Rocky Mountaineer, owner and operator of the world-acclaimed Rocky Mountaineer train is pleased to announce its sponsorship of Kamloops, BC Speed Skater, Tori Spence through a continued partnership with BC’s Growing Champions. With a strong commitment to sustainable development and supporting the communities through which the train operates, it was a natural choice for Rocky Mountaineer to foster the ambitions of an athlete from Kamloops, one of the overnight stops along the two-day rail journey. The sponsorship will help Tori pursue her goal to qualify for the national team and represent Canada in the 2014 and 2018 Winter Games.

“With the excitement of the 2010 Games, we’re reminded of the enormous commitment it takes to succeed as a competitive athlete,” said Hubert Wat, VP, Marketing of Rocky Mountaineer. “We hope our support will help Tori realize her dream to become a world-class athlete and represent Canada at the highest level.”

Rocky Mountaineer is committed to its sustainable development mandate to contribute to the economic and social wellbeing of the regions along its rail routes. Rocky Mountaineer has invested $15,000 to Growing Champions over a three year period. The funding will help offset Tori’s expenses for frequent travel and the cost of high-performance equipment and training facilities’ fees.

“The funding from Rocky Mountaineer will enable me to keep growing as an athlete and assist me in achieving my ultimate sporting goals,” said Tori Spence. “This investment will help me gain the experience, training and coaching required to qualify for the 2010 and 2011 Junior World Championships and I could not be more thrilled.”

Recent first-place finishes have been exciting for 17 year-old Tori, who has spent the last six years competing in both Short-Track and Long-Track Speed Skating. She finished first in the 2009 North American Speed Skating Championships (3,000m category) in Calgary and first in the 2009 BC Long Track Championships in Richmond. Tori’s short term goal is to make the Long Track Junior Worlds Team for the 3,000m distance in the next two years. Then, she would love to qualify for the national team and represent Canada in the 2014 and 2018 Winter Games.

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