next month, and will serve as the launching point of Triathlon Canada’s philanthropic fundraising strategy that is designed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the sport in Canada.
Triathlon Canada is the governing body of the sport in the country. Triathlon Canada’s more than 22,000 members include athletes, coaches and officials from the grassroots to elite levels. With the support of its corporate partners – 94 FORWARD, 2XU Canada, TrainingPeaks, Garneau, Zizu Optics and Zone3 – along with the Government of Canada, Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee, and Own the Podium, Triathlon Canada develops Olympic, Paralympic and World Champions in all race disciplines.
