Stephen Giles
Encyclopedia
Stephen Giles is a Canadian
sprint canoer
who competed from the early 1990s to the mid 2000s. Competing in four Summer Olympics, he won the bronze in the C-1 1000 m event at Sydney
in 2000
.
He began canoeing at age eight at the Orenda Racing Canoe Club in Lake Echo, Nova Scotia
. He was a member of the Canadian national team for fifteen years, including eleven senior world championships.
He was adept at both the 500 m event and 1000 m early in his career. His best races came in the C-1 1000 m event later in his career, earning the world championship
gold medal in 1998 at Szeged
, Hungary
. In the same event, he won a bronze medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics
, and a bronze medal at the 2002 World Championships
in Seville
, Spain
. He also won a bronze medal at the 1993 world championships
in Copenhagen
, Denmark
, in the men's C-1 500 m event, and at the 1989 Junior World Championships in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
. Notable contemporaries in the C-1 included Andreas Dittmer
, Martin Doktor
, and Maxim Opalev
.
Giles is part of a long line of successful Canadian
paddlers in the C-1 discipline including Frank Amyot
, John Wood
, and Larry Cain
. Since Giles' retirement in 2004, the tradition has been taken up by fellow Nova Scotian Richard Dalton
.
Giles holds Bachelor of Science
and Bachelor of Engineering degrees from Dalhousie University
, as well as an honorary Doctor of Laws. He completed his Master of Business Administration
degree at Saint Mary's University
in 2011. He currently works at EastLink
in Halifax, Nova Scotia
. He was married in 1997. He and wife Angela (née Julien) have a daughter, Macy, and a son, Duncan.
, Giles competed in the C-1 1000 m event. He finished second in his initial heat, advancing to the semifinal with a time of 3:52.451. Giles won his semifinal with a time of 3:51.720, qualifying for the final. There, he placed fifth at 3:51.457.
2009 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships
For the 2009 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships
in neighboring Dartmouth
, Giles served as Chair of Competition.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
sprint canoer
Canoe racing
This article discusses canoe sprint and canoe marathon, competitive forms of canoeing and kayaking on more or less flat water. Both sports are governed by the International Canoe Federation ....
who competed from the early 1990s to the mid 2000s. Competing in four Summer Olympics, he won the bronze in the C-1 1000 m event at Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 2000
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
.
He began canoeing at age eight at the Orenda Racing Canoe Club in Lake Echo, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. He was a member of the Canadian national team for fifteen years, including eleven senior world championships.
He was adept at both the 500 m event and 1000 m early in his career. His best races came in the C-1 1000 m event later in his career, earning the world championship
1998 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships
The 1998 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Szeged, Hungary.The men's competition consisted of nine Canadian and nine kayak events. Women competed in eight events, all in kayak....
gold medal in 1998 at Szeged
Szeged
' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. In the same event, he won a bronze medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, and a bronze medal at the 2002 World Championships
2002 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships
The 2002 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Seville, Spain.The men's competition consisted of nine Canadian and nine kayak events...
in Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. He also won a bronze medal at the 1993 world championships
1993 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships
The 1993 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Copenhagen, Denmark for the third time. The Danish city had hosted the event previously in 1950 and 1970....
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, in the men's C-1 500 m event, and at the 1989 Junior World Championships in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Dartmouth founded in 1750, is a community and planning area of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. Located on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour, Dartmouth has been nicknamed the City of Lakes after the large number of lakes located in the city.On April 1, 1996, the provincial...
. Notable contemporaries in the C-1 included Andreas Dittmer
Andreas Dittmer
Andreas Dittmer is a German sprint canoer. The dominant sprint canoer of his generation in 1000 m races, he has won three Olympic and eight world championship gold medals.Dittmer won his first world championship medal - a bronze - at Paris in 1991 as a member of Germany's C-4 500 m crew...
, Martin Doktor
Martin Doktor
Martin Doktor is the Czech Republic's best-known sprint canoer. He was double Olympic champion in the Canadian canoe C-1 discipline at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta...
, and Maxim Opalev
Maxim Opalev
Maxim Alexandrovich Opalev is an athlete from Russia, who competes in sprint canoeing. Competing in three Summer Olympics, he has won a complete set of medals in the C-1 500 m event ....
.
Giles is part of a long line of successful Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
paddlers in the C-1 discipline including Frank Amyot
Frank Amyot
Francis Amyot was a Canadian sprint canoer who competed in the 1930s.Born in Thornhill, Ontario, he won Canada's only gold medal at the 1936 Summer Olympics in the C-1 1000m canoeing event. This proved embarrassing to Canadian officials who had refused to pay his way...
, John Wood
John Wood (canoer)
John Joseph Wood is a Canadian sprint canoer who competed from the late 1960s to the later 1970s. Competing in three Summer Olympics, he won the silver medal in the C-1 500 m event at Montreal in 1976....
, and Larry Cain
Larry Cain
Laurence J. Cain, is a Canadian sprint canoer, having begun his career in 1974 at the Oakville Racing Canoe Club, now the Burloak Canoe Club, in Oakville, Ontario....
. Since Giles' retirement in 2004, the tradition has been taken up by fellow Nova Scotian Richard Dalton
Richard Dalton
Richard Dalton is an Irish-born, Canadian sprint canoer. He has won three bronze medals at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships ....
.
Giles holds Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
and Bachelor of Engineering degrees from Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
, as well as an honorary Doctor of Laws. He completed his Master of Business Administration
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
degree at Saint Mary's University
Saint Mary's University (Halifax)
Saint Mary's University is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada. The school is best known for having nationally lead programs in Business, Astronomy and International Development Studies as well, one of the best football and Men's hockey programs in Canada .The campus is situated in Halifax's...
in 2011. He currently works at EastLink
EastLink (company)
EastLink is a Canadian cable television and telecommunications company. In 1970, EastLink was established in Amherst, Nova Scotia, when it was issued one of the first cable licences granted by the CRTC...
in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. He was married in 1997. He and wife Angela (née Julien) have a daughter, Macy, and a son, Duncan.
2004 Olympics
In the 2004 Summer Olympics2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, Giles competed in the C-1 1000 m event. He finished second in his initial heat, advancing to the semifinal with a time of 3:52.451. Giles won his semifinal with a time of 3:51.720, qualifying for the final. There, he placed fifth at 3:51.457.
2009 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships2009 ICF Canoe Sprint World ChampionshipsThe 2009 International Canoe Federation Canoe Sprint World Championships were held 12–16 August 2009 in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, on Lake Banook. The Canadian city was selected to host the championships in October 2003 after having done so previously in 1997...
For the 2009 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships2009 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships
The 2009 International Canoe Federation Canoe Sprint World Championships were held 12–16 August 2009 in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, on Lake Banook. The Canadian city was selected to host the championships in October 2003 after having done so previously in 1997...
in neighboring Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Dartmouth founded in 1750, is a community and planning area of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. Located on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour, Dartmouth has been nicknamed the City of Lakes after the large number of lakes located in the city.On April 1, 1996, the provincial...
, Giles served as Chair of Competition.