CP International riders jump 10 clear rounds and raise $100,000 in support of heart health

CALGARY, Sept. 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - The 10 clear rounds by riders in today's Canadian Pacific (CP) International means $100,000 for the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta. Philipp Weishaupt and LB Convall jumped two clear rounds to win the $3 million CP International, the final event of Masters week and the conclusion to Spruce Meadows' 42^nd season.

CP's Clear Rounds for Heart, an initiative of the CP Has Heart community investment program, donates $10,000 for each clear round jumped, including those that include time faults. Since its inception in 2014, CP's Clear Rounds for Heart has raised $775,000 for heart health research and care.

"Congratulations to Philipp Weishaupt and LB Convall for their flawless performance today, and for their contribution to our CP Has Heart program," said Keith Creel, CP's President and CEO. "Spruce Meadows continues to attract the finest talent and international coverage to their events, and CP is proud to partner with this world-class organization."

CP's donation to the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta will be directed towards heart disease prevention by supporting a local, public seminar on the new Canada Food Guide, to be released in early 2018.

"We're very grateful to Canadian Pacific for their ongoing support of cardiovascular research in our community," said Dr. Todd Anderson, Director, Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, an entity of the University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services. "Proceeds from today's event will support a public policy symposium on healthy eating and to support Libin researchers working in the area of cardiovascular health promotion. Libin's strategic vision is to reduce the burden of suffering and mortality from premature cardiovascular disease with innovative research."

Many Canadians do not follow healthy eating patterns and poor diet is a leading risk factor for obesity and many chronic diseases. Unhealthy food environments, such as widespread availability of inexpensive, high-calorie foods, make it difficult for Canadians to make healthy choices. 

Since 1942, Canada's Food Guide has communicated a government-recommended eating pattern to the public. The most recent Food Guide was released in 2007; however, new evidence has prompted Health Canada to revise the guide. The public policy symposium will present the new food guide and discuss its potential impact on Canadians' dietary intake and implications for chronic disease prevention.

During Masters weekend, CP hosted family-friendly activities including its two mini-trains, the Little General and Puffer Belly Express, and a Superhero for Heart Challenge where participants completed a series of heart healthy activities. CP donated $20 for each completed challenge, raising another $6,400 for the Libin Institute.

About Canadian Pacific

Canadian Pacific (TSX:CP)(NYSE:CP) is a transcontinental railway in Canada and the United States with direct links to eight major ports, including Vancouver and Montreal, providing North American customers a competitive rail service with access to key markets in every corner of the globe. CP is growing with its customers, offering a suite of freight transportation services, logistics solutions and supply chain expertise. Visit cpr.ca to see the rail advantages of CP.

About CP Has Heart

At CP, we know that a railroad may serve as the arteries of a nation, but at its heart is community. That's why, through CP Has Heart, we've already committed more than $12 million to help improve the heart health of men, women and children across North America. And along the way, we're showing heart whenever we can. Find out more on www.cpr.ca or @CPhasHeart.

About Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta

The Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta is an entity of the University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services with a dedicated team of more than 175 clinician and research members, and 1,500 health professionals who serve patients from across Southern Alberta, Saskatchewan and Eastern British Columbia. For more than 10 years, the Institute has enabled cardiovascular health through transformative research, top-notch health care and world-class education.  Learn more at www.LibinInstitute.org or @LibinInstitute.

SOURCE Canadian Pacific