Finalists Announced for 40th Canadian Sport Awards

Winners of Canada's Top 2012 Sporting Honours to be Announced October 17, 2012

Official Recognition for Canada's Top Athletes, Leaders, Volunteers, Coaches & Corporations

OTTAWA, Oct. 1, 2012 /CNW/ - The True Sport Foundation today announced the finalists for the 40^th Canadian Sport Awards which honour and recognize the sporting achievements of Canada's finest athletes and the contributions of others in 2012.

"The tremendous performances and accomplishments of the 2012 Canadian Sport Awards finalists are representative of a great year for sports in Canada," notes Peter Leyser, Executive Director, True Sport Foundation. "Each of these finalists are extremely deserving of the recognition for their hard-work, dedication and commitment to their sport."

Winners will be announced on October 17, 2012 during the President's Reception at Canada's Sport Hall of Fame in Calgary.

2012 Canadian Sport Awards Finalists

The Athletic Performance Awards recognize outstanding athletic performance. Finalists include:

Male Athlete of the Year:

1. Ryan Cochrane, Swimming, Victoria, BC
2. Brent Hayden, Swimming, Mission, BC
3. Adam van Koeverden, Kayak, Oakville, ON

Female Athlete of the Year:

1. Rosannagh MacLennan, Trampoline, King City, ON
2. Christine Nesbitt, Speedskating, London, ON
3. Tonya Verbeek, Wrestling, St. Catharines, ON

Junior Athlete of the Year:

1. Filip Peliwo, Tennis, Vancouver, BC
2. Alexandra Pretorius, Ski Jump, Calgary, AB
3. Dorothy Yeats, Wrestling, Montreal, QC

Team of the Year:

1. Basketball - Wheelchair Open (Paralympics)
2. Rugby - Wheelchair Men's (Paralympics)
3. Soccer - Women's (Olympic)

Partners of the Year:

1. Figure Skating - Ice Dancing: Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir (World Championship)
2. Rowing - Men's Eight (Olympic)
3. Rowing - Women's Eight (Olympic)

The winners of the Volunteer Achievement Award which recognize and celebrates an individual's outstanding contribution to the betterment of sport and the Corporate Excellence Award which recognizes and celebrates a corporation who provides outstanding support to Canadian sport will be announced October 17, 2012.

The Spirit of Sport Story of the Year category recognizes and celebrates Canadian heroes. Finalists include:

1. Annaleise Carr, Walsh, ON
2. Elijah Porter, Paradise, NL
3. Women's Olympic Soccer Team

Nomination Eligibility

Any Canadian citizen can nominate an individual, team or corporation for the Canadian Sport Awards.  Individuals and corporations can also self-nominate.  Eligible entries were for performances or contributions from January 1, 2012 through to September 14, 2012.

About the Canadian Sport Awards

Established in 1972, the Canadian Sport Awards brings together leaders from the sporting and corporate communities who represent the pinnacle of commitment and competition: Canadian amateur athletes, coaches, sport leaders and volunteers. The annual awards promote sporting excellence across Canada and remind Canadians how sport lifts the human spirit. It is a tribute to the hard work, dedication and victories of our country's finest athletes. Managed by the True Sport Foundation, the Canadian Sport Awards boasts a strong relationship with its modern day founding partners, which include AthletesCAN, Canada Games, Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, and the Commonwealth Games Association of Canada.  For more information about the Canadian Sport Awards, please visit www.canadiansportawards.ca.

About the True Sport Foundation

The True Sport Foundation is a national charitable organization that promotes values-driven sport.  As a leader in the True Sport Movement, the Foundation is focused on building and enriching communities and the lives of individuals by providing a safe, welcoming, and rewarding environment for all participants, at all levels of sport. The True Sport Foundation is committed to ensuring that sport makes a positive contribution to Canadian society, to our athletes, and to the physical and moral development of Canada's youth. The Foundation also plays a pivotal role in the Canadian sport system by bringing together leading sport organizations to promote, celebrate and recognize sporting excellence. For more information about the True Sport Foundation, please visit www.truesportfoundation.ca.

For complete nomination rules and guidelines, and more information about the Canadian Sport Awards, please visit www.canadiansportawards.ca.

SOURCE: True Sport Foundation

Robin Turnbull
Canadian Sport Awards, Program Director
416.604.0310
[email protected]