Helen Upperton
Appointed Member
Athletes’ Commission
Helen is a two-time Olympian and silver Olympic medallist in the sport of bobsleigh. She began her bobsleigh career as a breakeman in 2002. Helen switched to the pilot position in 2003 and earned the Canada I ranking in her first season as a pilot. Since then she has shattered numerous records, made history for her country on more than one occasion and helped to build the Canadian women’s program into a bobsleigh power house.
At her first Olympic Games in 2006, Helen and teammate Heather Moyse finished in 4th place narrowly missing the bronze medal by an aggregate time of 5/100ths of a second over four runs. This result was both devastating and motivating for the team. The pinnacle of her career came in February of 2010 at the Vancouver Olympic Games. Helen and teammate Shelley Ann Brown thrilled the crowds at the Whistler sliding center where they won a silver medal and joined teammates Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse to stand at the top of the Olympic podium.
Before bobsleigh, Helen competed at a national level in luge, soccer and track & field. After high school, she chose to focus on track & field, competing as a triple jumper for the University of Texas in Austin where she earned Big XII commissioner honor roll and earned a BSc in 2002.
Recognizing the importance of how her athletic endeavors as a kid influenced her success as an adult, Helen enjoys being involved in the community. Now living in Calgary, Helen does her best to give back to the city where she grew up. Along with corporate speaking, Helen loves to visit schools and talk to kids with the Calgary-based Youth Education Through Sport and Passion for Excellence programs. She is also an athlete ambassador with the Right to Play and Fast and Female.