Team NT’s 2026 Arctic Winter Games trials

Trials for the 2026 Arctic Winter Games are underneath approach, with 648 athletes representing 20 communities competing in Yellowknife and Dettah for an opportunity to make Team NT.

Trials began on Thursday and run till Saturday, whereas the Games themselves happen over March 8-15 in Whitehorse. 

Of the 20 sports activities on the Arctic Winter Games, 15 are holding tryouts this week whereas others have already chosen their athletes.

The City of Yellowknife, which is the primary host for the trials, opened up its venues and supplied out-of-town athletes free bus transportation and aquatic centre passes.

“We want to remove distractions so athletes can focus on learning, competing and connecting with their peers. Even small things, like a bus or a pool, can make a big difference when you’re young and away from home,” Yellowknife Mayor Ben Hendrickson was quoted as saying.

“By providing these supports, we help create moments that build confidence, pride and a sense of belonging – values that matter to us as a city.”

While Yellowknife typically hosted many sports activities’ Arctic Winter Games trials up to now, territorial authorities cuts this yr imply the town is much more central to the method than would usually be the case.

Reanna Brownlee, Cassandra Collison and Dayle Cole are three mates attempting out for Arctic sports activities.

Arctic sports activities embody one-foot excessive kick, two-foot excessive kick, Alaskan excessive kick, kneel leap, sledge leap, triple leap, arm pull, airplane, one-hand attain, head pull and knuckle hop.

Cole, from Tsiigehtchic, defined that at trials, athletes purchase factors for the way they place within the completely different Arctic sports activities disciplines. She and her mates determined to check out for all the disciplines as a result of the extra factors you get, the higher your probability of creating the staff.

“It’s what Arctic and Inuit people would do,” she mentioned of the disciplines. “They would compete and it was also a life skill back in the day … and it’s just kind-of like supporting each other and supporting your community members.”

As the Alaskan excessive kick try-out befell, individuals inspired one another by clapping earlier than robust makes an attempt.

All three ladies mentioned that they had ready for trials by hitting up the gymnasium and doing plenty of stretches and yoga. Collison, from Inuvik, had even arrange a kickstand in her room to practise the varied kicking video games. 

“It’s a lot of mental work as well. You need to be positive,” added Brown, who’s from Yellowknife and have become mates with the opposite ladies as they grew up competing and practising Arctic sports activities collectively. 

Here are a few of our favorite images from the trials.

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