REGINA, SK (February 21, 2023): The 2023 Saskatchewan Winter Games in Regina continued to heat up on Tuesday, despite freezing temperatures that caused a cancellation of the day’s Biathlon events at Qu’Appelle Valley Nordic Centre in Lumsden. Medals were awarded in Artistic Swimming, Badminton, Bowling - Special Olympics, Curling, Table Tennis, Speed Skating, Weightlifting, and Alpine Skiing. Olympian Kenzie Priddell attended the Artistic Swimming events at the Lawson Aquatic Centre and presented the day’s awards. The camaraderie and fun inherent to a multi-sport games was on full display at each competition, and Saskatchewan’s top young athletes also came to impress across the board, with numerous provincial weight-class records falling during the day’s Weightlifting competition.
The free Culture Festival, presented by CGI, launched Tuesday evening at the University of Regina Education Auditorium. Games participants, volunteers, and the public were treated to performances by the Qu’Appelle Valley Dance Group, the Grey Buffalo Singers, the Lone Creek Buffalo Nation Dance Troupe, and more. The Culture Festival is free and open to the public and runs until Thursday, February 23rd.
SPORT SPOTLIGHT:
Artistic Swimming: Artistic Swimming Olympian, Kenzie Priddell attended the Games and presented today’s awards.
COMING UP NEXT:
It will be all hands on deck tomorrow, as Wednesday, February 22nd marks “Turn Around Day” -- the logistical feat that will see hundreds of participants depart for home and hundreds more descend on Regina to take part in the second half of the Games. The Athletes’ Village dormitory, hosted at the University of Regina’s Wakpā Tower, will be turned over with the help of many dozens of volunteers for the next wave of athletes to claim as their home until Saturday’s Closing Ceremony. Eight buses will begin arriving from their home Districts in 45-minute intervals beginning at 11:00 AM, while eight will depart beginning at 4:00 PM. Photo opportunities will be available at the University of Regina Education Building south doors between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM for media interested in capturing the impressions of the participants both arriving and departing.
Ski Cross events will take place on Wednesday at Mission Ridge Winter Park. An entirely new ski and snowboard cross run was constructed at the park through the Saskatchewan Games Legacy Grant, a matching grant distributed across sport organizations in each Saskatchewan Games host community in order to foster sport development and leave behind lasting legacies. Check out the video preview here courtesy of HomeTeam Live.
The Day 3 Sport Schedule includes competition in Alpine Skiing, Artistic Swimming, Badminton, Bowling - Special Olympics, Curling, Gymnastics, Speed Skating, Table Tennis and Weightlifting.
Wednesday’s Culture Festival programming will feature a keynote speech from Sydney Daniels, the Winnipeg Jets' first female NHL Scout, followed by a Truth and Reconciliation in Sport Panel Discussion featuring Scott and Sydney Daniels. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. The event will be streamed live on CBC’s YouTube Channel.
QUOTES OF THE DAY:
“Our whole theme for the Culture Festival is to make sure that there’s more diversity and inclusion within sports -- that First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people are more involved. Sport is a vehicle for reconciliation. The events on Tuesday and Thursday are geared towards the athletes’ entertainment. On Wednesday, we wanted a program on its own to spark some thought-provoking conversation -- a real conversation around what changes we can achieve in sport.” -- Len Daniels, Culture Festival Co-Chair
“The things that really get people excited and keep them coming back to train are events like the Saskatchewan Games, where [the athletes] get to spend time with their friends and see athletes from other competitions and across the province. This is one of the highlights of our youth athlete cycle -- probably even more so than Junior Nationals for a lot of people. I think the feedback has been really good and the athletes are really enjoying themselves.” -- Lucas King, Sport Chair, Weightlifting
“I’m learning a lot of new things, especially from Amanda, my coach. The competition is really, really good, and my team is amazing so that makes it so much easier.” -- Ally Sestoso, Badminton Athlete, Team Rivers West
“I had a blast photographing the curling yesterday! I realized that this is my third time photographing a Provincial Games -- one Alberta Winter Games, and the 2012 Saskatchewan Summer Games in Meadow Lake. I will have to keep going out -- it revitalizes me, and my love of photography.” -- Stephanie Harrington, Volunteer
CONTENT: Photos of the Games are available for download at this link. Photographers’ names are listed on each subfolder for photographer credit. Thank you to our volunteer photographers for helping us to capture all the moments and memories!
LIVESTREAM: The 2023 Saskatchewan Winter Games is proud to partner with HomeTeam Live to stream every sport at the Games at app.hometeamlive.com. The stream is free and easy to access, with instructions here.
WEBSITE: saskgames.ca
FOLLOW:
The 2023 Saskatchewan Winter Games on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
The Saskatchewan Games Council on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
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About the Saskatchewan Games: First established in 1972, the purpose of the Saskatchewan Games is to provide an opportunity for the province’s developing athletes, coaches and officials to participate in an exciting multi-sport event in preparation for a higher level of competition. Countless Saskatchewan Games alumni have advanced to competition at the national level and beyond, with Olympians such as Sandra Schmirler, Colleen Sostorics, Emily Clarke, and Lucas Makowsky counting the Saskatchewan Winter Games as a key step in their journey to the highest levels of sport. The Saskatchewan Games also leave behind valuable legacies that benefit each host community for years to come. To learn more, visit http://www.saskgames.ca.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Ashley Dennison, Communications Lead
Saskatchewan Games Council
E: adennison@saskgames.ca
C: (306) 570-2525