Winners Announcement - 40th Canadian Sport Awards

Adam van Koeverden Wins Male Athlete of the Year
Rosannagh MacLennan Wins Female Athlete of the Year 

OTTAWA, Oct. 17, 2012 /CNW/ - The True Sport Foundation today announced the winners of the 40th Canadian Sport Awards, which recognize and honour excellence in Canadian sport including the sporting achievements of Canada's finest athletes and the contributions of others in 2012.

"The Canadian Sport Awards play an important role in honouring our hard-working athletes, sport leaders, volunteers and corporations for their accomplishments and contributions to Canadian sport," noted Peter Leyser, Executive Director, True Sport Foundation. "The 2012 winners, along with all the finalists and nominees have earned the praise of all Canadians through their immense talent, dedication, and ongoing commitment to their sport."

2012 Canadian Sport Awards Winners

The Athletic Performance Awards recognize outstanding athletic performance. Winners include:

Male Athlete of the Year: Adam van Koeverden, Kayak, Oakville, ON

Female Athlete of the Year: Rosannagh MacLennan, Trampoline, King City, ON

Junior Athlete of the Year: Filip Peliwo, Tennis, Vancouver, BC

Team of the Year: Soccer - Women's (Olympic)

Partners of the Year: Rowing - Men's Eight (Olympic)

The Leadership Awards recognize and celebrate an individual's outstanding contribution to the betterment of sport:

Volunteer Achievement Award: Slava Corn, Gymnastics

The Corporate Excellence Award recognizes and celebrates a corporation who provides outstanding support to Canadian sport: The Royal Canadian Legion

The Spirit of Sport Story of the Year category recognizes and celebrates Canadian heroes: Annaleise Carr, Walsh, ON

About the Canadian Sport Awards
Established in 1972, the Canadian Sport Awards brings together leaders from the sporting and corporate communities who represent the pinnacle of commitment and competition: Canadian amateur athletes, coaches, sport leaders and volunteers. The annual awards promote sporting excellence across Canada and remind Canadians how sport lifts the human spirit. It is a tribute to the hard work, dedication and victories of our country's finest athletes. Managed by the True Sport Foundation, the Canadian Sport Awards boasts a strong relationship with its modern day founding partners, which include AthletesCAN, Canada Games, Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, and the Commonwealth Games Association of Canada.  For more information about the Canadian Sport Awards, please visit www.canadiansportawards.ca.

About the True Sport Foundation
The True Sport Foundation is a national charitable organization that promotes values-driven sport.  As a leader in the True Sport Movement, the Foundation is focused on building and enriching communities and the lives of individuals by providing a safe, welcoming, and rewarding environment for all participants, at all levels of sport. The True Sport Foundation is committed to ensuring that sport makes a positive contribution to Canadian society, to our athletes, and to the physical and moral development of Canada's youth. The Foundation also plays a pivotal role in the Canadian sport system by bringing together leading sport organizations to promote, celebrate and recognize sporting excellence. For more information about the True Sport Foundation, please visit www.truesportfoundation.ca.

For complete nomination rules and guidelines, and more information about the Canadian Sport Awards, please visit www.canadiansportawards.ca. 

Image with caption: "SPIRIT OF SPORT STORY OF THE YEAR - ANNALEISE CARR (CNW Group/Canadian Sport Awards)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121017_C7281_PHOTO_EN_19367.jpg

Image with caption: "MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - ADAM VAN KOEVERDEN (CNW Group/Canadian Sport Awards)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121017_C7281_PHOTO_EN_19369.jpg

Image with caption: "PARTNERS OF THE YEAR AWARD - MEN'S OLYMPIC EIGHT (CNW Group/Canadian Sport Awards)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121017_C7281_PHOTO_EN_19371.jpg

Image with caption: "TEAM OF THE YEAR - WOMEN'S OLYMPIC SOCCER TEAM (CNW Group/Canadian Sport Awards)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121017_C7281_PHOTO_EN_19377.jpg

Image with caption: "FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - ROSANNAGH MACLENNAN (CNW Group/Canadian Sport Awards)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121017_C7281_PHOTO_EN_19379.jpg

Image with caption: "JUNIOR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - FILIP PELIWO (CNW Group/Canadian Sport Awards)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121017_C7281_PHOTO_EN_19381.jpg

Image with caption: "VOLUNTEER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - SLAVA CORN (CNW Group/Canadian Sport Awards)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121017_C7281_PHOTO_EN_19384.jpg

Image with caption: "CORPORATE EXCELLENCE AWARD - THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION (CNW Group/Canadian Sport Awards)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121017_C7281_PHOTO_EN_19389.jpg

SOURCE: Canadian Sport Awards

MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - ADAM VAN KOEVERDEN (CNW Group/Canadian Sport Awards)

PARTNERS OF THE YEAR AWARD - MEN'S OLYMPIC EIGHT (CNW Group/Canadian Sport Awards)

TEAM OF THE YEAR - WOMEN'S OLYMPIC SOCCER TEAM (CNW Group/Canadian Sport Awards)

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - ROSANNAGH MACLENNAN (CNW Group/Canadian Sport Awards)

JUNIOR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - FILIP PELIWO (CNW Group/Canadian Sport Awards)

VOLUNTEER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - SLAVA CORN (CNW Group/Canadian Sport Awards)

CORPORATE EXCELLENCE AWARD - THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION (CNW Group/Canadian Sport Awards)

For further information:

Robin Turnbull
Canadian Sport Awards, Program Director
416.604.0310
[e-mail]