CALGARY — The original game plan called for Helen Upperton to take a year off from the rigours of piloting a bobsled. A year to rest her aching bones. A year away from airplanes and icehouses. A year to reflect and ponder retirement. The break lasted all of four months.

“I didn’t do anything,” the 32-year-old Olympic silver medallist says of her shortened sabbatical. “I was playing soccer and doing kick-boxing classes with my friends and stuff. “I think the break helped a little.”

Canada’s most decorated female pilot is back competing this week on her home track in Calgary at the latest stop on the FIBT Bobsleigh America’s Cup circuit. “To retire from a sport you’ve been successful in for a long time — you really need to leave on your own terms when you’re sure,” says Upperton, a graduate of Dr. E.P. Scarlett High School. “I’ve kind of thrown the idea back and forth.
“But I wasn’t really committed to walking away just yet, because there’s still unfinished business in my career.”

With a resume that includes 18 World Cup medals (six gold) and Olympic silver, Upperton has little remaining on the to-do list. However, through five trips to the world championships, she has not one podium visit to her name.

Two fourth places, one fifth and one sixth don’t quite cut it. “For some reason, something always seems to go wrong there for me,” she says. “The last time we had world’s in Lake Placid, (New York), I raced with two detached ribs and 17 freezing injections. We finished fourth by nine-hundredths of a second. “What can you do?

Battered down by a chronic nerve problem in her lower back, Upperton wanted the year away from the sport to decide if her body can weather the rigours of two more seasons of competition leading into the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Then Bobsleigh Canada hired a new engineering firm to design state-of-the-art sleds for the Olympics. Upperton was tagged as a test pilot. In the meantime, the doctors decided to give Upperton cortisone shots to help alleviate the chronic pain in her hamstrings.

On top of that, Upperton’s boss at her summer job — in the marketing department for the Dilawri Automotive group — offered to help sponsor her this season.  The sabbatical was over.

“I think this year will help me get some closure in either direction,” she says. “Either I’ll know I want to continue and that there are solutions to some of these injuries. Or I’ll know I’ve had a great career, and it’s time to transition into something different.

“If I’m going to keep going to Sochi, I don’t just want to go and race. I want to go and have a chance to win. If I keep losing my speed and the ability to train, I’m not going to be able to do that in four years. At some point, it becomes too painful to wake up every day and push your body to do something it doesn’t want you to do any more.”

The revised game plan calls for Upperton to compete on the America’s Cup circuit for the first part of the year and compete on the World Cup circuit after Christmas in Whistler, B.C., and Calgary with her Olympic brakeman Shelley-Ann Brown.

From there, they hope to compete at the world championships in Lake Placid — although the challenge will be immense. Rankings are determined first and foremost by World Cup points, so the dynamic duo will be near the bottom of the heap.

That means they’ll race after all the favourites have already chewed up the track. “I’m handicapping myself, as usual,” she says. “Maybe subconsciously I like a challenge.”

Here’s how the story starts:

I met Tony Dilawri for the first time in 2007. He was one of the many silent donors that helped back the non-profit sport program known as b2ten.  I knew Tony and I would get along great the first time I met him.  He is an avid adventure seeker with an abundance of energy and an endless supply of great stories.  He is one of these business leaders that is quick to jump on a new idea, frequently of his own creation.  Tony is a father of three and believes strongly in the messages that amateur sport delivers to kids: follow your dreams and stay active and healthy.

Tony Dilawri has been involved in supporting amateur sports for years.  However, what he and the Dilawri Group have committed to now isn’t a “typical” athlete sponsorship involving the exchange of money for logos plastered all over my speedsuit and bobsleigh.  The Dilawri Group has given me a car that I’m allowed to drive for 1 year.  In return, I have to visit schools and talk to kids about setting goals, pursuing your dreams and having a “Passion for Excellence.”  I joined my Olympic teammate Mellisa Hollingsworth in this unique initiative and between the two of us, we have spoken to thousands of kids this year.

This is how the program works: kids had to submit an online entry addressing what it means to have a “Passion for Excellence.”  In it’s first year of creation, selecting the 13 winning schools was a challenge due to the program receiving an overwhelming large number of entries.  It was such a wonderful and rewarding experience for Mellisa and I and I sincerely hope that the kids we spoke to felt the same way. If you want to read about the contest or check out some of the winning submissions then go to the passion for excellence website! http://www.passionforexcellence.ca

The positive benefits of sports at a grass roots and community level can never be overlooked.  I know first hand the impact that sport has had on my life, and on the lives of all of the athletes that represented Canada at the Olympics. Sport teaches us to set goals, follow our dreams and shows us how to be leaders.  We acquire confidence and communication skills and begin to implement the tools that will allow us to remain healthy and active throughout our lives.  One of the greatest accomplishments of my life was standing on the Olympic podium in February of 2010 but one of the most rewarding outcomes of that medal has been the platform it gave me to share my story with the youth of Canada.  Providing kids with the inspiration and opportunity to be involved in sport and active healthy lifestyle will benefit Canada for many generations to come.

Maybe meeting Tony Dilawri was an accident, or maybe everything happens for a reason.  Either way I feel truly fortunate to have met a local Calgary businessman who has the financial resources to promote and facilitate a program like “Passion for Excellence.” It’s pretty rare to find a company that believes in the core values of amateur sport as much as I do.

Have you ever noticed that the people driving MINI’s seem to smile a lot?  Look how happy I am in this photo.  This is me and Jack-o…as in Jack-o-latern.  I was given this mini last October just before my birthday, which coincidently falls on Halloween.  It seemed a little too perfect.  An early birthday present, in orange and black, with a super charged engine on Pirelli tires.  It was love at first sight for Jack-o and I.  This car was part of a sponsorship formed with the Dilawri Automotive Group as part of the Passion for Excellence Program.

When the Dilawri Group asked me which one of their vehicles I wanted to drive, the words “mini cooper” flew out of my mouth just about as fast as I slide down the bobsleigh track.  I have pined over these cars for years.  Maybe it is my British roots, or the chase scene from the “Italian Job,” or maybe it’s the fact that people who drive these little, zippy, fuel efficient, easy to park cars just seem so darn happy.  My instinct was correct.  Driving Jack-o immediately brought a smile to my face. From the ability of changing my interior lighting system to match the paint job, to the feeling of acceleration when the car is in sport mode, it’s a close second to racing down a bobsleigh track.

This week I had a phone call.  Jack-o had been sold – a.k.a. “adopted” and I had to bring him in to have him cleaned up and ready to be delivered to his new family.  My heart broke, just a little.  I am glad he will have a loving home but I will miss him.  Since last October, we have shared many great moments on the road.  I headed up to Mini Crowfoot and turned in the keys.  I sat and waited patiently for Jack-o’s replacement.  The gang at Dilawri and MINI Crowfoot had yet to tell me which car would be replacing little Jack-o.  My mind raced with possibilities.  Will it be as nice?  As fast?  Have such a cool paint job?  Does it really matter?  I had a chance to reflect on how lucky I am to have a vehicle to get around town in.  Period. But then I heard it: the soft rumble of the engine outside the glass doors.  I turned to see a bright red Mini Cooper S pull up.  “Helen, meet your new mini,” they said.  The Baron….the Red Baron.  He’s bright and fierce with black rims, black racing stripes and black wing mirrors.  Every one of these cars seems to take on a life of it’s own.  I will never forget Jack-o.  He was my first mini and the reason why I am now a devout fan of this incredible automobile.  For now however, please excuse me. The Baron and I have some driving to do.

Helen Upperton

Bobsleigh Pilot, Olympic Silver Medallist

A few of my teammates will be there and it will be great to see them.  Shelley will not be joining me because she is busy training….and this is an interesting story!  Shelley was an amazing track athlete.  She went to college in Nebraska where she earned both a bachelors and masters degree while competing in hurdles and sprints.  After 5 years of sliding and training with a focus and determination that none of us possessed in our early 20’s, she realized that she is both stronger and faster than she was back in Nebraska, where, by the way, she was one of the top ranked hurdlers in the NCAA.  The thought of using her full athletic capability to pursue the sport that she has loved since she was a little kid is overwhelming for her.  She has so many dreams and plans for her future and her passion for kids and community outreach programs but there is this nagging question in her mind.  The dangerous “I wonder….”

I say: dream of impossible things Shelley.  I will be cheering.  It doesn’t matter where it leads you, it will be an amazing journey.

We will miss you so much in Calgary, and the program will not be the same without you but I can’t wait to watch you run.  Good luck and thank you for the 5 years you spent elevating our teams push times and spirits.  Most importantly, thanks for the last 2 seasons.  You are an amazing person, a great friend and an incredible teammate.  I was so lucky to have you next to me week after week, all winter long.

Hels

Last summer, Shelley and I were faced with a tough decision: whether we wanted to walk away from the sport after the Games in 2010 or continue.  I still had so many goals unfulfilled in the sport and Shelley felt the same but we were both tired, and satisfied.  We spent a few weeks weighing our options and then with the help of our coaches and sponsors, decided to give it one more shot. We were lucky enough to have the full support of so many wonderful people (BCS, B2ten, Jennings Capital, to name a few)

I have won my share of World Cup medals, but due to bad luck and bad timing, I’ve never had a solid run at winning the overall title, and after 8 years of racing, I was still missing one medal: World Championships.  So that was the plan setting out.  We took big risks this summer, changing a lot of our training (thanks to Q and the boys at b2ten) and starting the preparation much later than usual.  The season started out great, the sliding was going well, we were both feeling pretty good physically and we added some great new girls to the program to help us slide and compete this past winter.

I have come to realize that for some people, certain things are just not meant to be.  For me, having a chance to win the overall just doesn’t seem to be in the cards.  After our first World Cup week of the season, Shelley had subluxed ribs and I was left in a sling with a badly separated shoulder and a badly bruised ego.  Did this really just happen on our Olympic track? The track that we know better than everyone else!  Are you kidding me?  I had to skip the first World Cup race and tell myself that winning the Overall World Cup title isn’t that awesome.  I’m such a liar.

The season was ok.  Our worst result was a 7^th.  But some great things happened this winter.  Shelley and I earned a few more World Cup medals for Canada, one of those being a gold.  Shelley’s first World Cup Gold medal!  I was so happy for her! It was the last World Cup race into the 2011 World Championships, the real reason why we came back to race this winter.

I was expecting big things.  Training went great and we had just won the World Cup in Italy.  Our coaches, mechanics, physios and chiros worked tirelessly to prepare us for 4 great heats.  And when those 4 heats came and went, we were left once again just off the podium.  5^th place.  I’m still not really sure why.  I was pretty happy with my runs, I was really happy with our start times.  We just weren’t fast enough.  Its hard walking away from a race satisfied when you can’t quite put your finger on what went wrong.  It was a tough week. The good news is that Canada still came home with hardware thanks to a great performance by Kaillie and Heather and I got to watch 2 of my closest friends retire from the sport with a silver medal to round out an amazing and inspiring career in our sport.  Now, some time to rest, reflect and figure out the next 12 months of my life.  Thank you so much for everyone who has been cheering, and following us.  Your support is so appreciated. I will write again soon…

Hels

What an ending to the World Cup season…

The second half has definitely not lived up to my expectations. 4^th, 7^th, 5^th…  It has been a bit disappointing to say the least.  I suppose its because every time we race we are aiming for the podium. I think my problem is that most of the time, I’m just trying too hard.  How can you not be frustrating when in a race like St. Moritz, you feel more as though you are a part of the German Championships rather than a world cup.  It’s horrifying to see one nation sweep the podium with such domination.  Every other country is over half a second behind…in bobsleigh, that is a lifetime.  So you start looking for answers, everywhere.  I have tested everything from rubber in my sled, to runner carriers.  And nothing seems to stop the slow bleeding of time that happens as we go down the track.  So this week in Cesana I decided to just change sleds completely.  Poor Fernando, resigned to sit in a dark cold garage for 3 days while I tried my luck at another sled.  The new sled was actually not too bad.  The problem was that the steering system is completely different than the one I have used for so many years.  After smashing my way down the track for 4 runs, I gave up.  And with excitement and a feeling of comfort, I returned to my trusty ole’ steed.  I had 2 really bad days of training in Fernando.  The guys jokingly said he was jealous.  He is a bit high maintenance after all.  So that was it, heading into the final world cup race with some big questions marks, not one good run to my name all week in training.

On race day we woke up in the morning to clear blue skies, surrounded by the beautiful Italian mountains.  With tones of snow and weather well above zero, I took some time to reflect on how lucky we are to do this sport.  These past two weeks in both St. Moritz and Cesana (two of the prettiest winter resorts I have ever seen) we have been surrounded by snow and sunshine.  I am a professional toboganner.  I spend weeks with great people, laughing, and doing something I love.  I am very lucky.  I remember feeling quite similar at the Olympic games last winter.  Very fortunate and very thankful for all of the people that allow us to do something we love and be successful at it.  My team these past few weeks have put up with a lot.  The mechanics are always changing and working on my sled, my teammates and coaches have to put up with me complaining about being slow all of the time.  It turns out, in the end, all I had to do was forget about trying to go fast and instead try to enjoy what might be my last World Cup race in Cesana.  Apparently the bob track that saw me though my first Olympic Games in 2006 might not host another bobsleigh World cup race.  So Shelley, Diane and  I just enjoyed the track, enjoyed the sunshine and enjoyed the runs…straight to the top of the podium.  It was Shelley’s first World Cup Gold medal and my 6^th World Cup victory.  I was so happy to finally get Shelley on top of that podium.  She deserves it so much!

Now we head off to Germany for 3 weeks.  The first week is international training because they have changed the bottom three corners at the track in Konigssee and the pilots are all being given a few extra runs to learn the new corners.  The final two weeks are the 2011 World Championships.  Week two will be the Women’s bobsleigh ,  2-man, and team events.  Week three will be men & women’s skeleton along with the 4-man.  Stay tuned!

H

CESANA, Ita.—Canada’s Helen Upperton and Shelley-Ann Brown gave their best performance in the final race of the year by teaming up to win their first World Cup gold medal together in Cesana, Italy on Saturday.
Frustrated by results this season that have been good, but not excellent, Calgary’s Upperton made a courageous decision to take a break from her medal-winning sled “Fernando” at the beginning of the week in hopes of finding more speed down the track. 
But after dating a new sled in training, Calgary’s Upperton gave Fernando another shot and the love affair that has regularly escorted Upperton to the winner’s circle throughout her career, was quickly rekindled as the Canadian trio set a newrecord on the technical Cesana track at 56.99 in their first run en route toposting a two-run golden time of one minute, 54.21 seconds (1:54.21).
“We have such high expectations as a team, and the results haven’t been as great as we wanted so I was a little adventurous in training and tried a new sled,” said the 31-year-old Upperton, who now has 16 World Cup medals and five victories in her illustrious career. “The team was joking that ‘Fernando’ would be jealous that I was cheating on him. It was a fun test, but the other sled just didn’t work, so I went back to Fernando for the race.”
It was the third medal of the season for Upperton and Brown, of Pickering, Ont. The two Canucks also finished third at both the Calgary and Lake Placid World Cup stops. 
“I obviously didn’t get much training runs in the sled, but just figured it is the last World Cup of the season, and gave it everything I had,” added Upperton. “I was waiting for that race all year. I felt I had it, but the results just weren’t there.”
The Canadians were joined on the podium by Esme Kamphuis and Judith Vis, of theNetherlands, who slid to their first World Cup podium in the silver-medal spot at 1:54.50. Germany’s Sandra Kiriasis and Stephanie Schneider were third at 1:54.52.
Canada’s Olympic gold-medallists, Kaillie Humphries of Calgary, and Heather Moyse ofSummerside, P.E.I., finished in fifth spot at 1:54.66. The solid finish placed Humphries and the Canada 1 sled into third spot in the Overall World Cup standings.
Upperton was equally thrilled for her Olympic silver medal-winning brakeman Shelley-Ann Brown, of Pickering, Ont., who celebrated her first-ever World Cup victory. 
“I am happy for Shelley. She won the push competition earlier this week, and thiscould be her final World Cup so it was great for her to get a win,” said Upperton. “This is such a fun track to slide on. The atmosphere here is great and I’m pretty happy because I now have the start record here with (Heather) Moyse, and the track record with (Shelley-Ann) Brown.”
Thevictory was Upperton’s second World Cup gold medal in Cesana. She also finished a heart-breaking fourth-place on the Italian track at the 2006 Olympics and at last years World Cup stop.
Meanwhile, Lyndon Rush of Humboldt, Sask., made a charge for the podium in the men’s two-man race. Rush and Edmonton-based teammate Neville Wright bolted up theleaderboard after a difficult opening run where they were eighth to clock the second-fastest time of the final run, and finish fourth at 1:51.24.
Italy’s Simone Bertazzo and Matteo Torchio won the men’s race with a time of 1:50.96. Switzerland’s Beat Hefti and Thomas Lamparter were second at 1:51.10, while Germany’s Thomas Florschuetz and Kevin Kuske won the bronze medal with a time of 1:51.11.
Calgarians Chris Spring and Justin Wilkinson teamed up in the Canada 2 sled to finish 17th at 1:52.60.
The World Cup wraps up on Sunday in Cesana, Italy with the men’s four-man bobsleigh race.
Bobsleigh CANADA Skeleton is a non-profit organization and the national governing body for the sports of bobsleigh and skeleton in Canada. With the support of itsvalued corporate partners – VISA, Dow Chemical, Adidas, Schenker Canada – along with the Government of Canada, Canadian Olympic Committee and Own the Podium, Bobsleigh CANADA Skeleton develops Olympic and world champions. Please visit us at www.bobsleighcanadaskeleton.ca

Complete Results: www.fibt.com

Happy New Year.  I’m in Igls, Austria, sitting in the sunshine thinking about yesterdays race.  Another 4^th.  Part of me is really happy…happy about how fast we are pushing, how amazing Shelley is doing and how much better I’m driving compared to last winter!  But frustrated that I cannot seem to be fast enough.  Bobsleigh is a complicated sport with lots of factors that affect the outcome.  It can be driver error (it usually is), it can be push times or push velocity.  It can be weather and start number.  It can be steel runners or the wrong sled set-up.  Often it’s a combination of all, but sometimes….you are just not sure what it is.  I watch my runs and I analyze the times…I see other pilots making mistakes but keeping speed.  It seems the inevitable truth of our Canadian program that we are destined to be a team that has to out start and out drive the competition in order to win races.  Don’t get me wrong; I made mistakes yesterday.  In fact, I probably should have ended up 2^nd in that race.  I had a couple of exceptional training runs that I couldn’t duplicate on race day.  My race runs were just “pretty good” and for a Canadian  “pretty good” is just not good enough.  We are one of the only strong nations without a homegrown equipment program.  Bobsleigh equipment and development is a very expensive and time-consuming venture.  The German, USA and Swiss teams all have great technology programs.  Unfortunately, in the sliding sports of bobsleigh, skeleton and luge, the equipment is almost as important as the athletic ability and talent of the athletes.  When the equipment is not working, it is so frustrating and when all of the pieces start clicking and you start finding your speed back, it is the BEST feeling.  In the past, our Canadian team has relied on the kindness of other nations (like Monaco) to sell us or rent us the equipment we need to race, and the funds from OTP, B2ten or sponsors to foot the bill.  We are still however, competing against countries that have government or privately funded equipment programs that are constantly pushing the envelope of sliding technology.  Our team, on race day is usually just trying to keep up.

This winter, our national federation is working in partnership with a Dutch company called Eurotech.  It gives me hope for our team in the future…long after I retire from this sport.  Eurotech has been working with the Netherlands bobsleigh team for the last 4 years and has been developing their own sleds and steel runners.  The brains behind this project are some very smart gentlemen who have dabbled in numerous other high-speed sports like car racing.  Their material is exciting, and innovative and maybe soon… it’s ours.  My fingers are crossed for my teammates.  For the future and legacy of our great bobsleigh program, we need to find a way to stop chasing and start leading.  The work ethic and talent of the athletes in this program deserve better than to stand at the start line and know that they have to be perfect just to keep up.  Every athlete out there knows how infrequently in their career “perfection” comes around.

H

It has been an interesting start to my 2010-2011 season so far.  It has been great sliding again, especially at home in Calgary.  It had been 3 years since we raced on the bobsleigh track there.  Its quite strange how everything feels so slow now compared to Whistler!  We spent 3 weeks training in Calgary and competing in our national selection races.  We have a new addition to our Women’s world Cup team this year.  Congrats to Melissa These who will be racing in her first World Cup competition this fall.

On top of that we have a handful of rookie brakemen who will be joining us on the road this winter and it looks like it is going to be a lot of fun!

After the National Team was named in November, the team headed back to Whistler for some more training before our first world cup race.  Everything started out fine but by the time the official training rolled around, the temperature dropped and the already fast track in Whistler became even faster.  Every pilot has a tendency when it comes to driving.  I’m a very light handed pilot and when the ice is rock hard and the sleds are not really responsive to your steers, you need to do more….Well , I didn’t.  And the 50/50 sent me and Shelley soaring upside down.  Shelley was very beaten up, its rough crashing at 145km/h.  I went to the hospital for x-rays.  Turns out it was a mild shoulder separation.  I took the next day off and then decided to give it another shot during the last day of official training.  I froze the shoulder so it wouldn’t hurt, we made it down one run and then I crashed again in the 50/50 on heat 2.  After the second crash, Shelley had a sub-luxed rib and I had a more severe shoulder separation.  Bobsleigh is a stupid sport.  I had to sit and watch the race in Whistler.  It was torture.  I was so excited to race on our Olympic track again, but it was not to be.  Instead we cheered on our teammates and rested to be ready for Calgary where we redeemed ourselves with a Bronze medal and the fastest push!  Thanks Shelley! And thanks to all the people who came out to cheer us on!

The World Cup in Park City was cancelled because of an insane snow storm and they decided to make Lake Placid a double race.  I love the track at Lake Placid.  Its so fun! Lots of corners (20) with really short transitions and lots of driving.  I somehow managed to crash again in training (with Shelley again!) but we were ok for the races.  4th in the first one and 3^rd in the second race…but only because my friend and competitors from the USA (Rohbock & Fleming) crashed on their last heat, moving us up into a medal position.  It is awful to receive a medal this way.  The only way I want to win is when everyone is their best and you beat them fair and square.  That way, you really know you deserved it!  Shelley and I had a great race in Placid but I’m not sure we deserved that bronze.  I do know that we are all looking forward to the Christmas break to rest our wounded bodies and bruised egos.  Thanks to all of the teammates, mechanics, therapists, sponsors, family and friends who helped us through a tough first half.  We are so grateful.  See you in 2011.

H

BY MARIO TONEGUZZI, POSTMEDIA NEWS; CALGARY HERALD DECEMBER 14, 2010

Another Olympian is joining the Passion for Excellence community program, designed to inspire more children to learn how to overcome major setbacks -both in life and sport -while also inspiring them to live healthier, more active lives.

The Passion for Excellence program was originally launched in October and began with a partnership between the Dilawri Automotive Group and Olympic bronze medal-winning skeleton athlete Mellisa Hollingsworth.

Now, Olympic silver medalist and World Cup champion Helen Upperton, a bobsledder, will also be visiting Calgary schools in the hopes of driving home some of her most important lessons learned to youth.

The women’s bobsled pilot experienced many heartbreaking fourth-place finishes and her share of disappointments prior to earning the silver medal at the Olympics, five World Cup gold medals and three National Championship titles.

“This is an incredible idea and a unique initiative,” said Upperton of the program. “We learn a lot of lessons competing at this level -lessons on following dreams and not giving up.

“I’ve actually had more tough times in the sport than good times, but for some reason you only remember the good times. I’m getting the opportunity to share my journey with those in the community who will benefit the most.

“I’ve experienced disappointments along the way, but the most important thing is that I’ve never given up. I’d like to share the important lessons I’ve learned with as many students as possible. It’s essential that they set goals early in life and work hard to achieve them.”

Since the first announcement about the program, the public response has been “overwhelming,” said Tony Dilawri, retail principal of the Dilawri Automotive Group in Calgary. “We did not expect to get inundated with as much as we did.

“They (Upperton and Hollingsworth) are both incredible athletes and Olympic medal winners, and yet they still set their sights on achieving more, which is the perfect example of what it means to have

passion for excellence.”

The program was promoted again Dec. 6 at Canada Olympic Park as Upperton met with Calgary students. It was also timely for her to share her message with youngsters. The weekend before she injured her shoulder and had to miss the World Cup.

“Helen had two crashes last week so she’s got her arm right now in a sling,” said Dilawri. “She went really fast and she ended up losing control, but she’s going to get back into the saddle again. It’s easy to sit there and say ‘I’m hurt, I need to stop’ versus going.”

Hollingsworth had the support of a nation encouraging her back onto her feet when the World Cup Champion in skeleton finished a crushing fifth at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

The Dilawri Automotive Group is driving the program that originally supported Hollingsworth’s planned visits to eight Calgary schools in 2011. With the addition of Upperton, the number of school visits from an Olympic athlete has now increased to 12.

Students from Calgary and surrounding areas are encouraged to submit their own creative contest entries to win a school visit from either athlete.

Students, parents and teachers can find out more about the program, the contest, and how to participate at www.passionforexcellence.ca.

People can also follow along with both athlete’s Passion for Excellence journeys, and their quests for Olympic gold, on the site.

The Dilawri Automotive Group encompasses nine franchises, representing eight vehicle manufacturers in Calgary, including Bentley Calgary, Aston Martin Calgary, Spyker Calgary, Fisker Calgary, Calgary Honda, Calgary BMW, BMW Gallery, MINI Crowfoot and Hyundai Gallery.

Nationally, the Dilawri Group comprises over 30 dealerships across Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario.

Upperton is one of Canada’s most successful athletes. In her 8-year career she has racked up an Olympic silver medal and 19 World Cup medals. She is a six-time World Cup gold medallist and three-time National Champion, and solidified the first World Cup gold finish for Canada in women’s bobsled.

“Helen stole everyone’s hearts in Vancouver,” said Dilawri. “We all shared in the celebration, but we tend to forget about the long journey these athletes take to get to that podium.

“That goes for everyone else too — who’s not necessarily an athlete — who sets out to achieve something important.

“There are going to be disappointments along the way, but it’s how you move past those low points that teaches you the most and makes the journey mean more in the end.”

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