Sports News

Bagpipes in new Canadian hockey theme

Published: Oct. 12, 2008 at 8:31 AM

TORONTO, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- Canada's new theme song for the "Hockey Night in Canada" TV show, which opens with bagpipes, won its schoolteacher-composer $100,000.

The driving instrumental "Canadian Gold," written by Colin Oberst of Beaumont, Alberta, was announced the winner before Saturday night's games in Toronto and Calgary on the Canadian Broadcast Corp.'s broadcast.

The contest was announced in June after the CBC balked at renewing rights to the 40-year-old original song referred to as Canada's second anthem. CTV bought the rights and CBC launched a national contest that attracted 14,871 entries. Online voting that ended Friday night resulted in Oberst's piece being chosen.

Oberst will receive $100,000 and half of the lifetime royalties, with the balance used to fund minor hockey, the CBC said.

Second place went to 15-year-old Robert Burke of Toronto. His prize is a specially designed, limited edition Patrick Roy guitar.

The new theme can be heard at http://anthemchallenge.cbc.ca/colinoberst/289271.

© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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