GRAVENHURST — For the first time ever, local residents can tune in to local Paralympian Graeme Murray’s quest for gold with the national sledge hockey team.
Canada’s Olympic and Paralympic media consortium will air a total of 50 live hours of television coverage in both languages throughout the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, which take place March 12-21 in Vancouver and Whistler.
All of Canada’s sledge hockey games at UBC Thunderbird Arena will be shown on one of the Consortium networks, be it TSN, CTV or Sportsnet.
The Paralympic Games commence Saturday after Friday’s opening ceremonies when the first Paralympic torch relay culminates in Vancouver.
According to the schedule, Canada’s opening game against Italy on Saturday, March 13 will be aired live on Sportsnet Pacific at 10 a.m. Pacific time. CTV will air the match at 4 p.m.
The preliminary game between Canada and Sweden on Sunday, March 14 will be aired on Sportsnet East at 4:30 p.m.
On Tuesday, March 16, Canada faces Norway in preliminary action with a live airing on TSN at 11:30 p.m.
Canada will play again on Thursday, March 18, airing live on Sportsnet East and Sportsnet Ont at 3 p.m.
The gold medal game scheduled for Saturday, March 20, will be shown live on CTV at 3 p.m.
Highlights will also be shown throughout the 10 days.
Laura Domenicucci of the Canadian Paralympic Committee said the unprecedented coverage is all about awareness.
“Back in 2001, Stats Canada did a survey and learned 3.6 million Canadians have a disability, but less than three per cent were involved in organized sport,” she explained. “In 2006, after the same survey, the number of those living with a disability went up to over four million, and we saw a slight increase in the number of disabled kids participating in sport, but the adult numbers dropped off.”
In the last six months, the number of disabled athletes participating in sport shot up to over 30 per cent, she said.
For full coverage, Paralympic Sport TV (owned by the International Paralympic Committee) is the official games Internet channel. ParalympicSport.TV will deliver the most comprehensive coverage of Paralympic Winter Games ever, with a live feed and videos on-demand of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. Viewers from all over the world can tune in at www.ParalympicSport.TV.
Murray has been counting down to the games with fans and supporters through a website http://murray29.shutterfly.com/
His website features media articles, pictures and videos, daily updates as well as Murray’s blog from the road.
To send him good luck or best wishes, email murray2010@writeme.com.