Office of the Premier
More than 1,200 athletes competed in an exciting four days of competition at the 2018 BC Winter Games over the weekend.
“Congratulations to all of the athletes who reached for their personal best at the BC Winter Games,” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture. “Some of you are going home with medals. Others are going home with new skills, experiences and friends. All of you are champions. Thank you, especially, to the organizers and the thousands of volunteers who made the Games possible. Kamloops, you made us proud.”
Medal results in each provincial zone are affected by geographical location and size, and number of participating athletes.
A backgrounder follows, listing the medal standings with the totals by region, from the 2018 BC Winter Games.
Kamloops hosted the inaugural BC Winter Games in 1979. Twenty-nine years later, the city rallied 1,800 volunteers to support more than 1,200 athletes, 340 coaches and 200 officials. Nineteen different sports were staged at venues throughout the city and at Sun Peaks ski resort.
The Games will have a positive and lasting impact on the City of Kamloops, with an estimated local economic impact of $1.6 million.
“We were immensely proud to welcome athletes and their fans from across the province to Kamloops,” said Niki Remesz, president, Kamloops 2018 BC Winter Games. “Organizing 19 different sports, transportation, food, security and entertainment for this event has been quite a feat. Our volunteers hit the ground running, created memorable experiences and proved that the City of Kamloops lives up to its name as the Tournament Capital of Canada.”
British Columbia has one of the highest levels of sport participation in Canada, due in large part to a sport system that’s focused on creating pathways for athletes to succeed at competitions. The BC Games are an important event for athletes who want to compete at the Olympic Games. Sixteen BC Games alumni recently competed at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.
Over the past 40 years, the Games have been held in 38 communities throughout B.C., involving more than 350,000 participants and volunteers. This year, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the BC Games Society, the Province declared 2018 The Year of the BC Games.
”It was incredibly special for the BC Winter Games to return to their inaugural location as we celebrate 40 years of success in the province,” said Kelly Mann, president and CEO of the BC Games Society. “Sport contributes so much more than just physical well-being. It builds friendships and memories that last a lifetime. The experiences athletes had in Kamloops this weekend will bring them renewed determination to chase their dreams.”
B.C. spends close to $50 million in sport annually, including $2 million to support the BC Games Society for the biennial BC Summer and Winter Games.
Quick Facts:
- The 29th BC Winter Games took place in Kamloops from Feb. 22 to 25, 2018.
- This is the third time Kamloops has hosted the BC Games. The city was the host of the inaugural BC Winter Games in 1979, as well as the 2006 BC Summer Games.
- The 2018 BC Summer Games will take place in the Cowichan Valley from July 19 to 22. This is the second time the region has hosted the BC Games.
- The BC Games Society Powering Potential Fund contributed an additional $40,000 to sport infrastructure / equipment based on the region’s requirements and the needs of the BC Winter Games.
- The City of Kamloops provided $45,000 cash and $50,000 in in-kind services to the Games. School District #73 provided classrooms for use as dorms and facilities for sports and other events.
- Sixteen BC Games alumni competed at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, including gold medalists Justin Kripps (bobsleigh) and Kelsey Serwa (ski cross).
- Kamloops gymnast Rebecca Wharton received the W.R. Bennett Award for Athletic Excellence and a $2,500 bursary to support future sport or education expenses.
- Sixteen BC Games athletes were presented with a $500 Coast Capital Savings Leadership Bursary for their commitment to leadership and community development
Learn More:
To learn more about the BC Games Society, visit: http://www.bcgames.org
