TORONTO (September 28, 2023) – Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) and the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) have announced the nomination of the Canadian canoe/kayak sprint team to compete at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.

The Canadian canoe/kayak sprint team for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games is as follows:

Athletes:

Canoe for women
Sophia Jensen (Chelsea, Que.)
Sloan MacKenzie (Windsor Junction, Nova Scotia)
Katie Vincent (Mississauga, ON)

Kayak for women
Toshka Besharah (Ottawa, ON)
Natalie Davison (Manotick, ON)
Riley Melanson (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia)
Michelle Russell (Fall River, Nova Scotia)
Maddy Schmidt (Ottawa, ON)
Courtney Stott (Pickering, ON)

Men’s canoe
Connor Fitzpatrick (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia)
Alix Plomteux (Lac-Beauport, Que.)
Craig Spence (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia)

Kayak for men
Ian Gaudet (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia)
Laurent Lavigne (Trois-Rivières, Que.)
Cameron Low (Toronto, ON)
Nick Matveev (North York, ON)
Simon McTavish (Oakville Ont.)
Pierre-Luc Poulin (Lac-Beauport, Que.)

All 18 athletes qualified for Team Canada based on their performances at the 2023 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships and the CKC Pan American Trials held in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, earlier this month.

After a very successful world championship at the end of August, nine-time world champion Katie Vincent is looking forward to a new experience.

“This is my first team at the Pan American Games! “I’m really excited to have this opportunity, to be part of the atmosphere around Team Canada and to compete against some of the best in our sport,” said Vincent. “It is also an important stepping stone for our team on our road to Paris 2024, and having this experience in a multi-sport environment will be invaluable next summer at the Olympics.”

Vincent is no stranger to success on the international stage, winning bronze at her first Olympic Games at Tokyo 2020 with partner Laurence Vincent Lapointe. She recently won three gold medals and a bronze at the 2023 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Duisburg, Germany. The bronze medal went to the women’s C-2 500m with partner Sloan MacKenzie, securing an Olympic berth for Canada in this event for Paris 2024.

“I look forward to sharing this experience with my teammates and other Team Canada athletes. The Multi-Sport Games have the unique ability to unite athletes from all sports around the world, which is why I am truly grateful to be part of this team,” added Vincent.

The Pan American Games canoe/kayak sprint team includes two athletes who reached the podium on home soil at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games. Kayaker Michelle Russell contributed to Canada’s first medal at these Games – gold in the women’s K-4 500m – and won silver in the K-1 200m and K-1 500m events. Russell made his Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, finishing 11th in the K-4 500m.

Olympian Pierre-Luc Poulin is looking forward to representing Canada at his second Pan American Games following his bronze medal in the K-2 200m at Toronto 2015.

“Toronto 2015 was my first major Games experience, so I’m excited to come back to that kind of environment and build on our season because a lot of great things happened,” Poulin said. “I’m hoping for good races and performances in Santiago and will look to build on my experience in Tokyo to hopefully build on some more good results this year.”

The team brings plenty of experience en route to Santiago, collecting seven medals as well as 12 Olympic quota places in five events at the 2023 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships last month in Duisburg, Germany.

“We head to Santiago with a strong team looking to cap off a successful 2023 season with high-level performances against a formidable field from the Americas,” said CKC Technical Director Ian Mortimer. “Getting on the podium at the Pan American Games will be a great achievement in itself, and by combining that goal with the opportunity to use these events as a starting point for the 2024 Olympic season, we will be tuned in and ready for a strong competition. competition in Chile.

The canoe/kayak sprint will take place November 1-4 (days 12-15) at Laguna Grande de San Pedro de la Paz in Concepción.

“Welcome to the Team Canada canoe/kayak sprint team at Santiago 2023! I look forward to witnessing your intrepid adventures at the Pan American Games,” said Christine Girard, Chef de Mission of Team Canada at Santiago 2023. “May every shot bring you closer to your dreams and may the river of success flow towards you ! »

The Team Canada canoe/kayak sprint support team for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games is:

Coaches
Chad Brooks (Lake Echo, NS) – Coach
Andreas Dittmer (Dartmouth, NS) – Coach
Anders Gustafsson (Jönköping, Sweden) – Coach
Samuel Raiche (Lachine, Que.) – Coach

Support staff
Emily MacKeigan (Ottawa, ON) – Team Manager
Ian Mortimer (Ottawa, ON) – Team Leader
Katie Smith (Mississauga, Ont.) – Physiotherapist

Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee Team Selection Committee following receipt of nominations by all national sport organizations.

The latest Team Canada Santiago 2023 roster can be found here.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Colleen Coderre, communications manager
Canoe Kayak Canada
C:613-530-6217
Email: [email protected]

Tara MacBournie, Sports Communications Manager for Team Canada Santiago 2023
Canadian Olympic Committee
C:647-522-8328
Email: [email protected]