Supporting Canada’s Olympic SILVER Medal WIN
Helen Upperton, Calgary
Women’s Bobsleigh Pilot – Canada #1
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.
Improving each season, Helen and teammates, Jennifer Ciochetti of Edmonton and Heather Moyse of Toronto have delivered 9 World Cup medals since 2007, six of them being GOLD, two SILVER and one BRONZE. With these results they have climbed with confidence and are well prepared for the “VANCOUVER 2010 WINTER OLYMPICS”.
Helen’s team has set an objective of becoming the first women in Canadian sports history to win an Olympic medal in the Bobsleigh Women’s Heat races commencing on February 23 and 24, 2010.
Jennings Capital Inc. has sponsored Helen since-and is both proud and excited to support the pursuit of excellence as Canada prepares to welcome the world in Vancouver in 2010 for the Winter Olympic Games.
2007 – 2010 World Cup Race Results
| Date | Type | Venue | Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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
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
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.
