December 29, 2006 – Cindy Klassen, the 27-year-old speedskater from Winnipeg, has won the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as Canadian female athlete of the year in a survey by the Canadian Press and Broadcast News.

Klassen won five medals at the Winter Olympic Games in Turin in February 2006 to become Canada’s most decorated Olympian. She finished with 412 points in the CP award voting, ahead of teammate Clara Hughes, also from Winnipeg, who was second with 104 points and three first-place votes.

Klassen, who also won this award in 2005, took 131 of the 144 first-place ballots in voting by sports editors and broadcasters across the country. She is the first repeat winner since fellow speedskater Catriona Le May Doan won in 2001 and 2002.

Hayley Wickenheiser of Shaunavon, Sask., who helped the women’s hockey team to Olympic gold, had five first-place votes and finished third with 83 points.

The award is named after Bobbie Rosenfeld, the track star who was Canada’s female athlete of the half-century in 1950.