There is no shortage of funding for Yukon athletes.

The Yukon government is providing $490,100 in funding this year through three programs: Yukon Sport for Life, Elite Athlete Fund and the High Performance Athlete, Coaches and Officials program.

"Yukon's continued financial support helps athletes, coaches and officials with the ongoing development they need to participate and perform at the highest level in their sport,” Community Services Minister Archie Lang said.

"Yukon's funding helps individual athletes and teams enhance their skills and get the experience needed to compete at each level.”

Travel for competitions, sport psychology, nutrition sessions, glacier ski camps, certification courses and skill development camps are just a sampling of the enhanced development initiatives that Yukon Sport for Life funds.

Many of the projects funded also aim to boost rural, Aboriginal and female participation.

The Yukon government will also provide funding this year to help Yukon's top athletes achieve their goals.

Currently five Yukon athletes have elite standing through Sport Canada and qualify for funding under the Elite Athlete program: Zach Bell for cycling, Brittanee Laverdure for wrestling, MacKenzie Downing for swimming and siblings Graham and Emily Nishikawa for cross country skiing.

"The continued success of our nationally and internationally acclaimed athletes illustrates the value of our ongoing financial support for sport and recreation at all levels,” Lang said.

"Our elite athletes make us all proud and show Yukon's young people what's possible.”

The grants are determined by a jury representing the sport community and the Yukon government.

The 2011-2012 Yukon Sport for Life funding is in addition to the $920,370 in grants recently awarded to Yukon sport and recreation groups.

For a complete list of grants awarded, visit Sport and Recreation online at

www.community.gov.yk.ca.