OTTAWA, ON:
February 4, 2019
This year’s finalists for the 2019 Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA) PRESTIGE Awards, represent events, organizations, and volunteers from all across the country. The finalists in seven different categories range from Vancouver in British Columbia to Charlottetown in Prince Edward Island, and almost every province in between.
The PRESTIGE (Program Recognizing Exceptional Sport Tourism Initiatives, Games & Events) Awards, now in their 13th year, have honoured exceptional events, people and organizations throughout that time since they began in 2007.
CBC Sports / Radio-Canada broadcaster and Olympian Alexandre Despatie will host the award presentation, which takes place on Wednesday, March 20th, during the annual Sport Events Congress in Ottawa at The Westin Ottawa. The newly formatted program will begin with the PRESTIGE Awards Presentation, presented by Saskatoon Sports Tourism, at 12:15 p.m., followed by the PRESTIGE Awards Networking Reception and Luncheon, presented by IHG, at 1:15 p.m.
“The PRESTIGE nominations once again embody the breadth and depth of the sport tourism industry in Canada,” said Rick Traer, CEO, Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance. “We were encouraged with the response to our awards program, receiving more than 40 entries this year. It’s another demonstration of the calibre of the events held in Canada, both domestic and international, as well as a recognition of the volunteers and organizations who are the backbone of sport hosting and sport tourism. Their dedication is what has kept Canada at the forefront of international sport bidding and hosting for the last several years. We thank everyone for submitting a nomination and are pleased to honour our PRESTIGE finalists.”
The 23 finalists represent both smaller communities and major urban centres in nine different provinces across a wide spectrum of sport events from local to national and international competitions. This year, the CSTA Sport Tourism Rising Star of the Year Award has been added, recognizing an emerging leader in the sport tourism industry who has demonstrated leadership, creativity and dynamic energy.
2019 PRESTIGE AWARDS FINALISTS (in alphabetical order)
CSTA Canadian Sport Event of the Year Award (Group A: budget greater than $1 million) presented by Québec Destination affaires
• 106th Grey Cup and 2018 Grey Cup Festival, (Edmonton, Alta.)
• 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, (Vancouver, B.C.)
• 2018 Ford World Women’s Curling Championship, (North Bay, Ont.)
CSTA Canadian Sport Event of the Year Award (Group B: budget less than $1 million) presented by Québec Destination affaires
• 2018 Canada 55+ Games, (Saint John, N.B.)
• 2018 WBSC Junior Men’s Softball World Championship, (Prince Albert, Sask.)
• Curl 4 Canada 2018, (Leduc, Alberta)
CSTA International Sport Event of the Year Award presented by CBC Sports
• FISE World Series Edmonton 2018, (Edmonton, Alta.)
• HSBC Canada Sevens, (Vancouver, B.C.)
• Red Bull Crashed Ice Edmonton, (Edmonton, Alta.)
CSTA Canadian Sport Event Sponsorship Initiative of the Year Award presented by Adup Display
• Shaw Communications Inc., 106th Grey Cup and Grey Cup Festival 2018, (Edmonton, Alta.)
• Sobeys Inc. & Michelin Corporate Foundation, Special Olympics Canada 2018 Summer Games, (Antigonish, N.S.)
• TKNL Experience makers, Canada Cup of Judo 2018, (Montréal, Qué.)
CSTA Sport Event Volunteer of the Year Award presented by Edmonton Events
• Barb Curry, Volunteer Co-Chair, 2018 Canada 55+ Games, (Saint John, N.B.)
• Bernadette McIntyre; 2018 Tim Hortons Brier; 2018 CP Women’s Open; 2018 Mastercard Memorial Cup, (Regina, Sask.)
• Jen Stark, Head of Junior Volunteers, Head of Game Scores and Spirit Scores Reporting, WFDF 2018 World Masters Ultimate Club Championships, (Winnipeg, Man.)
CSTA Sport Tourism Organization of the Year Award presented by WestJet
• Edmonton Events, (Edmonton, Alta.)
• Events NS, (Halifax, N.S.)
• Sport Hosting Vancouver, (Vancouver, B.C.)
CSTA Sport Event Legacy of the Year Award presented by ConnectOnCampus
• 9th Down Syndrome World Swimming Championships 2018, (Truro, N.S.)
• HSBC Canada Sevens, (Vancouver, B.C.)
CSTA Sport Tourism Rising Star of the Year Award presented by Sport Durham
• Andréanne Paquet, Manager, Sports Market – Tourisme Montréal, (Montréal, Qué.)
• Harvey Hubball, Business Development, Sport & Events – Tourism Kelowna, (Kelowna, B.C.)
• Laurel Lea, Tourism Officer, City of Charlottetown – SCORE, (Charlottetown, P.E.I.)
Tickets
Tickets to the PRESTIGE Awards presentation and reception are included with the fees for registered 2019 Sport Events Congress delegates. Tickets are available for individual purchase at a cost of $90 + tax per person. For more information about the PRESTIGE luncheon or to register/purchase tickets, visit the CSTA’s website.
About the PRESTIGE Awards
PRESTIGE Awards are the CSTA’s marquis Program Recognizing Exceptional Sport Tourism Initiatives, Games & Events. Now in its 13th year, this annual award program shines a spotlight on the dynamic Canadians, places and events that are building our nation’s growing sport tourism industry.
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