It’s a chaotic calendar of events for Calgary sports watchers.
From Canada’s best curlers to the world’s top speed skaters to historic soccer matches, local athletics enthusiasts have plenty to keep them busy this February, both at home and with the out-of-town scoreboard.
The International Skating Union (ISU) 2024 World Single Distance Long Track Speed Skating Championships were held at Calgary’s Olympic Oval from Feb. 15-18 and Team Canada had a record-setting showing at the event by taking home 10 medals.
During the final day of competition, Calgarians Ted-Jan Bloeman and Graeme Fish both made it to the podium in the men’s 10,000-metre event. Bloeman – who captured gold in the same event at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games in 2018 – won silver, and Fish claimed a bronze medal.
Fellow Calgary resident Ivanie Blonden collected silver in the women’s mass start, as well as another second-place showing alongside Valerie Maltais and Isabelle Weidemann in the women’s team pursuit. The Canadian men’s team of Connor Howe, Antoine Gelinas-Beaulieu and Hayden Mayeur won bronze.
Weidemann – who was named the 2022 Female Athlete of the Year by the Calgary Booster Club – also won silver in the women’s 3,000 metre race.
It was the first time since 1998 that Calgary had hosted the world speed skating championships.
NOT THEIR FIRST RODEO
Overlapping with the fleet of foot bladesters was the International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS) Snow Rodeo Freeski Halfpipe World Cup at Canada Olympic Park, which took place between Feb. 15-17.
Calgary competitors Brendan Mackay and Amy Fraser both turned in silver performances for the hometown faithful at that event.
Mackay, who competed in the men’s halfpipe at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, finished behind American Alex Ferreira (96.50) with a score of 94.25.
Fraser – another veteran of the 2022 Olympic Winter Games – put in a score of 89.25, second only to China’s Eileen Gy, who had a 93.25 score.
SEND OUT THE CAVALRY
As the traditional winter sports take hold in Cowtown, one of the city’s major exports will look to make some noise on the international stage.
The Cavalry Football Club take the pitch in a home game away from home for the CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football) Champions Cup tournament.
Calgary’s soccer squad has home-field advantage for the first game of their opening round matchup against Orlando City on Feb. 21, but due to southern Alberta’s typically frigid February conditions the contest was moved to Victoria’s Starlight Stadium on Vancouver Island.
The rematch takes place at Inter & Co Stadium in Orlando on Feb. 24.
Cavalry midfielder Charlie Trafford described the games to Calgary Herald reporter Todd Saelhof as the biggest in the team’s history.
The Cavalry earned their way into the 27-team tournament by winning the 2023 Canadian Premier League regular-season championship.
“It’s the best within our continent … it’s our version of the Champions League in Europe,” Cavalry General Manager/Head Coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. told the Herald of the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
GREAT SCOTTIES
Back at the WinSport Event Centre, the 2024 edition of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts brought Canada’s best curlers together for rock-smashing action.
The annual women’s championship runs from Feb. 16 through Feb. 25.
Midway through the event, Alberta’s team got off to a 5-0 start in Pool A, ahead of Kerri Einarson’s 5-1 Canada squad. The foursome is led by skip Selena Sturmay and includes Calgarian Dezaray Hawes.
Pool B is led by Rachel Homan and her Ontario teammates, who have a 5-0 record, while Clancy Grandy has her B.C. quartet in second place at 5-1.
The championship final takes place on Sunday, Feb. 25th.
SPECIAL TIME OF YEAR
As the calendar flips from February to March, Calgary plays host to the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games, which will see over 4,000 athletes, coaches, officials, mission staff, families and other visitors settle in to Alberta’s largest city.
From Feb. 27 to March 2, athletes from Canada’s provinces and territories will compete for the opportunity to be selected to Special Olympics Team Canada.
The Winter Games will include opening and closing ceremonies. In between those festivities at Stampede Park, participants will compete in eight sports – including bowling, alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, speed skating, floor hockey and snowshoeing – at seven different venues.
U GOT THIS
Calgary’s university sports scene remains active.
The Mount Royal University (MRU) men’s volleyball team welcomes the University of Winnipeg for the Canada West quarter-final playoffs. The Cougars went 17-7 to finish second in the Canada West standings. They’ll face the Wesmen on Feb. 23-24 (and on Feb. 26 if a third game is required) at Kenyon Court.
Men’s and women’s basketball teams from MRU and the University of Calgary are also engaged in postseason action from Feb. 21 to Feb. 25. The men travel to Winnipeg, where the University of Manitoba are hosting Canada West playoffs, while the women head west to the University of Fraser Valley in Abbotsford, B.C.
The Dinos and Cougars hockey teams have also advanced in the playoffs. The Calgary Dinos men’s squad are home to MRU for a best-of-three semifinal series at Father David Bauer Arena from Feb. 22-24. The University of Calgary women’s team heads to Vancouver for a best-of-three battle against UBC at Doug Mitchell Sports Centre from Feb. 23-25, while the MRU women take on the University of Alberta Pandas during the same weekend.
In track-and-field competition, the Dinos will take part in the Canada West Championships at the University of Alberta’s Butterdome on Feb. 23-24.
Meanwhile, the University of Calgary women’s rugby 7s team will do battle in five games over two days in Langley, B.C. during their final tournament action on Feb. 23-24.
The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) hockey teams also hit the ice. The women’s hockey team hosts the Medicine Hat College (MHC) Rattlers at WinSport on Feb. 23rd before squaring off for a rematch in Medicine Hat on Feb. 24th. The men’s team has a similar home-and-home puck series against Concordia University, with the Trojans in Edmonton on Feb. 23rd and then at WinSport on Feb. 24th.
REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMS
All of this athletic activity in the Stampede City is happening alongside the regular games that sports fans have come to expect.
The Calgary Roughnecks of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) welcome the Philadelphia Wings to Scotiabank Saddledome on Saturday, Feb. 24th for an evening tilt, while the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League (WHL) close out their monthly schedule with games at the ‘Dome on Feb. 23rd against the Wenatchee Wild; Feb. 25th against the Lethbridge Hurricanes; and Feb. 28th versus the Edmonton Oil Kings.
The Calgary Flames, meanwhile, host the Boston Bruins on Feb. 22nd, before hitting the road for a Battle of Alberta matchup against the Edmonton Oilers on Feb. 24th. After that, the Flames roll out the red carpet for the Los Angeles Kings at the Saddledome on Feb. 27th. Calgary will kickoff the month of March by retiring goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff’s jersey at a special ceremony before the Flames take on the Pittsburgh Penguins at the ‘Dome on March 2nd.