More than 100 athletes, coaches, and support staff from 17 countries around the world have arrived at Big White Ski Resort to compete in the Big White 2017 World Para Snowboard Championships, thanks in part to $165,000 provided by the Government of British Columbia.

The championships, running Feb. 1-8, 2017, is the first World Para Snowboard Championships to be held in North America since its debut at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games. The event includes men’s and women’s snowboard-cross and banked slalom events.

MLA for Boundary-Similkameen Linda Larson was on hand to greet the athletes on behalf of Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Peter Fassbender, whose ministry contributed $125,000 towards the event, and Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour Shirley Bond, whose ministry contributed $40,000 through its Tourism Events Program.

Since 2001, the Government of British Columbia has invested more than $1 billion in sport. This support includes funding for B.C.’s provincial sport organizations that are instrumental in providing training and development for athletes and coaches on the high-performance pathway as they progress from provincial competitions to national development programs and national teams.

(flickr.com)

Quotes:

Linda Larson, MLA for Boundary-Similkameen –

“It’s very exciting to welcome athletes from across the globe to the Big White 2017 World Para Snowboard Championships at Big White Ski Resort in Kelowna. Hosting world class events in British Columbia boosts the regional economy, creates local jobs and showcases our great province to the world. I congratulate the athletes that will be competing over the next week, it takes perseverance, dedication and commitment to compete on the world stage.”

Patrick Jarvis, executive director of Canada Snowboard –

“We are incredibly grateful of the financial support offered to this world-class event by the Province of British Columbia. We look forward to welcoming the world’s best Para Snowboard riders to British Columbia, and trust British Columbians and the rest of Canada to throw their unwavering support behind our athletes.”

Quick Facts:

• With 10 Canadian athletes, Canada has the second-largest number of para snowboard athletes on the World Cup circuit.
• This is the first Para Snowboard World Championships in Canada (Canada has hosted 4 Para Snowboard World Cups from 2012-16, all at Big White Ski Resort).
• The event will feature over 100 athletes, coaches, and support staff from 17 countries.
• Para Snowboard made its Paralympic debut at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.
• The Major Events Program, administered by the Sport Branch in the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, supports the hosting of single-sport events that demonstrate economic and community development, sport development and regional engagement.
• The Tourism Events Program supports events that raise awareness nationally and internationally of British Columbia’s tourism experiences and motivates Canadians and people from other countries to travel and experience British Columbia.
• The Government of B.C. is investing close to $50 million in sport and over $98 million in tourism this year.
• In 2015, 4.9 million international visitors came to B.C. – about an 8% increase compared to 2014.
• In 2014, the tourism industry generated $14.6 billion in revenue with a direct contribution to B.C.’s gross domestic product of $7.1 billion.

Learn More:

For more information about the Big White 2017 World Para Snowboard Championships: https://www.canadasnowboard.ca/en/events/worldcups/paraworldchamps/

For photos of MLA Linda Larson greeting athletes at the championships: https://flic.kr/p/RKcVyg