Harper kicks off milestone Arctic Winter Games in Yellowknife

More than 1,800 young athletes from across Canada's North and around the circumpolar world begin competing Monday in everything from hockey to dog-mushing as the 20th Arctic Winter Games kicked off in Yellowknife.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper helped open the international sporting event Sunday night, in the same city where then prime minster Pierre Elliott Trudeau opened the first Arctic Winter Games in 1970.

"Thirty-eight years later, the games and the athletes and performers who participate in them are stronger and better than ever before," Harper told the cheering crowds of athletes, coaches, volunteers and fans.

The week-long event features athletes from northern Canada and other countries with Arctic regions, such as the United States, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Greenland.

Canada is fielding teams from the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon, northern Quebec and northern Alberta.

"I was really getting excited and pumped up to wrestle," said Vincent Ningeongan, a wrestler from Coral Harbour, Nunavut, who was among 280 Nunavummiut representing the territory.

Ningeongan told CBC News that marching with Team Nunavut in Sunday's opening ceremonies has made him proud and inspired him to be more active in sports.

Cathie Bolstadt, the president of the society hosting the games, said the sports and cultural events are not only fun, but they also help teach young athletes positive lessons.

"Many of the things that youth learn for success at sports build success for life," Bolstadt said.

"Skill sets, such as practising, pursuing a goal, working hard, representing an organization — those are all things we have to do to succeed."

Events include cross-country skiing, curling, dog mushing and traditional Arctic indigenous games, such as the stick-pull and the high-kick. Badminton is the first sport of competition, beginning at 8 a.m. MT Monday.

Instead of medals, athletes who perform well are awarded a gold, silver or bronze ulu, a replica of a traditional all-purpose Inuit knife.

Those ulus were handed out to athletes in the first-ever Arctic Winter Games in Yellowknife. Back then, more than 500 athletes represented Alaska, the Yukon and the N.W.T.

Celebrating culture

This week, athletes from 1970 and other past games have also gathered in Yellowknife to share their memories.

"When I went to the Arctic Winter Games the first time, we came in last," recalled Sabrina Broadhead, who was 12 years old when she played basketball with Team N.W.T. in the 1974 Arctic Winter Games.

"But that was third [place], so we got a bronze. Because it was just Yukon, Alaska, and the NWT."

The games will also feature shows and displays that celebrate the culture of the indigenous people who live in circumpolar areas.

"It's so great to be here," said Natalya Tynzyaonova, a first-time Arctic Winter Games athlete from northern Russia.

"People are so friendly and it's so nice to see everyone smiling," she said in Russian. "I hope to meet lots of people from different countries, and I hope everyone becomes friends."