MUSKOKA — If the excitement of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver made you wish you were in the midst of the action instead of at home watching on TV, you’re in luck. The 2010 Ontario Winter Games are under way over the next four days in Muskoka.
Top young athletes from across Ontario, some sure to become Canada’s future Olympians, will be competing in 25 sports, including winter favourites such as alpine skiing, figure skating, biathlon and curling. Indoor sports, such as gymnastics, weightlifting and diving are also part of the games. In all, 3,140 athletes, coaches and officials have registered for the March 4 to 7 games, which promote the highest level of competition in Ontario for athletes 22 and under.
The games’ opening ceremonies will take place tomorrow (March 4) at 7 p.m. at Muskoka Wharf in Gravenhurst. The ceremony will include an athletes’ parade and a performance by up-and-coming Canadian band Stereos. Tickets are required.
Natalia Hawthorn of Bracebridge has already earned Muskoka’s first medals of the 2010 Games. Hawthorn won double silver in the juvenile girls 700-metre free sprint and the juvenile girls 7.5-kilometre classic cross-country ski races held at Arrowhead Provincial Park in January. Six members of the Arrowhead Nordic Ski Club, including Monique Derbyshire, Cam Raynor, Ben Osorio, Brady Irving, Ryan Atwood and Robyn Klinkman, also made Muskoka proud with their performances at the races. The races were held early due to a scheduling conflict with the national cross-country skiing competition, which is also held in March.
Muskoka athletes to watch for and cheer on this weekend include Port Sydney residents Elora Austrup, 11, in gymnastics and Jacob Cryderman, 17, in figure skating. Boxers Bryan Black, 15, of Bracebridge, and Bala’s own Caleb Luksa, 15, and Lee Tombs, 16, will also be competing, as will four members of the Bracebridge Knight Hawks badminton club: McLean Brownlee, Mara Goodyear, Adam Ager and Bruce Burdett, as part of the Georgian Bay regional team. Huntsville Judo Club member Sarah Malcolm, 14, of Burk’s Falls will also be doing her best to earn gold for the hometown crowd.
Expect area streets and businesses to be bustling over the course of the games as up to 10,000 friends and family members arrive in Muskoka to support the athletes.
The influx of visitors is expected to provide an estimated $3 million to $4 million in economic benefits for the local economy.
Local facilities closed for public use this weekend, but open for cheering on the athletes include Bracebridge Sportsplex, Bala Arena, Lake of Bays Community Centre, Gravenhurst Centennial Centre and the Jack Bionda Arena in Huntsville. As the location for the weightlifting competition on Friday, March 5, the Muskoka Boat and Heritage Centre in Gravenhurst will close its exhibits for the day but will remain open for spectators.
While the majority of sports are hosted in Muskoka, snowboarding, alpine and freestyle skiing will take place in the Georgian Bay/Collingwood area. Diving, squash, speed skating and five-pin bowling competitions take place in Sudbury.
The event schedule in this week's Bracebridge Examiner, Gravenhurst Banner and Huntsville Forester outlines the approximate times for competitions and the location of the venues where you can take in all the action. When planning your day, keep in mind many of the competitions break for meals. For the most up-to-date information check the competition schedule posted for each sport at its designated venue.
One-day passes, $10, and full, four-day games passes, $20, are available at all sporting venues. Passes allow access to multiple venues for the time period specified. Children 12 and under accompanied by an adult are free.
For more information on the 2010 Ontario Winter Games in Muskoka or for a more detailed time schedule for individual sports, go to the official winter games website at 2010ontariowintergames.ca.