Arctic Winter Games facts for kids
Arctic Winter Games Logo
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| First event | 1970 in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada |
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| Occur every | 2 years |
| Last event | 2023 Arctic Winter Games held in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo |
| Purpose | Sports for the Arctic |
| President | John Flynn |
| Website | arcticwintergames.net |
The Arctic Winter Games are a big sports and cultural event held every two years. They bring together people from communities and countries around the Arctic Ocean. It's a chance for athletes and artists from the Arctic to compete and share their unique cultures.
Contents
History of the Games
The idea for the Arctic Winter Games started in 1969. Leaders like Walter J. Hickel, who was the Governor of Alaska, and Stuart M. Hodgson, the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, helped make it happen. They wanted a special place where athletes from the Arctic could compete fairly, right in their home region.
The very first Arctic Winter Games took place in 1970 in Yellowknife, Canada. About 500 athletes, coaches, and officials joined in. They came from the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Alaska. Since then, the Games have grown a lot and have been held many times across the Arctic.
In 2002, something new happened: the Games were hosted by two places at once! Nuuk, Greenland, and Iqaluit, Nunavut, worked together. More recently, during the 2023 Games, Prince William even spoke to some of the participants online. The next Games are planned for March 2024 in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska.
Who Participates in the Games?
Many different groups, called "contingents," take part in the Arctic Winter Games. These groups represent different regions and countries in the Arctic.
Here are the main participants:
- Canada - with five regions: Alberta North, Northwest Territories, Nunavik, Nunavut, and Yukon.
- United States - with one region: Alaska.
- Greenland
- Sápmi - a region that covers parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia.
- Russia - used to have four regions participate, but they are no longer members.
Since 2004, nine main groups have regularly joined the Games. Before 2000, Nunavut was part of the Northwest Territories. After Nunavut became its own territory in 1999, it started competing as a separate team.
| Contingent | Year | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | 72 | 74 | 76 | 78 | 80 | 82 | 84 | 86 | 88 | 90 | 92 | 94 | 96 | 98 | 00 | 02 | 04 | 06 | 08 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 23 | 24 | |
| Alaska | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Northwest Territories | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Yukon | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Nunavik | — | X | X | X | — | — | — | — | X | — | — | — | — | — | — | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Alberta North | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Greenland | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Russia | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | X | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Magadan | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | X | X | X | X | X | X | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tyumen | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | X | X | X | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Chukotka | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | X | X | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Nunavut | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Sápmi | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Yamal | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | — | — |
Where the Games Have Been Held
The Arctic Winter Games have been hosted in different cities across Canada, the United States, and Greenland.
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| # | Year | Host City | Host Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1970 | Yellowknife | Canada |
| 2 | 1972 | Whitehorse | |
| 3 | 1974 | Anchorage | United States |
| 4 | 1976 | Schefferville | Canada |
| 5 | 1978 | Hay River/Pine Point | |
| 6 | 1980 | Whitehorse | |
| 7 | 1982 | Fairbanks | United States |
| 8 | 1984 | Yellowknife | Canada |
| 9 | 1986 | Whitehorse | |
| 10 | 1988 | Fairbanks | United States |
| 11 | 1990 | Yellowknife | Canada |
| 12 | 1992 | Whitehorse | |
| 13 | 1994 | Slave Lake | |
| 14 | 1996 | Chugiak/Eagle River | United States |
| 15 | 1998 | Yellowknife | Canada |
| 16 | 2000 | Whitehorse | |
| 17 | 2002 | Nuuk + Iqaluit | Greenland + Canada |
| 18 | 2004 | Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo | Canada |
| 19 | 2006 | Kenai Peninsula Borough | United States |
| 20 | 2008 | Yellowknife | Canada |
| 21 | 2010 | Grande Prairie | |
| 22 | 2012 | Whitehorse | |
| 23 | 2014 | Fairbanks | United States |
| 24 | 2016 | Nuuk | Greenland |
| 25 | 2018 | Hay River/Fort Smith | Canada |
| - | 2020 | Whitehorse (cancelled) | |
| 26 | 2023 | Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo | |
| 27 | 2024 | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | United States |
| 28 | 2026 | Whitehorse | Canada |
| 29 | 2028 | Northwest Territories | |
| 30 | 2030 | Nunavut | |
| 31 | 2032 | Yukon |
The Hodgson Trophy
The Hodgson Trophy is a special award given at the end of each Games. It celebrates fair play and great team spirit. The trophy is named after Stuart Milton Hodgson, who was an important leader in the Northwest Territories.
Here are the past winners of this award:
| Year(s) | Winner |
|---|---|
| 1978 | Alaska |
| 1980–1988 | Yukon |
| 1990 | Alaska |
| 1992 | Northwest Territories |
| 1994 | Greenland |
| 1996 | Northwest Territories |
| 1998 | Yukon |
| 2000 | Nunavut |
| 2002 | Greenland |
| 2004 | Nunavut |
| 2006 | Alaska |
| 2008 | Nunavut |
| 2010 | Alaska |
| 2012 | Nunavut |
| 2014 | Greenland |
| 2016–2018 | Alaska |
| 2020 | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2023 | North Alberta |
| 2024 | Yukon |
Sports at the Games
The Arctic Winter Games feature many different sports, with 29 sports having been part of the event over the years. Some sports, like Arctic Sports, badminton, cross country skiing, ice hockey, and volleyball, have been in every single Games!
The table below shows which sports have been part of the Arctic Winter Games program and in which years.
| Sport | Year | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | 72 | 74 | 76 | 78 | 80 | 82 | 84 | 86 | 88 | 90 | 92 | 94 | 96 | 98 | 00 | 02 | 04 | 06 | 08 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 23 | 24 | |
| Alpine skiing | — | X | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | X | X | — | X | X | X | X | — | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | — | X | X |
| Archery | — | — | X | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | X | X |
| Arctic sports | d | d | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | X | X |
| Badminton | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 13 | X | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | X |
| Basketball | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | — | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | X | X |
| Biathlon | — | — | X | — | — | — | — | — | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | — | X | X | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | X | X |
| Boxing | X | — | X | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Broomball | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | X | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cross-country skiing | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | X | X |
| Curling | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | — | 2 | X | X |
| Dene games | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | X | X |
| Dog mushing | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | — | 6 | — | — |
| Figure skating | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | — | X | X | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | — | 13 | X | X |
| Freestyle skiing | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Futsal | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 5 | X | X |
| Gymnastics | — | — | X | — | — | — | X | — | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | — | 6 | X | X |
| Ice hockey | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | X | X |
| Indoor soccer | — | — | — | — | — | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | — | — | — | — |
| Judo | — | X | X | X | X | X | X | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Shooting | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Short track speed skating | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | X | X | X | — | — | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | — | 20 | X | X |
| Snowboarding | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | X | X | X | X | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 20 | X | X |
| Snowshoe biathlon | — | — | — | — | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | — | X | — | X | X | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | X | X |
| Snowshoeing | — | — | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | X | X |
| Swimming | — | — | d | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Table tennis | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | — | — | — | — | — | X | X | X | — | X | X | X | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | X | X |
| Volleyball | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | X | X |
| Winter triathlon | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | X | X | X | X | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wrestling | — | X | X | X | X | X | — | — | — | — | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | X | X |
- X = The sport was part of these Arctic Winter Games.
- 12 = The sport was part of these Arctic Winter Games. The number shows how many medal events were held for that sport.
- d = This was a demonstration sport, meaning no medals were given out.
- P = The sport is planned for a future Arctic Winter Games.
- — = The sport was not part of these Arctic Winter Games.
Inspiring Athletes from the Games
The Arctic Winter Games have helped many young athletes shine. For example, Michaëlle Jean, who was the Governor General of Canada, honored Aisa Pirti. Aisa is a young Inuk athlete from Nunavik. She has won many medals and trophies in traditional Inuit games at events like the Arctic Winter Games. She is a great role model!
See Also
- Arctic Sports
- World Eskimo Indian Olympics
- Native Youth Olympics (NYO Games)
- Nunatsinni Unammersuarneq
- Nalukataq (Traditional Blanket Toss Celebrations)
