- More than a dozen Canadian Olympians, National Team athletes and Vancouver media personalities put their pedals-to-the-pavement as part of the Clean Air Champions Celebrity Tandem Bike Race in Vancouver -
VANCOUVER, Sept. 10, 2012 /CNW/ - To celebrate a new $200,000 donation from HSBC Bank Canada, Clean Air Champions (CAC) hosted a celebrity tandem bike race in front of HSBC's newest office building in Vancouver this past Sunday, September 9.
The donation will be made over two years, and will support the HSBC Clean Air Achievers program - a free, bilingual, national school program aimed at educating youth about environmentally-friendly transportation options that can also improve their fitness.
The tandem bicycle race paired Clean Air Champion athletes (Olympians and National Team members) with some of Vancouver's most recognized media personalities, including CTV's Coleen Christie, City TV's Dawn Chubai and Riaz Meghji, Global TV's Elaine Yong and Aaron McArthur, and CBC TV's Duncan McCue.
"This year's CAC celebrity tandem bike race in support of the HSBC Clean Air Achievers program was both friendly and fierce - but that's to be expected when you pair top Olympians and National Team athletes with some of Vancouver's finest media talent!" said Deirdre Laframboise, Executive Director, CAC. "It's a great example of our mission in action, which is to reduce air pollution and climate change by working with high performance athletes to educate and inspire Canadians to adopt more sustainable, healthier lifestyles. We are very grateful to HSBC Bank Canada for their continued support."
The racers rode neck-and-neck with CTV's Coleen Christie and Adam Kreek, Olympic Gold Medalist, Men's Rowing, 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics finishing first and taking the Gold Medal. They were followed closely by City TV's Dawn Chubai and Kevin Light, Olympic Gold Medalist, Men's Rowing, 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, and by Global TV's Elaine Yong and Jake Wetzel, Olympic Gold Medalist, Men's Rowing, 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics taking Silver and Bronze, respectively.
"Coleen and Adam may have won the celebrity tandem bike race, however the real winners are the thousands of youth across the country who will take part in the HSBC Clean Air Achievers program this year," said Lindsay Gordon, President and Chief Executive Officer, HSBC Bank Canada. "HSBC has a longstanding commitment to the environment and education, and we're delighted to continue to support Clean Air Champions and Canada's youth."
HSBC Clean Air Achievers teaches youth in Grades 5-9 about transportation and how it impacts the air, climate and health. The program's two main goals are to encourage youth to choose less polluting forms of travel and to increase their level of physical fitness by choosing active modes of travel (walking, rolling or cycling) to their destinations. Best of all, Olympic and Paralympic and National Team athletes deliver inspirational presentations to each class.
HSBC has donated $775,000 to Clean Air Champions since 2006.
About Clean Air Champions:
CAC is a national charity that works with respected athletes to educate and inspire Canadians to adopt practices and lifestyles that enhance personal and environmental health. The Champions are made up of over 200 Olympic, Paralympic and National Team athletes, each passionate about our environment and the health of Canadians.
About HSBC Bank Canada:
HSBC Bank Canada, a subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc, is the leading international bank in Canada. With around 6,900 offices in over 80 countries and territories and assets of US$2,652 billion at 30 June 2012, the HSBC Group is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organizations.
Image with caption: "Clean Air Champions Celebrity Tandem Bike Race participants - including local Vancouver media celebrities, Olympians and National Team athletes - gather to celebrate a $200,000 donation from HSBC Bank Canada in support of the HSBC Clean Air Achievers program. (CNW Group/Clean Air Champions)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120910_C5389_PHOTO_EN_17641.jpg
Image with caption: "Lauren Wilkinson, Olympic Silver Medalist, Women's Rowing, 2012 London Summer Olympics and City TV's Riaz Meghji put the pedal-to-the-pavement as part of the Clean Air Champions Celebrity Tandem Bike Race in Vancouver. (CNW Group/Clean Air Champions)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120910_C5389_PHOTO_EN_17642.jpg
Image with caption: "Clean Air Champions Celebrity Tandem Bike Race 2012 "Gold Medalists" Coleen Christie, CTV and Adam Kreek Olympic Gold Medalist, Men's Rowing, 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic take a victory lap outside the HSBC office building in Vancouver. (CNW Group/Clean Air Champions)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120910_C5389_PHOTO_EN_17643.jpg
SOURCE: Clean Air Champions
Clean Air Champions
Deirdre Laframboise
613-730-7353
[email protected]
www.cleanairchampions.ca
HSBC Bank Canada
Ernest Yee
604-641-2973
[email protected]
www.hsbc.ca
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