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XVI Arctic Winter Games
March 5-11, 2000
Right around the circumpolar world, people are more and more identifying themselves as "Northerners". One of the most effective vehicles for expanding this cultural definition is the Arctic Winter Games.
First discussed in Canada in 1967, the first Arctic Winter Games were held in Yellowknife in 1970, with 500 athletes, coaches and officials from the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Alaska present. The list below shows the progress of the Games since that time, with the hosting community and participants:
- I (1970) - Yellowknife: Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon
- II (1972) - Whitehorse: Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Northern Quebec, Greenland (plus observers from the Soviet Union and Labrador)
- III (1974) - Anchorage: Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Northern Quebec
- IV (1976) - Shefferville, Quebec: Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Northern Quebec
- V (1978) - Hay River/Pine Point: Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon
- VI (1980) - Whitehorse: Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon
- VII (1982) - Fairbanks: Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon
- VIII (1984) - Yellowknife: Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon
- IX (1986) - Whitehorse: Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Northern Alberta, Northern Quebec
- X (1988) - Fairbanks: Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Northern Alberta
- XI (1990) - Yellowknife: Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Northern Alberta
- XII (1992) - Whitehorse: Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Northern Alberta, Greenland, Russia
- XIII (1994) - Slave Lake, Alberta: Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Northern Alberta, Greenland, Magadan, Tyumen
- XIV (1996) - Chugiak/Eagle River, Alaska: Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Northern Alberta, Greenland, Magadan, Tyumen
- XV (1998) - Yellowknife: Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Northern Alberta, Greenland, Magadan, Tyumen
- XVI (2000) - Whitehorse: Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Nunavut, Northern Alberta, Greenland, Magadan, Tyumen, Nunavik-Quebec
- XVII (2002) - Iqaluit and Nuuk:
- XVIII (2004) - Northern Alberta:
Each year since 1978, the magnificent Hodgson Trophy is awarded to the contingent whose athletes best exemplify the ideals of fair play and team spirit. Team Yukon has won the award 13 times in the 16 Games since the award was initiated.
The 2000 Games had a theme song, and a mascot, too. AWGie made appearances all over the North to promote the Games.
Creating a mountain out of marble is no easy task. Yukon sculptor Shane Wilson has been doing exactly this for the last two months. He was chosen by the Arctic Winter Games 2000 Host Society to create a work of art representing Team Alaska. The requirements for the project included the work be at least 30x30 inches and representative of the region. Shane chose a slab of Alaskan marble with Denali (Mt. McKinley) as the subject because he felt it portrayed Alaska's strength of spirit. You can see the work and his commentary on creating it on his Web site, ShaneWilson.com.
Preparations for hosting the Games have been going on for at least 2 years now. There are 3,000 volunteers (Whitehorse has a total population of just over 21,000), each wearing an Arctic Winter Games vest. Beds for the athletes have been shipped in from as far away as Saskatchewan, and are set up in 4 schools in the Riverdale area. To add to the city's festive atmosphere, residents have been encouraged to leave their Christmas lights up through the Games.
Sporting Events
Alpine Skiing
Arctic Sports & Dene Games
Badminton
Basketball
Biathlon
Cross Country Skiing
Curling
Dog Mushing
Figure Skating
Gymnastics
Hockey
Indoor Soccer
Snowboarding
Snowshoe Biathlon
Snowshoeing
Speed Skating
Volleyball
WrestlingRelated Links
Arctic Winter Games
The AWG home page offers lots of information on previous games.Athletics Yukon
News, events, training tips, race results, Yukon record-holders and more.
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