April, 2015 - Clara Hughes - Grapefruit Margarita

Clara Hughes

A Canadian cyclist and speed skater who has won multiple Olympic medals in both sports.  Hughes won two bronzes in the Summer Olympics in 1996 and four medals (one gold, one silver, two bronze) over the course of three Winter Olympics.  She is tied with Cindy Klassen as the Canadian with the most Olympic medals, with six medals total.

Hughes is one of the few athletes who have competed in both the Summer and Winter Olympic games.  Hughes is one of only five people to have podium finishes in the Winter and Summer versions of the games, and is the only person to ever have won multiple medals in both.  Hughes is also the only Canadian to have won medals in both the Summer and Winter Olympics.  Hughes was the first Canadian woman to win a medal in road cycling at the Olympics (winning two in 1996 Atlanta Olympics).

Hughes started speed skating at the age of 16, she then took up the sport of cycling at the age of 17.  She would eventually return to the sport of speed skating at the age of 28, after achieving success in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.  With her experience and endurance earned through cycling, Hughes went on to a successful career in speed skating, competing in the 3,000 m and 5,000 m.  This would eventually lead her to medal in these long distance events at the Winter Olympics.  She then returned to cycling, at the age of 38, to later successfully return for the 2012 London Olympics.

Throughout her career Hughes received a number of other awards, trophies, and accolades.  She was named Female Athlete of the Year by Speed Skating Canada in 2004 for long track.  In 2006, she received the International Olympic Committee's Sport an Community Trophy.  She was then named to the 2006 List of Most Influential Women in Sports and Physical Activity by the Canadian Association of Advancement of Women and Sport (CAAWS).  In the summer of the year 2010, she was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.

As a result of her success in multiple sports and her humanitarian efforts, Hughes was named to both the Order of Manitoba and as an Officer of the Order of Canada.  She is involved with Right To Play, which is an athlete-driven international humanitarian organization that uses sports to encourage the development of youth in disadvantaged areas.

The Drink

Grapefruit Margarita:

3 shots tequila
1 1/2 shot Cointreau 
1 1/2 shots fresh lime juice
1 1/2 shots grapefruit juice
chile salt and lime for garnish

*makes 2 drinks

Drinkability:  3
Drunkability:  4
Taxic Diversity:  2.5
Accessibility:  3
Priority for Conservation:  3/4

Comments:  "tart, and lots of tequila"

From "Women Track Stars:  hosted by Montana Prairie Fire