Special Olympics Team Canada 2025
Cheering for Special Olympics BC's 22 athletes with intellectual disabilities and 13 dedicated volunteers with #SOTeamCanada25 at the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Italy March 8 to 15!
Meet SOBC's members of Special Olympics Team Canada 2025
| Name | SOBC Local | Resides In |
| Alpine Skiing | ||
| ATHLETES | ||
| Cory Duhaime | Delta | Delta |
| Erin Thom | Kimberley/Cranbrook | Cranbrook |
| Fiona Hall | Coquitlam | Port Moody |
| Jesse Jensen | Kimberley/Cranbrook | Cranbrook |
| Kailyn Potomak | Langley | Langley |
| Kirsten Haden | Vancouver | Vancouver |
| Matthew Bueschkens | Coquitlam | Maple Ridge |
| Ron Greenhorn | Nanaimo | Nanaimo |
| Yorke Parkin | Revelstoke | Revelstoke |
| COACHES | ||
| Mark Schnurr, Head Coach | Coquitlam | New Westminster |
| Misty Pagliaro, Assistant Coach | Kimberley/Cranbrook | Creston |
| Saige Beaumont, Assistant Coach | Revelstoke | Revelstoke |
| Cross Country Skiing | ||
| ATHLETES | ||
| Chantal Chan | Vancouver | Vancouver |
| Francis Stanley | Kelowna | West Kelowna |
| Kelsey Wyse | Kelowna | Kelowna |
| Layne Benoit | Kimberley/Cranbrook | Cranbrook |
| Sebastian Gylander | Golden | Golden |
| Tracey Melesko | Kelowna | Kelowna |
| COACHES | ||
| Annabel Stanley, Head Coach | Kelowna | West Kelowna |
| Les Sigal, Assistant Coach | Vernon | Vernon |
| Ty Wilkinson, Assistant Coach | Kelowna | Kelowna |
| Figure Skating | ||
| ATHLETES | ||
| Alexander Pang | Vancouver | Vancouver |
| Marc Theriault | Surrey | Delta |
| Matthew Lai | Richmond | Richmond |
| COACHES | ||
| Jessica Chapelski, Assistant Coach | Vancouver | Vancouver |
| Snowshoeing | ||
| ATHLETES | ||
| Ariel Taylor | Coquitlam | Coquitlam |
| Cory Melnychuk | Quesnel | Quesnel |
| Danielle Pechet | Vernon | Vernon |
| Tony Wilkinson | Kelowna | Kelowna |
| COACHES | ||
| Tina Giesbrecht, Assistant Coach | Region 7 Coordinator | Burns Lake |
| David Wilkinson, Assistant Coach | Kelowna | Kelowna |
| Maureen Hunter, Assistant Coach | Campbell River | Campbell River |
| Speed Skating | ||
| Donna Bilous, Head Coach | Leadership Council Chair | Abbotsford |
| Leadership and Support Team | ||
| Juli Prokopchuk Brattan, Assistant Chef de Mission | Victoria | |
| Krissy Krnasty, Medical | Vernon | Vernon |
| Training Coaches | ||
| Edward Tai, alpine skiing | ||
| Geoff Lowe, alpine skiing | ||
| Isabelle Schnurr, alpine skiing | ||
| Janice Chan, figure skating | ||
| Janny Jung, snowshoeing | ||
| Kevin Phillips, cross country skiing | ||
| Michael Duhaime, alpine skiing | ||
| Robyn McCormick, snowshoeing | ||
| Seth Conlin, cross country skiing | ||
| Tannis Marshall, figure skating | ||
Read more stories about SOBC's national team members
Visit the #SOTeamCanada25 homepage
Visit the World Games homepage
Download SO Team Canada photos and videos
"I like being part of a valued group. I want to make myself, my family and my country proud of me. I would like to win at least one gold. ... I want people to know that [people with intellectual disabilities] all deserve a chance. We like to move our bodies and we like to compete. We also like the social interaction Special Olympics provides."
-Alpine skier Jesse Jensen, SOBC athlete for 32 years, competing in the World Games for the first time
Media coverage
- Cory Melnychuk featured in the Quesnel Cariboo Observer
- Danielle Pechet, Les Sigal, and Krissy Krnasty featured in the Vernon Morning Star
- Nanaimo's Ron Greenhorn featured by Black Press Media
- Yorke Parkin and Saige Beaumont featured in the Revelstoke Mountaineer and Castanet
"I thought I would never be able to ski fast in a race because of my cerebral palsy. Now with Special Olympics I train hard and can win. I am very proud to be a member of Team Canada as I have worked very hard to get the maple leaf on my back. I hope to win medals for Canada."
-Alpine skier Fiona Hall, SOBC athlete for 30 years, making her first World Games appearance
Join the movement
Change lives, including yours, by getting involved with the Special Olympics BC sport, youth, and health programs across our province!