News update: Paralympian Greg Westlake returns as assistant coach with Para hockey team

CALGARY – Hockey Canada has announced that its coaching staff that led the Para ice hockey national team to the gold medal at the world championships is returning for the 2024-25 season and that includes five-time Paralympian Greg Westlake.

The Canadians broke a seven-year world championship title drought this past May in Calgary with a thrilling victory over three-time defending champion United States in the gold medal final.

Head coach Russ Herrington (Unionville, ON/ York University, OUA) returns for his third season behind the bench and will be joined again by assistant coaches Mike Fountain (Gravenhurst, ON), Boris Rybalka (Vernon, BC) and Westlake (Oakville, ON).

Westlake enters his second season as an assistant coach. The second all-time leading scorer in Team Canada history (175-194—369 in 240 games) had a monumental playing career, winning a total of 12 medals (four gold, five silver, three bronze), including Paralympic gold in 2006.

“We are excited to have our gold medal winning staff in place for another season,” said Adam Janssen, Hockey Canada’s manager of hockey operations. “Coming off a tremendously successful year we know having a consistent and experienced staff sets our athletes up for success heading into a new season.”

Herrington was named head coach of Canada’s National Para Hockey Team in August 2022 after parts of seven seasons as an assistant coach.

Following a September evaluation camp, the Canadians will compete in the International Para Hockey Cup, set for Oct. 7-13 in Ostrava, Czechia.

Paralympic Games medallists Clement and Hayward off to Zurich for Para cycling road worlds

Paris 2024 Paralympic Games medallists Nathan Clement of North Vancouver and Alexandre Hayward of Quispamsis, N.B., lead an eight-member Canadian Para cycling squad to the integrated World Road Championships which starts Saturday in Zurich, Switzerland.

Clement, the reigning world champion in the men’s T1 time trial, took silver in the same event in Paris.

Hayward, earned bronze on the track in Paris in the men’s C3 3000m individual pursuit. On the road, he was fourth in the road race and fifth in the time trial.

Joining them on the squad on the men’s side are three-time Paralympian Charles Moreau of Victoriaville, Que., and Joey Desjardins of Hawkesbury, Ont., (both H3) and Maarten Duif of Carleton Place, Ont., (H1).

For the women it’s Jessica Law of Vancouver (C5), Kara Douville of Calgary (H3) and two-time Paralympian Mel Pemble of Victoria (C3).

Law, and Duif, will be making their worlds debut.