VICTORIA, B.C. - Chief Executive Officer and national coach for Swimming Canada, Pierre Lafontaine is set to be the keynote speaker for the 5th Annual Vikes Championship Breakfast on Sept. 25, 2012.

REGISTER ONLINE NOW   /   EVENT PAGE

Lafontaine, born in Beaconsfield, Que., has been on the coaching stage since 1976 and has been a continual contributor to the advancement and success of swimming both in Canada and internationally.

"Pierre is a very accomplished and dynamic leader in sport and we are both privileged and excited to have him be our keynote speaker," said #Clint Hamilton#, Director of UVic Vikes Athletics and Recreation. "Pierre has a tremendous passion for Canadian sport and is a strong advocate for Canadian Interuniversity Sport. I am confident that he will captivate all in attendance at our Vikes Championships Breakfast with his message."

In 2000, Lafontaine coached at the Phoenix Swim Club, based in Phoenix, Ariz., where he and his colleagues guided three athletes to eight medals at the Sydney Olympics. Later, Lafontaine moved to Australia, where he was the head coach at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), which saw four AIS swimmers reach podium finishes at the Athens Olympics.

A Concordia University graduate, Lafontaine was hired as Swimming Canada's CEO and national coach after a disappointing year for Canada at the 2004 Olympics. The new role helped immediately put Canadian Swimming back on track. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, only three year's after Lafontaine's appointment, Canada more than tripled its number of finalists compared to previous years. As well, the team set nearly 30 Canadian records and Canada stood on the swimming podium for the first time since 1996, thanks to a bronze-medal performance in the 1500 freestyle by UVic student-athlete #Ryan Cochrane#.

Lafontaine is a continual supporter of university sport in Canada, constantly striving to find ways to support university swimming and keep Canada's best athletes training and competing on home soil. Lafontaine is a valuable spokesman for the Canadian Sport system and has been involved in a number of speaking engagements, where he continuously endorses swimming not only as an elite sport, but also as a lifelong activity.

The Vikes Championship Breakfast will take place on Tues. Sept. 25, 2012 from 7:15 - 8:45 a.m in the McKinnon gym. The 5th Annual Vikes Championship Breakfast event in McKinnon Gym, on Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012, is your chance to support Vikes Athletics. To date, the Vikes Championship Breakfast has raised nearly $1.5 million dollars, which has helped our student-athletes realize success in the classroom and on the field of competition.

The breakfast will occur just days prior to UVic's 50th Homecoming and Anniversary Festival, set to take place Sept. 28-29. The festival will also include a Vikes retro homecoming party at 8 p.m. on Sat., Sept. 29, and will honour the impact and tradition of Vikes excellence over the past 50 years.

TICKET INFORMATION:

Championship Breakfast: $200 per person | $2000 per table (govikesgo.com)
Vikes Retro Homecoming Party: $45 ($35 before July 31) or $50 at the door (alumni.uvic.ca/homecoming)

PIERRE'S BIOGRAPHY:

Coaching Experience
• 2005-Present    CEO/National Coach, Swimming Canada
• 2003-2005        Head Coach, AIS, Canberra, Australia
• 2002-2003        Assistant Coach, AIS, Canberra Australia
• 1997-2002        Head Coach, Phoenix Swim Club, Arizona, USA
• 1995-1997        Head Coach Dynamo Swim Club, Atlanta, USA
• 1992-1995        Head Coach, CAMO Montreal, Canada
• 1988-1992        Assistant Coach, University of Calgary
• 1981-1984        Head Coach, Piscine Olympique, Montreal, Canada
• 1976-1981        Assistant Coach, Pointe-Claire Swim Club

International Experience
• 2009 National Coach, Canada – World Championships, Rome, Italy
• 2008 National Coach, Canada – Olympic Games, Beijing China
• 2007 National Coach, Canada – World Championships, Melbourne Australia
• 2006 National Coach, Canada – Pan Pacific Championships, Victoria, British Columbia
• 2006 National Coach, Canada – Commonwealth Games, Melbourne, Australia
• 2005 National Coach, Canada – World Aquatic Championships, Montréal, Canada
• 2004 Australian Olympic Coach
        • 10 swimmers from the AIS
        • AIS Swimmers: 4 gold, 2 silvers
        • Pierre coached 4 of these swimmers that ranked: 1 Silver, 7th, and 9th
• 2003 World Championships Australian Team
        • Pierre coached 4 of the 10 swimmers
• 2000 3 swimmers from the Phoenix Swim Club on the USA Olympic Team
        • 3 Gold, 3 Silver, 2 Bronze
        • Pierre's swimmer won 1 Silver and 1 bronze
• 1995-2000 USA Distance camps
• 1995 Head Coach Canadian Team – Pan Pacific Open Water Championships
        • Canada finished 2nd to Australia
• 1994 Coach – Canadian Swim Team at Open Water World Championships
• 1993 Assistant Coach Open Water – Pan Pacific Canadian Swim Team
• 1987 Team manager Canadian Pan American Swim Team
• 1986 Canadian Coach Dual Meet: Canada vs England & Canada vs CCCP
• 1986 Canadian Head Coach at World Junior modern Pentathlon