Team Canada mission staff announced for 2025 FISU Summer World University Games

U SPORTS, as the Canadian representative of FISU, the International University Sports Federation, announced the Team Canada mission staff for the 2025 FISU Summer World University Games, to be held in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany from July 16-27. 

 

As announced previously, Karla Karch of Mount Royal will be Canada’s chef de mission at the Games. Her assistant chef de mission will be Alexandra Roy, the U SPORTS manager of international programs. 

 

Joining Karch and Roy at the biennial summer games are operations director Brian Finniss and communications manager Chris Cameron, both from Acadia, along with chief medical officer Jessica Curran from Carleton. 

 

Rounding out the operations staff are Breanna Burton of Queen’s, Guy Dubé of RMC, Loralyn Murdoch of UNBC and Katya Sodamin of Mount Royal.  

 

The communications staff includes Kevin Baxter of Queen’s, Alberta’s Connor Hood and Mike Still from Manitoba, along with longtime Waterloo photographer Steve Brooks. 

Joining Curran on the medical staff is Dinah Hampson of Toronto, who will be the chief therapist. The physicians include Danielle Kelton (Western), Erika Persson (Alberta) and Scott Shallow (Queen’s), while the therapist contingent includes Monty Churchman (Saskatchewan), Karen Hyslop-Gibson (Hamilton, Ont.), Mireille Landry (Toronto), Joanne Pady (Victoria), Natalie Paladino (Laurier) and Marie-Claude Saint-Amour (Montréal). The clinic manager will be Antoine Atallah from Major Games Canada. 

 

“We are thrilled with the mission staffs we have assembled for the 2025 FISU Summer World University Games,” said Karch. “Thanks to their support and expertise, we are confident that Canadian student-athletes will enjoy a memorable experience and will achieve great success in Germany this summer.” 

 

Team Canada is making its return to the FISU Summer World University Games, after missing the 2023 event. Canada captured six medals (one gold, one silver, four bronze) at the Summer World University Games in Naples in 2019. 

 

In Rhine-Ruhr, Canada will send approximately 140 athletes and is scheduled to participate in nine sports: archery, athletics, badminton, artistic gymnastics, rowing, rhythmic gymnastics, swimming, table tennis and taekwondo. Roster announcements for each of those sports will follow in the coming weeks.