2022 Canadian Boccia Championships Set to Begin in London, Ontario
Thirty-five of Canada’s best boccia athletes including Josh Gautier (pictured) of Niagara Falls, Ontario are competing at the North London Optimist Community Centre starting Thursday
London, ON (November 14, 2022) – The 28th Canadian Boccia Championships are being hosted by the London Cannonballs in London, Ontario from November 15th to November 21st at the North London Optimist Community Centre. The boccia individual competition officially begins on November 17th. This is the fourth time the Championships are being held in London. London last hosted the Championships in 2011. The London Cannonballs were originally slated to host the Championships in 2020 but the event was cancelled due to COVID-19. The club also hosts the London Cannonballs Boccia Blast, which has been a staple on the Canadian boccia schedule since 1990 and it is the longest operating nationally sanctioned event in the country. Held annually, the Canadian Boccia Championships brings together the country’s best and upcoming boccia players to compete for the title of Canadian Champion in Team, Pairs, and Individual play. It is sanctioned by Boccia Canada and counts for national ranking points. Athletes will be competing from all six classes, including BC5 and Open categories which are not yet part of the World Boccia program. The event is supported by the Government of Canada, Government of Ontario, and Tourism London.The Championships are guaranteed to showcase outstanding performances, great wins, upsets, and a lot of emotion. On full display will be the incredible skill and determination from boccia athletes across the country including British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Québec, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Ontario will be sending six athletes with two wild card slots allotted to Ontario-based athletes this year.What2022 Canadian Boccia ChampionshipsWhenThursday, November 179:30 – 16:15 EST: Individual CompetitionFriday, November 189:30 – 16:15 EST: Individual CompetitionSaturday, November 1910:00 – 17:15 EST: Individual Competition17:30 – 18:30 EST: Medal Ceremony for Individual CompetitionSunday, November 209:30 – 14:15 EST: Pairs, Team, and Open Competition17:00 EST: Medal Ceremony for Pairs, Team, and OpenFor the detailed schedule, click here.NOTE: Schedule subject to changeWhereNorth London Optimist Community Centre 1345 Cheapside StreetLondon, ONN5V 3N9WhoThirty-five athletes are participating in the 2022 Canadian Boccia Championships with five provinces represented. Among the participants are all athletes who participated in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games: Alison Levine, Danik Allard, Iulian Ciobanu, and Marco Dispaltro. Current and former National Boccia Training Squad athletes and top-ranked players in each province will be competing as well including:BC1Chris Halpen (Victoria, BC)Hanif Mawji (Burnaby, BC)Justine Bureau (Lévis, QC)Kyle Scott (Hamilton, ON)Lance Cryderman* (Sudbury, ON)Lois Martin* (St. John’s, NL)Luke Cambridge (Victoria, BC)BC2Danik Allard* (Bois-des-Filion, QC)Dave Richer (Montréal, QC)James Davis (Thorold, ON)Kristyn Collins* (St. John’s, NL)Lisa Ferenc (North Vancouver, BC)Maggie Julien (Sudbury, ON)Nathan Bragg (Vancouver, BC)Olivier Dussault (Québec City, QC)Olivier Roy (Québec City, QC)Thomas Mahoney** (London, ON)BC3Alek St-Pierre (Blainville, QC); Ass’t: Mario St-PierreAlexandre Lemaire (Kingsey Falls, QC); Ass’t: Francis LemaireAlexandre Raymond (Sorel-Tracy, QC); Ass’t: Isabelle BletteAlexandre Ziegler (Montréal, QC); Ass’t: Éric ZieglerÉric Bussière (Verchères, QC); Ass’t: Francine HébertJoëlle Guérette* (Montréal, QC); Ass’t: Jonathan ManseauJoshua Gautier (Niagara Falls, ON); Ass’t: Joyce GautierMarylou Martineau* (Québec City, QC); Ass’t: Josée DuquetteRyan Rondeau (Edmonton, AB); Ass’t: Meghan LewisBC4Alison Levine* (Montréal, QC)Iulian Ciobanu* (Montréal, QC)Marco Dispaltro* (St.-Jérôme, QC)BC5Giovanni De Sero (Guelph, ON)Marc-Antoine Goupil (Honfleur, QC)OpenAlison McKee** (London, ON)Daniel Hutchison (Victoria, BC)Mildred Thomas (Surrey, BC)Rene Poirier (Victoria, BC)Note: The * indicates that the person is a current member of the National Boccia Team. The ** indicates that the person is a wild card athlete.Interview Availability
- Peter Leyser, Executive Director, Boccia Canada
- Mario Delisle, National Team High-Performance Director, Boccia Canada
- César Nicolai, National Team Head Coach, Boccia Canada
- Steve Dukovich, Host Organizing Committee Member, London Cannonballs
- Participating athlete from your region
NOTE: Coordinate interview interest with Holly Janna, Communications Lead and National Team Coordinator, Boccia Canada
About Boccia Canada
Boccia Canada is the boccia delivery arm of the Canadian Cerebral Palsy Sports Association (CCPSA), the National Sport Organization for the Paralympic sport of boccia. Boccia Canada is focused on providing athletes and individuals of all ages and skill with the chance to play a unique Paralympic sport. We lead, develop and grow boccia from grassroots to producing World Champions, and we collaborate with partners to increase participation of Canadians with physical disabilities in sport.
About boccia
Boccia is a Paralympic sport of precision and strategy similar to lawn bowling or curling, played by athletes with Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy and related disabilities. It is one of only two Paralympic sports that do not have an Olympic counterpart. Athletes compete in one of six sport classes based on their level and type of disability: BC1, BC2, BC3 BC4, BC5, and Open.
Media Contact
Holly Janna
Communications Lead and National Team Coordinator, Boccia Canada
Email: [email protected]
Phone Number: 613-748-1430 x3 | Cell: 514-944-5193