Ringette Championships announced as a finalist for Sport Tourism’s PRESTIGE Award

–– Celebrating Canada’s over $7.4 billion sport tourism industry –

Ottawa, May 17, 2023 — Sport Tourism Canada (STC) proudly announces the finalists of the 2023 PRESTIGE Awards which recognize exceptional sport tourism initiatives, multisport games, and events. The PRESTIGE Awards also shine a spotlight on the people and places behind these initiatives, multisport games and events that make the Canadian sport tourism industry so dynamic and diverse.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be hosting the first PRESTIGE Awards ceremony since 2021!” said Sheena McCrate, STC Interim Chair. “The Awards have always been about celebrating the success stories of sport hosting.  COVID-19 had a devastating impact on our industry, with many events being postponed or cancelled.  But sport led the post-pandemic recovery, and what better way to showcase the vibrancy and resiliency of our sector than the PRESTIGE Awards!  Join us as we honour the many outstanding people, corporations and events that make up our great industry!”

2023 PRESTIGE AWARDS FINALISTS (in alphabetical order)

1. STC Canadian Sport Event of the Year  presented by Destination Markham

Canadian Sport Event of the Year Group A : budget over $1 Million

• 2022 Grey Cup Festival & 109^th Grey Cup Game
• Grande Prix Cycliste de Québec et Montréal
• Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games

Canadian Sport Event of the Year Group B : budget under $1 Million 

• Canadian Ringette Championship
• Okanagan Granfondo
• Speed Skating Canada Cup Junior Final

2. STC International Sport Event of the Year presented by Richmond Olympic Oval High Performance

International Sport Event of the Year Group A : budget over $2 Million

• Calgary Curling Bubble
• Canoe ’22 – 2022 ICF Canoe Sprint Senior World Championships
• World Triathlon Groupe Copley 2022

International Sport Event of the Year Group B : budget under $2 Million 

• 2020 International Wheelchair Rugby Federation Paralympic Qualification Tournament
• 2021/2022 Snow Rodeo FIS Snowboard Slopestyle World Cup
• 2022 ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships

3. STC Canadian Sport Event Sponsorship Initiative of the Year presented by Tourism Richmond 

• Calgary National Bank Challenger
• The Style Experience FIS Snowboard Big Air World Cup

4. STC Sport Event Volunteer of the Year presented by Explore Edmonton

• Cindy Law – Wild Rose Figure Skating Invitational
• Clive Morgan – 2022 Athletics Ontario Cross Country Running Championships
• Laura Takaskai – West Coast Classic 2020

5. STC Sport Event Legacy of the Year  presented by Tourism Winnipeg 

• Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games
• The Style Experience FIS Snowboard Big Air World Cup

6. STC Sport Tourism Rising Star of the Year presented by Tourism Kingston 

• Jill Lynch
• Tanya Colborne
• Reid Bilben

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This 15th edition of the STC PRESTIGE Awards will be presented at the awards gala event on June 8, 2023, in Richmond, B.C. at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel. The awards gala takes place in conjunction with STC’s annual Sport Event Congress (June 6-8, 2023), which is Canada’s largest annual gathering of sport and tourism professionals, event managers and industry suppliers that attracts approximately 400 delegates each year.