An Olympic Sponsorship Legacy
After the 2006 Winter Olympics, Jennings Capital Inc. began a sponsorship with Helen Upperton, Canadian Women’s Olympic Silver Medalist Bobsleigh Pilot.
Helen Upperton was born in Kuwait on October 31st, 1979. Upperton was always athletic; she competed at a national level in luge, soccer and track and field. Upperton focused strongly on track and field after high school when she was the Triple Jumper for the University of Texas. Upperton’s career in bobsleigh started in 2002 where she played the position of Brakeman in the races. She loved women’s bobsleigh, but she knew that she was destined to be the Pilot. In 2003 she was finally able to move to that position.
Helen burst on to the scene during the 2005-06 season when she won Canada’s first ever World Cup Gold Medal and delivered this country’s best ever Olympic result in women’s bobsleigh placing 4th in Torino, Italy narrowly missing bronze by only 5/ 100th’s of a second.
Leading up to the “VANCOUVER 2010 WINTER OLYMPICS” Helen’s team set an objective of becoming the first women in Canadian sports history to win an Olympic medal and they succeeded with a dramatic SILVER medal WIN to make it a 1-2 Canada finish. CONGRATULATIONS!!!
We have been a very proud sponsor and have followed Helen and her career closely. Although she has retired from Bobsleigh this year, we will always continue to support her whether she is training or teaching. Currently, Helen is enjoying school visits and talking to children with the Calgary based “Youth Education Through Sport” program. She is also an Athlete Ambassador for the humanitarian organization, “Right To Play”.
We wish her the very best and support her passion for excellence as she continues to inspire Canada and make history for her country year after year.
Follow Helen and her ever exciting experiences and appearances at www.helsbobsleigh.com
2007 – 2011 World Cup Race Results
| Date | Type | Venue | Place |
|---|
| 02.20.2011 | World Cup | Konigssee | 7 |
| 02.18.2011 | World Cup | Konigssee | 5 |
| 02.05.2011 | World Cup | Cesena | 1 |
| 01.21.2011 | World Cup | Winterberg | 7 |
| 01.15.2011 | World Cup | Igls | 1 |
| 01.14.2011 | World Cup | Igls | 4 |
| 12.18.2010 | World Cup | Lake Placid | 3 |
| 12.10.2010 | World Cup | Park City | 4 |
| 12.03.2010 | World Cup | Calgary | 3 |
| 02.24.2010 | 2010 Olympics | Whistler | 2 |
| 01.22.2010 | World Cup | Igls | 7 |
| 01.16.2010 | World Cup | St. Moritz | 9 |
| 01.09.2010 | World Cup | Konigissee | 4 |
| 12.19.2009 | World Cup | Altenberg | 2 |
| 12.12.2009 | World Cup | Winterberg | 7 |
| 12.05.2009 | World Cup | Cesana | 4 |
| 11.21.2009 | World Cup | Lake Placid | 6 |
| 11.13.2009 | World Cup | Park City | 5 |
| 02.22.2009 | World Cup | Lake Placid | 4 |
| 02.20.2009 | World Cup | Lake Placid | 4 |
| 02.06.2009 | World Cup | Whistler | 4 |
| 01.16.2009 | World Cup | St. Moritz | 5 |
| 01.15.2009 | World Cup | St. Moritz | 10 |
| 01.10.2009 | World Cup | Konigssee | 9 |
| 12.12.2008 | World Cup | Austria | 1 |
| 12.06.2008 | World Cup | Altenburg | 4 |
| 11.29.2008 | World Cup | Winterburg | 1 |
| 04.04.2008 | America’s Cup #2 | Lake Placid | 1 |
| 03.04.2008 | America’s Cup #1 | Lake Placid | 1 |
| 09.02.2008 | World Cup | Winterberg | 5 |
| 01.02.2008 | World Cup | Königssee | 4 |
| 26.01.2008 | World Cup | St. Moritz | 3 |
| 19.01.2008 | World Cup | Cesana | 1 |
| 11.01.2008 | World Cup | Cortina | 2 |
| 15.12.2007 | World Cup | Lake Placid | 2 |
| 07.12.2007 | World Cup | Park City | 4 |
| 07.12.2007 | World Cup | Calgary | 1 |
Helen Upperton Biography
Helen Upperton Biography (PDF)
Canadian National Women’s Bobsleigh Team, 2010 Olympic Silver Medalists, Helen Upperton (Bobsleigh Pilot Proudly Sponsored by Jennings Capital) and Shelley-Ann Brown (One of two Brakeman for Helen Upperton)
Canadian National Bobsleigh Team - Helen Upperton (Bobsleigh Pilot Proudly Sponsored by Jennings Capital Inc.) and Jenny Ciochetti (One of two Brakemen for Helen Upperton)
Helen Upperton and Jenny Ciochetti, World Cup Lake Placid New York, Finish Doc., Dec 2007
Jenny Ciochetti, Helen Upperton, Heather Moyse, Post Race Cesena Pariol, Italy, Jan 2008
Helen Upperton, race
Helen Upperton and Jenny Ciochetti, World Cup Calgary, Nov 2007
Canada's Upperton takes bobsleigh gold
The Canadian Press, February 5, 2011
www.cbc.ca
Canada's Helen Upperton, front, and teammate Shelly-Ann Brown celebrate after winning the women's bobsleigh event Saturday in Cesana, Italy. (Massimo Pinca/Associated Press)
Frustrated by a season of high expectations and inconsistent results, Helen Upperton found some satisfaction in her final World Cup race of the year.
The pilot from Calgary and brakeman Shelly-Ann Brown of Toronto won Saturday's two-man bobsled event Saturday, their first and only victory of the campaign.
Seeking a positive ending, the duo experimented with a new sled in training this week before returning to their tested "Fernando" sled for the race.
They set set a new Cesana track record of 56.99 seconds during their first run, and clocked 57.22 on their second for a combined time of 1:54.21.
The gold gave the Olympic silver medallists three podiums this season. They posted a pair of thirds earlier.
"We have such high expectations as a team, and the results haven't been as great as we wanted so I was a little adventurous in training and tried a new sled," said Upperton. "The team was joking that `Fernando' would be jealous that I was cheating on him.
"It was a fun test, but the other sled just didn't work, so I went back to Fernando for the race."
Esme Kamphuis and Judith Vis of the Netherlands were second in 1:54.50 while the Germany 1 sled of Sandra Kiriasis and Stephanie Schneider was third in 1:54.52.
Olympic champions Kaillie Humphries of Calgary and Heather Moyse of Summerside, P.E.I., were fifth in the Canada 1 sled. They finished third in the overall World Cup standings with 1,400 points.
Kiriasis was first overall with 1,711 points, followed by fellow German Cathleen Martini at 1,563. American Shauna Rohbock was fourth at 1,365 and Upperton fifth, just four points back thanks to the win.
"I just figured it is the last World Cup of the season, and gave it everything I had," said Upperton. "I was waiting for that race all year. I felt I had it, but the results just weren't there."
The World Cup victory was the fifth of Upperton's career but her first with Brown, who earned her first career gold at this level.
"I am happy for Shelley, she won the push competition earlier this week, and this could be her final World Cup so it was great for her to get a win," said Upperton. "This is such a fun track to slide on. The atmosphere here is great and I'm pretty happy because I now have the start record here with Moyse, and the track record with Brown."
In the men's race, Lyndon Rush of Humboldt, Sask., and Edmonton-based teammate Neville Wright finished fourth at 1:51.24.
Italy's Simone Bertazzo and Matteo Torchio won the men's race with a time of 1:50.96.
Switzerland's Beat Hefti and Thomas Lamparter were second at 1:51.10, while Germany's Thomas Florschuetz and Kevin Kuske won the bronze medal with a time of 1:51.11.
Calgarians Chris Spring and Justin Wilkinson teamed up in the Canada 2 sled to finish 17th at 1:52.60.
The World Cup wraps up on Sunday in Cesana, Italy with the men's four-man bobsleigh race.
Canadian bobsled pilots disappointed with top-10 finishes
By Postmedia News, January 21, 2011
www.vancouversun.com
Driver Helen Upperton (L) and teammate Shelly-Ann Brown of Canada in a file photo.
Photograph by: Todd Korol, Reuters
WINTERBERG, Germany — Two Canadian sleds cracked the top-10 Friday at a women’s World Cup bobsled race, but were well short of their target of hitting the podium.
Pilot Helen Upperton of Calgary and brakeman Shelley-Ann Brown, of Pickering, Ont., guided the Canada 2 sled to seventh place after clocking a two-run combined time of one minute 55.91 seconds. And Kaillie Humphries of Calgary and Heather Moyse of Summerside, P.E.I., gold medallists at the Vancouver Winter Games, teamed up to finish eighth, in a time of 1:56.33.
“I was really disappointed with the seventh,” said Upperton. “I had a pretty good week of training and then made some big mistakes at the bottom.
“I know I can do better than that, and I feel bad to let down my brakeman and my team. But I will try to learn from these mistakes, and move forward in a positive way for the last two World Cups.”
Germans won gold and silver, with Sandra Kiriasis and Berit Wiacker in top spot 1:55.06, while Anja Schneiderheinze and Christian Senkel were second in 1:55.55. Americans Shauna Rohbock and Valerie Fleming won bronze in 1:55.66.
“It was a bit of a strange day to be honest,” said Canadian team coach Tom De La Hunty. “Both girls made small errors today and paid the price for it. This is a very pedestrian track and you have to drive clean. But to finish in the top-10 and be disappointed shows the level of expectation on our team.”
A two-man event is scheduled for Saturday, along with a women’s skeleton race.
Upperton inspired
Bobsledder hopes to change attitudes about amateur sport
By MARC WEBER, Canwest Olympic Team; Canwest News Service, February 26, 2010
www.montrealgazette.com
"We have to ... keep this momentum going," Canadian silver-medallist bobsledder Helen Upperton says.
Photograph by: PETER J. THOMPSON, CANWEST NEWS SERVICE, Canwest Olympic Team; Canwest News Service
It's hard to imagine a 2010 Olympian who's drawn more inspiration from their compatriots than Helen Upperton. And yesterday, in the afternoon following her silver-medal bobsled triumph, the 30-year-old from Calgary made an impassioned pitch to the rest of the country.
"I've never seen Canada care so much about sports other than hockey," she said. "I love hockey too but, come on, enough already, you know? There's so many other great athletes in Canada that should make our country so proud and for once everybody's actually paying attention. Alex Bilodeau has got to be the most famous man in Canada and he's such a great person and I'm so proud of him.
"We have to change the way Canadians view amateur sports and fund amateur sports and keep this momentum going."
It was moguls skiers Bilodeau and Jenn Heil, and skeleton athlete Jon Montgomery, who were in Upperton's thoughts before she and brakeman Shelley-Ann Brown barrelled down the Whistler Sliding Centre track in their final run Wednesday night.
Like Upperton's situation, the others weren't the last to go in their events, but produced performances that were tough to match by those who followed.
And who did Upperton talk about yesterday at a lunch to celebrate Canada's gold-silver women's bobsled finish?
Kristi Richards.
Yes, inspiration drawn from a 20th-place performance in women's moguls. Because Richards picked herself up from a spill, soaked up the once-in-a-lifetime crowd, and then nailed a backflip with a full twist on the second jump.
There was a point in singling out Richards as one of her great memories of these Games, just like there was a point in talking about aerialist Veronika Bauer, who didn't make it out of qualifying, but did make it back from what many deemed a career-ending concussion.
It was that inspiration can be drawn from more than medals, and that funding amateur sport needs to be as much philosophical in nature as performance-based. The performances, she said, will come.
"I wish Canadians knew more of the stories," Upperton said. "About what went into people's performances, whether it's a disappointment or not. I saw Veronika jumping here and thought, man, she's so brave, she's amazing.
"I think Canadians are questioning the funding because there's people that maybe missed performances. It's 'Now go out and win all these medals' and maybe some people were like, 'Ahhh!' but four years from now and eight years from now and 12 years from now, those athletes will have grown up knowing that their expectation is to win, and Canada's never been like that.
"Our expectation is to be fair, equal and participate, and that's a great quality to have, but we are a proud country and we are very happy to sing the anthem. I think we cut ourselves short."
Upperton is not simply calling for governments and corporations to plow money into the upper echelons of sport. She believes she's "a truly ordinary person" who grew up playing many sports and none exceptionally well. She loved it and had a great work ethic. And when the Calgary Olympics rolled through town, she got her Petro Canada torch and saw the luge and was hooked on the whole thing.
"You've got to start pumping money into grassroots and recreational sports programs and make sure that physical education stays in the school system," she said.
Upperton plans to drive another season, perhaps two. Next season, the world championships are in Koenigssee, Germany, where she competed in her first worlds.
"It would be kinda cool to go back and see how far you've come," she said.
© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette
Helen Upperton’ Injury in Konigssee
(January 15th, 2009)
Helen received a rib injury while loading into the sled on the first run of the World Cup in Koenigssee. She completed the run in some pain, and after receiving medical attention she opted to complete the race. She was helped back into the sled, and Jenny “ Powerhouse” Ciochetti did an unbelievable solo push that helped Helen hold onto a top 10 finish for World Cup#5.
After limited training for the subsequent 2 World Cups in St Moritz, Helen opted to continue to race. She partnered with Shelley-Ann Brown for the World Cup #4 make-up race, and finished 10th. Then partnered with Jenny Ciochetti in World Cup #6 and finished 5th. She is back to doing running loads, but continues to be in some pain and this is affecting her start times and drives.
With this brave continuation of racing, Helen is holding on to a #4 World ranking.
The teams have now completed the European races. Sleds will be shipped to North America, and Helen will get a much needed break before the Whistler World Cup takes place on Feb 6th.
Best wishes to a healthy and strong recovery, Helen! ‘Thumbs Up’ to your teammates, Jenni Ciochetti and Heather Moyse for their amazing support and strength that continues to carry your team forward. Cheers Team!
Jennings Capital Cheers for Gold and proudly receives a leading podium stand of sponsored Olympian, Helen Upperton
Canada's Upperton earns 2nd bobsleigh gold
CBC, December 12, 2008
www.cbc.ca
Helen Upperton, front, leads the World Cup overall standings with 642 points. (Matthias Rietschel/Associated Press)
Calgary's Helen Upperton captured her second women's World Cup bobsleigh race after winning the two-man competition Friday in Igls, Austria.
Upperton and brakewoman Heather Moyse of Summerside, P.E.I., powered their sled to a two-run combined time of one minute 49.07 seconds.
"I was pretty good in training all week and I thought I would be in the mix today," Upperton said. "Igls is always a close race because it is a short track which makes the start so important."
Americans Shauna Rohbock and Valerie Fleming earned the silver medal in 1:49.21, while defending world champion Sandra Kiriasis and partner Romy Logsch of Germany settled for third with a time of 1:49.23.
The victory marks the return to the Canada 1 sled for Moyse, who has struggled with a shoulder injury the past year.
"Coming back with a gold medal is definitely a mental relief for me," said Moyse. "To know we were strong at the starts, with the second- and third-fastest times, and to see that Helen and I still have chemistry together was very important for me today because it has been such a frustrating injury."
Upperton opened the season in Winterberg, Germany, by upsetting Kiriasis to win gold on Nov. 29. One week later in Altenberg, Germany, Upperton barely missed a podium result, finishing just behind German Kathleen Marini.
The Canadian still leads the overall World Cup standings with 642 points, seven ahead of Kiriasis.
Calgary's Kalillie Humphries and Shelly-Ann Brown of Pickering, Ont., raced to seventh in 1:49.80.
CANADA TAKES OVER WORLD CUP BOBSLED LEAD WITH WIN IN AUSTRIA
TSN, December 12, 2008
www.tsn.ca
Helen Upperton and Heather Moyse (Photo: MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP/Getty Images)
IGLS, Austria - Canadian Helen Upperton won a women's bobsled World Cup race Friday to take the lead in the overall standings.
The Calgary driver and brakeman Heather Moyse of Summerside, P.E.I., posted the fastest time in both heats and won in a two-run combined time of one minute 49.07 seconds.
"I was pretty good in training all week and I thought I would be in the mix today," Upperton said. "Igls is always a close race because it is a short track which makes the start so important."
Americans Shauna Rohbock and Valerie Fleming took second, 0.14 seconds behind, while German duo Sandra Kiriasis and Romy Logsch came third, trailing the winners by 0.16 seconds.
The victory marked a sweet return to the Canada 1 sled for the 30-year-old Moyse, who has battled a shoulder injury the past year.
"Coming back with a gold medal is definitely a mental relief for me," said Moyse. "To know we were strong at the starts, with the second and third-fastest times, and to see that Helen and I still have chemistry together was very important for me today because it has been such a frustrating injury."
Calgary's Kaillie Humphries and Shelley-Ann Brown of Pickering, Ont., were seventh at 1:49.80 while Lisa Szabon of Nanton, Alta., and Amanda Moreley of Surrey, B.C., finished 13th at 1:50.90.
Upperton, who teamed up with Edmonton's Jenny Ciochetti in a World Cup race in Winterberg, Germany last month, leads the overall standings with 642 points.
Kiriasis is second, seven points behind, and Cathleen Martini of Germany third with 594 points. Rohbock and Pac are fourth and fifth with 578 and 528 points, respectively.
Fortunes change for Calgary's Upperton
Gets 'redemption' with gold medal
Calgary Herald, November 30, 2008
www.calgaryherald.com
Canada's Helen Upperton and Jennifer CiochettI celebrate.
Photograph by : Ina Fassbender, Reuters
The bobsleigh track at Winterberg, Germany, had not been kind to Canada's Helen Upperton. That is until Saturday.
Upperton, a 29-year-old from Calgary, and Jenny Ciochetti of Edmonton, won the gold medal at the Bobsleigh World Cup in a two-run time of one minute and 55.86 seconds.
Upperton finished fifth on the challenging German track last season.
"It was definitely nice to get some redemption here in Winterberg," said Upperton, the pilot of the women's Canada 1 sled. "The weather changes so fast here and it makes it difficult for selecting the proper runners for the conditions. But today fate was on our side and we put all our preparation together to get onto the podium."
Upperton praised the efforts of Ciochetti.
"Jenny was absolutely great again today and played a critical part in this win," said Upperton, who has Ciochetti and Heather Moyse of Summerside, P.E.I., splitting time on the brakes in her sled again this year.
Ciochetti and Moyse pushed Upperton and the Canada 1 sled to five World Cup podium finishes last year.
Kaillie Humphries of Calgary and Shelley-Ann Brown finished sixth in the Canada 2 sled with a two-run time of 1:56.62.
Lisa Szabon of Nanton, Alta., matched her best result on the World Cup circuit with an eighth-place finish on Saturday. Szabon teamed up with Amanda Moreley of Surrey, B.C., to post a time of 1:57.25 in the 21-sled field.
Germans took the silver and bronze medals.
Two-time Olympic medallist Sandra Kiriasis, who has won nearly every World Cup that she has competed in at Winterberg, teamed up with Romy Logsch to finish second at 1:56.11. Cathleen Martini and Janine Tischer drove the Germany 2 sled to the final spot on the podium with a time of 1:56.39.
On the men's side, Edmonton's Pierre Lueders and David Bissett were forced to settle for a fifth-place finish.
The 38-year-old Lueders led the Canadian men with a combined time of 1:52.26.
Lyndon Rush of Humboldt, Sask., piloted the Canada 2 sled to 14th place. Rush teamed up with Calgary's Lascelles Brown to post a time of 1:52.76.
Beat Hefti of Switzerland and brakeman Thomas Lamparter took World Cup gold in 1:51.79.
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald
Upperton, Ciochetti win women's bobsleigh gold in Germany
TSN, November 29, 2008
www.tsn.ca
Helen Upperton and Jenny Ciochetti (Photo: The Canadian Press)
Canada's Helen Upperton and Jenny Ciochetti captured gold at the Bobsleigh World Cup in Germany on Saturday.
The pair had a combined time of one minute and 55.86 seconds.
"It was definitely nice to get some redemption here in Winterberg," explained Upperton. "The weather changes so fast here and it makes it difficult for selecting the proper runners for the conditions. But today fate was on our side and we put all our preparation together to get onto the podium."
Two German teams, Sandra Kiriasis and Romy Losgsch (silver) and Cathleen Martini and Janine Tischer (bronze) were also on the podium.
Kaillie Humphries and Shelley-Ann Brown guided Canada 2 to a sixth-place finish and Lisa Szabon and Amanda Moreley were eighth.
On the men's side, Canada's Pierre Lueders and David Bissett finished fifth and Lyndon Rush and Lascelles Brown were 14th.
Beat Hefti and Thomas Lamparter took the men's gold while Germany's Andre Lange and Kevin Kuske finished in second and Thomas Florschütz and Marc Kuhne, also of Germany, ended in third.
