The best table tennis players in Canada will be making their way to Hay River in a few short weeks for the biggest tournament in the country.
Table Tennis Canada announced on Tuesday afternoon that the town will host the 2023 Canadian Table Tennis Championships from Sept. 22 to 24.
In making the announcement, Adham Shahara, Table Tennis Canada’s president, said he was excited to have the event take place there.
“This is a unique opportunity for our players, coaches, and officials to discover the Canadian north while competing for national titles,” he stated. “We thank the organizing committee, Table Tennis North, and the Town of Hay River for all their efforts and hard work to stage a successful event. We wish the participants all the best in their competition, and we are sure that they will have a unique experience.”
Thorsten Gohl, Table Tennis North’s executive director, said the territorial sport organization made the bid to have Hay River host earlier this year.
“We made the final decision on hosting the event in mid-June when we knew that the funding was in place and we can make it happen,” he said.
Funding has been confirmed from the GNWT, the Town of Hay River, Sport North and the Aboriginal Sports Circle of the NWT, he added, and there is more to be announced.
“There will be many amazing partners announced in the next few weeks that will also contribute to this event with cash or through in-kind support,” he said.
When the national tournament happens, it will be held at the Aurora Ford Arena with around 75 athletes, coaches and officials expected to be in attendance, said Gohl.
“Hay River was always the location,” he said. “The main reason (being) the timing of the year (ice not being in yet) and the fact that there are no gyms big enough in the territory to host this event.”
The Hay River Curling Club, which is next door to the arena, will serve as the practice facility, he added.
Gohl said bidding for an event like this is a way to show that small communities do have the ability to host major national events.
“Hay River has an amazing facility, wonderful people that will step up to volunteer and as we know, the North will always come together,” he said. “And of course, building capacity, providing professional equipment to the communities, to those that will participate in the Table Tennis Festival the week before, and giving an opportunity for our athletes to compete on home ground.”
That festival is scheduled to take place Sept. 15 to 17 and the plan is to have table tennis activities along with some traditional games hosted by the Sports Circle. A coaching and officials clinic is also scheduled to happen on Sept. 18 to 20 in partnership with Sport North and the Sports Circle.
As for Northern participation, Gohl said there are four NWT competitors confirmed to play, along with three officials.
As for the other territories, it’s a wait and see.
“We need to wait until the end of the week, but Yukon is planning to send four athletes,” he said. “So far, no information from Nunavut yet, but we hope that they have some athletes that will join as well. When we know, then that will be the first time ever that all three territories will participate in the Canadian Table Tennis Championships.”