Varsity Blues contingent to compete at Canada Summer Games

TORONTO - Six University of Toronto Varsity Blues are set to represent Ontario at the 2009 Canada Summer Games, August 15-29, in Prince Edward Island.

Diane Burrows (Richmond Hill, Ont.) will pair up with Caleigh Whittaker of the Western Mustangs in the women's beach volleyball competition during week one of the Games. The duo qualified when they won the Ontario Volleyball qualifying tournament, June 14, at Ashbridges Bay in Toronto.

A third-year arts and science student, Burrows finished third on the Blues and among the top 20 OUA players in the 2008-09 season, averaging 3.08 points per game.

Kate Ruediger of the Varsity Blues track and field team will compete for Ontario in the women's 400m. The Oakville, Ont. native qualified for the Games with her personal best time (54.04) and gold-medal performance at the 2009 Ontario senior championships and Canada Summer Games trials.

A recent graduate of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at U of T, Ruediger also claimed a bronze medal in the 400m and finished sixth in the B final of the 200m at the 2009 Canadian track and field championships and world trials at Varsity Centre, July 25-28.

Four members of the Blues swimming team are also set to compete in P.E.I. Second-year swimmers Curtis Samuel (Oakville, Ont.) and Mike Smerek (St. Catharines, Ont.) will be competing in the 200m and 100m butterfly events, respectively, while incoming recruits Zack Summerhayes (Waterloo, Ont.) and Nick Karpov (Toronto) will also take to the pool. Summerhayes will swim the 400m individual medley (IM), while Karpov is set for both the 50m and 100m backstroke.

Samuel was named the 2008-09 OUA swimmer of the meet in his first intercollegiate season and recently medalled twice at the Canadian age group championships. Another first-year standout, Smerek brought home gold medals in both the 50m and 100m butterfly events at the OUA championships this past season.

Summerhayes is a sensational IM swimmer and has been a member of numerous Swim Ontario tour teams. Karpov was a bronze medalist at the winter national championships and is recognized as one of the most improved senior swimmers in the province.

The two-week Canada Games has some sport events taking place in week one, and others in week two. Approximately 4,400 athletes, coaches and managers over 18 different sports will descent upon Prince Edward Island over the two week competition.

For more information and complete results, visit the official site of the 2009 Canada Summer Games can be found at: http://www.2009canadagames.ca/e