Program helps Canadian athletes to succeed in sport and in life after
sport
TORONTO, May 2, 2013 /CNW/ - RBC today announced two new members of the RBC Olympians Program - 2013
X-Games silver medalist and 2011 World Champion halfpipe skier Rosalind
Groenewoud and 2013 Crystal Globe winner and 2013 World Champion moguls
skier Mikael Kingsbury. Groenewoud and Kingsbury join 31 Olympic and
Paralympic athletes currently involved in the RBC Olympians Program.
"We are excited to welcome Roz and Mikael to Team RBC," said Jane
Broderick, chief brand and communications officer at RBC. "As Canada's
longest standing corporate supporter of the Canadian Olympic Team, RBC
has been helping amateur athletes for more than 65 years. Leading into
Sochi 2014, we know how valuable the next several months are for
athletes physically, mentally and emotionally, and want to ensure that
they have the support and funding needed to succeed."
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.
"With halfpipe skiing making its Olympic debut in Sochi, this is a dream
come true and I am really looking forward to representing Canada and
making everyone proud. I am grateful for the support and encouragement
of my family, my coaches and corporate partners like RBC as I prepare
to compete on the Olympic stage," said Rosalind Groenewoud.
"I'm proud to be part of the RBC team as they understand the pressures
facing today's top athletes. Their program gives us the opportunity to
focus on our Olympic goals and balance challenging training schedules,
while providing the necessary and essential funding that each of us
needs to remain at the elite level," said Mikael Kingsbury.
Kingsbury will be in Toronto on May 6 at Sunnybrook Health Sciences
Centre, H Wing Courtyard to announce an exciting new charitable event that will support
children's mental health initiatives.
About Rosalind Groenewoud
-
Silver medalist 2013 X-Games and 2013 Dew Tour
-
Gold medalist 2012 X-Games and European X-Games
-
2011 World Champion Halfpipe
-
Canadian Halfpipe national champion 2006 and 2007
About Mikael Kingsbury
-
2013 and 2012 Crystal Globe winner
-
2013 World Champion in moguls
-
2010 FIS Rookie of the Year
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. Follow us on Twitter @RBCOlympic.
SOURCE: RBC
