Grande Prairie welcomes The Arctic Games
Posted Mar 7, 2010 2:11 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Organizers of the 21st Arctic Winter Games in Grande Prairie are welcoming thousands of young athletes from around the circumpolar North.
More than 2,000 athletes, coaches and fans are in the northern Alberta city of 47,000 for the week-long games.
They kick off today (Sunday March 7) with opening ceremonies attended by local politicians, dignitaries, coaches and athletes.
Contingents are coming from the Nunavut, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Northern Alberta, Northern Quebec, Alaska, Scandinavia and Russia.
Over the next week athletes will compete in 21 indoor and outdoor sporting events including cross-country skiing, soccer, gymnastics, hockey as well as traditional indigenous games.
Since 1970 The Arctic Winter Games have taken place every two years in a northern city.
