The glitter from Panther Cheer Athletics has settled at the Richmond Olympic Oval. The hockey bags from the 38th Annual Richmond International Hockey Tournament have aired out. We are ready to reflect on the incredible year we had at Richmond Sport Hosting.
In 2018, Richmond welcomed tens-of-thousands of athletes, coaches, and fans from around the world. This included supporting over 60 events with our services, and distributed $100,000 to over 40 sport organizations through our Richmond Sport Hosting Incentive Grant program, which continues to support event organizers in elevating their events and reaching their goals.
This past year we took on new challenges and expanded Richmond’s hosting capabilities and legacy.
The Richmond Olympic Oval was proud to host a variety of annual events and welcomed back the bi-annual Canada Cup International Wheelchair Rugby Tournament, showcasing elite athletes from Australia, Denmark, Japan, Sweden, USA and Canada.
The Richmond Curling Club hosted some signature events such as the 12th Annual International Wheelchair Curling Bonspiel – 2018 Canadian Open, and the Pacific International Cup. Annual returning events such as SwingCouver, Vancouver Open Darts Tournament and the Snowball Classic were hosted at the Sheraton Airport Hotel in the grand Richmond Conference Centre.
New opportunities and sports were abundant with a few honorable mentions including a complete para-hockey conversion at the Richmond Olympic Oval for the 2018 Canadian Sledge Hockey Championships. The Richmond Oval Operations team fitted custom players benches with skate-in-skate-out accessibility, new paneling with plexiglass viewing specifically for para athletes. Oval ice is now competition ready for future para-ice hockey hosting opportunities and programming.
The Richmond Olympic Oval had a busy summer hosting Canada and China’s National Men’s Basketball Teams for a training camp, held prior to the inaugural Pacific Rim Classic, along with our biggest event of the year in Richmond, the 2018 Canadian Gymnaestrada. With over 1,100 participants and over 2,000 spectators, Gymnaestrada was a four-day national celebration of gymnastics and movement, with performances, workshops and festivities that connected the Richmond community, including participation in the Steveston Salmon Fest and parade. The Volleyball Canada Cup returned and rounded off the busiest season with another organized and highly attended competition, with over 40 teams including male and female athletes for the first time on a national scale.
Minoru and Hugh Boyd fields were busy with the Whitecaps Combine in the spring, the 2018 Provincials Soccer A Cup hosted by the Richmond Soccer Association, with 48 teams and 1,000 athletes and over 2,000 spectators. The annual SX Cup was back to kick off the soccer season, along with the 2018 Regional Women’s and Men’s Master Championships and the ever-expanding Richmond Romp at Minoru and Richmond High with 57 competing teams.
The Richmond Ice Centre and Minoru Arenas hosted the local annual Richmond Ringette, Richmond Ravens, and multiple Richmond Jets tournaments including the famous Richmond International Bantam & Midget Tournament. New to the rink was the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Canada 2018, which brought an elite level of competition to young Richmond athletes, and the opportunity to complete on a world-stage right here at home. With assistance from Connaught Skating Club, local volunteers and facility staff pulled off an exceptional event in just 90 days.
Other exciting new opportunities from a variety of sports came about as Richmond welcomed a professional basketball team, the Vancouver Knights who played their first season in the North American Premier Basketball League for 2018/19 season. Richmond also hosted the Masters Swimming BC Provincials at Watermania, the 2018 Taekwondo Canada Open at the Richmond Olympic Oval, Freestyle and Snowboard Canada judges’ clinics, and opened the door for the new emerging world of e-sports, with The Pinnacle 2018 hosted at the Ricker Rock Resort.
All around a fantastic and successful year of supporting sporting events in Richmond, and showcasing our beautiful city, unique eclectic culture and world-class infrastructure and accessibility to the world. We are looking forward to 2019 and all the future opportunities we have working with great clients, partners and local organizations.
Photo credit: Gerry Kripps Photography
