FISA's Smith named Canada's Chef de Mission

FISA’s executive committee member, council representative and women’s rowing commission chair Tricia Smith of Canada has been named as Chef de Mission for the Canadian team at the 2007 Pan American Games.

This comes on the heels of Smith’s election to the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) executive committee a week ago and adds to Smith’s already lengthy list of roles including board member of the International Council of Arbitration for Sport, past president of Olympians BC (British Columbia) and board member of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic bid.

Smith, a Vancouver-based Lawyer, began rowing in 1974 and competed at the first ever Olympic regatta for women in 1976. She went on to be part of every Canadian Olympic team through to 1988 and in 1984 she won silver in her specialty event, the pair.

Between 1976 and 1988 Smith competed in every World Rowing Championships winning six bronze and one silver medal. During this period, Smith was never beaten in North America in the pair.

After the 1988 Olympics Smith retired from competitive rowing and in 1992 she was inducted into the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame.

COC President Michael Chambers praised Smith: “Tricia has devoted much of her time and energy over the years to supporting and advancing amateur sport in Canada. Her sincerity, enthusiasm, leadership ability and dedication to sport in Canada make her a natural fit to lead Canada’s team at the Pan American Games.”

The Pan American games are the American Continent version of the Olympic Games. They take place every four years and in 2007 Rio de Janerio, Brazil, will host the event.

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