Today Alan Dickson, President of the Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association, announced that the CPISRA 2007 Boccia World Cup has been awarded to Canada. The Canadian Cerebral Palsy Sports Association and their provincial affiliate SportAbility/Cerebral Palsy Sports Association of British Columbia will partner to host the competition in Vancouver British Columbia, through a local organizing committee “ 2007 Boccia World Cup Society”.
This will be the last opportunity for Boccia Athletes to qualify for the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing. The organising committee is expecting 300 athletes from 35 countries. Paralympic Champion, Paul Gauthier is eager to compete in front of his home crowd. “I’m excited about the opportunity to show my hometown the sport that I love to compete in, as well as showing fellow athletes this beautiful city. Holding the competition at BC Place, the year before the Paralympics, and three years before 2010 makes it the perfect time for elite athletes to compete at their best, and for Vancouver to show off all it has to offer.”
This unique competition is currently the only International Competition of a Paralympic sport to be held in Vancouver before 2010. Jim Laurence Chair of 2007 Boccia World Cup said “this will be the opportunity for BC and Canada to show the world what a beautiful province we have and how accessible the City of Vancouver is for athletes with a physical disability”
Sportability and CCPSA would like to recognize 2010 Hosting Now and Tourism Vancouver for their support in putting together a solid bid for the event.
CPISRA developed Boccia for athletes with a severe physical disability late in the 1980s. It has been an event at the Paralympics since Seoul in 1988
SportAbility is committed to providing recreation and sport opportunities for athletes with disabilities. The CCPSA is an athlete focused national organization administering and governing sport opportunities targeted to athletes with CP and related disabilities. CCPSA and its provincial partners cooperate as a proactive force to facilitate the development of equitable and fair sporting opportunities for our athletes.
CONTACT
Sportability
Terrie Moore, Executive Director
6235 A 136th Street
Surrey, BC V3X 1H3
604-599-4122
sportability@telus.net
Dominique Tremblay
305-1376 Bank Street
Ottawa, ON K1H 7Y3
613-748-1430
dominque@ccpsa.ca
