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World Class Boccia Returns to Montréal with Two Events

Published on: April 25, 2019
2019 Maurice Richard Arena in Montréal | 2019 Aréna Maurice Richard à Montréal

Ottawa, ON (April 25, 2019) – Two world class Boccia competitions will be contested over the next nine days at the famed Maurice Richard Arena in Montréal. Opening the National boccia completion calendar is the 2019 Défi sportif AlterGo National Boccia Open, the first opportunity this year for athletes to compete against their rivals from across Canada.  Following this event, the BISFed 2019 Montréal Boccia World Open takes over the court where valuable ranking points will be contested by some of the top international boccia players, all vying for a spot in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

Both events will showcase the athleticism, skill, precision, and strategy required to compete at the highest level. Every one of the athletes competing at these events has a compelling story of overcoming obstacles in the pursuit of achieving personal excellence through boccia, while inspiring others with a disability to “Take the Shot” and try boccia.

What & When
1) 2019 Défi sportif AlterGo National Boccia Open

  • Saturday, April 27th, 9am – 5:00pm
  • Sunday, April 28th, 9am – 5:00pm

2) BISFed 2019 Montréal Boccia World Open

  • Tuesday, April 30th, 9am – 5:00pm (Individual Play)
  • Wednesday, May 1st, 9am – 5:00pm (Individual Play)
  • Thursday, May 2nd, 9am – 5:00pm (Individual Play, medal rounds)
  • Friday, May 3rd, 9am – 5:00pm (Team and Pair Play)
  • Saturday, May 4th, 9am – 5:00pm (Team and Pair Play, medal rounds)

*all times are Eastern Standard Time

Where
Maurice-Richard Arena, 2800 rue Viau, Montréal, QC

To view both the 2019 Défi sportif AlterGo National Boccia Open and the BISFed 2019 Montreal Boccia World Open via live webcast, please visit: https://bocciacanada.local

Who
Participating athletes in the 2019 Défi sportif AlterGo National Boccia Open will include some of the nation’s best boccia athletes from across the country.  Canada’s top internationally ranked boccia players will compete against one hundred athletes from twenty countries at the BISFed 2019 Montréal Boccia World Open including:

BC1
Lance Cryderman (Val Caron, ON)
Josée Lamothe (Trois-Rivières, QC)

BC2
Danik Allard (Bois-Des-Filion, QC)
Kristyn Collins (St. John’s, NL)
Mike Mercer (St. John’s, NL)

BC3
Eric Bussière (Verchères, QC)
Joelle Guérette (Montréal, QC)
Philippe Lord (Blainville, QC)

BC4
Iulian Ciobanu (Montréal, QC)
Marco Dispaltro (St-Jérôme, QC)
Alison Levine (Côte Saint Luc, QC)

Interview Availability:

  • Mario Delisle, National Team Head Coach
  • Participating athletes from your region (2019 Défi sportif AlterGo National Boccia Open)
  • National Boccia Team Members (BISFed 2019 Montreal Boccia World Open)

As hosts of both these world class boccia competitions, Défi sportif AlterGo is the largest annual multi-sport event in Canada. It is the only international sport to bring together elite and next generation athletes with all types of functional limitations for the past 36 years.

In 2019, 8,000 athletes from 20 countries are expected and will compete in a 10-day event from April 26 to May 5. The program includes over 15 sports, which will take place at 6 sites in Montreal and on the South Shore.

For more information, please visit: https://evenement.defisportif.com/en/

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. CCPSA collaborates with partners to increase the participation of Canadians with cerebral palsy and related disabilities in sport and physical activity, while leading, developing and growing boccia from grassroots, to producing World and Paralympic Champions.

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 and National Team Coordinator, Boccia Canada
Email: [email protected]
Phone Number: 613-748-1430 x3 | Cell: 514-944-5193

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