Although much attention will be on the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Portage la Prairie will offer some local sporting flavour a little closer to home.

The Manitoba Winter Games, which were awarded to Portage la Prairie in March 2007, run from March 7 to 13, 2010.

Jim Malenchak, co-chairman of the host society of the Power Smart 2010 Manitoba Winter Games, is excited his community has the honour of hosting the province’s top athletes.

“It’s going to profile some of the top athletes in Manitoba. It’s going to motivate our kids to continue playing. It’s going to upgrade our facilities and get our volunteers to get to volunteering. It’s a chance to show off our community,” Malenchak said of the games.

Bringing in the games gives Portage la Prairie the chance to build a new multiplex that will expand possibilities for the community.

“We have two rinks that hold a thousand people. With the multiplex we’ll have a sound system. It will hold 1,500 or almost 2,000 people. The idea behind that is that we can host the Junior Worlds,” said Malenchak.

“That complex will be tremendous for community. We’ll be able to host more events. Be able to bring more attractions into the community,” continued Paul Harland, games co-ordinator for the Manitoba Winter Games.

This isn’t the first time Portage la Prairie has hosted a major sporting event.

“ It’s a chance to show off our community.

Jim Malenchak

“We hosted the Canada Summer games in 2006. We’ve hosted many other things – this is just another event for us,” said Malenchak.

Also, in 1999 during the Pan Am Games, Portage la Prairie was a temporary home to many athletes from across the Americas.

“In 1999, we had cyclists driving bikes downtown. We had baseball right here, the Cubans played Canada and people from Portage la Prairie got to watch them. It was all just common-place. Most people would never get a chance to see that,” said Malenchak.

The competition should be tight as Manitoba’s top young athletes will have gone through a difficult qualification process to even make the games.

“The athletes have to qualify regionally,” explained Harland. “Each region sends their team to the Winter Games. The level of skill is higher than it was four years ago. There’s no host team anymore. Each individual has to qualify out of their region.”

The Manitoba Winter Games has been an important stepping stone for young Manitoban athletes who may want to someday play in the Western Canada Games or even the Olympics.

“This is one of the first steps they take,” said Harland when asked if there could be potential Olympic athletes at the event. “If they are one of the top athletes it gives them an idea of what’s down the road for them.”

Manitoba’s athletes will compete in 12 different events including badminton, five-pin bowling, figure skating, gymnastics, male and female hockey, male and female volleyball, Special Olympics bowling, cross-country skiing, curling and ringette.

Published in Volume 63, Number 23 of The Uniter (March 12, 2009)