This past weekend I was in Winnipeg at the Canadian Sports Awards. Our company was there promoting our Hbc Run for Canada and we also had another cool booth there where you could get your picture inside a real bobsled or snowboard or on an Olympic podium. It was pretty cool.
On Friday night I was going to attend the gala where they were giving away a number of the awards for the year. I was helping set up our booth prior to this event and suddenly realized I only had 45 minutes to get a taxi, go back to my hotel, change, get another taxi back to the awards all before 7:00pm. I quickly phoned a taxi service and then proceeded to wait outside for a LONG time. Finally a taxi pulled up and as I was jumping in I told him I had called for a taxi and was glad he came. He then kicked me out of the taxi!! He said that since I called for a taxi I would have to wait as another taxi was coming to get me (and yes, it was the same taxi company). Dumbfounded, I watched the taxi drive away and continued to stand outside in the rain for another 10 minutes before a taxi finally arrived.
As I quickly changed at my hotel I phoned my taxi guy's cell phone that he gave me so I wouldn't have to wait another 30 minutes. I was now 5 minutes late for the awards show and so the taxi pulled right up to the door. In the doorway I saw three people eagerly looking out as if waiting for someone. I knew that I wasn't that important and started to wonder if maybe they were locking the doors so no one else could get in. I was paying the taxi driver with my VISA (taxis hate it when you pay with VISA) when suddenly all three guys come out the door and surround our taxi. I thought they were going to get mad at us for something, but as I looked over my shoulder I saw another van there and these guys were all helping out this VIP. Our taxi was clearly blocking the main route to the door and so this VIP had to walk around through the rain to get in the door...it ended up being Cindy Klassen, 5 time Olympic medallist in the last Olympics.
I rushed inside to my seat and realized that Cindy had arrived just in time to present an award. I watched all the awards and then after in the lobby, once again I ran into Cindy Klassen. Knowing that she is a speed skater and a boy I coach in soccer is also into speed skating, I asked her for an autograph for him. She was really nice and made it out to him. I then decided to make my way to the reception where everyone else was.
It was still raining outside so I asked this guy in a van where to go and he said he'd give me a ride since he was driving the shuttle. I jumped in and he went inside to see if anyone else was left. And who did he come back out with...Cindy Klassen and her parents. Suddenly our van was now upgraded to a VIP van and we were driven right to the main doors of the University. During this trip I apologized to Cindy for blocking her vehicle prior to the event with my taxi and she just laughed. We chatted a bit about coaching and Winnipeg before we arrived at the place. As we entered the building it was absolutely dead. It felt like one of those movies where they secretly drop off a VIP at a remote location and then something bad happens to them. Luckily this was Winnipeg and we just laughed as we wandered around trying to find the reception room.
We finally found it after following the noise and smell of food and we parted ways for the final time...or so I thought. Later that night I was chatting with my boss and she saw Cindy Klassen again...but now she wanted a picture. I no longer wanted to talk to Cindy because I had already run into her numerous times and figured that she was going to think I was stalking her. But finally I figured, who cares, what's one more encounter. So we went up to her for a final picture as I apologized for stalking her. And then that was it. As we thanked her for the pictures she said see you later, and I said "by the way things have happened I'm sure we will."
So it was a great trip. Here's a picture of me, Cindy Klassen and my boss. The picture at the top is of myself with Duff Gibson - Canadian Male Athlete of the Year - was an Olympic Gold medallist in Skeleton - Yes, he let me wear his gold medal.
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