Thursday, August 28, 2014

The Heartbeat - Schedule of Upcoming Events in Canada and on TV or Livestreamed




What a weekend coming up. I hope you have a chance to attend an event in Canada or at least watch a few on television or livestreamed. There are SO many World Championships happening. I wish I was home to enjoy them all, but am away so my PVR will be set and unfortunately will probably not be available to livestream, please cheer for me!
If you know of an event that could be featured in The Heartbeat, feel free to contact me suzanne[at]sportcafe.ca or via Twitter @olympichearts

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Upcoming Events in Canada

Pan American Gymnastics Championships
August 29-September 1
Mississauga, ON
More info
live webcast (and to watch archive of rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and gymnastics)

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World Triathlon Series
August 30-September 1
Edmonton, AB
More info
televised on Sportsnet ONE
Competitors include the best in the world:
Javier Gomez, Jonathan Brownlee, Alistair Brownlee, Mario Mola
as well as Canada's best: Kyle Jones and Andrew Yorke
Women's best: Gwen Jorgensen, Sarah Groff, Jodie Stimpson, Andrea Hewitt
as well as Canada's best: Kirsten Sweetland, Sarah-Anne Brault and coming back from injury Paula Findlay.
Go Canada Go!

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Cycling Tour of Alberta
Sept 2-7
various cities in Alberta
More info
Televised on Sportsnet ONE
Canadians competing: Christian Meier (Orica-Greenedge)
Canadian National Team which may include Hugo Houle, Garret Mccleod, Benjamin Perry, Stuart Wight, Adam De Vos, Jean-Sebastian Perron, Jordan Cheyne, Cody Canning.
Full team listings: click here.

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Canoe Kayak Slalom Canadian Championships
August 26-29
Whitewater, ON
More info

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Table Tennis North American Championships
August 31-September 1
Mississauga, ON
More info
If livestreamed, link can be found here.

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Various sports
Upcoming Pan Am Games Test Events: Click here

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Televised and Livestreamed Events
(all times Eastern unless otherwise noted)

With the introduction of TSN1, TSN2, TSN3, TSN4 and TSN5 this week, it's an exciting time for sports fans (although more for professional sports fans), but for those of us who like both, it's been a great week for tennis with US Open action on 3 or 4 stations showing different matches simultaneously. There has also been extra Canadian content with interviews with Eugenie Bouchard, Milos Raonic and Vasek Pospisil as well as interviews with their coaches.

Here's a breakdown of the different stations:

TSN1 - Pacific (BC and Yukon)
TSN2 - National
TSN3 - West (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut)
TSN4 - Ontario (Leafs viewing region)
TSN5 - East (Eastern Ontario, Quebec, Maritimes)

Although, the content isn't necessarily regional (but I guess if you only pay for one TSN, perhaps you only get one of the channels). Let me know if you can confirm.

I look forward to seeing how much amateur content the TSN channels will present or even if one of the channels may become an amateur sports specialist like Sportsnet ONE seems to be (see below for all the amateur content SN1 is showing this week).


World Rowing Championships (Sportsnet ONE)
Thursday August 28 3pm
Friday August 29 3pm
Saturday August 30 12pm
Sunday August 31 12pm

World Triathlon Series from Edmonton (Sportsnet ONE)
Saturday August 30 2pm Women's Race (live)
Sunday August 31 2pm Men's Race (live)

Road Cycling Women's World Cup (Sportsnet ONE)
Tuesday Sept 2 12pm and 12:30pm

Mountain Bike World Championships (Sportsnet ONE)
Tuesday Sept 2 4pm (cross-country eliminator women and men elite)
Saturday Sept 6 12pm (cross-country Olympic women elite)
Saturday Sept 6 2pm (cross-country Olympic men elite)
Sunday Sept 6 2pm (downhill women elite)

Cycling Tour of Alberta (Sportsnet ONE)
Tuesday Sept 2 8pm prologue
Wednesday Sept 3 7pm Stage 1 Lethbridge
Thursday Sept 4 4pm Stage 2 Innisfail to Red Deer
Friday Sept 5 4pm Stage 3 Wetaskiwin to Edmonton
Saturday Sept 6 4pm Stage 4 Edmonton to Strathcona County
Sunday Sept 7 4pm Stage 5 Edmonton

World Equestrian Games
August 23-September 7
France
More info
livestream

Badminton World Championships
August 25-31
Denmark
More info
livestream

Judo World Championships
August 25-31
Russia
More info
livestream

Para-Cycling Road World Championships
August 28-Sept 1
USA
More info
Livestream

Volleyball World Championships
August 30-September 21
Poland
More info


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Friday, August 15, 2014

The Heartbeat: Events held in Canada, televised or livestreamed





If you know of an event that could be featured in The Heartbeat, feel free to contact me suzanne[at]sportcafe.ca or via Twitter @olympichearts

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Upcoming Events in Canada


Soccer U-20 World Cup
Various Cities in Canada
August 5-24
More info

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Water Ski National Championships
August 14-17
King Township, ON
More info

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Toronto Goalball Invitational
August 15-17
Mississauga, ON
More info

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Triathlon - Pushor Mitchell Apple
August 16-17
Kelowna, BC
More info

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Pan American Gymnastics Championships (rhythmic gymnastics)
August 19-22
Mississauga, ON
More info

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Canoe Kayak Sprint Canadian Championships
August 19-23
Regina,  SK
More info

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Beach Volleyball Canadian Championships
August 22-24
Toronto, ON
More info

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Canoe Slalom - Pan Am Test Event
August 23-24
Minden Hills, ON
More info

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Trampoline Pan Am Test Event
August 23-25
Mississauga, ON
More info

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Various sports
Upcoming Pan Am Games Test Events: Click here

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Televised and Livestreamed Events


Rugby World Cup Women - More info
Gold Medal Game - Canada vs England
Sunday August 17 Preview noon, game 12:30pm TSN2

FIFA Under 20 Women's World Cup
Quarterfinals on CBC:
Saturday August 16 5pm North Korea vs USA
Saturday August 16 7:30pm pre-show, 8pm Canada vs Germany
Sunday August 17 4pm Nigeria vs New Zealand
Sunday August 17 7pm France vs South Korea
Semi-finals on CBC:
Wednesday August 20 4pm and 7pm
Bronze Medal Match on CBC:
Sunday August 24 4pm
Gold Medal Match on CBC:
Sunday August 24 7pm

Canoe Slalom World Cup
Sunday August 17 2:30am Sportsnet ONE
Sunday August 17 12:00pm Sportsnet ONE
Monday August 18 12:00pm Sportsnet ONE

Women's Softball World Championships
August 15-24
To purchase livestream and see game schedule, click here.



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Friday, August 8, 2014

The Heartbeat: Upcoming events held in Canada or televised in Canada





If you know of an event that could be featured in The Heartbeat, feel free to contact me suzanne[at]sportcafe.ca or via Twitter @olympichearts

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Upcoming Events in Canada


Tennis Rogers Cup
August 1-10
Montreal, QC (Women) Toronto, ON (Men)
More info
televised beginning on Monday

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Rowing Royal Canadian Henley Regatta
August 3-10
St. Catharines, ON
More info

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Soccer U-20 World Cup
Various Cities in Canada
August 5-24
More info

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Archery Canadian Championships
August 7-10
Lac La Biche, AB
More info

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Athletics NACAC Championships U23
August 8-10
Kamloops, BC
More info

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Swimming Open Water World Cup
August 9
Lac-MĂ©gantic, QC
More info

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Water Ski National Championships
August 14-17
King Township, ON
More info

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Toronto Goalball Invitational
August 15-17
Mississauga, ON
More info

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Pan American Gymnastics Championships (rhythmic gymnastics)
August 19-22
Mississauga, ON
More info

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Canoe Kayak Canadian Championships
August 19-23
Regina,  SK
More info

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Various sports
Upcoming Pan Am Games Test Events: Click here

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Televised Events

Rogers Cup (Men and Women)
coverage starts Monday August 4th on Sportsnet and Sportsnet ONE
Semifinals and Finals on CBC August 9 and 10

Rugby World Cup Women - More info
Saturday August 9 9:30am TSN2 Canada vs England
Wednesday August 13 11:45am Semi-Final #1 2:30pm SF #2

Volleyball Women's FIVB Grand Prix
Saturday August 9 12:00am Sportsnet ONE Canada vs Cuba
Saturday August 9 7:30pm live Sportsnet ONE Canada vs Argentina

Mountain Bike World Cup
Saturday August 9 2am Sportsnet ONE XCE
Saturday August 9 2pm Sportsnet ONE DHI
Sunday August 10 12:30pm Sportsnet ONE XCO (also 10:30pm)

FIFA Under 20 Women's World Cup
Friday August 8 8pm Canada vs Finland CBC (live East delays West)
Saturday August 9 12am Sportsnet World Canada vs Finland (replay 7am)
Sunday August 10 5pm live Sportsnet ONE Canada vs Peru
Tuesday August 12 Canada s Korea DPR 7pm live CBC, 9pm Sportsnet World

Canoe Kayak World Championships - More info and livestream
Saturday August 9 12pm Sportsnet ONE
Sunday August 10 3:30pm Sportsnet ONE


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Friday, August 1, 2014

The Heartbeat: Commonwealth Games, Women's Volleyball, Canoe Slalom, Mountain Bike and Tennis on TV





If you know of an event that could be featured in The Heartbeat, feel free to contact me suzanne[at]sportcafe.ca or via Twitter @olympichearts

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Upcoming Events in Canada


Mountain Bike World Cup
July 31-August 3
Mont-Sainte-Anne, QC
More info
televised on Saturday and Sunday

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Tennis Rogers Cup
August 1-10
Montreal, QC (Women) Toronto, ON (Men)
More info
televised beginning on Monday

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Various sports
Upcoming Pan Am Games Test Events: Click here

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Televised Events

Commonwealth Games
live online streaming from approx 4am ET to 5:30pm ET cbcsports.ca/glasgow2014
highlight show streamed at approx 5:30pm
Highlight show midnight local on CBC
Full online and television broadcast schedule can be found here.

Weekend coverage:
Saturday August 2 4pm CBC
Sunday August 3 1pm local CBC
Sunday August 3 3pm local CBC Closing Ceremony

Daily schedule and start lists can be found here.

Unfortunately with a single stream, CBC is not in control of what is shown on the livestream so we are not guaranteed to see our Canadian athletes. The good thing about it though is that it is simple. Start the livestream and keep an eye on what is being shown. It's been great to see sports that we are not always exposed to like netball, field hockey or squash.

The one hour midnight show highlights Canada's best performances of the day as well as the more popular events.

Volleyball Grand Prix Women 
Friday August 1 2pm (live) Sportsnet Canada vs Belgium
Saturday August 2 10am (live) Sportsnet ONE Canada vs Argentina
Sunday August 3 8am (live) Sportsnet ONE Canada vs Netherlands

Canoe Slalom World Cup
Saturday August 2 12:30pm Sportsnet ONE
Sunday August 3 10am Sportsnet ONE

Mountain Bike World Cup from Mont Ste Anne
Saturday August 2 2:30pm Sportsnet ONE
Sunday August 3 12:30pm Sportsnet ONE

Rogers Cup (Men and Women)
coverage starts Monday August 4th on Sportsnet and Sportsnet ONE


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Other Events and Livestreams

Commonwealth Games
July 23-August 3
Scotland
More info
livestream daily on cbcsports.ca and nighttime highlight on CBC

Beach Volleyball Grand Slam
July 29-August 3
Austria
More info
Click here for preview article by Maverick Hatch

Rugby World Cup (Women)
August 1-17
France
More info

Judo Pan Am
August 1-2
Florida
More info

Canoe Slalom World Cup
August 1-3
Spain
More info
Televised on Saturday and Sunday

Diving Grand Prix
August 1-3
Italy
More info

Volleyball Grand Prix (Women)
August 1-3
Belgium
More info
televised Friday, Saturday and Sunday


Last night I dreamed...

Last night I dreamed I was an Olympic torch bearer. The host country was Sweden. We were wearing blue and yellow outfits.

Somehow I was not dropped off at my position, so I was running along the course, stopping at the transfer points to find out who was the torch bearer. I passed one - not me. I pass another and it's the tennis player, Victoria Azarenka. I get to the next one and there it is. My name. I get in position and see the flame coming.

I call out to my husband and kids. I can't imagine I'll be carrying the torch in a moment and they're not there to see it. Then I hear him. There's my husband running behind the torch with his camera ready. He gives me the thumbs up and my panic changes to elation as the flame approaches.

We are positioned for the lighting. We're facing my husband first then we turn around to face the other cameras. We are interviewed briefly and we are asked who is most likely to be the next Olympian. I obviously have other supporters there because a number of them say me. I knowingly look at Azarenka and we give each other a little nod and a smile. The others don't know that she's a professional tennis player and already an Olympian.

The torch looks more like a 1988 torch than the 2010. It has a very small handle which is easy to hold. There's a small bucket at the top that holds the flame.

I start running with the torch...tears filling my eyes, not believing that this dream is coming true. How is it possible that I'm a torch bearer? I arrive at the next transfer point, and no one is there. How lucky, I get to carry it longer.

The next one, again, is empty. I can't believe my luck. Tears are almost streaming now. I run on a bridge wondering why I'm not getting tired yet (I haven't been a runner in a long time), another empty transfer point and the route goes up a hill (like a cross-country running trail with large rocks). I start running up the hill, so happy and not feeling tired. At some point, the relay gets stopped. The organizers can't figure out where the torch bearers are so they instruct me to go wait on the bus while they find them.

I'm sitting there talking with the person beside me and realize, I'm still carrying the lit torch. I take another moment to fully realize what is happening to me. Hard to believe!

Time passes and we notice that the flame is burned out. The person beside me thinks it's a problem, but I inform him that it's not. They will have flames to relit it when we start again.

Then it's time to go. As I walk off the bus, poof the flame lights up again. I was looking down at it, and the tip had a ring shaped hole that the flame came up through. I walk down the hill to the bridge where Simon Cowell catches up with me to explain what we're going to do. Yes, Simon Cowell is the organizer of the torch relay in Sweden that I am running in. Dreams aren't supposed to be realistic are they?

I go back to the start to begin the relay again. Then I wake up...amazed at an incredible dream.