Tessa Virtue, Scott Moir and Patrick Chan join
RBC Olympians Program
Program offers funding to help Canadian athletes succeed
on the world stage
TORONTO, January 18, 2013 - RBC today announced its
partnership with 2010 Olympic gold medalists and Canadian
Ice Dancing champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, and 2012
World Champion and Canadian Men's Figure Skating champion
Patrick Chan as part of the RBC Olympians Program.
"We are thrilled to welcome Tessa, Scott and Patrick
to our family of RBC Olympians," said Jane Broderick,
chief brand and communications officer at RBC. "Investing
in our athletes is an investment in Canada and with just over
a year until the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, we understand
the importance of providing a strong foundation that includes
funding and support to help our athletes succeed on the world
stage."
Virtue, Moir and Chan will join 28 Olympic and Paralympic
athletes currently involved in the RBC Olympians Program.
As Canada's longest standing corporate supporter of the Canadian
Olympic Team, RBC has been helping amateur athletes since
1947. Through the RBC Olympians Program, which began in 2002,
RBC recruits and hires elite athletes to work as community
ambassadors to bring the Olympic messages of excellence, teamwork,
leadership, and commitment to communities. Athletes are hired
from across Canada and during the course of their employment,
gather skills and experiences that will help with their career
transitions to life after sport. The program also provides
the athletes much needed funding and flexible work arrangements
which allow them to focus on training and competition. Since
its inception, more than 185 Olympic and Paralympic athletes
have participated in the RBC Olympians program and 10 have
become full-time RBC employees.
"Achieving success at the Olympic level requires tremendous
team effort. Scott and I rely on the support and guidance
of our family, friends, coaches, communities and corporate
partners like RBC who have supported Olympic athletes for
many years," said Tessa Virtue. "Scott and I are
very excited to join RBC and work with our fellow athletes
to help inspire Canadians across the country through the RBC
Olympians Program."
"RBC is known for its commitment to supporting and developing
Canadian athletes - both grassroots and elite level,"
said Patrick Chan. "The year ahead is very important
in my preparations for Sochi 2014 and I'm proud to have RBC
as a key part of my team that will help set me up for success."
Virtue and Moir, and Chan will defend their national championship
titles at the 2013 Canadian Figure Skating Championships taking
place January 13 to 20, 2013 at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga.
About Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir
- Gold medalists at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games
- Gold medalists at the 2010 and 2012 World Figure Skating
Championships
- Four-time Canadian National Champions - 2008, 2009, 2010
and 2012
About Patrick Chan
- Two-time World Champion - 2011 and 2012
- Five-time Canadian National Champion - 2008, 2009, 2010,
2011 and 2012
- Lou Marsh Award for Canada's Athlete of the Year - 2011
RBC
and Amateur Sport
As Canada's longest-standing supporter of the Canadian Olympic
Team since 1947, RBC proudly continues its sponsorship through
to London 2012, Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016. RBC also sponsored
the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and
the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay. Supporting amateur sport, from
grassroots programs in local communities to national sport
associations, RBC helps in the development of amateur athletes
who compete at home and abroad. RBC is also a premier sponsor
of Hockey Canada. Visit rbc.com/sponsorship.
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For more information, please contact:
Jackie Braden,
Director, RBC Brand Communications,
416 974-1724
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