By Jake Courtepatte

In an effort to uncover Aurora's rich sporting history, John Wood is the latest to be enshrined in the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame's “Moments in Sport” initiative.

Members of the ASHoF's board came together last week to formally recognize Mr. Wood as a key component of Aurora's sporting past, as a former St. Andrew's College student as well as a silver medalist in canoeing in the Olympics.

“The ‘history' of sport in Aurora is rich and diverse and it's important these stories are shared to remind all of our past and to inspire our present and future athletes,” said Steve Kimmerer, a member of the ASHoF board and past president of Sport Aurora.

Mr. Wood attended St. Andrew's College from 1964 to 1969, graduating from the prep school in 1970. He won a silver medal for Canada in the 1976 Summer Olympic Games in Montreal in the C1 500-metre canoeing singles event, the first canoe medal for Canada since 1952.

Mr. Wood competed and medaled in the Pan Am Games as well, and competed for Canada in the Olympics two other times: in 1972 and in 1968, the latter while he was still a student at St. Andrew's College.

Bob McRoberts, Aurora Historical Society representative on the ASHoF Board of Directors added “I believe that sharing Moments in Sports stories about people in or from Aurora is important. It helps residents to learn about Aurora's wonderful sport heritage and some special events or characters involved in those sports. Many people, whether they are new or old to Aurora, are unaware of the town's exciting sports stories.”

Mr. Wood was known as a pioneering mentor around the canoeing circles: he was a prominent mentor of Larry Cain, who went on the win the gold medal in canoeing at the 1984 Olympics, who then went on to mentor Adam van Koeverden, the winner of the Olympic gold in kayaking at the 2004 Games.

The Hall is currently preparing for this year's rendition of the ASHoF induction dinner, to be held on November 7 at St. Andrew's College.