Team BC ready to take on the best of the west at the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games

Jul 22, 2015

Team BC will be the province to beat when the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games open in Wood Buffalo, Alberta on August 7. A contingent of 427 people including 334 athletes, 47 coaches, 24 managers, and 22 mission staff make up Team BC and they will compete against the best in the west in 18 sports.

“Congratulations to the hundreds of members of Team BC as they go for gold at the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games,” says Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, Coralee Oakes.  “The Province of British Columbia is committed to supporting our athletes at all levels of competition, as many members of Team BC use these Games as a stepping stone to national and international competitions. We are so proud of Alex Brent and the other B.C. athletes.” 

Leading Team BC into the Opening Ceremony in Wood Buffalo will be Canoe/ Kayak athlete, Alex Brent from Dudney who was chosen as Team BC’s flag bearer.   Brent is a 2012 BC Summer Games and 2013 Canada Summer Games alumnus.  Brent has had a good start to 2015, finishing second in K-1 1000m and sixth in K-1 500m at the Canadian National Team Trials and he is currently training and competing in Portugal at the World Junior Championships.   

“It’s unbelievable to imagine myself being the flag bearer for Team BC,” says Brent. “I understand the amount of hard work and time that is required to reach this level of competition and it’s a great honour to be selected from a group of such high caliber athletes.”

British Columbia has taken part in the Western Canada Summer Games since 1975 when the Games were first held in Regina.  Team BC has won the Western Canada Summer Games trophy all 10 times the Games have been held and is expected to be very competitive again this year. The BC Games have been a training ground for 44% of the Team BC athletes and coaches giving them the advantage of a previous multisport Games experience.  

“It is a privilege to lead Team BC for the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games in Wood Buffalo,” said Diane St-Denis, Team BC Chef de Mission.  “Our athletes have shown tremendous commitment training for this moment.  We are excited for the Games to begin and to support the journey to the podium.”    

Many high level athletes have launched their athletic careers through the BC Games and Team BC.  Currently, there are 51 Team BC alumni competing at the Pan Am Games in Toronto including Western Canada Summer Games alumni  Liz Gleadle (Athletics) and Luke Reilly (Swimming).  Reilly won a silver medal for Team Canada in the 400IM and Gleadle won gold in the women’s javelin competition.

Team BC finished first at the 2011 Western Canada Summer Games in Kamloops with a record 255 medals.  Get the latest Team BC news including a complete list of Team BC athletes and their hometowns on www.teambc.org.  

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About Team BC 
Team BC will bring together a delegation of 427 athletes, coaches, managers, and mission staff to represent British Columbia at the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games in Wood Buffalo, Alberta.  Team BC athletes are the best young developing talent in this province and are our future national and international champions.  Team BC alumni include Olympians Dylan Armstrong (Athletics), Ryan Cochrane (Swimming), Karina LeBlanc (Soccer), and Paralympian Bo Hedges (Wheelchair Basketball).  Visit www.teambc.org for the latest news and updates.

About the Western Canada Summer Games
The Western Canada Summer Games are held every four years and bring together over 2500 athletes from the four western provinces and three northern territories to compete in 18 sports.  These Games provide development opportunities for amateur athletes to help them advance their skills in a competitive but, friendly environment.  The 2015 Western Canada Summer Games will take place in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Alberta.  For more information visit www.2015woodbuffalo.com. 

Click here to link to the Hometown List and Media Guide for Team BC at the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games.

Contacts:
Jenn Houtby-Ferguson
Team BC Communications Lead 
2015 Western Canada Summer Games
Cell:  250-713-9849                    
Email: news@teambc.org

Lia Threlfall
Communications Manager
BC Games Society and Team BC
250-812-3887
Email:  liat@bcgames.org