Loja de Inverno

CBDG is proud to announce our newest sponsor - Loja de Inverno (the winter store) www.lojadeinverno.com.br providing winter clothing and accessories to the Brazilian market for more than 20 years. As the Brazilian ice sports federation's official sportswear supplier, Loja de Inverno is proud to be supporting all of our athletes as they prepare for Vancouver 2010.

CBDG Meets Canadian Prime Minister

Brazilian Ice Sports Federation (CBDG) president Eric Maleson (left) and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper (right) discuss ice sports in Brazil.

April 8, 2009 - When Brazilian Ice Sports Federation (CBDG) president Eric Maleson attended the annual World Curling federation (WCF) congress in Moncton, New Brunswick, he had no idea he'd be meeting Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Prime Minister Harper arrived to watch the 2009 Ford Men's Curling Championships.

"I know that Brazil has been developing Olympic winter sports and I read about your curling team," Prime Minister Harper told Maleson. Maleson informed the Prime Minister about the Olympic ice center that CBDG is building in Brazil and the Prime Minister expressed enthusiasm.

"It was an incredible surprise and honor," said Maleson, who was invited by WCF president Les Harrison to join the Prime Minister and New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham at the Moncton Coliseum, "It's inspiring to know that the Canadian Prime Minister is aware of our federation's work and a great boost of confidence for our Vancouver 2010 efforts."

Other good news for Brazil came during the Congress when WCF president Les Harrison announced that South America would have its own curling spot at the first Youth Winter Games which will be held in January 2012 - Innsbruck, Austria "This is a huge opportunity for Brazil in the sport of curling," said Maleson, "We're proud of our curling athletes who were the pioneers in the sport. When we challenged the US in Bismarck, ND this past January, one of our objectives was to demonstrate our commitment."

Bye Bye Lake Placid Hello Vancouver

The competition season is over for Brazil's ice sports athletes but there is still much to accomplish to qualify athletes for Vancouver 2010. Figure skaters Kevin Alves and Stacy Perfetti have returned to their training (Stacy trains in New Jersey and Kevin in Toronto) to improve their skills before next season and the sliding athletes (photo above) have returned to Brazil for summer training.

The Brazilian Ice Sports Federation has already made a decision regarding its bobsled athletes based on national and international criteria. Edson Bindilatti will be Brazil's bobsled pilot for both the 2 and 4 man while Fabiana Santos will pilot the 2-woman bob (push-athletes for the Brazilian teams to be announced).

"It was clear from the beginning who would make it and who wouldn't," said Brazilian Ice Sports Federation president and former bob pilot Eric Maleson, "All of the athletes who attended the Bobsled school in Lake Placid are brave souls and deserve a lot of credit but in the end it comes down to who is the better pilot - its the pilot who qualifies a team."

Skeleton athlete Emilio Strapasson, who improved a great deal during the training and America's Cup races in Placid, will do his best to qualify for Vancouver and Stefani Salani, Brazil's first female luge athlete, could also go all the way to 2010.

"Bobsled was Brazil's first ice sport and I'm proud that we've been able to keep the program alive - we have a new generation of pilots including the first woman's team. But now we hope to qualify athletes in other modalities too like skeleton, women's luge and figure skating. We've competed internationally in curling and short track speed skating, but it will be a while before we're able to say we're ready to try and qualify for an Olympics in those modalities," said Maleson, "And next is ice hockey - after many years of work to form the first Brazilian ice hockey team, that would be a dream come true."

Brazilian Skeleton Athlete's Second Chance

Emilio Strapasson missed the Torino 2006 Games by one position. It was a tough blow for the athlete but he's got a second chance - Vancouver 2010.

Strapasson, who has 6 years of sliding experience, finished 13th overall today in the final America's Cup race in Lake Placid, NY.

"The two weeks I spent here in Lake Placid training and competing in the America's Cup were very important," said Strapasson who lives in Brazil's southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul, "I learned so much during the training week and was able to gain speed and reduce my time by two full seconds - in this sport that's huge."

"I'm very happy with his results," said Brazilian Ice Sports Federation President Eric Maleson, "He's ahead of everyone he needs to be for Vancouver - the best of the developing nations. But what he really needs is a new sled."

A new skeleton sled can cost up to $5000.00 and the federation is currently looking for sponsorship to give Strapasson everything he needs to improve his chances for Vancouver 2010. "Emilio turned 32 this year and really wants to finish his career with an Olympic qualification - to be Brazil's first skeleton Olympian. He's a pioneer in the sport for Brazil - he deserves it," said Maleson

Brazilian Team Heats Up Lake Placid

From left to right:

Top: Eric Maleson, Jonathan Vieira, Flavio Cruz, Marcio Souza, and Edson Bindilatti.

Below: Alcione Almeida, Fabiana Santos, Marcio Silva and Ricardo Raschini.

The Brazilan sliding delegation brought their warmth and passion to the America's Cup races in Lake Placid this week. The team, headed up by Brazilian Ice Sports Federation president Eric Maleson and two time Olympian Ricardo Raschini (luge and bobsled), is preparing for Vancouver 2010.

"We are very proud of our athletes," Maleson said,"Edson Bindilatti and Fabiana Santos have proven themselves as bobsled pilots and have mastered one of the most difficult tracks in the world." Bindilatti, Brazil's top pilot for the 2-man event also had his debut in the 4-man.

International Bobsled Federation (FIBT) coach Joe Kilburn was very enthusiastic about Santos' driving skills. "Fabiana's qualification chances are very good," Kilburn said referring to Vancouver 2010, "She needs more ice time and push-start improvement but she has the natural talent and the eye hand coordination necessary for a bob pilot."

If successful, not only would Santos be the first woman bobsled pilot to qualify a team for Brazil, she would also be the first in all of Latin America.

Edea Sponsors Brazilian Skaters

Brazilian skater Kevin Alves loves his new Edeas. "The boots are so comfortable and light it's like wearing a pair of slippers," said the 17 year old.

"We love to help countries that are coming up," said Caterita of Edea who has been in the industry since 1962, "It's good for everyone."

Kevin finished 37th out of 52 skaters at the World Figure Skating Championships in Los Angeles, ending with a season's best score and valuable experience.

Los Angeles was Kevin's first World Championship and while he's proud of his performance he also understands that he has a lot of work to do to prepare for the qualifier - the Nebelhorn Trophy in September.

"Kevin has shown what he's capable of and has had tremendous progress in a short period of time," said Coach Robert Burk, "He's a completely different skater than he was only 6 months ago and I have no doubt that he'll be ready for September."

Fabiana Santos returns to bobsledding

Brazilian athlete Fabiana Santos excels in everything she does. She practiced gynmnastics before becoming a hammer thrower. After showing excellent inital progress in bobsledding she decided to turn her attention to weight lifting and became the best in her weight class. She participated in the 2007 Pan American games in Rio de Janeiro.

Now Fabiana is happy to return to bobsledding and is committed to giving her best to the sport. She is currently training at the FIBT school in Lake Placid with Alcione Almeida, a triple jumper and double skiff rower turned bobsled push-athlete.

Santos and Almeida are sliding well at the school and want to qualify for the America's Cup race immediately following their training. Santos will continue to develop her piloting skills and hopes to become the first Brazilian woman to qualify a bobsled team for the Olympics.

Fabiana is also a baton twirler and she volunteers time teaching children to read. She is from Sao Paulo.

Kurt Browning Gives Some Good Advice to Brazilian Skater Kevin Alves

By Lisa Papandrea

The Brazilian team has arrived in Los Angeles for the 2009 World Figure skating Championships. Stacy Perfetti and Kevin Alves have been skating well during their practice sessions and both athletes are very excited to be the first Brazilian skaters to participate in the event.

3 time Olympian and 4 time World champion Kurt Browning who designed Kevin’s short program was on hand during yesterday’s practice session and noticed that that Kevin was looking rather tense on the ice. Browning enthusiastically offered some words of support. “Wow!! You’re at Worlds! You’ve got everything to gain and nothing to lose so lighten up! Smile! Have fun and don’t take yourself so seriously!”

Kevin is skating to a lively Samba hop piece he chose himself.

“We brought the music to Kurt and he loved it,” Coach Robert Burk told me, “It’s really special. Kevin’s only 17 – so the program was designed to be young and fun and to showcase Kevin’s performing ability which is one of his strengths.

Browning continued to encourage Kevin with his exuberant outbursts “Show us that Brazilian joyfulness! Show us what you’ve got baby! We know it’s a lot!”

Thanks Kurt for making us all smile!

Kevin Alves will compete on Wednesday followed by Stacy Perfetti on Friday.

Good Luck Skaters!!

Brazilian Sliders Head to Lake Placid

The Brazilian Ice Sports Federation will send ten athletes to Lake Placid for training and competition this month. Brazil will be represented in the sport of Bobsleigh with two 2-man teams and one 4-man team as well as a women's team. Seasoned Skeleton athlete, Emilio Strapasson has his eye on being the first Brazilian to ever qualify for an Olympics in the sport. Emilio was just one position shy of realizing that goal in 2006.

Bobsleigh pilots Edson Bindilatti, Marcio Silva and Fabiana Santos will hone skills at the challenging Lake Placid track during a sliding school March 23-29, 2009 follwed by America's Cup competitions March 30- April 4, 2009.

"First of all the athletes are focusing on the good training they'll receive at the school," Brazilian Ice Sports Federation president Eric Maleson said, "Then they want to qualify for the America's Cup and score some points for what really matters the most which is next season. It's also about measuring ourselves against our competition - against the teams we'll need to beat next season in order to qualify for Vancouver. Teams like Korea, Mexico, Australia and Jamaica - that's who we'll be sizing up."

Brazil was the first South American nation to qualify a bobsled team for the Olympics. A 4-man team competed in Salt Lake City 2002 and again in Torino 2006.

First Brazilian Skaters Attend Worlds

Stacy Perfetti and Kevin Alves will skate at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships on March 23-29, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. As the first skaters to represent Brazil at worlds, their goal is to qualify for the next winter Olympics in Vancouver 2010.