An Olympic champion and popular television personality is coming to Prince George to speak at the Northern B.C. Tourism Summit.
Jon Montgomery will be the keynote speaker at an Oct. 4 luncheon, set for 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at the Civic Centre. The luncheon is included as part of full registration for the summit but tickets ($50) are also available.
Montgomery, who won gold for Canada in skeleton at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver/Whistler and now hosts The Amazing Race Canada on CTV, will share his story in a presentation entitled Dreaming Big: Living Bigger.
"Hopefully I can inspire you to go after what you are looking for, no matter how daunting the task," he said in a media release.
Montgomery claimed gold at the 2010 Games when he beat Latvian slider Martins Dukers by 0.07 seconds in four combined runs. Montgomery trailed by 0.18 seconds going into the last run but made up enough ground to win by the slim margin. He then broke out in an exuberant celebration - for which he quickly apologized - and later gained celebrity status in the Whistler Village when he marched through a crowd of Canadian fans while chugging a well-earned pitcher of beer.
Montgomery failed to qualify for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and has said his competitive career is likely finished.
In June of 2013, he was introduced as host of The Amazing Race Canada, which recently finished its fourth season.
Montgomery's story at the tourism luncheon will include details about how he found a passion for skeleton and turned his Olympic goals into reality.
"Northern B.C. Tourism is excited to bring Jon Montgomery to Prince George and the Northern B.C. Tourism Summit," said CEO Clint Fraser in the release. "As a celebrated athlete, and now a successful television personality, Jon can inspire us all with his message of challenging ourselves and seizing new opportunities."
The Northern B.C. Tourism Summit starts on Oct. 3. It will bring together tourism industry professionals from across the region and will be an opportunity to hear expert speakers, attend professional development sessions and network with industry colleagues.
More information is available online at travelnbc.com/tourismsummit or contact Northern B.C. Tourism by phone at 250-561-0432.
