(July 16, 2003)
Jennifer Robinson has tried her luck in another sport - golf.
Robinson, the six-time Canadian Ladies Champion, was one of the guest celebrities invited to participate in the second Rautins House Celebrity/Charity Classic, which was held on July 10 at the Camelot Golf Club in Cumberland, Ont.
A number of very recognizable names teed it up alongside Robinson. The golf tournament featured more than 30 sport stars and media personalities, including Grammy Award-winning saxophone legend Brantford Marsalis, New York Giants quarterback and Ottawa-native Jesse Palmer, and Olympic Gold Medallist Glenroy Gilbert.
"I met some really interesting celebrities at this event, and I had a really good time," said Robinson.
The event is the product of Leo Rautins, a former National Basketball Association player and now television commentator with Rogers Sportsnet, and Tony House, an Ottawa native and former Canadian university basketball star. Like Rautins, House also turned to the broadcast booth.
This was Robinson's first appearance in the Rautins House tournament, but she is certainly no stranger to charity golf tournaments. Robinson has been playing in charity golf tournaments for the past three years, and she has already played in five so far this summer.
The golf tournament is held in support of a number of Ottawa area charities, including the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). In addition to CHEO, other charities that benefit from the tournament include the Ottawa Boys and Girls Club and the Serge Giroux Golf Dream Classic, which was initiated by the Ottawa PGA to help children with life-threatening illnesses and their families travel to Orlando, Florida to visit Disney World.
"This tournament benefits great causes like CHEO and other programs, and it is important to raise money and awareness for these beneficiaries," said Robinson.
Robinson, who finished in ninth-place at the 2003 World Figure Skating Championships, decided to continue with her eligible skating career this season, and will compete on the International Skating Union's Grand Prix Circuit. Her Grand Prix assignments include the 2003 MasterCard Skate Canada International, which takes place Oct. 30 - Nov. 2 in Mississauga, Ont., and the Cup of China, which is scheduled for Nov. 5-9 in Beijing, China.