Today is a proud day for the rowing community as the Session members of the Canadian Olympic Committee, made up of Canada's sport leaders, athletes and coaches affirmed their support for Tricia Smith by electing her to the position of President to April 2017.
Tricia Smith, well known not only in Canadian and international rowing circles but more broadly in the international sport community has earned world-wide respect for the positive roles she has played in building sport and representing the interests of our athletes and women in sport.
Tricia, a four time Olympian in rowing and silver medalist at the 1984 Olympic Games along with partner Betty Craig also claimed seven world championship medals and a gold medal at the 1986 Commonwealth Games. Her involvement with the COC first began in 1980 as rowing's representative to the COC Athlete's Council. During that time she graduated from law school and is now a partner and Deputy Managing Director at Barnes Craig & Associates.
Impressively, Tricia has managed to balance the demands of a successful career and business with the numerous and significant leadership roles she plays at both a national and international level on behalf of the sport community. In addition to having served two terms as VP at the COC, Tricia was elected this year to the prestigious role of Vice President with FISA and serves on the Board of the international Court of Arbitration for Sport. She has an impressive array of national honours and awards, including the Order of Canada that mark the significance of her achievements as both an athlete and a sport builder.
Mike Walker, President of Rowing Canada Aviron, notes that; "Tricia has been a quiet but forceful leader in her own right within the COC for many years. She has an incredible track record of achievements and is noted for her unrelenting integrity and forthright approach. Tricia carries a tremendous amount of respect within the international sport community and this will serve her well in her new role." "From the sport leaders that I have networked with this weekend, there is a tremendous sense of trust and confidence in Tricia and the necessary leadership that she brings to the organization at this time". "Once again, Tricia has made the rowing community proud and we continue to applaud her success."