Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to stand to salute the competitors of the 2009 Canadian Vision Impaired Curling Championship which took place last week here in Ottawa.
I am proud to announce that Team Canada, represented by the Kelowna rink, remained undefeated, winning its fifth consecutive championship.
Coach and skip Dean Martell, lead Bob Comba, second Frank Costello, third Sandy Neddow, designated sweeper Darren Stallnecht, and guide Barbara Hansen-Comba are ambassadors for Canada and the sport of vision impaired curling. They will make us all proud as they go on to compete at the world championships later this year.
This is yet another success story in a year when Canadian athletes are doing so well. Like our winning athletes who are preparing for the 2010 Winter Olympics, Kelowna's Team Canada will be defending its title next year and going for six.