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TORONTO - Canadian-based Inniskillin Wines, one of the world's leading wine producers, today announced that it plans to help cultivate the best Canadian athletes.At a launch event held at the Argonaut Rowing Club, Inniskillin Wines' co-founder Donald Ziraldo announced that the company has become an official sponsor of the Canadian Olympic Team.
TORONTO - Canadian-based Inniskillin Wines, one of the world's leading wine producers, today announced that it plans to help cultivate the best Canadian athletes.
At a launch event held at the Argonaut Rowing Club, Inniskillin Wines' co-founder Donald Ziraldo announced that the company has become an official sponsor of the Canadian Olympic Team. This marks the first time that a Canadian wine producer has supported the development of Canadian Olympic athletes. Inniskillin Wines was previously the exclusive wine supplier for the Toronto 2008 Olympic Bid.
"It's a great honour to support Canadian Olympic athletes," said Donald Ziraldo, Co-Founder, Inniskillin Wines. "We at Inniskillin know that it takes commitment, perseverance, teamwork and financial support to achieve a dream. Just like it takes years to cultivate a great wine, it also takes many years of hard work and training to become a great athlete who can compete on a world class level, " added Ziraldo.
Ziraldo, and three-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Marnie McBean and Gerald Klose, Inniskillin's Vineyard Manager, at the winery's Niagara vineyard met early Wednesday morning to jump start the planting of a special crop of vines from which Inniskillin plans to produce a Riesling Icewine, with the first vintage being ready for 2010 - the year of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. Funds will be donated from the sale of this special Icewine to the Canadian Olympic Committee's Excellence Fund.
Canadian Olympic athletes Therese Brisson (member of the 2002 Gold-Medal winning National Women's Hockey Team), Mathieu Turgeon (bronze medalist in trampoline in the 2000 Games) and 2004 Olympic hopeful Liz Warden (six time national champion in swimming) were on hand for the announcement, after teaming up with Inniskillin employees to participate in a "vine relay.
"I think it's wonderful that Inniskillin Wines, a true Canadian success story, has stepped up to invest in the Canadian Olympic Team," said Chris Rudge, CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee. "I want to commend Inniskillin for taking a leadership role in helping Canadian athletes in their pursuit of international success."
Inniskillin will make a significant investment in marketing promotions and fundraising initiatives throughout 2004 under the banner of "Cultivating Canadian Champions." Funds will be raised through retail sales and special events to provide much-needed financial resources for Canadian athletes preparing to compete in the upcoming Olympic Games. The bulk of Inniskillin's contributions will be directed to the Canadian Olympic Committee's Excellence Fund.
The Excellence Fund is the only fund of its kind in Canada that specifically rewards potential sport success and provides direct financial assistance to high performance athletes and coaches. The Fund supports high performance athletes, coaches, national sport federations and Canadian Sport Centres to help boost Canada's chances of success at upcoming Olympic and Pan American Games.
"Most athletes struggle to find financial support for training and competitions," said Brisson. "I would like to thank Inniskillin and I hope that their generous investment inspires other corporations to follow suit."
The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), a private, not-for-profit corporation, is the largest private funder of high-performance sport in Canada. It is responsible for all aspects of Canada's involvement in the Olympic movement, including Canada's participation in the Olympic and Pan American Games. In addition, the COC manages a wide variety of programs that promote the Olympic movement in Canada through cultural and educational means.
Inniskilllin is one of the best-known success stories in the Canadian wine industry. In 1975, it was granted the first winery licence in Ontario since 1929, and has since pioneered the production of premium quality wines from the classic European vitis vinifera. Inniskillin was the driving force behind the creation of Canada's Vintners' Quality Alliance (VQA) system of quality control. It is also the world leader in Icewine production, and a tireless crusader for increased global distribution of Canadian wine. Inniskillin now has estate wineries in both Ontario's Niagara Peninsula and the Okanagan Valley in BC, where it produces VQA wines exclusively. For more information, visit the website at www.inniskillin.com.
At a launch event held at the Argonaut Rowing Club, Inniskillin Wines' co-founder Donald Ziraldo announced that the company has become an official sponsor of the Canadian Olympic Team. This marks the first time that a Canadian wine producer has supported the development of Canadian Olympic athletes. Inniskillin Wines was previously the exclusive wine supplier for the Toronto 2008 Olympic Bid.
"It's a great honour to support Canadian Olympic athletes," said Donald Ziraldo, Co-Founder, Inniskillin Wines. "We at Inniskillin know that it takes commitment, perseverance, teamwork and financial support to achieve a dream. Just like it takes years to cultivate a great wine, it also takes many years of hard work and training to become a great athlete who can compete on a world class level, " added Ziraldo.
Ziraldo, and three-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Marnie McBean and Gerald Klose, Inniskillin's Vineyard Manager, at the winery's Niagara vineyard met early Wednesday morning to jump start the planting of a special crop of vines from which Inniskillin plans to produce a Riesling Icewine, with the first vintage being ready for 2010 - the year of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. Funds will be donated from the sale of this special Icewine to the Canadian Olympic Committee's Excellence Fund.
Canadian Olympic athletes Therese Brisson (member of the 2002 Gold-Medal winning National Women's Hockey Team), Mathieu Turgeon (bronze medalist in trampoline in the 2000 Games) and 2004 Olympic hopeful Liz Warden (six time national champion in swimming) were on hand for the announcement, after teaming up with Inniskillin employees to participate in a "vine relay.
"I think it's wonderful that Inniskillin Wines, a true Canadian success story, has stepped up to invest in the Canadian Olympic Team," said Chris Rudge, CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee. "I want to commend Inniskillin for taking a leadership role in helping Canadian athletes in their pursuit of international success."
Inniskillin will make a significant investment in marketing promotions and fundraising initiatives throughout 2004 under the banner of "Cultivating Canadian Champions." Funds will be raised through retail sales and special events to provide much-needed financial resources for Canadian athletes preparing to compete in the upcoming Olympic Games. The bulk of Inniskillin's contributions will be directed to the Canadian Olympic Committee's Excellence Fund.
The Excellence Fund is the only fund of its kind in Canada that specifically rewards potential sport success and provides direct financial assistance to high performance athletes and coaches. The Fund supports high performance athletes, coaches, national sport federations and Canadian Sport Centres to help boost Canada's chances of success at upcoming Olympic and Pan American Games.
"Most athletes struggle to find financial support for training and competitions," said Brisson. "I would like to thank Inniskillin and I hope that their generous investment inspires other corporations to follow suit."
The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), a private, not-for-profit corporation, is the largest private funder of high-performance sport in Canada. It is responsible for all aspects of Canada's involvement in the Olympic movement, including Canada's participation in the Olympic and Pan American Games. In addition, the COC manages a wide variety of programs that promote the Olympic movement in Canada through cultural and educational means.
Inniskilllin is one of the best-known success stories in the Canadian wine industry. In 1975, it was granted the first winery licence in Ontario since 1929, and has since pioneered the production of premium quality wines from the classic European vitis vinifera. Inniskillin was the driving force behind the creation of Canada's Vintners' Quality Alliance (VQA) system of quality control. It is also the world leader in Icewine production, and a tireless crusader for increased global distribution of Canadian wine. Inniskillin now has estate wineries in both Ontario's Niagara Peninsula and the Okanagan Valley in BC, where it produces VQA wines exclusively. For more information, visit the website at www.inniskillin.com.
Written By: Edited and Posted by GOW Staff
