Mission welcomes 27th BC Winter Games
By Contributor
British Columbia’s top young athletes are gathered for three days of intense competition in Mission at the 27th BC Winter Games, opening Thursday.
Over 1300 athletes between the ages of 9 and 17 years are competing in 18 sports ranging from ice and snow events like skiing (including para-alpine and para-cross country), hockey and curling to indoor events such as badminton, wheelchair basketball, and judo.
The Government of British Columbia provides base funding for the Games of $525,000. Other partners providing funding and in-kind services include the District of Mission, School District 75, Jazz Air, Global BC, CN, Black Press, and the Mission City Record.
The BC Winter Games feature athletes competing from eight different provincial zones. Many former BC Games competitors have gone on to excel on the world athletic stage. BC Games alumni representing Canada at the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are hockey players Jamie Benn and Carey Price, speed skater Denny Morrison, skiers Kelsey Serwa and Georgia Simmerling, bobsleigher Justin Kripps, and Paralympians Matthew Hallat and Josh Dueck.
The BC Games were established in 1978 and consist of both Summer and Winter Games.
In recognition of the importance of the event, the B.C. Government has proclaimed Feb. 17 – 23 BC Winter Games Week.
