MEDIA ADVISORY - Olympic Gold Medallists in training for new international
adventures!
Jon Montgomery hiking across the Yorkshire Dales - Alexandre Bilodeau cycling Mt. Ventoux - Catriona Le May Doan golfing in Napa. Which will be the hottest auction item at this year's Gold Medal Plates?
TORONTO, Oct. 26 /CNW/ - Some of Canada's Olympic gold medalists are undergoing a different kind of training these days. They are preparing to be a part of some international adventure trips, which will be auctioned off at the annual Gold Medal Plates dinner in Edmonton on October 27. These signature Gold Medal Plates trips, which are hosted by Olympic medalists and Canadian entertainment icon, have become the hottest auction items in Canada! This year there are five.
- The World's Greatest Pub Crawl in the Famed Yorkshire Dales with Jon Montgomery and Comedian, Ron James
- Under the Tuscan Sun with Marnie McBean and Jim Cuddy
- The Exclusive Napa Sonoma Wine Country Experience with Catriona Le May Doan and Colin James
- The Great Wine Adventure: The Best of Provence and Burgundy and Cycling the Routes of the Tour de France in the Shadows of Mont Ventoux with Alexandre Bilodeaux and Barney Bentall
- Hockey Night in the Adriatic with Ron MacLean and Alan Doyle of Great Big Sea
"Tuscany doesn't get any better than when you travel with Gold Medal Plates," says Jim Walsh of St. John's, who attended in May 2009 with his wife Katherine Hickey. "When we thought it couldn't get any better, we were treated to Jim Cuddy and Barney Bentall 'unplugged.'"
These trips were designed to both to raise funds for athletes and to give Canadians an opportunity to spend time with Olympians," says Karen Blair, Co-Founder of Gold Medal Plates. "They have been a runaway success since we began them in 2007!"
"Gold Medal Plates trip put together the gold medal combination for me - wonderful traveling companions, great food and libations. It was an experience of a lifetime," says Cheryl L. James from Calgary who recently trekked the Yorkshire Dales with Olympian Adam Kreek.
A celebration of Canadian excellence, Gold Medal Plates brings together the finest chefs, wines, athletes and Canadian entertainment. This year's entertainers in Edmonton are Jim Cuddy and Colin James. Olympic and Paralympic athletes will assist each competing chef, together creating and serving their signature dish to the 750+ guests attending the event. A panel of culinary judges selects the gold, silver and bronze winners; the gold medal winning chef from Edmonton will go on to compete at the Canadian Culinary Championships held February 18-19, 2010 in Kelowna, in the beautiful Okanagan valley.
Competing chefs are:
| MICHAEL BROWN - Share, The Westin Edmonton | PAUL CAMPBELL - Café de Ville |
| SHANE CHARTRAND - L2 Fantasyland Hotel | ANDREW FUNG - Blackhawk Golf Course |
| JAN TRITTENBACH - Packrat Louie Kitchen & Bar | TRACY LYDSTER - The Dish |
| SUSAN KELLOCK - Skinny Legs and Cowgirls Bistro | DAVID OMAR - ZINC |
| PAUL SHUFELT - Hundred Bar and Kitchen | CHRISTOPHE ITHURRITZE - Sage |
Olympic and Paralympic athletes in attendance include:
| Adam Kreek - Rowing, Olympic Gold Medallist | ||
| Adam van Koeverden - Rowing, Olympic Gold, Silver and Bronze Medallist | ||
| Alex Steida - Cycling, Olympian | ||
| Carrie Anton - Goalball, Paralympic Gold Medallist | ||
| Chandra Crawford -Cross Country Skiing, Olympic Gold Medallist | ||
| Cheryl Gibson - Swimming, Olympic Silver Medallist | ||
| Dean Kozak - Goalball, Paralympic Silver Medallist | ||
| Devon Kershaw - Cross Country Skiing, Two time Olympian | ||
| Gordon Bertie - Wrestling, Olympian | ||
| Karen Percy Lowe - Alpine Ski, Olympic Double Bronze Medallist | ||
| Kelly MacDonald - Diving, Olympic Gold Medallist | ||
| Lawrence Lemieux - Sailing, Olympian | ||
| Lori-Ann Muenzer - Cycling, Olympic Gold Medallist | ||
| Meaghan Mikkelson - Ice Hockey, Olympic Gold Medallist |
| Date: | Wednesday, October 27th, 2010 | |
| Location: | Shaw Conference Centre, 9797 Jasper Avenue NW | |
| Timing: | 4:30-5:00 p.m. | Media Interviews - Alexandre Bilodeau, featured athlete |
| 5:15 - 6:00 p.m. | VIP Reception - Interviews with chefs & other athletes | |
| 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. | Culinary competition | |
| 7:45 - 10:00 p.m. | Dessert, culinary awards, fundraising and entertainment featuring Jim Cuddy and Colin James | |
Gold Medal Plates' regional competitions have already been staged in Montreal. On Oct.27th, it will be Edmonton's chance to shine, to celebrate the athletes' achievements in 2010 and show Edmonton's support for summer and winter athletes heading to London 2012 and Sochi 2014. Other cities to follow include Saskatoon, Toronto, Calgary, Ottawa, and St. John's. Since its inception, Gold Medal Plates has donated more than $4.1 million to support Canadian Olympic and Paralympic athletes and has elevated the profile of Canadian cuisine and wine.
For more information: www.goldmedalplates.com
Canadian Olympic Foundation - The Beneficiary of the events: Net proceeds from Gold Medal Plates are given to the Canadian Olympic Foundation to support high performance programs such as Own the Podium. To learn more about the Foundation and the programs it funds, please visit www.olympicfoundation.ca.
For further information:
Lisa Pasin, Event Partner - Edmonton - cell: 780-903-1212
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