Alberta Sport Connection – Medicine Hat, AB – The Alberta Winter Games, a province-wide winter sports competition for Albertans 11-17 years of age, came to a close on February 16. More than 1,800 athletes from throughout Alberta competed in 20 sports over the four-day competition.

“This has been a fantastic year for the Games, and I congratulate all the young athletes who participated. I know the experience, friendships and memories they made will stay with them forever,” said Ricardo Miranda, Minister of Culture and Tourism. “I also want to congratulate the City of Medicine Hat, the Games organizers and volunteers for their outstanding hospitality and work in making this another successful Winter Games.”

The Winter Games included a wide variety of sports from skiing, hockey, biathlon, curling and speed skating to synchronized swimming, fencing, artistic gymnastics, volleyball and boxing. For a full list of Winter Games sports and results see: Alberta Games.

“Alberta Sport Connection is proud to support, encourage and develop young athletes through events like the Alberta Games, which we organize with the help of exceptional host communities like the City of Medicine Hat”, said John Short, Chair of ASC. “These Games included impressive athletic performance and sportsmanship. We have good reason to be pleased with the role ASC gets to play in helping these young Albertans pursue excellence in sport.”

Besides medals for individual and team performances, three additional awards were presented at the closing ceremonies of the Games:

Alberta Cup: Zone achieving the most medal points: Zone 3 (Calgary);

Minister’s Cup: Zone showing the greatest improvement from one Alberta Games to the next: Zone 5 (Black Gold Yellowhead);

Spirit of Sport Award: Zone best demonstrating the spirit of fair play, sportsmanship, team spirit and cooperation on and off the field of play: Zone 2 (Big Country).

Alberta Games Zone Map

Previous Award Winners

More than 40 athletes who have participated in the Alberta Winter Games have gone on to represent Canada at the Olympics, including: 2016 Games spokesperson, speed skater, Gilmore Junio; 3-time Olympian, world figure skating champion, Kurt Browning; Olympic Gold Medalist cross-country skier, Chandra Crawford; Olympic Gold Medalist mogul skier, Jennifer Heil; Olympic gold Medalist women’s bobsleigh, Kaillie Humphries; and 10-time Paralympic Gold Medalist cross-country skier, Brian McKeever.

The Alberta government provided $300,000 in support of the 2016 Alberta Winter Games through Alberta Sport Connection, and an additional $70,000 through a cultural grant. The Alberta Games generate about $3 million in economic impact for host communities. For more about the Alberta Winter Games, visit www.albertagames.com.

The next Alberta Winter Games will be in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo in 2018.

Alberta Sport Connection is a non-profit organization dedicated to the development of sport in Alberta. More information on Alberta Sport Connection: www.albertasport.ca or follow us on Twitter @AlbertaSport_

-30-

Media inquiries may be directed to:
David Hennig 
Alberta Sport Connection 
(780) 721-0686 (mobile) (780) 415-0272 

Don Wilson, Director, Alberta Games & Marketing
Alberta Sport Connection
(403) 473-2572 (mobile) (403) 297-2729