Local, athletes, officials ready for Canada Winter Games

There will be a southern Alberta presence at the 2019 Canada Winter Games.

The games kick off with the opening ceremonies in Red Deer today with competition getting underway Saturday.

The Lethbridge region will be represented at the Games by 10 athletes, seven officials as well as coaches and a contingent of volunteers as part of Team Alberta.

Headed to Red Deer for the Games which will run until March 2 are judo athletes Evelyn Beaton, Joel Demaere, Kiera Westlake, Nathan Demaere and Taylor Althouse.

Hockey players Zack Stringer and Hayleigh Craig will lace up for Team Alberta. Boxers Joshua Peck and Kyle Oliver and long track speed skater Kaleb Muller will round out the southern Alberta representatives.

The Games will host up to 3,600 athletes, managers and coaches in Red Deer.

Team Alberta is comprised of 247 athletes representing 47 Alberta communities and competing in 19 sports. They will be supported by 73 coaches, managers and support staff along with 19 mission staff.

The Games can be watched on TSN/RDS and via the live steam at canadagames.live.

The Winter Games are held once every two years, alternating between winter and summer and represent the highest level of national competition for up-and-coming Canadian athletes.

This is the third time the Canada Games have been hosted in Alberta. Previously, Alberta hosted the Canada Games in 1975 (Lethbridge) and 1995 (Grande Prairie).