September 20, 2007 (Montreal, Que.) — Pierre Gagnon, General Counsel at Hydro-Québec, revealed today the names of the 39 athletes that have qualified for the 2007 Hydro-Québec bursary program, during a ceremony at the Lion d’Or in Montreal.

For its tenth year of collaboration with the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence, Hydro-Québec expands its program by creating 20 new bursaries in the “hopeful” category. Already 19 bursaries were awarded to athletes classified as “elite”.

By its financial support, Hydro-Québec is becoming an important partner in the progression of athletes emerging at the international level. Many past Hydro-Québec bursary recipients are now well known on the international scene: Marie-Eve Pelletier, Aleksandra Wozniak, Roseline Filion, Meaghan Benfeito, Anouk Renière-Lafrenière, Marie-Pier Boudreau-Gagnon and Joannie Rochette, just to name a few.

According to Mr. Pierre Dubé, Executive director at the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence, this new bonified Hydro-Québec bursary program will benefit more young athletes who are just emerging on the national andinternational scenes and who represent the future of their sports.

Bursaries are awarded according to two major criteria:

– Every administrative region of the province has to be represented by one athlete or more.

– And at least four bursary recipients selected by the Foundation must be the child of a Hydro-Québec employee, as long as he or she fills the Foundation’s criteria.

Here are the 2007 recipients :

Hopeful category (Name, Sport, Age, Hometown)

– Rita Barakat Taekwondo 16 Ste-Foy
– Laurence Beaudet* Athletics 17 Terrebonne
– Simon Bibeau* Basketball 16 St-Bruno
– Philippe Bibeau-Villiard* Weightlifting 19 La Prairie
– Guillaume Boivin Cycling 18 Longueuil
РVanessa Charron Swimming 15 Qu̩bec
РHubert Chevrette-B̩lisle* Athletics 17 Repentigny
РSt̩phane Cossette Cycling 18 Saguenay
РVincent Couturier Fencing (sabre) 17 Montr̩al
– Laurie Gingras Tennis 14 Lac Beauport
РMykael Lambert Fencing (ep̩e) 17 Gatineau
РAlexandre Leblanc Snowboarding 17 Beaupr̩
РAnn-V̩ronique Michaud Speed skating 15 Amqui
РAndr̩anne Pichette Mountain biking 17 Qu̩bec
РArnaud Roche-Nadon Table tennis 14 Montr̩al
– Jessica Ruel Weightlifting 16 La Sarre
– Louis-Philippe Sirois Figure skating 18 Laval
– Jonathan Vermette Wheelchair basketball 16 Sherbrooke
– Philippe Vermette Wheelchair basketball 16 Sherbrooke
– Joannie Lebrun Ice hockey 16 Sept-ÃŽles

* Child of a Hydro-Québec employee

Elite category (Name, Sport, Age, Hometown)

РEug̩nie Bouchard Tennis 13 Montr̩al
– Guillaume Carrier Biathlon 16 La Prairie
РMarie-Pierre Couillard Swimming 15 L̩vis
– Gabriel El Hanbli Athletics 17 Repentigny
– Gabriel Goulet* Handball 18 St-Nicolas
РAnne-Fr̩d̩rique Grenier Snowboarding 16 Beaupr̩
РFran̤ois Hogan Triathlon 18 Bedford
РChristopher Iliesco Taekwondo 18 Montr̩al
РBarbara Jardin Swimming 15 Montr̩al
РJulie Labont̩ Athletics 17 Sainte-Justine
РSt̩phanie Leclair Synchronized swimming 17 Gatineau
РVal̩rie Lefebvre Weightlifting 17 Montr̩al
РV̩ronique Lemieux Diving 22 Mascouche
– Annie Moniqui Weightlifting 17 Huntingdon
РCatherine Morel Alpine skiing 17 Qu̩bec
РFran̤ois St-Aubin Migneault Canoe-kayak slalom 17 Valleyfield
РDavid Therrien Canoe-kayak sprint 19 Trois-Rivi̬res
РAntoine Valois-Fortier Judo 17 Qu̩bec
РMikael Zewski Boxe 18 Trois-Rivi̬res

* Child of a Hydro-Québec employee

The mission of the Foundation is to financially support and encourage student-athletes in their pursuit of excellence and to promote athletes as role models in Québec society. By the end of 2007, the Foundation will have awarded out more than $600,000 in bursaries.