TORONTO - Roots Canada is pleased to announce that it has signed Canadian Olympic Gold Medalist kayaker Adam van Koeverden to the Roots team. Earlier this year, Adam, 22, became Canada’s first Olympic double medalist since 1996 when he won Gold and Bronze medals at the recent Olympic Games in Athens in the K-1 500m and K-1 1,000m kayaking competitions.



As part of his involvement with Roots, Adam will be taking part in special events across the country organized by Roots to encourage young Canadians to take up the increasingly popular sport of kayaking. He will also appear in Roots advertising and will make other public appearances to promote the importance of sport and fitness to fight the alarming increase in overweight children.

Originally from Oakville, Ontario, Adam capped his remarkable performance in Athens when he was chosen as the flag-bearer for Canada at the Closing Ceremonies and led the Canadian team into the stadium as seen by three billion people around the world.

"I'm thrilled to be working with Roots," said Adam van Koeverden. "Roots has always been a strong supporter of sport in Canada and of our country's athletes. Roots showed a sincere interest in me as an athlete, but also an interest in the sport of canoeing and kayaking, which I appreciate. Doing what I can to help teach people, especially children, about the benefits of sport is a huge priority for me and I'm proud to work with a company that shares the same vision."

In his brief career as a sprint kayaker, Adam has racked up an impressive resume of medals and honours. In addition to capturing Gold and Bronze medals in Athens, Adam won a string of gold medals in the 2004 World Cup circuit and Olympic-qualifying events. He was also named a finalist for Male Athlete of the Year at the 2004 Canadian Sport Awards. Adam’s formidable achievements in 2004 came on the heels of a silver medal at the 2003 World Championships.

Adam presently resides in Burlington, Ontario while training at the Burloak Canoe Club in Oakville. He is working toward a degree in kinesiology at McMaster University in Hamilton where his interests include playing guitar, snowboarding, reading and cross-country skiing.

Roots has a long tradition of supporting and working with highly gifted Canadian athletes. “We’re proud to be associated with a true champion like Adam van Koeverden,” says Roots Co-Founder Michael Budman. “Ever since I first met Adam at the Summer Games in Athens and watched him compete there, I’ve been incredibly impressed by his high caliber as an athlete in a kayak and as a person out of the water. He’s an excellent role model for young people and shares our commitment to promote an active, healthy lifestyle. Given the increasingly sedentary lifestyle of young people and the growing obesity in our society, we must work to get Canadians more involved in sports activities. We’re thrilled to have Adam on board at Roots.”

Established in Toronto in 1973, Roots has evolved into an internationally recognized lifestyle brand. From a small store selling a single product (Roots negative-heel shoe), Roots now has 125 stores in Canada and the United States. A privately held company, Roots has state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Toronto, numerous licensees and employs thousands of people in Canada and abroad.

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For further information, contact:
Robert Sarner, Director of Communication and Public Affairs
416-781-3574 ext 4280
E-mail: rsarner@roots.com

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