Own The Podium coffers expand and athletes finding ways to spend it

The Canadian Press - October 7th 2008
CALGARY — Money, and there's more of it now, makes a difference in Clara Hughes' preparation to defend her speedskating gold medal at the 2010 Olympic Games.
Own The Podium, the plan designed to get Canada to the top of the medal standings at the Winter Games 16 months from now in Vancouver and Whistler, B.C., will spend $27 million on Canada's winter athletes in 2008-09, but the total money pie has also expanded.
... Athletes demonstrating the most potential to win medals in 2010 get the most money, which pays for equipment, travel, training camps abroad and their support teams of physiologists, nutritionists, psychologists and chiropractors.
Canada's speedskaters won 86 World Cup medals last winter, which was almost half the country's total of 184 in 2007-08. So speedskating will receive more money from OTP - $3.5 million - than any other sport this season