June Snapshots: A roundup of local sports happenings

By Ottawa Sportspage

FORMER RUGBY PLAYER ENTERS REFEREE TRAINING
Former full-back for Team Canada, Julianne Zussman, will be entering World Rugby’s Virtual High Performance Academy to receive training for international referees. Zussman, who was born in Ottawa, represented Canada in three world cups and is currently a referee. She has refereed in three international tournaments so far and was the first Canadian test player to referee at the international level.

LOCAL SKIERS NAMED TO NATIONAL TEAMS
Ottawa cross-country skier Pierre Grall-Johnson was one of eight athletes named to the 2020-21 Senior Development Team by Nordiq Canada. The senior team, along with the eight members of the Junior Development Team, make up Canada’s national team, which will be striving for contention toward the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Grall-Johnson, who skis with Nakkertok Nordic, captured the bronze medal at the Nor-Am Cup this January. Luke Allan, another member of the Nakkertok team, was named to Canada’s prospects team, which aims to develop skiers who are too young for the national team.

OTTAWA TO HOST 2021 MEN’S WORLD CURLING CHAMPIONSHIP
The 2021 Men’s World Curling Championship will take place at TD Place from April 3 to 11, 2021. This is the first time the event has been held in Ottawa. The two championships leading up to the 2022 Beijing Games would have determined which teams qualified for the Olympics, but this year’s championship in Glasgow was cancelled due to COVID-19. Instead, only the 2021 championships will determine qualifiers, with the top six teams at the Ottawa event automatically earning a spot.

PHYSICAL DISTANCING 5K TAKING PLACE IN NEPEAN
Sportstats, a Nepean-based sports timing and results company, has created a physical distancing 5K race. Runners are mailed their bib after registering online. They can then show up at the starting line, which is at Sportstats’ headquarters, at any time between 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week, until the end of the summer. An antenna connected to a TV screen detects when a runner has stepped up to the starting line, and their time starts as soon as their name appears on the screen. They finish at that same TV screen, where their results are then shown. The 5K loop can be run up to four times, so runners can choose to run a 5, 10, 15, or 20K race. There are no volunteers or staff, and only one runner (or two from the same family) can start at a time. The course goes through an industrial centre and on sidewalks and bike paths.

CANADIAN SPRINT CANOE KAYAK CHAMPIONSHIPS CANCELLED
Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) and the Rideau Canoe Club have announced that the 2020 CKC Sprint National Championships have been cancelled for the first time in 75 years. They would have taken place August 25 to 30 at Mooney’s Bay. The Rideau Canoe Club was hoping to win the national title for the third year in a row. A third win would have put them in a four-way tie for second in overall championships. The club was also the defending Canadian Masters champions.

ONLINE BOXING CLASS FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Boxing Without Barriers and Little Italy’s Beaver Boxing Club are partnering to offer a virtual boxing class for people with special needs over Google Meet. The class is taking place on June 28 and anyone can RVSP via email to attend. Beaver Boxing Club also announced that they will soon be reopening, although restrictions will be in place such as only having 10 people in the club at a time, and only competitors or members of Ontario Boxing will be allowed. They expect to restart competitive training this month.