full weekend of competitive Hockey. What makes this event special is that for the first

time, games will be broadcasted LIVE on Gretky.com/tpwhl/ through web streaming video.

This will allow teams to play for a national audience and will allow fans to tune in to

support their favourite North American TPWHL teams in real time.

The TPWHL is for kids and young adults with various disabilities who have limited upper

body strength and/or mobility. The league works hard towards physical and emotional

growth by teaching the game of hockey. This builds players into strong leaders in

sportsmanship and team spirit, regardless of their skill level.

Gretzky.com is very pleased to present this amateur sport live online and hopes this

will lead to stronger fan interaction and greater excitement for the sport of hockey.

TPWHL provides the opportunity for families to come together to share their own

experiences and offer support to one another. The tournament runs from August 6-10th

so come join in on the fun this weekend at Ryerson University, 350 Victoria St, 2nd floor

in Kerr Hall West.

For more information call 416-690-1412 or email: torontopwhl@gmail.com

EDMONTON, AB – Northlands is pleased to welcome Honda Canada on board as the title sponsor for the 2010 Honda Indy Edmonton, July 23-25. The announcement was made earlier today at a media conference attended by Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel, Northlands President Ken Knowles, and Honda Canada Inc. Executive Vice-President Jerry Chenkin.

“Northlands is very pleased to welcome a national sponsorship partner like Honda Canada as the title sponsor for the 2010 Honda Indy Edmonton,” said Ken Knowles, Northlands President. “Honda Canada is a national leader in supporting innovation and community involvement in motor sports across Canada. As one of Edmonton’s leading international sporting events and tourism destinations, the 2010 Honda Indy Edmonton will provide an incredible international platform to showcase this new sponsor partnership.”

“We will be working closely with Northlands and the event sponsors to ensure the Honda Indy Edmonton remains as the largest motorsports event in Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest for this year and beyond,” said Jerry Chenkin, executive vice president of Honda Canada Inc.

Soichiro Honda’s love of victory helped launch a small company into a racing giant. He possessed an uncanny ability to develop technology for racing and adapt it to the consumer market. At age 22, and drawing upon his skills as a mechanic, Mr. Honda developed a V-8 Curtis Wright aircraft engine to race. He took the wheel himself that year and set a Japanese speed record hitting 75 mph. Honda Racing was born. Soichiro Honda began to tackle racing from the development standpoint, producing some of the finest engines ever to race.

Honda Canada’s commitment to racing extended well beyond international borders, and could be found in communities across Canada. The company made a visible commitment to ‘grassroots racing initiatives’ for years as evidenced through the popular Honda Michelin Challenge that ran for 17 straight years in the 1980s and ’90s.

Auto racing fans across North America get to see the best in open-wheel racing right here in Edmonton as the Honda Indy Edmonton takes to the track from July 23-25. Three-day ticket packages for the Honda Indy Edmonton are on sale now and are available online at www.edmontonindy.com or at www.ticketmaster.ca.

Northlands rocks Edmonton with 2,500 events each year that attract over 4 million visitors to Alberta’s Capital City. Think, Canadian Finals Rodeo, Farmfair International, Capital EX, Honda Indy Edmonton, the best of horse racing, headliner concerts, international events and all the trade shows you can handle. Visit northlands.com to find out more.

Media Contacts:
Brian Leadbetter
Director, Government & Community Relations
Northlands
Ph: (780) 471-7295
Cell: (780) 902-3723
E-mail: bleadbetter@northlands.com

Sid Priddle
Media Relations Manager
Honda Indy Edmonton
Cell: (780) 886-4929
E-mail: spriddle@northlands.com

Richard Jacobs
Honda Canada Inc.
(416) 287-4708

Early bird ticket packages will go on sale to the public on Friday, February 19th at 10:00 a.m. Tickets will be available at the General Motors Centre Box Office, by phone at 1-877-436-8811, online at www.generalmotorscentre.com, or at the United Way Information Kiosk at the Oshawa Centre. Early bird ticket packages are priced at $100.00 for a Weekend Package and $160.00 for a Five-Day Package.

“We’re elated to be returning the world’s best curlers to the GTA,” said Wendy Kane, Executive Director, Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series. “This season’s Grey Power World Cup of Curling in Mississauga was a tremendous success and we’re looking forward to carrying that momentum into Oshawa for the Canadian Open.”

An elite 18-team event consisting of the world’s top ranked curling foursomes, the field for the Canadian Open is expected to include a wealth of Olympic and World Championship medallists including Kevin Martin (Edmonton, Alta.), Glenn Howard (Coldwater, Ont.), David Murdoch (Lockerbie, Scotland), Brad Gushue (St. John’s, Nfld.), Randy Ferbey (Edmonton, Alta.), Thomas Ulsrud (Oslo, Norway), Wayne Middaugh (Etobicoke, Ont.), Jeff Stoughton (Winnipeg, Man.) and Kerry Burtnyk (Winnipeg, Man.).

The event features a total purse of $100,000 (CDN).

“The management and staff of the General Motors Centre are thrilled to have the opportunity to host the 2011 Canadian Open and bring this truly remarkable world class international event to Oshawa and the Durham Region,” stated Global Spectrum’s Vince Vella, General Manager of the General Motors Centre. “As the General Motors Centre’s first curling event, the 2011 Canadian Open will be a great test for our facility. I am confident that we will exceed everyone’s expectations and demonstrate that our staff and facility can accommodate events of the highest caliber. We also look forward to working with members of our local curling clubs who have been a guiding force during the bid process.”

The Canadian Open will mark the second consecutive season that the Greater Toronto Area has played host to a Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event. In 2009-10, the Grey Power World Cup of Curling was contested at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, Ont.

“What great news for Oshawa, the General Motors Centre and our downtown,” said Mayor John Gray. “Our city is absolutely thrilled to host the Canadian Open, and we welcome the world’s best curlers, and their dedicated fans. Our city and the General Motors Centre are uniquely positioned to provide a first-class event. Prepare to be amazed as Oshawa proudly shows itself off as a world-class venue and community,”

The 2011 Canadian Open will mark the 10th edition of the event. Martin, Canada’s 2010 Olympic representative, won this season’s tournament which was contested at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Man. in January.

The 2010-11 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series will begin with the Grey Power World Cup of Curling, taking place at the WFCU Centre in Windsor, Ont. from November 3-7, 2010. The series will continue with The National, scheduled from December 15-19, 2010 at the Wesbilt Centre in Vernon, B.C. before moving to Oshawa for the Canadian Open. The 2010-2011 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series concludes with the Grey Power Players’ Championship, a joint men’s and women’s event, scheduled for April 12-17, 2011 at the Crystal Centre in Grande Prairie, Alta.

As part of its exclusive agreement, CBC will air live playoff coverage of the first three men’s 2010-11 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling events. CBC will also broadcast the men’s and women’s finals of the 2011 Grey Power Players’ Championship.

Held annually since 2001-02, the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling features the world’s best players in one series.

Solution:
iSport partnered with the World Curling Tour and the World Curling Players Association to deliver the Grand Slam of Curling for eight consecutive years (2006 to 2014) and usher in a new, 360°sponsorship strategy with CBC Sports that delivers unprecedented value for sponsors.

Result:
With the ability to offer companies affiliation with the world’s top curling athletes on a national scale, they have been able to get into the hearts and homes of curling fans across the country. With the audience (in-venue, national television and online) growing with each event, iSport’s stronghold on the sport of curling is only increasing. At iSport, our goal is to take curling to the next level, and with the help of our dedicated partners, players and fans we become a step closer each day.

www.grandslamofcurling.com

Solution:
After watching an episode of Dancing with the Stars, Kevin Albrecht and Sandra Bezic thought of a new television series called Battle of the Blades. The show would pair legendary hockey stars like Tie Domi and Craig Simpson with some of the most graceful figure skaters to step on the ice like Shae-Lynn Bourne and Jamie Sale. A seven-week partnership with CBC would allow the Canadian audience to vote on their favorite pairs as they were challenged every week with a new and exciting figure skating routine.

Result:
With hosts, Ron MacLean of Hockey Night in Canada and Kurt Browning, a legend on the ice himself, the show was a rating hit with an average of three million viewers per week. It became a truly Canadian hit series that was able to bring families together and sparked a renewed interest in the world of figure skating. The searies has been renewed for a second season.

www.cbc.ca/battle

Solution:
iSport focused on promoting Patrick through different media platforms such as a new website at PatrickChan.ca, unique video content that shows the quirky but engaging personality of Patrick, as well as utilizing social media networks to both promote his growing career and to build the foundation of his brand as Patrick Chan.

Result:
PatrickChan.ca is currently a successful athlete website that provides the building block for future opportunities.  Visitors have increased exponentially since the website’s launch.  Videos and Blogs continue to attract traffic as fans from all around the world support the future success of Patrick Chan and his quest for gold.  The use of social networks allows fans and supporters to feel like they play a more active role in Patrick’s success.

www.patrickchan.ca

Solution:
iSport focused on e-commerce support for WG Authentic, event management tools for the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic, a dedicated micro-site for the Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery and video produced content needs for sponsors including Samsung Canada and Ford Motor Company of Canada.

Result:
Gretzky.com continues to be a tool based web site for Wayne Gretzky Enterprises. Highlights: WG Authentic offers a variety of high-end sports memorabilia through Gretzky.com/shop, Gretzky.com assists with managing over 700 volunteers for the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic and the site is home for the Live From Wayne Gretzky’s podcasts featuring host Rod Black.

www.gretzky.com

Solution:
iSport built a customized CMS system for Skate Canada to control the web site portal: Skatebuzz.com. The technical platform provides easy to use tools for posting video, articles and other web 2.0 technologies. Skate Canada as well required technical support allowing integration with other 3rd party properties like Skate TV, You Be The Judge, various contest promotions and Skate Canada’s online store.

Result:
Launching in conjunction with Skate Canada, Skatebuzz.com features exclusive content from both national events in Canada and international competitions provided by the ISU. Plus, the opportunity for fans to interact with athletes and other mover and shakers from the skating world.

www.skatebuzz.com

On Wednesday, a dream came true, as he and Walter spoke to the press at Wayne Gretzky’s Restaurant in Toronto to announce their plans for the fourth annual Walter Gretzky Street Hockey Tournament.

“Never in a million years did I think I’d do this,” Smith said during an interview following the announcement. “Reading about the Gretzky family and all the work they’ve done was something … This was just incredible. Aside from everything else that is happening with this tournament, I got to hang out with Walter Gretzky today.”

True to his style, Smith started the event with a joke, saying he had called the press conference to announce that the Edmonton Oilers were trading Walter to the Los Angeles Kings.

He and Walter then spoke about the fourth edition of Brantford’s street hockey tournament.

Read the full article

I would like to point out that when I first watched Scott and Tessa perform their free dance at Thornhill back in August 2009, I did mention that the routine was potentially the gold-medal winning performance!

Prior to leaving Vancouver on Saturday I was able to have lunch with the Chan’s and catch up a little. Patrick’s mom Karen and I have a mutual love for crabs, especially fried crabs cooked in garlic.  The both of us can sit for hours and literally just pick at the crabs until they’re clean.  Anyways, so we all met up at this restaurant downtown called Tropika for their crab selection.  It’s also been a while since Patty ate anything remotely “bad” for him so I guess we can splurge a little.

It was cool just catching up.  He told me about the athlete village and how massive his space is! (He’s rooming with Bryce, Scott, and Vaughn, can anyone hear DANGER?) LOL The bathrooms are huge apparently and they have waterfall showers which is really cool.  I told him to take a video of his space so hopefully he does that soon! He also showed me his accreditation and the coolest thing about it is this tiny coke id that basically allows the athletes to swipe at any vending machine in the city and get free pop!

The star athletes and notable figures he’s met so far include Alex Bilodeau, Sidney Crosby and Michael Buble.  I can’t remember the story of meeting Crosby exactly although I remember an elevator somewhere. I’ll ask again.  What was refreshing though was that even after all that hype and celebrity status that Patty has now acquired, deep down he’s still the same guy.  We still talk about the same things we always have and eat the same stuff.  He still struggles with eating his crabs and loves his rice. Getting him through Robson street though was an experience and a half.  That’s when he gets swarmed although he really does take the time out to smile for everyone and take photos.

I’m going to work on getting Patrick a form.spring account so that he can answer your questions directly when he has a chance.  He’s still in Vancouver this week enjoying the rest of the Olympics before he starts training again!

Side Note: Best of Luck to Joannie Tonight! Your mom would be proud!

- Aivory