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Get Dave to World Championships!

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World Championships is the crowning race every year in the sport of skeleton! It is being held February 24 to March 1, 2020 in Altenberg- Germany, and Dave has qualified one of two mens spots for Canada! 

Dave is a 2018 Winter Olympian, a World Cup medalist and a 4 time World Championship participant (2019 Team Event Silver Medal). He has competed on the World Cup team (the highest racing circuit in the sport of skeleton) for 5.5 seasons, 3 of them finishing inside the Top 10  World Cup overall ranking.  Dave is also a substitute teacher when he's not on tour competing and became new father this past year. 

What should be an exciting time preparing for this major competition has turned into one of stress. Unfortunately, the National Sport Federation for skeleton, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton, has taken the unusual step of requiring Dave to pay for 100% of the costs of his World Championship trip and giving him only two days notice before he has to leave.

The National Organization is funding the other Canadian athletes attending this race.  The decision for Dave to self fund is confusing, given World Championships is a key race that help dictates the annual funding the Canadian skeleton team receives from Sport Canada. 

Costs for the trip are estimated at $3500 CAD --> $2000 for a return flight to Europe (short notice), and another $1500 to cover accommodations, car rental, food, gas,  and other incidentals. 

Dave could use any and all support to help fund this competition! Lets give Dave the best chance we can at succeeding at World Championships! 

The race will be streamed live on February 27th and 28th at: CBC Sports- Video 


If you are still reading, below is more background on Dave and the sport of Skeleton: 

Despite winning this years Canadian selection races by a significant margin, but narrowly missing a push standard by 0.01s (yes, you read that right!), Dave was put on the second tier racing circuit called the InterContinental Cup. This circuit has significantly less resources available to its Canadian athletes (less coaching, no therapy, etc.), and earns lower points for race results.  Points are used to qualify participants at key races like World Champs. In addition, Dave and the other second-tier athletes already effectively self funded 90% of their season! 

Canadian skeleton athletes receive a small amount of money from Sport Canada each year but are not paid to do the sport. Each athlete is responsible for almost all their costs, including team fees, training, competition, equipment, etc.  Most Canadian skeleton athletes work part time or full time jobs to support their racing passion, and rely heavily on any sponsorship they may be able to find.

Dave is known as Grizz in the skeleton world due to his consonant-heavy last name ("Greszczyszyn") and the picture of a grizzly bear adorned on his helmet! Dave is also a loving husband and father to his 1 year old daughter. 



Organizer and beneficiary

Friends of Dave
Organizer
Calgary, AB
Dave Greszczyszyn
Beneficiary

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