2018-19 Winter Sports Competitions in Canada
Want to support Team Canada athletes as they compete at home this winter? Well, there are tons of opportunities.
Check out our list of upcoming winter sports competitions that will take place on Canadian soil.
October
ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Skate Canada International – Laval, QC – October 26-28
Keegan Messing skates in the men’s single skating short program at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Korea, Friday, February 16, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO – COC – Jason Ransom
The 2018 Skate Canada International is the second event of the six-stop 2018–19 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating. The 45th installment of the competition will take place at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec, which is hosting its first major skating event. Skaters can compete in a maximum of two Grand Prix events. Among the names to watch are Olympians Keegan Messing, Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro, and Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier.
November
ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating – Calgary, AB – November 2-4
The Canadian team of Charles Cournoyer, left to right, Samuel Girard, Charles Hamelin and Pascal Dion celebrate as they capture bronze in the men’s 5000 metre relay final at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, in Gangneung, South Korea on Thursday, February 22, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
The Canadian team for the World Cup season opener features four Olympic medallists (Charles Hamelin, Samuel Girard, Charle Cournoyer, Pascal Dion), along with five national team members who will make their World Cup debuts as the women’s team experiences a large turnover from last season. Three-time Olympic medallist Kim Boutin will not compete in Calgary, but will join the Canadian World Cup squad later in the season.
Four Nations Cup – Saskatoon, SK – November 6-10
Team Canada’s Marie-Philip Poulin, Meghan Agosta, Laura Fortino and Mélodie Daoust celebrate a goal in the gold medal women’s hockey game at the Gangneung Hockey Centre during the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Gangneung, South Korea, Wednesday, February 21, 2018. COC – David Jackson
Team Canada is hoping to capture its first 4 Nations Cup gold medal in four years when the event returns to Canadian ice for the first time since 2014. Of the 23 players on the roster for the tournament, 14 won silver at PyeongChang 2018.
FIS Alpine World Cup (Men’s Downhill and Super-G) – Lake Louise, AB – November 21-25
Canada’s Erik Guay competes during a men’s downhill race, at the Alpine Ski World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Sunday, Feb.12, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)
As is tradition, Team Canada’s men’s speed team will kick off their season in beautiful Lake Louise, Alberta. Canada’s most successful male alpine skier, Erik Guay, has announced that this will likely be his final competitive season. The two-time world champion has stood on 25 World Cup podiums in his career, the first of which was at Lake Louise in 2003.
FIS Alpine World Cup (Women’s Downhill and Super-G) – Lake Louise, AB – November 27 – December 2
Valerie Grenier of Canada competes in the women’s Super-G at the Jeongseon Alpine Centre during the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea on February 17, 2018. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/COC)
After the men move out, the world’s best women speed skiers move in to get their World Cup season started in Lake Louise.
FIL Luge World Cup & Relay World Cup – Whistler, BC – November 30 – December 1
Team Canada’s Brooke Apshkrum drives into turn fourteen during luge training runs at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, Korea, Thursday, February 1, 2018.
COC Photo by Jason Ransom
The fastest athletes on ice will compete at the Whistler Sliding Centre for the second of nine stops on the luge World Cup circuit. More than 100 athletes representing over 20 countries will compete on a weekend that will include a team relay, the event in which Canada won silver at PyeongChang 2018.
December
ISU Junior & Senior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final – Vancouver, BC – December 6-9
The Grand Prix Final is the concluding event of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating circuit. Skaters are awarded points based on their placements at their assigned events and the top six in each of the four disciplines advance to the final.
FIL Luge World Cup & Relay World Cup – Calgary, AB – December 7-8
Reid Watts of Canada competes in Run 3 of the Men’s Singles Luge during the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea on February 11, 2018. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/COC)
From Whistler, the world’s top lugers will head to Winsport’s Canada Olympic Park which will play host to the third stop on the World Cup luge circuit in Calgary.
IIHF World Junior Championship – Vancouver & Victoria, BC – December 26 – January 5
Team Canada forward Tyler Steenbergen celebrates his game-winning goal against Sweden during the third period of the gold medal final at IIHF World Junior Championships, on Friday, January 5, 2018. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette)
Over the holiday season, British Columbia will host the IIHF World Junior Championship in Vancouver and Victoria. Team Canada is the defending champion and will play two pre-tournament games in Victoria before heading to Vancouver for their preliminary round.
January
FIS Freestyle World Cup (Moguls) – Calgary, AB – January 12
Mikaël Kingsbury of Canada on the podium after winning men’s moguls gold at PyeongChang 2018 on February 12, 2018. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/COC)
Olympic champion Mikaël Kingsbury will continue his pursuit for an eighth straight Crystal Globe at the third moguls World Cup stop of the season in Calgary.
Canadian Tire National Skating Championships – Saint John, NB – January 14-20
Approximately 250 skaters in the women’s, men’s, pairs and ice dance disciplines will compete at the senior, junior and novice levels at the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Athletes will be looking to earn spots on the national team and assignments for the ISU World Figure Skating Championships, ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships and Four Continent Figure Skating Championships.
FIS Freestyle World Cup (Moguls) – Tremblant, QC – January 26
Justine Dufour-Lapointe after finishing second in women’s moguls at PyeongChang 2018 on February 11, 2018. Photo: Jason Ransom/COC
The moguls World Cup circuit stays on North American snow, hitting the hills at Mont Tremblant. More than 100 athletes from 15 countries will challenge Team Canada’s top skiers. Last year, Justine Dufour-Lapointe and Andi Naude won gold and silver at this venue.
FIS Freestyle World Cup (Ski Cross) – Blue Mountain, ON – January 25-26
Brady Leman of Canada wins gold in the Men’s Ski Cross Final at Phoenix Snow Park during the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea on February 21, 2018. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/COC)
Canada has been a dominant country in ski cross and the home World Cup will feature a few Olympic medallists in the final race before the FIS World Championships are held in Utah just one week later.
February
IBU Biathlon World Cup – Canmore, AB – February 4-10
Macx Davies, shoots during the team mixed relay at the IBU World Cup biathlon in Canmore, Alta., Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mike Ridewood
The IBU Biathlon World Cup will return to Canmore, Alberta for the first time since February 2016 for the seventh of 10 stops on the global circuit.
FIS Snowboard World Cup (Halfpipe) – Calgary, AB – February 13-15
The fourth of five World Cup halfpipe events on the calendar this season will bring some of the globe’s top snowboarders to Calgary where the final will be held under the lights at night.
Scotties Tournament of Hearts – Sydney, NS – February 16-24
Canada lead Dawn McEwen, right, and second Jill Officer sweep a rock delivered by skip Jennifer Jones as they play Sweden in the gold medal game at the World Women’s Curling Championship Sunday, March 25, 2018 in North Bay, Ont. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
The women’s national curling championship will take place at Centre 200 in Cape Breton and determine who will be Team Canada at the World Women’s Curling Championship in Silkeborg, Denmark. Team Jennifer Jones enter as the reigning Team Canada, having won last year’s national and world championships. If you’ve been looking for an excuse to visit Cape Breton, get your tickets at curling.ca
IBSF Bobsleigh & Skeleton World Cup – Calgary, AB – February 19-24
Christopher Spring, Lascelles Brown, Bryan Barnett and Neville Wright compete in four-man bobsleigh at the Olympic Sliding Centre in Alpensia in Pyeongchang in South Korea. February 25, 2018 (Photo by Vincent Ethier/COC)
IBSF Bobsleigh & Skeleton World Championships – Whistler, BC – February 25 – March 10
Canada plays host to the bobsleigh and skeleton world championships for the first time since they were in Calgary in 2005. Team Canada sliders will be hoping for a home track and home crowd advantage at the Whistler Sliding Centre.
March
ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships – Calgary, AB – March 2-3
Canada’s Jordan Belchos competes in the 10,000-metre speed skating event at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics Thursday, February 15, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
First held in 1893, the World Allround Championships are the most traditional of speed skating’s three world championships, awarding overall excellence across four distances – 500m, 1500m, 5000m, 10,000m for men and 500m, 1500m, 3000m, 5000m for women.
Tim Hortons Brier – Brandon, MB – March 2-10
The men’s national curling championship will be played at Westoba Place in Brandon, Man. The winning team will represent Canada a month later at the World Men’s Curling Championship. Team Brad Gushue are the two-time defending champions and will compete in Brandon as Team Canada.
FIS Snowboard World Cup (Slopestyle and Big Air) – Quebec City, QC – March 14-17
Canada’s Max Parrot of Bromont Que. leaps to a first place finish at the big air snowboard world cup finale, Saturday, March 24, 2018 in Quebec City. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot
Over the last few years, this World Cup stop has seen Canadian Olympic medallists Mark McMorris, Max Parrot, Sebastien Toutant and Laurie Blouin all stand on the podium in front of the home fans.
FIS Cross-Country World Cup – Quebec City, QC – March 22-24
Team Canada’s Alex Harvey races during the men’s 1.5 km sprint at the FIS World Cup cross-country skiing in Quebec City. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot
The FIS Cross-Country World Cup Final will take place over three days, with one sprint and two distance races for men and women. Quebec City also hosted the World Cup Final in 2017 when fans cheered Alex Harvey to multiple podium finishes.
World Men’s Curling Championship – Lethbridge, AB – March 30 – April 7
Canada skip Brad Gushue, center, delivers a stone against Sweden during the World Men’s Curling Championship, Friday, April 6, 2018, in Las Vegas. Photo: John Locher.
Canada hosts the men’s curling world championship every second year. Whoever wears the maple leaf in 2019 will be looking to win Canada’s 37th men’s world title.
